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When to go from Sportsman to Pro???

When to go from Sportsman to Pro???

Old 09-28-2012, 10:58 AM
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Default When to go from Sportsman to Pro???

Just as the title says. We are having debates about this now and just wonder how you guys handle it at your local tracks/region? It is a given that if you become sponsored it is an automatic bump to pro, if you are less than 50% and not a chassis then you can run open at the big events.

But in general, when is it the right time for a racer to jump from sportsman to pro in buggy?
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Old 09-28-2012, 11:06 AM
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When you can consistantly be on the same lap as them in a qual and not be a rolling road block in the main would be a good start/ way to see where you are at imho.....
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Old 09-28-2012, 11:21 AM
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I never understood the reason for a "sportsmans" class in nitro racing (aka sandbaggers class). In my area everyone runs "pro buggy" the 3rd round of qualifying is regrouped. The clock always determines your skill level it makes for better and closer racing in every main.
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Old 09-28-2012, 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by nv529
I never understood the reason for a "sportsmans" class in nitro racing (aka sandbaggers class). In my area everyone runs "pro buggy" the 3rd round of qualifying is regrouped. The clock always determines your skill level it makes for better and closer racing in every main.
Clock definitely sorts it out. I've always been middle of the pack/inconsistent driver. There have been times I have been solidly in the Pro A at bigger events locally and then other times I'm barely in Sportsman A. I pretty much always sign up for Pro though because even when I am in the C main in Pro, my times usually would have me winning sportsman. I also believe you get faster by racing with faster drivers. Cleaner racing too.

To me sportsman really should be called rookie and should be for guys who can barely get around the track. A sign you aren't a sportsman imho is a if you race with a $400 radio and have about $1000 in other pit gear.

Sportsman to me means you have a Losi 810 you bought last month with bald tires, bad engine tune, and a used a $50 Dx2 with a broken antenna.
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Old 09-28-2012, 12:16 PM
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This is a very good question.

At most sports like golf, fishing, softball, ect. lots of people do it their entire life and never go pro or plan on going pro.
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Old 09-28-2012, 12:24 PM
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Most tracks run a pro and sportsman class and many in the sportsman have been doing this a while in our region, have top-notch equipment but are not sponsored in any form so they are eligible for Sportsman. Most run 2 classes Sportsman and Pro. At our local track we just run 1 class and everybody together. Pros show up and they are usually the fastest guys. Then your top Sportsman usually make the amain a handful of us so it sorts itself out.

But for bigger points series what criteria would you use to determine if a racer should race Sportsman or Pro? If you are finishing top 3 in club races with 20+ sportsman buggy's and win a few, but have not won any big races does that qualify for a bump to pro?
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Old 09-28-2012, 12:43 PM
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When I started racing there was no sportsman class.My opinion is sportsman class shouldn't exsist,that's what the lower mains are for.If you can't handle being in the f-main then practice more and get better.The only true spotsmans should be kids or someone that just started racing.After the first year you should bump up to pro,not run pro then when fast guys show up you run sportsman.
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Old 09-28-2012, 12:53 PM
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We have three classes at all of our big races for the most part. Sportsman, Open, and Pro.

There are guys that have been racing for years that will never get out of the sportsman class. There are also guys in the sportsman class that have top notch equipment. None of that has anything to do with your skill level though. The sportsman class is for the guys who have no chassis sponsor, and are about equal in speed with the other sportsman drivers (about 6-10 laps behind the pro class in a 30 minute main).

Open class is the next step and is normally a pretty big span speed-wise from the front of the pack to the back of the pack. There are sportsman drivers who have chassis sponsors and are forced into moving up and then guys who are running close to pro class pace. I would say on average, the top drivers in Open finish 1-2 laps off pro class in a 30 minute main.

Pro class is just that. The best of the best in our area. There are some guys who race the pro class just to say they are pro. But for the most part, these are the fast guys and the racing is good and clean.

If you can't run a full tank without making a mistake, stay in the open class. If you can't run 5 laps in a row without making a mistake, stay in the sportsman class.
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Old 09-28-2012, 01:02 PM
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Originally Posted by xxxntwv
When I started racing there was no sportsman class.My opinion is sportsman class shouldn't exsist,that's what the lower mains are for.If you can't handle being in the f-main then practice more and get better.The only true spotsmans should be kids or someone that just started racing.After the first year you should bump up to pro,not run pro then when fast guys show up you run sportsman.
bingo!!!!
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Old 09-28-2012, 01:19 PM
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If you didn't have a sportsman class it would kill RC.

