I guess Doseck means there should be some qualifying structure to getting into nationals. I agree in that a past roar champion should be automatically seeded in. It is just playing honor to our sports accomplishments. It works that way for the IFMAR worlds and even professional motocross.
The event is getting unexpectedly popular, like electric offroad in the early '90s. And back then a qualifying format using regional champs was tried, but as I recall did not work out to well. do you take the top 20 form each region? Or does southern california get allocated more spots than say alaska? and who and how is that decided?
Something needs to be considered as nitro offroad gets bigger. At least something like the RC pro system where you need to accumulate some amount of points to be eligible for the nationals, and not just any bloke with fat internet pipes gets to race. Maybe we have some regional races where if you attend and at least complete one lap of your main event you earn points and you must at least earn one or some points to have an opportunity to sign up for nationals. you have very loose requirements to qualify at first, but tighten them up in future years. this would weed out the casual racer and would also encourage more local tracks to take on roar membership in the effort to attract a bigger event and pose as a nats qualifier. there are already a bunch of state and regional series that can assume this role. And this kind of race series activity is alot more heathier than when I was racing electric 20 years ago.
in the past I have seen alot of spots taken up by folks that hardly ever club race and just sign up because it is Nats, they have no chance and frankly just get in the way, a snobbish view, but it is nationals where the elites of RC are supposed to come together and have the opportunity to participate in a more serious avenue of competition.
And least those that have put in an actual effort of steady racing, should get preference to that opportunity.
just my 49 cents (inflation ya know)