Thoughts from a non-competitor:

- Designate the competitor by region ahead of time.
- Have one type of entry per event. This covers national and regional(s).
- National points get accumulated by whoever finished at the top, regardless of region.
- You only get regional points if you compete in a race in your own region. (Doug travels to So.Cal and only gets national points. Leon goes to So.Cal and gets national and regional points.)
- National Contingency money gets split up by the order you finish, regardless of region
- Regional Contingency money (I'm not sure what to do about this. Whether give it only to people of that region or national. I'm thinking regional people only).
- DNF's rejoin the rally only once per weekend at the next "Stage 1". If you are at Maine and DNF on the little Mexico Rec stage, you then can restart only on Saturday at the regional Stage 1 in your normal Speed Factor spot. You get no national points and you get no Friday regional points. You are totally eligable for Saturday regional points (if it's your region). If it is a 1 day event like STPR, you are able to rejoin after the lunch break at the start of the 2nd regional race. You get no regional points, and you are eligable for points from the 2nd regional race.
- If you make it through day 1 at Maine and you DNF after 1 mile on Saturday, then you are done for the weekend since there are no longer any "Stage 1's" left. This should keep random people from jumping in the line during the middle of an event.

The only iffy part to me is the regional contingency money. Making it available to only regional people would keep people from far away coming and getting reimbursed for the longer tow expenses. Making it available to all entrants would not really be fair to those in the region.

The DNF portion gets the people more safe seat time, yet does not disrupt those who have been in the event for every stage mile.

Some of these may be totally off the wall. Some may be spot-on. That's why I don't organize or drive. I'll just stay behind the lens.

See you in the Sno.
Pete

 

Sounds like a plan to me. For most of us, they'll always be somebody elses ruts to have to cope with.

 

RE: National?? Regional??ramblings of a mad man.

>If I am allowed to rejoin the event I may be tempted to cut
>prep corners.This person would be a hobbiest.

I would bet that most DNFs DO NOT come from badly under prepared cars.

>And we gain EXPOSURE To quote Pat Richard spend your money in
>the drivers seat. get exposure the rest will come.

Bingo. Seat time

 

>
>How are/is the nation motorsport community going see the
>competition.The magazine people are not going to seperate
>competitors in their articles.outdoor, speed, espn-2 can we
>expect them to point out the points leader of what ever series
>that team is running?

Easy solution is that the media are directed to focus coverage on the teams registered for the National series. Sample broadcast/print laungauge:

"The battle for the RA National championship in the Production class raged at STPR with Mike Merbach edging out his nearest rival Mark Tabor at the event. That puts Mike 2 points ahead of Mark with only three rounds to go. Keep an eye on this battle! Also of note was the exceptional drive put in by regional entrant David Johnson who was quicker than Merbach and Tabor at his home event, delighting teh home-town fans by showing the out-of-towners that local talent is not to be taken lightly."

This concept could be pushed even farther if RA wanted to build a mandatory "media fee" into the National Series registration fee. This fee would guarantee funding of TV, and marketing services focused on the National teams.

Jim Cox
#558
>

 

Homefield advantage

In a lot on instances, Regional teams should be expected to be quicker on their home turf. They've competed on those roads more often than the traveling National teams. Some National rallies use the same roads as stand alone Regionals and drivers get a double dose every year.

 

I just want to post and say I like the idea of being able to get back in the rally after DNF'ing and not count it for points/results. I don't mind eric's idea of the DNF'ing only being once, it still would keep you somewhat in control.

My first DNF was a simple fix, and getting a look at hte car at service would've fixed it, and I could've gotten a bit more seat time.

Are there any sweep issues to deal with? Holding up the rally at all?

 

RE: Homefield advantage

>In a lot on instances, Regional teams should be expected to
>be quicker on their home turf. They've competed on those roads
>more often than the traveling National teams. Some National
>rallies use the same roads as stand alone Regionals and
>drivers get a double dose every year.
Possibly.
In some classes such as Gp2, it could very well be that since folks who have no fantasies about the big time awaiting them if they indebt themselves towing around and driving "tactically" let's say tactfully,that they have some money left over for building their cars to a better specification eg real close ratio box, final drive, real diff, decent brakes, and by having a car which is more a proper rally car which works effectively, they have the chance to learn to drive better.

The answer could be possibly found in the inner reaches of the skulls of the folks who stay more or less locally and those who tow around.

Could be the folks who stay local are statistically speaking, representitive of the average competitive sportsman who WANTs COMPETITION, and takes pride in doing the best possible in front of people he knows and whose opinions he wants to be respected in for his driving.
One the other hand,there are some who knowing the huge season long cost of towing around the country alone, and the well known history of how merely towing and driving (to quote one former National Champion who was second to last Overall in every event he entered (bar one where he was 4th from last)
"to a plan", and how since the results are manipulated to not include the pesky Divisional/Club low life, have clearly concluded that the moniker of National Champignon is something important to be able to say to (presumably) people who will be impressed by that.

So the psycological motivations of people clearly have a major influence on what one guy vs the other may choose to concentrate on; for some the result on any given day, others what they can display to maybe others who weren't there.

Anybody remember the young guy from Texas who chatted up some sponsors for his Sububitchi without previous results and was going to take on the world, until the sponsor actually came to a "pro" event, the "Most prestigious" event, and remember what happened to his sponsorship?
I guess the sponsor wasn't impressed, once he saw what we really do, eh?






John Vanlandingham
Seattle, WA. 98168

janvanvurpa (at) f4 (dot) ca

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat!
Vive Le Groupe F!

 

Pete's posts makes the absolute most sense to me.

The one thing I am not looking forward to is losing out on Regional Subaru contingency money by National/dual entered OPen class SUbies, as they get NO contingency money now for National(only Regional), so it makes perfect sense to spend $200-300 extra to get back $500 for a Regional win to help pay for things.

That's the way the contingency money is worded this year. Bummer- I HAVE TO run National to get PGT money, or we have to beat Open class guys to get it.

We'll have fun anyway, but I was looking forward to the chance of maybe getting some dough back...