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What do you think about classsing a driver based on performance

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#1
Johnny D

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When you show up for a regional you know a national driver may be hard to beat.

 

And with a majors race you may find a driver that may not have the skill level you think is required.

 

What do think if a driver performs and gets a podium in regional (top whatever), their a nationa/majorl driver.

 

And you need a min finish position to run majors or run a majors regional class

 

So for a regional race, you'd have national drivers race in their class and regional class

and for majors you have majors and may have regional drivers entered in another class.

 

Not looking for warm fuzzy everyone gets a trophy but what level your at you get a chance to win and more turn out.

J~


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#2
LarryKing

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What is a majors regional class?

 

A minimum finishing position in one race, two, three?

 

What happens if the national champ gets taken out on lap 1 and finishes dead last? Does the driver get a double-secret exemption?

 

What other Majors class would a "regional" driver enter [at a Majors event]?

 

There, their, they're


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#3
Todd Lamb

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We can rank everyone based on their car prep level too. Maybe even by how many heat cycles are on their tires. And who their engine builder is. And if you take the cross weight, multiplied by average camber and divided by 3.14 minus the square root of the corner radius, you can come up with the maxiumum g force for their car (Caveman taught me this equation).

 

In all seriousness, IMSA can't even rank pro drivers properly so I can't imagine who could do it for club racing...and I always thought the appeal of racing against faster guys was learning. Winning a race based on bracket racing (however you name/rank it) seems a bit odd - we have a spec class and the total package is required to run up front. This would be kind of like adding penalty weight based on driver skill, sticker tires, handling, etc.


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#4
davew

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If I run in HP I get a podium every event, I must be great.

 

In SM the best I can finish is 4th in a 60 car field, I must suck


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#5
LarryKing

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I blame Obama.


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#6
Ron Alan

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The premise in the original post is flawed IMO. This is a non starter.


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#7
Bench Racer

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JHTMTOHH  Johnny has to much time on his hands

 

Johnny's post does bring up something interesting to me. I don't know the answer to following question. For the SSM class with sealded engines (presume all have high end/same what ever they measure) if sealed 50 cars show up, do the top 20 qualify within 1 second? 


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#8
Bad Rusty

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When you show up for a regional you know a national driver may be hard to beat.

 

And with a majors race you may find a driver that may not have the skill level you think is required.

 

What do think if a driver performs and gets a podium in regional (top whatever), their a nationa/majorl driver.

 

And you need a min finish position to run majors or run a majors regional class

 

So for a regional race, you'd have national drivers race in their class and regional class

and for majors you have majors and may have regional drivers entered in another class.

 

Not looking for warm fuzzy everyone gets a trophy but what level your at you get a chance to win and more turn out.

J~

Sorry Johnny, I see no need for this.  If I finish top 15 this week, I will feel great about it.  I don't want a trophy for "largest guy in a spec miata with limited talent", First place.  Enjoy the battles, be them for podium or 30th position, either way, you're racing for position.


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#9
Mike Collins

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I'll do the rankings....don't worry Todd, Ill be kind.  ;)


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#10
Todd Lamb

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You have to do that math first, Meat


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#11
Jim Drago

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JHTMTOHH  Johnny has to much time on his hands
 
Johnny's post does bring up something interesting to me. I don't know the answer to following question. For the SSM class with sealded engines (presume all have high end/same what ever they measure) if sealed 50 cars show up, do the top 20 qualify within 1 second? 

Depending on the track, I saw more than likely..

We kind of do that now in SM with multiple different car and engine builders and a solid ruleset :)
Top 15 of 37 within 1 second at Atlanta.. top 12 or 13 within .5. Move the sample size to 50 and top 20 should be within a second or so.

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#12
davew

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How would you classify Chris and Ronnie in Paul Hutt's new cars?


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#13
Johnny D

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I was watching the W/C race with "gentlemen" drivers and pros.

 

There' s some ranking with the pro's Gold, Brass, Tin, Wood too??

 

Was thinking it would be once a year, if you were running to be reg champ, you wouldn't want a change yet.

 

JHTMTOHH is for a different thread. :)

 

Just a thought.

J~


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#14
Tom Sager

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I blame Obama.

Best post in this thread right there.  


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#15
Parity

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I blame Obama.

 

Best post in this thread right there.  

 

I think we're on to something here. It would be discriminating to apply those standards to the drivers. We have to let everyone participate. Just me send my fair share of the prize money.


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#16
svvs

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It used to be you had to have four regional races in a year to apply for a national level license....no?  That made sense just for people to have some racing manners and common sense in my mind.

 

Would the point be to keep the "slow" drivers out of the majors?  Or is the point to make regional drivers feel better about themselves?

 

Lapped traffic is part of racing.....once upon a time I was a lapped car (my first national was a 45 min race at Limerock.........).  Now we lap cars during regionals at Limerock.

 

At the major at NJMP last year a new to SCCA racer weaved into me on the out lap of qualifying.....claiming he didn't expect anyone to be cracking so early.  He was a porsche club racer btw.

 

I think what we have going on is fine.  If there are new drivers around during a majors race.....give a little mentorship/be friendly.  It will go a long way towards making people aware of what's going on once we are all on track.

 

-Vick


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