Speedfactory

iTrader: (10)

What are people's thoughts on racers dropping down a class to go to big races ?
What are people's ideas to eliminate this type of thing from happening ?
Lastly is it ok to drop down a class at your home track just because they are running a race that is not just a "club race " ?

turbo06

iTrader: (10)

Not a real big issue. Its hard enough for most racers to just get to a race let alone sandbag. I have seen it though alot and it usually sorts itself out.......

phatboislim

iTrader: (26)

if they can get out from the bottom to the top w/o getting taken out by worst drivers by themselves and possibly broken and lose their chance to bump then by all means. but at the end of the day i dont think the good drivers are doing this

8lackflagracing

Very simple, say you have 60 entries and eight scale, after Qualifying , top 30 run pro bottom run sport men, or pick your cut off number

Over-rev

Dropping down too far would mean they may compete with some really poor drivers compared to their skill level. That may be more of a hindrance than a benefit.

FastTurtle

iTrader: (5)

Sandbagging is just a ego thing...Hard to believe that a skilled racer would dumb it down to a lower ranked class just to be a podium finisher.

Unless that driver is consistently finishing at the number 1 spot then they probably actually belong in that lower class.

smash8ight

iTrader: (8)

Breakout time......if your average time in the main are seriously lower than your qualifying Times than there is an issue and race director should address this.if they doesn't than your stuck with the cherry pickers.

BrettL

iTrader: (27)

I've seen races where the race director spoke right up during the first few laps of a sportsman class heat and told someone they're getting bumped up. I think this is what it takes, a race director that will take the intiative and not be afraid to piss someone off by telling them they're getting bumped up.

I think several of you have made a great point though. A sportsman/beginners class should be the last place a better driver wants to be. They're going to get hacked, albeit unintentional. It'll sort itself in the end.

KA2AEV

iTrader: (1)

That what reshuffling the drivers is for at our tracks!
It just sorts them out and eliminates this

Socket

iTrader: (61)

I've seen this done. People sandbagged their times to get into the bottom half. There's only 1 way to combat it - make a single class."Buggy" and "truck"

My local 1/8th track did this at a big race and the turnout was very nice. Some cried about how they didn't have a chance to win, however, many enjoyed it.

Jaymancd

iTrader: (4)

For me at larger area races I will typically try to run the expert or pro class so that I can see how I line up against the best in the area.

gti5notrkt

iTrader: (7)

Class fragmentation seems to an issue akin to the USA. In Europe whether you're racing karts, rc cars whatever there are very few classes. If you don't cut it either in skill, weight etc then go play chess instead. I would must rather be in a class of 100 racers and set myself the goal of top 30etc than have 5 classes of 20 and say "I won the sportsman, stock, over 50, half blind" class.

My 0.02c

Jsapata

12 more years and an eyeball till I have a shot.

darkside91

Just to be clear, moving from mod buggy to stock buggy for a big event isn't sandbagging but intentionally falling into the G main to win it or dropping into the bottom half intentionally would be sandbagging. Other than our sportsman class which is for beginners, generally young kids and people that have never raced before, none of the classes are split between novice and expert or top half and bottom half so sandbagging really isn't an issue. In our area, you would look like a fool if you were a seasoned racer and signed up for the sportsman class at a big event. Sandbagging is stupid and I don't think that real racers do it.

Too many classes in any form of motorsport is a bad thing because it waters down the classes.

240Z

iTrader: (6)

If a racer needs to prop up their ego with a bowling trophy, more power to them.

Handing them their trophy at the end of the race day along with the business card of a therapist.

No, not really. But at that point it becomes the responsibility of the race director who has a conflict of interest between keeping the racer happy and having to listen to the grumblings of racers in the lesser mains, or pissing off the sandbagger and running the risk that they will not return. Some may say "good riddance".

I cant speak for everyone, but the reason I race is to compare my skills against others at whatever level me and my machine are at on race day. The best I can hope for is competition in my run group. Nothing more boring than getting lapped by the entire field. Or on the flip side, lapping the field.

The UF1 race format has been great at eliminating the concept of sandbagging. You just cant beat the short 3 minute qualifier to organize the run groups. The icing on the cake is a race day with 30-45 minutes of heads up racing. It is not ideal for a "big race", but as a club race format it is very satisfying for racers of all skill levels.