National Class

[tnord]

i don't think i ever said, or even implied that costs would skyrocket.

i don't think effectively splitting the class in two is a good idea.

if joe racer still spends his $25,000 to go regional racing, but now he's only racing against four people rather than the 15 he used to race against, in a much shallower field. is he still getting the same enjoyment/dollar that he used to? i doubt it.

hey, i thought splitting SM into natl/regional would do the same thing....send the guys with money up to national and leave the "regular guys" to run around and have fun with their regular cars/budgets. didn't happen.

but go right ahead and think i'm just being "selfish" to try and protect my own situation.

[Knestis]

I was addressing the common - and oversimplified - cost argument against National status for IT, Travis. It was not a direct response to you.

K

[dickita15]

For what it is worth there is no discussion in the circles I travel of IT becoming a national class except in the context of it was an idea a year or two ago that was not adopted.

[rx7chris]

Aren't national events a bit more expensive to enter as well? I could care less one way or the other. I'm not looking for anything more than some good wheel to wheel action, and the way it stands seems to full-fill that want. What is the advantage of a national class anyways?

[jhooten]

I heard the lynch ropes being pulled out when, as a point of argument in the runoffs qualifying debate, I suggested that we do away with the two tier system and treat all classes the same and send them all to the national championships.

[mossaidis]

We're just "regional drivers", what the hell do we know anyway? We're the equivalent of oval dirt track driving, beer drinking drivers to NASCAR drivers. Psst... regional drivers. The classification system sounds more NYC housing situation before mandatory low-income housing was placed into regulation. Perhaps SCCA will "show us" around the runoffs like boy scouts at LRP.

Feeling cynical,
Mickey

[StephF]

We're just "regional drivers", what the hell do we know anyway? We're the equivalent of oval dirt track driving, beer drinking drivers to NASCAR drivers. Psst... regional drivers. The classification system sounds more NYC housing situation before mandatory low-income housing was placed into regulation. Perhaps SCCA will "show us" around the runoffs like boy scouts at LRP.

Feeling cynical,
Mickey

Why would anyone worry about being a "regional" driver rather than a "national" one? And why would anyone feel like they are less because their class is a regional one??
There's some damn good drivers in IT. And there have been many who went on to be pro from here too. That's nothing to hang your head over.
If you run 4 events a year or more, you still get a National license. Doesn't matter what you class you run in, YOU are still licensed nationally.

We have the ARC, IT Fest, Pro IT, enduros, etc. If anyone really wants to do the Runoffs now, you can go with STU, or run something that's Nationally qualified.
It's not like we are sitting out here in the backyard with a few random scraps for races to eat while the house dogs are getting Alpo inside.

This subject has been done to death (usually during the bench racing months) with the exact same result every time. Some people want it, some don't. Maybe someday that will change to a national class, but for now, it is what it is.

And shwah, don't put words in my mouth. I told the OP that was the Cliff's notes version as I understood it. I really don't care either way, and don't care to see myself "quoted" like that. If those are your feelings, then you own your words.

[mossaidis]

...I suggested that we do away with the two tier system and treat all classes the same and send them all to the national championships.

I agree. How can someone argue that IT is not a nationally recognized class? It is... therefore it should be included into the Runoffs.

[Knestis]

I heard the lynch ropes being pulled out when, as a point of argument in the runoffs qualifying debate, I suggested that we do away with the two tier system and treat all classes the same and send them all to the national championships.

I'm confident that you'd find some support among IT drivers for that idea. Me, for one.

K

[lateapex911]

I'm confident that you'd find some support among IT drivers for that idea. Me, for one.

K

Me, for two. The world has changed a lot since the implementation of that system, and it's antiquated now. With racing series being run by all the marque clubs, Porsche, BMW etc), the SCCA needs to get in tune with the times. While it will be argued that it might/might not be good for IT drivers, the club as a whole would benefit.

[shwah]

I'm confident that you'd find some support among IT drivers for that idea. Me, for one.

K

+1 here

This is why I dropped the whole IT national thing before. I realized that there was a bigger issue. Running two separate club racing series dilutes driver attendance and competition, dilutes worker attendance and/or increases worker burnout, and creates additional financial exposure to regions. All the while making the whole program that much more confusing to potential new members.

[JeffYoung]

I am about as anti IT going national as they come. This I would agree with. Do away with the distinction all together (which gets rid of the one big problem I see on having IT go national and that is the dilution of regional fields) and I support it. Hell, I might even make the trek to RAmerica one year if they do it right -- top twenty classes go to the RuleOffs.

I'm confident that you'd find some support among IT drivers for that idea. Me, for one.

K