Interesting thoughts on this thread so far.... but, only in the
ProSolo rules does the rulebook say anything about entries may be
limited due to site restrictions. ;)
On a more serious note, not only can you participate in a NT or
Divisional to get into Nationals without the $50 fee, but you could also
be a current National Champion, or certain event officials from
Divisional or National Solo II (that may not have actually competed in
the event). All of these are detailed on page 59 (4.2.C.2).
If you don't meet any these requirements, then you pay the $50
waiver fee to get into Nationals. It actually says that the waiver may
be granted, "upon showing reasonable cause," which I guess is the check
for $50. ;)
A lot of people have made comments about NTs should be available to
anyone, and the price shouldn't be raised because that's "elitism,"
blah, blah, blah. Are we forgetting that NTs are *not* the only
autocross out there for us? Are we forgetting that there are regionals
enough to fill your autocross quota every weekend in most areas? Are we
forgetting about the "next step up," the Divisionals? I never dreamed of
competing at an NT until I had a competitive car, and even then, I was
scared of making a fool out of myself. Maybe not everyone is as easily
embarassed as I am, but I probably shouldn't have jumped into National
competition as early as I did with my Camaro.
I know plenty of people who are completely satisfied with local
autocrosses, and never consider going away from that little circle to
see if they can swim with bigger fish. Some of them are quite dominant
at the local level, but would probably get swallowed whole if they moved
on. Some of them are just content to stay near home, compete in heat
one, work in heat two, and make a half day of it. Some do a National
event that is run locally once a year, have fun, but don't yearn for
Nationals.
I think it would be nice in some ways if NTs were like the Pros in
the exclusion aspect. You need a license before you can run a second
Pro, period. Those who have run 2 Pros during the year have first dibs
on entry in the Pro Finale (up to a certain deadline). Those running
only 1 Pro are second in line, and those not running any Pros are last
on the list, up to an entry cap of "200" (though if they're gonna let
220+ into Peru and Harrisburg, I'm guessing they'd do the same at the
Finale). Maybe for the NTs, up until a month before the event, those who
ran Nationals and the same NT the previous year have dibs on entry,
followed by those who only ran the NT, followed by those who didn't run
it (sort of like what someone else mentioned about "season tickets").
After that cutoff then, it's first come, first served, which would still
leave the doors open for a lot of newcomers. Heck, that's more fair than
some of the preregistration for local events in this area, which
all-but-require one to have online access at exactly 8PM the night three
weeks before the event.
Yes, this is still a grassroots sport, but once you get to the NT
level, it's less grassroots than the Divisionals, which is less
grassroots than the regional level. Running National Tours and the
Championships opens the doors to a lot of contingency money and
sponsorship and press coverage, which, while still present at a lesser
level at Divisionals and maybe even regionals, I think warrants a little
elitism. Look at the different levels of drag racing. Look at the
different levels of stock car racing, and road racing. What's so
different about this?
Karen Kraus
1996 Camaro Z28 1LE (FS34)
no, I'm *not* buying a Subaru!
--
"You never get away, you only get someplace else."
-- Lovka's Dilemma
"No matter what they're telling you, they're not telling you the whole
truth."
-- Todd's Principle
"The best view of your soul is from beyond the edge, looking back."
-- No Fear
http://www.erols.com/kiirenza/trisk
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