Real quick:
IMHO - Legible numbers are mandatory at tech and karts are great - my
daughter should be starting this year. Never even been in one myself.
patrick
--- Donald R McKenna <donbarbmckenna@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Darren Madams replys to John Kelly's comments on "car numbers:
>
>
> >John Kelly wrote:
> >> As the rule book spells out a minimum size for numbers, it would
> be my
> >> suggestion we don't let anybody run whose numbers don't meet the
> spec. AND,
> >> there are also requirements for a class designation. This MUST
> apply to our
> >> go-kart drivers too.
> >
> >I respectfully disagree. I checked every kart to see if that was
> the
> >problem. We all have _very_ clear numbering and very different
> numbers
> >on at least 3 sides. Some of us even have a 4th number plate on the
> rear.
> >Almost all of us have dark black numbers on a solid white
> background. This
> >is for kart sprint races too and they don't have problems there.
> Most of
> >the 2 driver juniors also have their numbers on their helmets.
>
>
> Before talking about numbering of Karts, you should all be aware that
> there's increasing concern, within the SCCA SFR Solo II Steering
> Committee,
> about the necessity of (and how to go about) improving both numbering
> and
> class identification on ALL competing cars. As attendance at events
> has
> increased, the frequency of car ID problems has seemed to increase.
> Even if
> only proportional to attendace increases, the confusion/delays caused
> by ID
> problems have a compounding effect on our ability to run events in
> the
> run-time-hours available and, more importantly to the competitor, to
> be able
> to record and produce accurate results.
>
> I worked course when the Karts ran Sunday and, want to make some,
> hopefully,
> objective observations about Darren's interpretation of what is
> acceptable
> numbering (for karts).
>
> Obviously, all of the logical numbering precautions apply to Karts.
> White
> numbers on yellow cars, and or contrasting dark numbers on medium to
> dark
> colored cars are harder to read than numbers which clearly contrast
> with the
> car color. Another obvious fact is that bigger numbers are easier to
> read
> than smaller numbers. All of us know how difficult it is, sometimes,
> to read
> the temporary paper numbers, which we give out at registration. But
> its
> expected that this is a short term problem for all concerned, in
> that, most
> folks adapt quickly by obtaining their own, larger and more legible,
> numbers
> (hopefully with class letters, also)..
>
> Most/many of the numbers on the Karts, Sunday, appeared to be quite a
> bit
> smaller than the 8" minimum specified in the SCCA National rule book.
> No
> matter what the practicality of arguments about running larger
> numbers on
> Karts might be, more errors in scoring and/or confusion will occur
> with
> small numbers compared to large numbers. Although many, or possibly
> most, of
> the Kart numbers were of adequate contrast, unless you are able to
> read the
> number straigh-on, the smaller numbers, sometimes afixed to
> countoured
> surfaces, become quickly difficult to read as the car passes and the
> viewing
> angle changes.
>
> As a practical matter, kart drivers should consider the environment
> they're
> "playing" in. The Solo II environment (at least until the karts
> take-over
> :-) ) is dominated by people driveing BIG cars, not karts. Even if
> everyone
> in the "kart world" is happy with all aspects of the kart experience,
> including the numbering style for karts at "all-kart" events, that
> doesn't,
> necessarilly, make the "kart world" interpretation acceptable in the
> Solo II
> environment.
>
> Now to a darker side of the "kart issue". Even though many/most of us
> (including yours, truly) really enjoy watching a well-driven shifter
> kart
> negotiate the course; brave folks from my perspective, there are
> grumbles
> and some negative bias, on the part of some "big-car" Solo II
> competitors
> towards the karts. The engine sound of a number of shifter karts in
> the grid
> area may be "music" to a kart owner, but not, necessarilly to
> everyone else,
> especially workers attempting to communicate above the noise.
> Although the
> results of Sunday's Shifter kart class don't reflect it, there's some
> feeling that karts are involved in a disproportionate number of
> delays
> caused by DNFs, cone-hits, push-starts and long times (due to spins).
> Although it may not be fair to the image of shifter karts, the
> understandable frequency of Junior kart "delays" doesn't help enhance
> the
> total kart "image".
>
> Objections/biases like these aren't easily overcome by logical
> reasoning, so
> why add to any dis-content, rational or not, by having numbers that
> workers
> can't easilly read.
>
> Kart competitors, think about it, there are all kind of rebuttles to
> my
> comments but, to fix a "problem" (if possible), rather than
> rationalizing,
> might pay dividends in the long run.
>
>
> Ok, I'm ready.
>
> Don
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