Agree Ray.
I am not sure of what happened on the weekend that the truggy nats and the 1/10th nats were held on.
As for off road (both 1/8th and 1/10 electric), I do know though that the number of people running BOTH 1/8th and 1/10th at the "nationals level" is pretty low, and the number of people that would travel to all those state and national titles in considerably lower than that. Obviously you would not TRY to have the 1/8th and 1/10th nats on the same weekend. The state titles could be "spread" out over the year, sure there might be some clashes - but ultimately we are only having the dates not clash for a very few select entrants. (And hey - a number of them are mates - so I don't have a personal axe to grind at all).
Either way - the on road electric nationals have got their date right......end of the year when the weather is "**typically**" much better and the state titles have been run and won. It seems pointless to me to try and have all categories not clashing. At the very least on road and off road should be treated as two completely separate entities.
Please note: I am not trying to get the dates changed for this nationals at all, whilst that would be great, I understand what our governing body has been trying to do. When I was younger, yes the Nat’s were MOSTLY on at Easter or the Australia day long weekend. It mattered less then though (Easter date), as my parents, and many others, made it part of the Easter thing. Juniors and younger drivers were a major part of the scene back then. It was parents and families fitting around weekend. There are a lot fewer juniors now, and most of us have young families and other "duties" to attend to. That doesn’t even mention that there are plenty of other things competing with the hobby for our time now. Just seems to make more sense to have a meeting on when it will maximise your chances of having the people that run the category regularly.
They (AARCMCC) could make life a whole lot less complicated for themselves and us if they at least separated on road and off road when considering dates. Put the nationals to the end of the year like the on road nats at the very least for a start.
Either way - the Nat’s is going to be awesome. It has been over 20 years since St Ives held a national - back then it was just before the Worlds. I know some of the plans and what is going to be done. It is going to be an epic event.
Cheers
Darryn