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Re: Success of the Rookie Program

To: Fvw94svt@aol.com, ba-autox@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Success of the Rookie Program
From: Rich Urschel <OSP13@attglobal.net>
Date: Sat, 02 Sep 2000 11:28:14 -0400
Fvw94svt@aol.com wrote:

> Jerry,
> You forgot to mention Kevin Stevens.  He was part of our batch of Rookies the
> first year we took Sherry up on her idea.

> Can't count me, I had to show up and run the the big folks for a couple of
> years before I got my first trophy in '93.

Then there's me who eschewed the 1996 rookie program
and became ASP Open Champion because it was so much
easier to win than the rookie class that year. Did winning
an easy class in 1996 keep me from becoming a National
Champion sooner than I might? Nope. Did beating a
multiple time National Champion in AP Open this
year make me nationally competitive? Nope.

Will I become a National Champion? Maybe. It
has far more to do with how willing I am to do
what is necessary and future economic
circumstances than anything else. Having SFR
to run in helps, but the manipulation of available
classes to run in has had and will have no bearing
at all.

I truly don't understand this debate. It seems people
are afraid that we can't recognize  those rare individuals capable of winning a
National Championship and save
them from wasting their first year in those oh so soft
Rookie classes.

The best of the road racing community are quite
capable of instantly recognizing extraordinary
talent in an uncompetitive car. Rindt in a Cooper.
Lauda in a BRM. Schumacher in a Toleman to
name just three who in their first year were
pronounced future F1 champions by prominent
team owners.

What's so difficult for us? Ride and drive.
No doubt left. Seems Jerry's proposal of
separate series next year just might facilitate
that. Lot's of problems to solve and lots of details
to work out, but I find it a most interesting concept
rather than the instant death of the SFR rookies
to Nationals campaign.

I just wish we could concentrate on how we will
manage Slush run time before tackling Jerry's
proposal for next year, but I sure don't want
to stem his enthusiasm with debate of irrelevant
presumptions.

Rich Urschel

Ps. Oh yes, I've concluded I still have enough
natural talent and physical control left to possibly
win one of the softer National Classes sometime
in the next decade. Thank you SFR (including the
Sacramento and Fresno Chapters) for giving me
the chance to find out at my own affordable pace.



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