2015 sportsman or pro bump
#1
2015 sportsman or pro bump
As the new race year starts I question myself, is this the year to run pro instead of sportsman? I don't feel like I can run with the pros but at the same time I also feel like people give me the evil eye for running sportsman. As someone with ZERO sponsorships at all and only races 1-2 races every few months I don't see any reason to feel forced to bump to pro. I am a A-main sportsman driver at most races I attend but I've only won 3-5 races all year(club and events) with some of those races only having 10 people to race against. If you look at lap times I'm no faster then fellow sportsman drivers (most times I'm slower) but in the main even with wrecks I am more consistent. Does that mean I should bump to pro? I also bought a Murnan motor that gives me 10min run times on a tank easily which helps me in the mains to win. Does that make me pro and force me to bump up? I show up on Friday and practice so I do good which helps me out when most my fellow sportsman drivers DONT! Does that mean I should bump to pro? At this point I don't know of a single rule saying when someone should bump to pro. I see different races with different rules based on sponsorships but at this point local rules are based on opinion only. So with that being said without an outlined rule to follow, what's everyones OPINION on running pro or sportsman??
#2
Tech Master
iTrader: (2)
Yeah I can see where its hard to pick. So I would go with ever one make you have more FUN! but I would bet you would have more fun in PRO!!! Running against people better than you will increase your skill! I personally have more fun at event where I am giving my all just to make the A-main then to have a win on a club level race where maybe 1 or 2 people gave me a run for my money. Drivers are typically cleaner in Pro too.
But it sure is nice to have the pro's there to help pit you all day!
But it sure is nice to have the pro's there to help pit you all day!
#3
With the SOS we are only bumping the winner of both sportsman classes to pro for this year. Will they win in the pro class? Maybe not. It does however give the next person in line there chance to win. With the state of r/c right now and D main drivers with sponsorships the line gets blurry. I say run what makes you happy. If I see a blatant run away where no one else is even competitive to you we will address it then.
#4
Tech Fanatic
As far as what class to run that is up to you, if you have won several sportsman class then it's most likely time to move up.
I say this because I know this to be a fact for me, the better drivers I run against the better I run, period! The better drivers push me to go faster, it seems if I'm not being pushed an I'm in the lead then I just drive carefully, BUt, it's more fun for me to run in the pack and push the car to the edge.
On the edge is where you learn to go fast.
Last Weds night qualifying third against SHON, DUSTY, JASON, an turning a 15.6 fast lap was funnier for me than Friday night when I won the A-Main.
If you are nervous about getting in the way of the faster drivers, DON"T Hot Shot's Raceway has 10 foot wide lanes just when a faster driver runs up on you if your just about to go into a corner just go a little wide (coupe feet), if your on a straight part of the track just slow down ( A LITTLE don't put your brakes on just lift your throttle finger just a bit) they will shoot around you.
RUN BETTER DRIVERS, BE A BETTER DRIVER!
Carl Knight
I say this because I know this to be a fact for me, the better drivers I run against the better I run, period! The better drivers push me to go faster, it seems if I'm not being pushed an I'm in the lead then I just drive carefully, BUt, it's more fun for me to run in the pack and push the car to the edge.
On the edge is where you learn to go fast.
Last Weds night qualifying third against SHON, DUSTY, JASON, an turning a 15.6 fast lap was funnier for me than Friday night when I won the A-Main.
If you are nervous about getting in the way of the faster drivers, DON"T Hot Shot's Raceway has 10 foot wide lanes just when a faster driver runs up on you if your just about to go into a corner just go a little wide (coupe feet), if your on a straight part of the track just slow down ( A LITTLE don't put your brakes on just lift your throttle finger just a bit) they will shoot around you.
RUN BETTER DRIVERS, BE A BETTER DRIVER!
Carl Knight
#5
If a driver can pull off a win at a premier regional race in the sportsman division at the -- Psycho Nitro Bast -- Southern Indoor Championship -- Wicked Weekend -- A.M.S. or any event of this caliber, They should (IMO) move to the Pro Class at the local level...
If a driver can win a highly contested regional points series, They should (IMO) move to the Pro Class.
