Nationals preferential entries?

[jimmy]

The UK National series is possibly the worlds highest quality series for 10th off road buggies - fantastic organisation and great quality drivers like Cragg, Bradby, Ellis, Tricky, John Price - the list goes on .

Since I've been doing Nationals (2003 I think I did my first) the series has definitely grown quite a lot - to the point that I've only managed to get straight into 2 races (both 4WD), and my wife has only managed to get into one of six events she applied for.
I think for this weekends National I was reserve 25 or so, meaning at least 155 people had applied to race. Great success.

Being the premiere series, and indeed only series which tours the UKs best tracks, there is a great deal of talent and preference is given to the best driver grades - a rule which makes some allowance to keep the series at the top.


Swiftly on to my point - there is a long reserve list at Nationals already, mostly lower drivers who were not good enough to get straight in. Almost everyone has the opportunity to qualify well in regional races and get a good driver grade - which would get them into Nationals.
If anyone remembers the 2005 National at Bury Metro, we had a couple of top International drivers turn up and race, Steenari and Amezcua - these guys simply wouldn't stand a chance of ever racing over here again now.
Similarly, top drivers like Andy Moore and Craig Drescher are capable of A final at the World Championships but can't even get into the National series (Because their off road driver grades are not high enough).

Having top drivers like Moore and Drescher, but also visiting International drivers, would be a big boost in my opinion to the quality and profile of the series. At the moment it won't happen, and the system that is currently in place works well to make it a fair system for gaining National places - but I personally think there could / should be a way for some (possibly a small number, pre-defined) of top drivers that normally wouldn't be able to get in, to some how jump the queue.

Fair enough - I have failed to get an entry to most Nationals this year, and it's been a bit crap to be honest. So I know how it feels. And there are certainly drivers reading this that would get pushed out of the series if a handful of queue-jumpers were allowed places - But I still like the idea and think it would add to the event.



So -what do people think? would it even be possible or fair? Could 5 (lets say) places be 'put aside' for possible top drivers, and who'd decide who qualifies for those places? Does a world champion touring car driver qualify, does a world Champion in Mardaves qualify?
And being a points series - do we really want 'guest' drivers throwing spanners in the works?


Discuss:

[telboy]

I think it is a good idea and a bad idea. it would be nice to see the like of some of the worlds top drivers race, but it would also stop people that have race hard to get there, from getting an entry.

Maybe an 'exhibition' heat or something like that would be better, and make it for a certain round of the series so that people know when it is going to be.

But it would be nice to see them race.

Maybe a yearly one off invitaional organised by the brca.?

[jimmy]

Currently there isn't one BIG race for the top drivers - only the F2 and lower drivers. The best drivers have to make do with the euros or some American races (cactus) or the bi-annual Worlds.
It would be cool to have a 2 day BRCA Invitational, with the top National and International drivers invited - then open entry for the rest of the places.
It would work better than allowing the drivers into the National series - but as that's the only race(s) currently available, that's what I focused on.

[GRIFF55]

I rather the sound of that idea, a big one off seasonal invitational would also get the non entered drivers as spectators. Big marque bar and that would be a cracking weekend!!

[Lee Martin]

im looking to do something like this at CML Raceway!

[Chris Doughty]

I think the term you are looking for Jimmy is 'wildcard' entrys.

I like the idea. 5 reserved places for wildcard drivers, if no wildcards want in the reserve drivers are called up a week or so in advance.

the 'limit' should be set at 125 (for 2WD) for entry to the event with 5 reserved for wildcard or reserve (as long as wildcard entrys were closed and reserves given plenty of notice)

this happens quite a lot in other forms of motorsport, things like superbikes, supermoto etc... 'local' hero's get entry to the 'world' event at their track etc... they normally do quite well

[loose]

Yeah a one internationsl/invitational is a good idea, but I dont think queue jumping in a National is fair. I'm new to things but the impression I get is there aren't that many races annually, and a lot of people really look forward to an opportunity to race. Take their chance away to allow a few top guys a place and your making your hobby/sport elitist. These guys get plenty of racing in all over the world, whereas Joe Bloggs works his nuts off all year and maybe gets the chance to race at a decent level only 4 or 5 times.

I can see your point, its good to see high profile racers, I just think you'd have to be careful not to be unfair or alienate the real people that keep the scene going.

Power to the common man yeah. Right on baby!

[Oscar]

Originally Posted by jimmy

The UK National series is possibly the worlds highest quality series for 10th off road buggies - fantastic organisation and great quality drivers like Cragg, Bradby, Ellis, Tricky, John Price - the list goes on .
Discuss:

You been at the Vodka again Jimmy?

[jimmy]

Yes, for sure john!
Wildcard! that's the word I was looking for, hehe.

[andy reeves]

My personal opinion is that we should allow foreign drivers. As surely if the top drivers want to come over here and race surely this is good for the series and also a reflection on the great tracks we have over here and also the great work that is done by the BRCA officals. It has happened in touring cars for god knows how many years. It also happens in full size motorsport. I know people that come over from sweden just to race in the championship. Its a good reflection on the series.

Yes it does mean that some of the lower grades may not get in but this then puts the emphasis on you doing regionals to gain your liecence grade. As it is meant to be an elite championship.

Yes i am an F5 this year and have got lucky to get into some rounds but the rounds that i have got in to i have taken as practice to race on different tracks that i have never been to before. I think at the minute i am border line F3/4 from the regionals and do i think that i am ready to do a full series of nationals NO. If next year i can maintain the same liecence grade next year or possibly improve (as long as i am a F3) then yes i would then consider myself to be ready to progeress to nationals.

[losixxx]

but isnt it a national series not a euro's/worlds?

[SHY]

Andy, that's a very good attitute! Accept where you're at, but enjoy getting tuffer competition and strive to improve!

The reason for us aliens to come to the UK to race is not to win (I'm not a pro), it's go get beaten. Badly! So we can improve...

Next year: just looked through the minutes from the EFRA AGM, electrics... can't see anything specific for 1:10 OR... so I guess nobody applied. Come on BRCA!

If there won't be an EC in the UK next year it'd be great if someone started working on a GP already now! And that should be a yearly event, changing venue every year. If there is an EC, the GP could be a combined GP/EC warm-up at the same track?

[grumpy]

for all drivers that have entered but are on the reserve list
how about 1 or 2 legs of pre qualifying early morning of the national day fastest to go foward to the main qualifying event

[losixxx]

Originally Posted by grumpy

for all drivers that have entered but are on the reserve list
how about 1 or 2 legs of pre qualifying early morning of the national day fastest to go foward to the main qualifying event

2 reason why that wouldnt happen
firstly, as practise already starts at 8am it would mean an even earlier start for the officials
secondly would people actually travel 100's of miles for what might end up a 5 minute run?

[Nick Goodall]

British GP would be cool, only problem with the Euro's is that they have to be run on a "Natural" surface, so that basically means Grass here in the UK as there aren't any Dirt tracks.