Do you think sportsman drivers would pay $60 - $75 for an entry fee at a big event if they were racing with all the top level drivers. There absolutely needs to be a sportsman class, it provides beginners an opportunity to race with people with the same skill level and learn. Do you think Maifield, Drake, and Tebo want to run the first two qualifiers at a big event with sportsman?

Also if you have sportsman and pro level drivers racing together could you imagine all the verbal abuse they would have to listen to on the drivers stand. That alone would cause people to lose interest in the hobby.

There are people at our track that have all the top of the line stuff but it still doesn't make them turn fast laps so that argument is pretty terrible.

To answer your question... you should know when you are ready to make the jump to pro.
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Old 09-28-2012, 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Maxxed-out
If you didn't have a sportsman class it would kill RC.

Do you think sportsman drivers would pay $60 - $75 for an entry fee at a big event if they were racing with all the top level drivers. There absolutely needs to be a sportsman class, it provides beginners an opportunity to race with people with the same skill level and learn. Do you think Maifield, Drake, and Tebo want to run the first two qualifiers at a big event with sportsman?

Also if you have sportsman and pro level drivers racing together could you imagine all the verbal abuse they would have to listen to on the drivers stand. That alone would cause people to lose interest in the hobby.

There are people at our track that have all the top of the line stuff but it still doesn't make them turn fast laps so that argument is pretty terrible.

To answer your question... you should know when you are ready to make the jump to pro.


+100000000.This reply made the most sense so far. I know I wouldnt want to show up at big races having to face the likes of guys like Drake , Maifield etc etc. Just like he said , you know when you're ready to bump up.
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Old 09-28-2012, 01:33 PM
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Most people who have invested a substantial amount of money in equipment are not "beginners". They may still suck, but that isn't the same thing as being a beginner. My point is that if you are serious enough to spent $XXX money on equipment, then you should grow a pair and race with the big boys. So what if you are constantly in a H main or whatever? Practice more and work your way up into the higher mains.

To me sportsman = beginner. I bet if you changed the class name from Sportsman to Beginner or Novice half the sandbaggers would get out of the class. Sportsman isn't degrading enough of a name.

Obviously, at bigger races there is a little more delineation between the skill levels. But even then, resorts put people where they belong.

I guess it depends on how you define the class. Is it a class for beginners or just a class for average drivers? If it is not beginner, then you have to define what it means to be an average driver? IMHO, if you are good enough to even be thinking about whether you should be in sportsman or not, YOU PROBABLY DON"T NEED TO BE IN SPORTSMAN. Take your ass whupping in Pro like man...
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Old 09-28-2012, 01:38 PM
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I've been racing for about 1.5yrs but only make it to the track a couple times a month if that much. I enjoy going but if I had to race in the pro class every time I probably wouldn't go back. The few times I have raced 'pro' is because there wasn't enough slugs that showed up to run a sportsman class. It was NO FUN! I spent all my time trying to get out of the 'Pro' guys way by getting out of the groove and into the crap on the track. Us sportsman guys know we suck and have a good time racing and fartin' around at the track. I don't spend my whole time changing fluids or screwin' with my setup. I'll do little things but I'm not gonna' disassemble my buggy to try an gain a second. I'm just having some fun and want to keep it that way. If it starts getting to serious then it's no longer fun and no longer a hobby, it's work.

And to the OP, if you are good enough to be sponsored then you are good enough to be pro.

Last edited by rustyfingers; 09-28-2012 at 01:51 PM. Reason: edit
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Old 09-28-2012, 01:49 PM
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I know I'm no where close to racing pro. I consider myself an average novice racer at best. I'm too fast to race begginer but not fast enough to race against expert/prolevel drivers. I can hang a little bit with TRUE intermediate/amatature level drivers and thats what I typically race at club races but thats about it. I have no problem with the sportsman class other then true intermediate/amatature level drivers bumping down trying to get an easy win. Those are the guys who needs to be addressed with there sand bagging asses.
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Old 09-28-2012, 01:53 PM
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And the amount of money one spends on there equipment should have nothing to with what class they should be racing. I spend tons of money on my quipment because if you buy rtr/cheap stuff , you can forget about seriously competing. Been there and done that and learned a valuable lesson from it.
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