- 1,236
- Humboldt County
- ExoSphere64
A group of snails is known as an escargatoire, rout or walk.
Whomever Makes This Stuff Up
The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself.”
JoyBell
My first line was going to be something like: "Boy, I don't know where to start." I actually do for once. You till your soil proper and something is going to grow. The mechanics of our League were balanced and blue printed from the very first race. Any successful race team in the real world didn't get there with some dude in a car going real fast. It took a specific design, strategy and a huge team to win that championship and keep winning year after year. That soil that was prepped over two years ago is now sporting one hell of a crop!
It is time to pull the valve covers and remove the heads and get down to the inner workings of our League and what makes it so different from everything else. With the flood of new members, the veterans really need to be vigilant and educate, indoctrinate and mentor our newest SNAILs. There are some that only have a few races under their belt and are stepping into divisional ops jobs. Just remember your first month in SNAIL and how much you had to learn.
This is your race team. These are your managers, mentors, strategists, pit crew, advisers and coaches. They are also the race promoters and sanctioning body. Turn to any race in any discipline and everyone that created and ran that event are what Team SNAIL is to our League. Not only does this Team perform these duties, they are also drivers. They are your competition. How cool would it be if the F1 Red Bull team all got behind the wheel when they were done with their day jobs? All of our new members (and veterans) should look past the grid every now and again and look closer at the machine that makes this all work so well. Being a part of this team is not for everyone. It is not hard work or really that time consuming but it does require a special level of commitment. I am very proud to say that I have been a member of this special Team for a very long time now.
It really changes the dynamic of racing. It has been almost two years since my first race and I have never been disappointed. Being a part of the "Team" really takes race night to a whole new level. When the night is over and the racing is finished, I can take pride in knowing that I helped make it happen. It is also never really has to be over. Snapping pictures, recording data, fiddling with replays and deciding where race violations took place only add to the fun of belonging to a League.
Anyone new or old can participate. There are many jobs that need to be filled. Best case scenario, it takes a minimum of 3 members to run a single division on any given League night. You need a host/director to supply a solid connection and keep the natives calm. You then need a scorekeeper to keep track of who did what and when. After the event, replays need to be uploaded to Google drive so that the stewards have access to each race. At some point, all of the race data needs to be recorded. This is just a glossing over of what really happens. I can burn a whole post on just what the stewards do. If it looks like work, it most likely isn't for you but if you really want to experience a real race career in you living room, joining Team SNAIL is a great way to add to the virtual racing experience.
There is a bonus that goes with membership. As far as I can tell, there are only two ways of earning $hells. The first is to auction off a personal item. The second and most popular is to work for the League. I currently perch on an awesome Playseat bought with the $hells I have earned. Rumor has it that there are new sponsors on the horizon and a some product coming to the SNAIL Marketplace that is highly desirable and that can only be purchased with $hells. As a member of Team SNAIL, you can count on a steady supply and a nice bank account when the time comes.
Speaking of inner workings, the "Results Document" is the documentation of all things SNAIL. It is why The Pit Board was created in the first place. The vets know what it is but all of our new members really need to be aware of it is and what kind of information it holds. The depth of information covered in this "document" is staggering. I have it open on a regular basis and there is still new information that I am just finding. Some of what can be found are the weekly race results. Some of the many things that are logged are, where you started and where you finished in every race. Your fast lap time for each race and gap times for all finishes. Some divisions are even recording pole position times and who earned them. Are you interested in where your lap times stand with the other divisions? Again, this isn't even close to the surface. The awareness of said document is two fold. First, the information and data contained in this document has the very real potential to help improve your lap times and several other aspects of your driving. When I say YOUR driving, I really mean Y-O-U-R driving. The League keeps extensive race data on every single driver. This leads to my second reason. The tremendous level of commitment it takes from a small group of SNAILs. Once you have the chance to look over the page, you will see just how much work goes into putting it together. I guess my point is to take advantage of all the information that is available for each driver but to also make sure all the hard work isn't being wasted. Another bonus of have an actual "Team" behind you every Sunday.
All I can say is wow. I have been around for a long time but not as long as the "O.G" SNAILS.. The racers from the first night of SNAIL that are still here must be sitting back and really enjoying what they have created. I had anticipated growth but not on this level so soon. I live 30 minutes from Reno Nevada and I do not gamble. There is a reason for that! I saw that T-12 is calling for 2014 to be the Year of Gran Turismo. I believe that and I also believe that it will also be the Year of the SNAIL. The beginning of our third year as a League is promising to be the best year we have had so far!! Long live S.N.A.I.L.!!
Race Clean, Race Hard, Race S.N.A.I.L.
(You guys rock! Thanks!)
