[Autox] Class Participation (Part 1)

[Clemens Burger]

I sent a message to this list couple weeks ago, but I received a return 
message that, at 10 kB, it was too large, and it was being reviewed by the 
moderator (like this list is suffering from too much content).  It appears 
the the message was never approved, and I never heard back from the 
moderator as promised in the automated reply, despite follow-ups.  I guess 
the next best option is to break up the message.  Here it goes:


I posted the message shown below on SCCAForums a little while 
ago.  However, things are so fragmented now with various discussion forums 
and social networks, that I suspect that only a very limited number of 
people have seen this information.  I can see the number of views, but the 
majority of those are repeated views by the same people.  I estimate that 
the number of different people who have looked at this thread is somewhere 
below 200.  Things were so much easier 10-15 years ago when Team.net was 
the only option...

Anyway, below is a copy of my message about Rule 4.9 in the hope that a few 
more people get a chance to see this and learn about some of the effects 
this rule has.  Hey, maybe we can even get a few more letters written to 
the SEB (the address is seb at scca.com), in which people state their 
positions on this rule.  I really want something done about this rule since 
I don't think it is good for the sport the way it is written, and my 
understanding is that the SEB generally only reacts to letters, and only if 
they come in in large quantities.  Therefore, if you believe that Rule 4.9 
has issues, please support with a letter to the SEB.

Thanks for listening.


Clemens


"An observing person attending the 2009 Solo National Championship in 
Lincoln probably noticed that a number of cars displayed stickers that 
looked like this:

(can't show a picture here, the 3"x3" sticker shows the test "Rule 4.9" 
inside a red circle with a red line through it)

I assume that not everyone is fully aware of what these stickers are about, 
and I want to explain. Rule 4.9 appears on page 33 of the 2009 Solo 
Rulebook and is titled "Minimum Participation Level for National Classes":

"If in three consecutive years at the Solo National Championship a class 
fails to field a combined total (Open and Ladies) of at least seventeen 
(17) entrants, then for the following year that class will be consolidated, 
eliminated, or restructured, using competition adjustments (for example, 
weights and/or wheel sizes) if necessary and applicable within the affected 
category."

As far as I understand, this rule was put in place to ensure "deep" classes 
and tight competition. It may have also been an attempt to give competitors 
an idea of how classes will be adjusted. I am sure this rule was 
well-intended, but it has a very negative effect on a number of classes. 
Rather than driving competition, it is threatening entire categories of 
classes. To illustrate the problem, here are some of the entry numbers from 
the 2008 National Championships:

AM 10 cars
BM 14 cars
CM 16 cars
DM 18 cars
EM 18 cars
DP 17 cars
EP 23 cars
FP 15 cars
GP 18 cars
XP 16 cars
ASP 20 cars
BSP 15 cars

to be continued.....