Joined
·
1,401 Posts
FYI only: this is a letter I wrote to the PRB regarding Pike's Peak scoring. I'm not the lone voice in this but if you have similar (or dissimilar, for the matter) concerns, please voice them to the PRB. ADDENDUM: Though I didn't state it in the letter, I have no problem with Manufacturer points being awarded.
Dear PRB,
I'm writing to request that Pike's Peak be listed on our ProRally calendar as a NON-points event, just as it was last year and as you'd proposed to do with Prescott the year before.
Having Pike's Peak on our calendar is definitely cool from a promotional and fun perspective. I look forward to racing up the mountain myself someday. The recruiting and marketing opportunities are great.
However, a 12.6 mile rally doesn't qualify as a National "ProRally" either in the spirit or by the letter of the law. Additionally, the marketing potential is not diminished even if we run the hill climb as an exhibition-only event.
The reasons Pike's Peak should be an exhibition-only SCCA ProRally are several:
===============================================================================
First and foremost, Pike's Peak is not a rally, it's a hill climb or, according to our rulebook, a "RallySprint." No question, it's a challenging sprint to the top of a mountain--a hill climb up the most famous mountain in the world perhaps, but still just a hill climb.
The event does not come close to meeting the mileage, time, or minimum number of stages required by our rule book to be considered a ProRally or even a stage rally.
According to our rule book, Pike's Peak is a RallySprint. The event has no time cards, no route book, and no transits. In truth, co-drivers are not really required although co-drivers certainly help you get up the mountain more quickly.
The entry fees and time away from work are substantially higher than any other ProRally, an undue hardship to the privateers running the National season.
Lastly, removing the possibility of points from the event will in no way diminish the enthusiasm and participation of many SCCA rallyists. Pike's Peak is a great event and people who can afford it will attend regardless of whether or not they score points, just as they did this year.
Additional detail:
==================
Section 1.7.D.1 of our rulebook reads: "ProRally events shall have at least 100 miles or 140 minutes of special stages."
In contrast with a ProRally, Pike's Peak is less than 13 miles long. The event winner made it to the top in less than 12 minutes.
Section 1.7.D.2.a reads: "Coefficient 1 competition includes two distinct types of events: pure stage format rallies and rallysprint events. Rallies must have a minimum of ten stage miles and a minimum of two stages in the course. Stage mileage for this level of rally is limited to less than 30 miles. No minimum mileage requirement is applied to rallysprint events."
while section 1.7.B.2 reads: "RallySprints are a series of timed runs on a closed course such as a motorsports facility, where a co-driver may not be required and a routebook is usually not issued. Several drivers may enter using the same vehicle at a rallysprint. RallySprints may include Parc Exposes, Parc Fermes, and service breaks, but do not usually include transit sections."
Therefore, according to 1.7.D.2 and 1.7.B.2, Pike's Peak is a club-level coefficient 1 rallysprint since there is only a single stage. Co-drivers, while useful, are not really required, routebooks are not issued, there are no time cards, and the event does not include a transit section.
The entry fee for this event is about double other National rallies and the time needed to prepare pace notes and compete is twice as long as well.
Conclusion:
===========
Given the requirements of our rule book and the financial burden on the competitors, I ask that Pike's Peak be listed on our ProRally calendar, but only as a NON-points exhibition event.
Sincerely,
[hr]
[p align=right]John Dillon
John @ WidgetRacing.com
www.WidgetRacing.com
Dear PRB,
I'm writing to request that Pike's Peak be listed on our ProRally calendar as a NON-points event, just as it was last year and as you'd proposed to do with Prescott the year before.
Having Pike's Peak on our calendar is definitely cool from a promotional and fun perspective. I look forward to racing up the mountain myself someday. The recruiting and marketing opportunities are great.
However, a 12.6 mile rally doesn't qualify as a National "ProRally" either in the spirit or by the letter of the law. Additionally, the marketing potential is not diminished even if we run the hill climb as an exhibition-only event.
The reasons Pike's Peak should be an exhibition-only SCCA ProRally are several:
===============================================================================
First and foremost, Pike's Peak is not a rally, it's a hill climb or, according to our rulebook, a "RallySprint." No question, it's a challenging sprint to the top of a mountain--a hill climb up the most famous mountain in the world perhaps, but still just a hill climb.
The event does not come close to meeting the mileage, time, or minimum number of stages required by our rule book to be considered a ProRally or even a stage rally.
According to our rule book, Pike's Peak is a RallySprint. The event has no time cards, no route book, and no transits. In truth, co-drivers are not really required although co-drivers certainly help you get up the mountain more quickly.
The entry fees and time away from work are substantially higher than any other ProRally, an undue hardship to the privateers running the National season.
Lastly, removing the possibility of points from the event will in no way diminish the enthusiasm and participation of many SCCA rallyists. Pike's Peak is a great event and people who can afford it will attend regardless of whether or not they score points, just as they did this year.
Additional detail:
==================
Section 1.7.D.1 of our rulebook reads: "ProRally events shall have at least 100 miles or 140 minutes of special stages."
In contrast with a ProRally, Pike's Peak is less than 13 miles long. The event winner made it to the top in less than 12 minutes.
Section 1.7.D.2.a reads: "Coefficient 1 competition includes two distinct types of events: pure stage format rallies and rallysprint events. Rallies must have a minimum of ten stage miles and a minimum of two stages in the course. Stage mileage for this level of rally is limited to less than 30 miles. No minimum mileage requirement is applied to rallysprint events."
while section 1.7.B.2 reads: "RallySprints are a series of timed runs on a closed course such as a motorsports facility, where a co-driver may not be required and a routebook is usually not issued. Several drivers may enter using the same vehicle at a rallysprint. RallySprints may include Parc Exposes, Parc Fermes, and service breaks, but do not usually include transit sections."
Therefore, according to 1.7.D.2 and 1.7.B.2, Pike's Peak is a club-level coefficient 1 rallysprint since there is only a single stage. Co-drivers, while useful, are not really required, routebooks are not issued, there are no time cards, and the event does not include a transit section.
The entry fee for this event is about double other National rallies and the time needed to prepare pace notes and compete is twice as long as well.
Conclusion:
===========
Given the requirements of our rule book and the financial burden on the competitors, I ask that Pike's Peak be listed on our ProRally calendar, but only as a NON-points exhibition event.
Sincerely,
[hr]
[p align=right]John Dillon
John @ WidgetRacing.com
www.WidgetRacing.com
