Current championship points

[JohnW8]

That rule was leftover from the previous administration. I included it because it seemed like a good idea. On a side note I felt so proud that someone remembered we had supplemental rules and remembered how to find them and use them. Thanks Rod, you made me proud.

I think the intent of the rule was to encourage people of single car classes to move up and combine classes to have some competition. Some regions will bump you automatically if you are a single car class. We left it as an option.

Just for my clarification, we will award a trophy to any class Champion regardless of the number of competitors as long as they meet the 50% +1 event criteria?

[J2870]

So this being the first time I've competed the whole year through what exactly happens at the end of the year and do we go any where specific or what?

[TouringBubble]

We have an awards banquet in January where the trophies are given out, etc.

[J2870]

Cool, where is it held at?

[JohnW8]

Correction, The year end banquet will be held in December rather than January and will be held at the Harley Davidson Conference Center on HWy 119 in Pelham. I need to find out the official date but there will be postcards mailed to let everyone know about it as well as posts here on the forum.

[TouringBubble]

Sorry, missed that part. Still ... banquet, trophies, food stuffs, friends, etc.

[Cholewa]

We have an awards banquet in January where the trophies are given out, etc.

It's actually in december.

[jimkana]

Can we please stop having these discussions at the end of the year? This is ridiculous.

The rules are the rules, everyone agreed to them by participating. For those who don't understand the value of rules for competitive events, just imagine that rules could be changed willy-nilly at any time. What would be the point in competing?

Also, rules need to be consistent across years so that a championship holds its value from year to year. If last year, the trophy is won for being fastest at the most events, and this year we decide to award it for playing tiddly-winks, what the heck is the value of the trophy? I wouldn't want it.

There is a rule that says no trophy/championship if you didn't COMPETE. So we don't have one.

If you just HAVE to "recognize effort," then lets just give everyone a "Certificate of Participation" with a big smiley face on it and we'll all feel just hunky-dory.

[Welacey]

obamanomics

[OverDrive418]

As the only consistant event running FSP driver over the last 3 years of doing auto-x in two seperate regions I can kinda see both sides of the fence. On the one side it kinda sucks to meet all the criteria, but denied a championship because of lack of consistant competition in that class. I'll get another FSPer for an event or two if I'm lucky at the beginning of the year and maybe 1 or two different FSPers staggered throughout the remainder of the year. According to the rules I may have had competition all year but because it came from 3-4 different drivers all those points accumulated don't really count towards a championship.

However I understand the structure and spirit of the championship. I understand it encourages you to stay in the game for the long haul. It encourages you to actually put an effort into improving your performance. It encourages you to understand and exploit every nuance in the rulebook to your advantage. It encourages you to become nationally competitive in the sport. With all I've learned over my short period of doing these events I really don't need the recognition or trophy for participating. Granted it would look nice in the garage, a trophy from a years worth of hard work and consistant fierce competition would really make a championship award worth it.

[TouringBubble]

Can we please stop having these discussions at the end of the year? This is ridiculous.

The rules are the rules, everyone agreed to them by participating. For those who don't understand the value of rules for competitive events, just imagine that rules could be changed willy-nilly at any time. What would be the point in competing?

Also, rules need to be consistent across years so that a championship holds its value from year to year. If last year, the trophy is won for being fastest at the most events, and this year we decide to award it for playing tiddly-winks, what the heck is the value of the trophy? I wouldn't want it.

There is a rule that says no trophy/championship if you didn't COMPETE. So we don't have one.

If you just HAVE to "recognize effort," then lets just give everyone a "Certificate of Participation" with a big smiley face on it and we'll all feel just hunky-dory.

While I agree with your post completely, I don't agree with the rule as written. The problem is that drivers can get "shafted" by this rule based on the participation of others. GS this season is a great example.

In the past, there has been an okay GS turnout. This season, Katie, Jordan and the Honda guys all started out running GS ... so there was competition. Then, stuff happened and there was no one but Katie running GS.

Then, there is another element ... and it's the same thing we ran in to last year ... interpretation. Does the rule mean you must have competition at all of YOUR 6 events, or just 6 events in that class during the season. Using GS as an example again, there have been multiple drivers in 5 total events ... but Katie (the current class leader) didn't attend one of those and ran ST at another, meaning she only had competition in 3 of her events. what does that mean according to the rule?

I know using GS and Katie as an example shows a bias against the rule ... I admit it. I think she should get a trophy. But, that makes no difference regarding interpretation of the rule and the validity of my argument.

[jimkana]

Firstly, the rule as written means Katie gets a trophy because she ran enough events and there were multiple people in class during the season. Nothing says they all have to be at the same events, though the idea is that they will be.

Secondly, I have run in an unopposed/lightly contested class. I got a championship, but really it's pretty hollow. No sense wasting money on "bowling trophies" on that kind of stuff. And there was a guy who deliberately prepared a car to run in an unopposed class all year. I don't recall his name and wouldn't post it, but some of the older guys may remember him. That kind of foolishness should be discouraged.

Let's try to keep a sense of perspective with the rules and defer to tradition when interpreting them. Also keep in mind the spirit of the club which includes the encouragement of healthy competition and good sportsmanship. Those are archaic values these days, I know, but their value becomes more apparent with time.

[TouringBubble]

I completely agree, and so does Katie. That's why she moved up a class and I asked if anyone would mind if she ran in ST rather than STX which has less participation than GS.

I know the rule as conceived to discourage people from purposely running an uncontested class, but I'm just not sure it's fair for those who run their proper class just because no one else runs with our low turnouts.

[rodhx]

While I agree with your post completely, I don't agree with the rule as written. The probleThen, there is another element ... and it's the same thing we ran in to last year ... interpretation. Does the rule mean you must have competition at all of YOUR 6 events, or just 6 events in that class during the season. Using GS as an example again, there have been multiple drivers in 5 total events ... but Katie (the current class leader) didn't attend one of those and ran ST at another, meaning she only had competition in 3 of her events. what does that mean according to the rule?

I careth not which way we go on this, but I do disagree that the current rules are unclear. It's simple to me: to qualify for a class championship a driver must run 50%+1 events in one class; and for a class to be championship eligible it must have at least two drivers who are championship qualified in that class. it is the number of events that qualifies drivers, not which events the drivers run and whether they had competition at them.

And Eric, this is only my second season, but it seems like these discussions are a Fall tradition!

Methinks this could be part of our lunch conversation tomorrow...

[TouringBubble]

Rod, I just brought that up because it's the same thing as last season ... the debate last season was because the rule said you have to run 1/2+1 events for a trophy. It didn't state that it had to be all in one class, which was the big disagreement. That rule was expanded for clarification this season. I was simply pointing out that the "competition" rule could be scrutinized with the same interpretation.