If a driver can lap the entire field in a five minute heat race on a large track of say-25 second lap times or longer, They should (IMO) move to the Pro Class.
If a driver can win a highly contested regional points series, They should (IMO) move to the Pro Class.
If a driver can lap the entire field in a five minute heat race on a large track of say-25 second lap times or longer, They should (IMO) move to the Pro Class.
#6
I'm kind of in the same boat. Finished 3rd in the SOS sportsman ebuggy and was second in the Sweeps race at Dalton. Then run B mains in the big events like psycho. While I haven't really taken the top spot in many races i'm consistently in the top 5 for sportsman. But like you said i'm not sponsored (other than by visa ) but having a good job and being single i'm pretty close on the level of equipment i'm able to run so i'm not out there with RTR stuff.
All that said I'm planning on running Pro at local events and open or maybe sportsmen at the big events in 2015. While I don't expect many podiums I don't think i'll be finishing last every race either. I think it will be more fun for me racing with people I don't have to worry so much about getting wrecked on every pass and will be fun to push a little harder and maybe lean some new lines etc.
For those of you who know me (Andy) I welcome you feedback on this.
All that said I'm planning on running Pro at local events and open or maybe sportsmen at the big events in 2015. While I don't expect many podiums I don't think i'll be finishing last every race either. I think it will be more fun for me racing with people I don't have to worry so much about getting wrecked on every pass and will be fun to push a little harder and maybe lean some new lines etc.
For those of you who know me (Andy) I welcome you feedback on this.
#7
Yo Bro
Time to move up
If you win 3 to 5 times a year and you don't race that much, if you raced the full year you would be Balling! Can't blame it on who practice most cause what you are doing is exactly what the Pro's do.
The rules suck when it comes to bumping up classes. The series races rules suck also. Some say the top 3 in sportsman have to bump the next year, well if you are the only one that made all the races and the other guys stopped racing cause they had bad races, that don't make you No Pro. I have seen guys stop racing cause of these stupid rules. They always say that they are going to stop guys from sandbagging but in my time racing series races I have never seen it done. Even in the Psycho race a few years back a sponsored driver won A main sportsman race, then on the forums he was blasted!
Ok how did this happen? the race officials either didn't check or whatever. This will always be a problem with our hobby because the way they have it setup now.
It ought to be old school like back in the day
If you are in B-Main you win a trophy C-main etc.
Money took over this hobby and now you have only the top 3 A-main getting something.
Also what is a club race? I thought it was when a legit club had a points race there was no award given. Well now tracks with no club are having what they call Club races in which the winner gets nothing.
This hobby is only thriving cause of the resurgance of the electric classes, with out that where will it be. The sport / hobby has gotten to compeditive with sponsors and all and is not fun as it used to be; all these tracks now are so pretty that if there is a chance for rain they don't race.
All I can say is after being in the hobby for 30 years it is not the same.
Time to move up
If you win 3 to 5 times a year and you don't race that much, if you raced the full year you would be Balling! Can't blame it on who practice most cause what you are doing is exactly what the Pro's do.
The rules suck when it comes to bumping up classes. The series races rules suck also. Some say the top 3 in sportsman have to bump the next year, well if you are the only one that made all the races and the other guys stopped racing cause they had bad races, that don't make you No Pro. I have seen guys stop racing cause of these stupid rules. They always say that they are going to stop guys from sandbagging but in my time racing series races I have never seen it done. Even in the Psycho race a few years back a sponsored driver won A main sportsman race, then on the forums he was blasted!
Ok how did this happen? the race officials either didn't check or whatever. This will always be a problem with our hobby because the way they have it setup now.
It ought to be old school like back in the day
If you are in B-Main you win a trophy C-main etc.
Money took over this hobby and now you have only the top 3 A-main getting something.
Also what is a club race? I thought it was when a legit club had a points race there was no award given. Well now tracks with no club are having what they call Club races in which the winner gets nothing.
This hobby is only thriving cause of the resurgance of the electric classes, with out that where will it be. The sport / hobby has gotten to compeditive with sponsors and all and is not fun as it used to be; all these tracks now are so pretty that if there is a chance for rain they don't race.
All I can say is after being in the hobby for 30 years it is not the same.