--On Friday, September 20, 2002 5:15 PM -0500 Rocky Entriken
<rocky@tri.net> wrote:
> Won't quibble, Mark, with your development argument. Basically I agree.
> To the point that if, given my scenario, the SEB decides to keep STX and
> SM2 as supplemental again next year, giving further time for development,
> that's okay. But if it meets the numbers next year, and breaks out next
> year, then give it the full championship salute next year. Again.
An honest question here: Is the "full championship salute" only a matter
for Nationals, or for the sport as a whole?
It's not normally enough (or it shouldn't be, anyway) for a class to make
numbers at Nationals in order to gain full national status. The class
should also have some reasonable rate of subscription at the local level,
should be forecast to have some staying power, and should be good for the
sport as a whole. Or that's my impression, anyway.
> But what we are saying THIS year is that, for example, Scott McQueen
> winning a 17-car E Mod class is more deserving than James Gunn-Wilkinson
> winning a 23-car SM2 class (SM2 broke out from EM). My argument is they
> are equally deserving and should receive equal recognition.
At first blush I don't disagree with this, and it makes me think that
perhaps we need to split the decision regarding national status and
national *championship* status. Could some classes offer the latter but
not the former? How about the other way 'round?
> AP/BP provides a good example of how it COULD work the other direction.
> Both had just 9 entries this year total. So BP merges to AP for 2003
> Nationals. The Corvettes still retain their BP identity, but they are
> scheduled to run together as a single class. However, if BP booms in with
> 18 of its own, it breaks out again and leaves the APs to fend for
> themselves.
Once again, I think your proposal suggests separating the question of
"national class" from "national championship class". In this case, AP/BP
would be a single national championship class, but would remain separate
classes across the country. Do I understand that correctly?
(Note that AP has now not made the numbers required by 4.7 (page 59) for
two consecutive years. Please feel free to suggest solutions to the SEB.)
> By doing so we also answer the question of "how many times to we have to
> hit it to be a 'real' class?" The answer becomes, "You are a real class
> every time you hit it." We could even, then, do something like: Hit it
> four years in a row, and you are no longer supplemental. How's that for
> development time?
Once again, I'm not wild about making Nationals attendance numbers the
only criteria for gaining full national status, though perhaps it makes
some sense for national championship status.
Mark
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