ROAR 1/10th Scale National Question
08-24-2007, 09:28 PM
#61
Maybe ROAR needs to adjust their focus and their structure. I come to this idea as a result of sharing some of the opinions that handout or 'limited' classes don't need to be a part of a ROAR national race.
Wouldn't it be more attractive to the 'sportsman' and unsponsored drivers if the focus was more on the Regional level? Then initiate a rule that you must qualify for the National.
The Regionals would offer stock, 19t, and mod 2wd and truck. Mod 4wd and 1/10 nitro truck. The mod and nitro classes would be qualifiers for the Nats. Initiate a rule that you must have run in a stock class in the previous Regional in order to be eligible to run mod at the Regional. This would insure that all mod drivers had at least a year experience and knowledge of how to prepare for a 'big race'. You could separate the nitro into sportsman and expert and mandate that you must have run the sportsman class previously to be eligible for the expert.
The Nationals could then run only mod and 1/10 nitro classes. Just separate them into 'expert' and 'pro' classes. The Regionals would qualify for the expert class and the factory drivers would automatically be entered in the pro class.
The final enhancement would be to allow drivers that qualified for the A main in the previous years expert National to run in the pro class.
Now you would have a lot more opportunity to advance with skill. You would drop the number of classes at a National to 8, and put the focus more on the non factory racers. You could even then designate a fixed number to participants. If you won your regional you would wear a '1x' on your car for the national (the 'x' being your region #). And the pro drivers would have fixed numbers according to their previous years finish position. Imagine if you were running your regional with a number '5' on your car. That would signify that you had finished fifth in the previous years pro National.
Wouldn't it be more attractive to the 'sportsman' and unsponsored drivers if the focus was more on the Regional level? Then initiate a rule that you must qualify for the National.
The Regionals would offer stock, 19t, and mod 2wd and truck. Mod 4wd and 1/10 nitro truck. The mod and nitro classes would be qualifiers for the Nats. Initiate a rule that you must have run in a stock class in the previous Regional in order to be eligible to run mod at the Regional. This would insure that all mod drivers had at least a year experience and knowledge of how to prepare for a 'big race'. You could separate the nitro into sportsman and expert and mandate that you must have run the sportsman class previously to be eligible for the expert.
The Nationals could then run only mod and 1/10 nitro classes. Just separate them into 'expert' and 'pro' classes. The Regionals would qualify for the expert class and the factory drivers would automatically be entered in the pro class.
The final enhancement would be to allow drivers that qualified for the A main in the previous years expert National to run in the pro class.
Now you would have a lot more opportunity to advance with skill. You would drop the number of classes at a National to 8, and put the focus more on the non factory racers. You could even then designate a fixed number to participants. If you won your regional you would wear a '1x' on your car for the national (the 'x' being your region #). And the pro drivers would have fixed numbers according to their previous years finish position. Imagine if you were running your regional with a number '5' on your car. That would signify that you had finished fifth in the previous years pro National.
08-26-2007, 02:30 PM
#62
Tech Regular
mfishel - I like the idea of having to qualify for a nationals race. Problem..some region races don't have enough drivers to get all those classes....so then what? If you think the Nats are hurting you should see some of the region race turnouts.
I also agree with whatever motor floats your boat run. Like all open modified. But I think for me at my first event the coolest thing was watching Matt Francis run. I wasn't in his class of course, but if I had to qualify to get to a race just to see him run, I probably never would have. I think having all the factory guys and the guys that just bought their cars at christmas at the same race is beneficial to the hobby, as long as they aren't in the same class.
I also agree with whatever motor floats your boat run. Like all open modified. But I think for me at my first event the coolest thing was watching Matt Francis run. I wasn't in his class of course, but if I had to qualify to get to a race just to see him run, I probably never would have. I think having all the factory guys and the guys that just bought their cars at christmas at the same race is beneficial to the hobby, as long as they aren't in the same class.
08-27-2007, 07:34 PM
#63
Tech Addict
I am aware of the poor turn outs at a lot of races. I feel that creating a more organized SERIES would help that. It would take a lot of time and cooperation by a lot of people, but ultimately it would help legitimize the sport.
One problem is that a lot of the factory drivers come from the same areas. So why not set things up to help develop drivers in ALL Regions? If the perception became that this was a multi tiered activity with objectives to work towards it may help to get community support.
Maybe it would be better to support your LOCAL HERO rather than travel a long ways to see the chosen few.
One problem is that a lot of the factory drivers come from the same areas. So why not set things up to help develop drivers in ALL Regions? If the perception became that this was a multi tiered activity with objectives to work towards it may help to get community support.
