[randyzimmer]

Hi guys,
Just got back from the trip and I have a lot to catch up on.
(For some reason, I had more fun driving 120+ and looking at sights than typing on a laptop at hotel wireless rates).
The easy fix is to get RA and NASA together, run East and West qualifiers (like six or more each side) and finally a shootoff or two at the end of the "season" (whatever that is in this crazy sport) that count double.
Allow a couple "out of division" events to count and allow a few drops for personal schedule problems/breakdowns. Next, work on adding the CDN events to the championship and you'll reduce the number of conflicting championships from something like six to one for all of North America.
No Pro/regional divisions, just a minimum stage mileage to keep rallysprints from counting against real events, fewer classes or just adopt CDN ones if that makes it easier to consolodate.

With this plan, every organizer that wants gets to run an event can, every team that wants to go to a particular event can (and possibly get credit for it) and those that want to win something will have won something that matters against everyone we know.

Too simple?

rz

 

[KevinG5Hahn]

different way of looking at it from http://www.specialstage.com/forum/c...printer_format&forum=DCForumID2&om=2991&omm=5

"But if you really want to save and build rally in the US work with CARS and NASA and build a legitimate North American championship. Work it out so it uses specific RA, CARS, and NASA events, work out the rule books to include all classes under one agreed upon class structure. Work it out so that an american company can use the candian TV footage and secure sufficent funds (go pick on subaru for money, rally in canada has tons of value and rally in the US still has value to them too) for a quality broad cast of each event ($100,000.00 per event atleast). In the US break it down in to 4 basic divisions based on rally counts (Pro and Club level) and in the national series in the US make it 6 or 7 out of 9 and require points be scored at atleast one event in each division. From the divisions work the break down for an east and west or north and south and work out an interdivision championship (as has been metioned pick some middle of the country rally if you like and have a shoot out based on the top qualifiers from the interdivision championship) and of course build and maintain divisional championships.


The idea is to create a step ladder for skill, exposure, prestige, and funding. Reach that North American level and you should be at the very least not loosing any money and hopefully making some money (this includes any lost income from attending events and comprehensive event costs including car prep, towing, food, you pay it to be there it should be paid for). Of course at this level you'd have to have something like seed or SF to determine those that can from those that cannot but thats the idea people."



I'm gonna get yelled at for a cross post, weee

 

[Shenan]

Randy,

I have been thinking for a while that we should adopt some kind of "playoff" system like you suggest - something similar to how the MLB and NBA national championships work (start with regional rallies, and end with national rallies). I just can't figure out exactly how it should be structured.

I don't think adding any events outside the US would be a good idea though, as in my view the main intent for structuring things in a playoff format would be to make the size of the US more manageable for a national championship. If you spread the geographic area, the problem gets worse. However, the car safety/preparation rules SHOULD be aligned between all 3 countries so anyone can compete in the US, Canada, and Mexico if they want to.