Classing for 2015

[tehmaxfactr]

We had lightly touched on it in another thread and there wasn't very much response on the subject. There had been a suggestion to run the base groups together. So, what this means is, If I run in CSP I would run against every car in Street Prepared not just the cars in CSP. So the class listing would be as follows. We could also get rid of a few other classes if we combined this many classes together.

Street= HS,GS,FS,ES,DS,CS,BS,AS,SS,SSR
Street Touring= STF,STS,STX,STR,STU
Street Prepared= FSP,DSP,CSP,BSP,ASP,SSP
Prepared= XP,BP,CP,DP,EP,FP
Street Modified=SMF,SM,SSM
Mod=AM,BM,CM,DM,EM,FM,FSAE,KM
Junior=JA,JB,JC
CAM= C,T,S
We will still keep Novice class as well.
(if you see a class I missed let me know.)

Cons of creating a class setup such as this would be, we would give out less class winning trophies and trophies at the events. Everyone would run off an index class. Making work\run orders might be a little more painful.


Pros would be making a more competitive field to race in. decreased money on overall trophies given, including year ending.

[Scott]

I like the idea for the trophies during each event, however, I think we should keep the separate classes points for the year end awards.

[BFisch06]

I would include a novice class. Getting a trophy at your first event (or 3) is a great way to get people hooked and coming back out to run with us again.

[tehmaxfactr]

Yea, definitely forgot about Novice class. That would be in as well. I will edit the original post.

[hklvette]

PAX class and Ladies class?

[tehmaxfactr]

I had forgotten ladies. With this many people going into single classes I wouldnt really see a need for pax, but thats just me.

[mrtwo]

Might want to think about how the run groups would be arranged so each "pax" group has equivalent chances of sun/rain/snow

[hklvette]

One other thing: its a little late to implement this class structure this year, as I think it would take an overhaul of the timing software's class structure to support it. I don't want that to be a problem this close to the beginning of the season.

Overall, I like the idea. I would suggest that classes be allowed to "break out" of the grouped classes if they meet an arbitrary participation number.

[hemitud]

Definitely worth further discussion, but I agree, tough to make the change with the first event one week away.

Tim

[rschumin]

One other thing: its a little late to implement this class structure this year, as I think it would take an overhaul of the timing software's class structure to support it. I don't want that to be a problem this close to the beginning of the season.

Overall, I like the idea. I would suggest that classes be allowed to "break out" of the grouped classes if they meet an arbitrary participation number.

I bet it would be easy. Just a matter of grouping and sorting results when printing a final report. Nothing upstream of that changes. Glen?

Oh, and for the record, I don't like the idea. I'm not a fan of "calculator racing". When I proposed this in the other thread, I thought is was taking calculator racing to an absurd level and hoped others might see it that way.

[yenko66]

I really don't like this idea... This means on a tight course My ESP Corvair would be in a class with a CSP Miata's... Not a chance for a big car to win. The classes that SCCA has provided us with are designed to keep like cars running against like cars Like ti is supposed to be..

David C

[diggles240]

^ I agree

I vote 'NO' [the poll will not allow me to vote on all Browsers]

[hklvette]

About PAX class: If I (in STU) want to compete on index with people in other class groups (*SP, *M, etc), that's the only means to do so outside of the overall finishing order.

About lumping classes together on index: I compete in an indexed class, so clearly I don't mind "calculator" racing. That said, I have to ask: "what problem is this trying to fix?" If its to reduce the number of "participation" trophies at events to save cost, we could simply have a minimum participation level for a class to be eligible to receive trophies. If we need to have a rule that states: "For a class to be eligible for a championship trophy, there must be X participants who are eligible to receive a trophy for the class." The intent would be to eliminate the "championship of one" trophies.

I have no strong preference either way, but I do like the PAX class.

[tehmaxfactr]

About lumping classes together on index: I compete in an indexed class, so clearly I don't mind "calculator" racing. That said, I have to ask: "what problem is this trying to fix?" If its to reduce the number of "participation" trophies at events to save cost, we could simply have a minimum participation level for a class to be eligible to receive trophies. If we need to have a rule that states: "For a class to be eligible for a championship trophy, there must be X participants who are eligible to receive a trophy for the class." The intent would be to eliminate the "championship of one" trophies.

That might be a better solution.

[hklvette]

Oh one other thing: I've noticed that some regions allow novices to stay in novice class through an entire season if they wish, and have a championship trophy available at the end of the year for it. I like this idea, because a complaint that I have heard and can understand is that winning novice class at a single event is not a good indicator of someone's "aptitude". It is only an indication that they were the best on that particular day compared to everyone else in novice.

In this example, to "graduate" from novice class you have three options:
1) win the class championship for the season
2) win X consecutive events in a row at any time
3) voluntarily withdraw from the class.

[gnalaj]

Oh one other thing: I've noticed that some regions allow novices to stay in novice class through an entire season if they wish, and have a championship trophy available at the end of the year for it. I like this idea, because a complaint that I have heard and can understand is that winning novice class at a single event is not a good indicator of someone's "aptitude". It is only an indication that they were the best on that particular day compared to everyone else in novice.

In this example, to "graduate" from novice class you have three options:
1) win the class championship for the season
2) win X consecutive events in a row at any time
3) voluntarily withdraw from the class.

I think this may be a good idea. I have always thought is was a little harsh to force someone out of novice class just because they have won an event. I don't think an entire season as a novice is unreasonable.

[tehmaxfactr]

I vote yes for this. Seems reasonable and seems to work out for other clubs I run with.
There are a few other things they do in Novice group that may help them. They allow instructor runs during the regular runs if they are really lost or way off pace. Also they gives everyone in Novice group 1 more run than everyone else gets so they can get more experience in there first few events.

[hemitud]

This is just my opinion, but I fall into that category. As for each event "cone" awards, not my fault if no other competitor is in my class, but I am also OK with not receiving a "cone" award at each event because I have been doing this for years; but new comers, I would imagine, like to get the award. As long as this idea doesn't affect year end awards, I am ok with whatever the board decides. We have discussed this before at the board meetings and the final outcome was to leave the system as is; it appears it should be discussed again.

As for novice class, I agree to have a novice class for the full year, but we need to make sure that we make it known that the novice MUST compete in the minimum number of events, as required in the by-laws, to be eligible for a year end trophy.