Maybe it would be better to support your LOCAL HERO rather than travel a long ways to see the chosen few.
08-27-2007, 07:42 PM
#64
Tech Addict
Another alternative would be to also have a 'sportsman' class at the Nationals. Keep an open motor formula and don't require qualifying for this class. Then the ambitious racers could still go for the 'expert' classes, and the recreational racers would still have a way to be involved at the same event as the 'fast guys'.
This would be adding more classes to a weekend, which is one of the things being criticized in this thread. But if you keep the motor formulas in the classes simple it would still keep it accessible. Want to run in the sportsman class with a stock motor? Great. Want to run in the sportsman class with a 7single? Great, and GOOD LUCK.
This would be adding more classes to a weekend, which is one of the things being criticized in this thread. But if you keep the motor formulas in the classes simple it would still keep it accessible. Want to run in the sportsman class with a stock motor? Great. Want to run in the sportsman class with a 7single? Great, and GOOD LUCK.
08-27-2007, 07:48 PM
#65
Tech Regular
I like the idea of a series. I think what the BRCA (I think this is who sanctions UK races) is cool with their nationals and regionals series. But right now, in my opinion, we need small revisions to reach a goal instead of just a whole restructure. The system that is in place right now obviously worked well at one point, but just maybe strayed from keeping the racers in mind?
Also, factory drivers don't have time for too many more races..would they have time to make it to the qualifier races? I know getting factory guys out at region races is close to impossible.
Also, factory drivers don't have time for too many more races..would they have time to make it to the qualifier races? I know getting factory guys out at region races is close to impossible.
08-27-2007, 08:14 PM
#66
Tech Addict
The factory or manufacturer or supplier sponsored drivers would be automatically eligible for the pro classes.
I just wish that the powers that be would realize that the major weakness of this sport is perception. Accessibility is also a problem. The general public NEVER sees the level of competitiveness that can be achieved. And they have no awareness of how close to their homes the opportunity to become involved may be.
I don't think these things necessarily require completely restructuring the races. It does require an adjustment of priorities. Do we want to sell the same products to the same guys over and over? Or do we want to sell a concept of 'sport' to the public?
I just wish that the powers that be would realize that the major weakness of this sport is perception. Accessibility is also a problem. The general public NEVER sees the level of competitiveness that can be achieved. And they have no awareness of how close to their homes the opportunity to become involved may be.
I don't think these things necessarily require completely restructuring the races. It does require an adjustment of priorities. Do we want to sell the same products to the same guys over and over? Or do we want to sell a concept of 'sport' to the public?
08-27-2007, 09:08 PM
#67
One of the biggest problems with requiring regionals, are out west where you have 14 to 20 hour drives to get to a regional race depending on where it is held.
Region 11, for instance, drivers from Billings would have to drive 16+ hours to Washington to go in a regional race. Plus whatever it would take to get to nationals later that year.d
My Region, 10, is a 12 to 18 hour drive to the big tracks that normally host regional events. My track held the Region 10 off-road electric championships in 2006. We had 1 driver from Colorado; 15 from Montana. So Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, were all unrepresented at our regionals. The rest were Wyoming drivers.
Paul
Region 11, for instance, drivers from Billings would have to drive 16+ hours to Washington to go in a regional race. Plus whatever it would take to get to nationals later that year.d
My Region, 10, is a 12 to 18 hour drive to the big tracks that normally host regional events. My track held the Region 10 off-road electric championships in 2006. We had 1 driver from Colorado; 15 from Montana. So Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, were all unrepresented at our regionals. The rest were Wyoming drivers.
Paul
08-27-2007, 11:04 PM
#68
good idea, keep it simple!
What's wrong with running the following;
1. Stock car (hand out motor)
2. Stock truck (handout motor)
3. Mod car
4. Mod truck
5. Mod 4X4
I remember back in the day (1990's), the Nationals were run with the above and had 400 entries.
And if stock truck is too slow then run a 19t motor (or 19t handout motor) in lieu of stock truck.
Plus you could add a li-po and gas truck class and still only have 7 classes.
1. Stock car (hand out motor)
2. Stock truck (handout motor)
3. Mod car
4. Mod truck
5. Mod 4X4
I remember back in the day (1990's), the Nationals were run with the above and had 400 entries.
And if stock truck is too slow then run a 19t motor (or 19t handout motor) in lieu of stock truck.
Plus you could add a li-po and gas truck class and still only have 7 classes.
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