New National F Rating?

[MATTY]

Leave as is but top 10 from 2wd & 4wd nat become F1+

[Swiss]

My two penny's worth....

Surely if you make all the groups too elite'est, then there is a fear of driving people out of the hobby?

I think there is no harm at the moment in rewarding the best drivers in the UK, but currently there is no real structure to also award the best club, regional drivers.. Apart from a title.... Bring back Chiltern Cup Challenge I say

[Nick Goodall]

I agree that it's a good idea to have less F1's (maybe 20 or so) but overall what difference does it REALLY make?

I know it makes you personally feel a bit better about yourself to be able to say you're in the top 20 or top 10 in the UK, but to me it doesn't really affect anything racing wise??

I think the main reason behind any rule changes to formula's etc needs to concentrate on the fact that people aren't really attending regionals at the moment (i know some regions are well attended but on the hole they're down in numbers).

It's great having an over-subscribed national series, but as PaulW once told me we're almost becoming "too good" at the hobby and it's getting harder for new people to get into the sport at grass roots level hence (and no dis-respect to anyone intended) you get such a vast difference in ability at UK Nationals.

Heat 1 to me should be ideally minimum F4's if not F3's so that overall the standard at a National would be higher.

I know the likes of Mr Stanley etc wouldn't have been able to race this year, but like i've done in 2007 it wouldn't really hurt to just do a year of racing at regionals to get your F status up to the required level to "proove" you're good enough to compete at what should be the highest level?

I think overall this is the downfall of 1/10th off road as people only seem to really want to race at Nats regardless of if they're (imo) actually good enough??

Hope that makes sense, i'm just thinking as i type really

1/8th and other classes seem to get really good following at all types of events, not only nationals so we need to look at why this isn't happening in 1/10 off road?

[Teddy truman]

i like the idea of 20 or 25 F1's, i think what we have is to many.

[markwilliamson2001]

I agree with Nick on this one, I think that more people ought to do regionals before they move on to Nationals, to prove they are good enough. I believe the organisation at regional level at some tracks is not quite up to the superb organisation at BRCA Nats, which can put some people off.

Having said that, almost all mid-west clubs are excellent, but that cant be said of some clubs I have been to. I also like the idea of limiting the top 20-25 of drivers at Nat's to be F1, and that a percentage of remaining drivers are F2, then F3 etc etc. Personally, I wouldnt mind being an F3 rather than F2, if it meant that F2 was more elite, but the key thing is to get more people into the hobby at regional level.

M.

[Slimboyfat]

my opinion is top 25 F1's, then a larger percentage of F2's and F3's

F1 is getting increasing easy to get.

For example i managed to get a 'D' final score to count towards my F1 in 2006 with 'C' finals making up the rest. Shouldn't be right that those kind of scores make you amongst the F1 drivers.

It needs to be changed but not the extent that it becomes impossible to achieve so i think 25 is a better figure.

[WHITTLER555]

As an addition to this regarding lack of numbers at Regional events, I am sure PW has attendance figures for all the regions. I know that some regions only get maybe 12 people turning up for their regional events which makes a mockery of the F grades.

If you reduced the number of regions putting regionals on, lets say only 3 regions in the country, North, Midlands and South, you would get well attended race weekends which may effectively become National B events and call our Nationals, National A events.

This is what happens in British Club Rallying, you have National A events where drivers who are good enough, compete and National B events where good clubmen compete.

Also if you reduced the numbers of Regions, you would hope that the best run clubs would get to run the Regionals, like Southport, York and Bury for example in the North.

This may lead to drivers who qualify as F1, 2 and 3 to run National A and F3, 4 and 5 to run National B.

On the downside it would mean more travel for a lot of people but if the regionals were attracting 70 - 80 - 100 people they may see it as a worthwhile test of their skill before they move on to National A events.

Just an idea, needs more work, probably bollox

[Col]

Originally Posted by WHITTLER555

If you reduced the number of regions putting regionals on, lets say only 3 regions in the country, North, Midlands and South, you would get well attended race weekends which may effectively become National B events and call our Nationals, National A events.

Also if you reduced the numbers of Regions, you would hope that the best run clubs would get to run the Regionals, like Southport, York and Bury for example in the North.

Just an idea, needs more work, probably bollox

Sounds like a great idea to me. With the N/W having a low turnout and a few N/W drivers racing N/E, (and vice versa?) why not just merge the regions? N/E gains a superb venue in Southport and N/W gains a mutlitude of different tracks for variety.
Obviously there will be more than a few that don't like this idea, but if we're gonna travel to Bury from Teeside or Durham then it's not much further.
Do and other regions run such large distances, or is it just N/E?

[mole2k]

I just wish there was the interest in N.Ireland to run the regionals here

[racingdwarf]

This is a never ending topic.When I left 1/10th 14years ago there was very strong debate about what ability should get to the nationals.I think it will always be a hot potato!!

having raced 1/8th for the last 10years I have now returned to 10th I have nearly compleated this seasons regionals in the EOE due to the amount of people taking part in these meeting and the number of people getting there F grades at the nats it looks like I will get my F2 this year....Great....but were now??I think the way the F grade is scored by regional percentages needs to be looked at as it depends on the ability and the number of the drivers in each region ( I think thats how it works ).

I think if there were far less regions and futher to travel it would only put club racers off, In my region east anglia we are a little out on a limb.

I think that it is important to remember you need to pay more attention to the entry level of the hobby like regionals,interclubs etc and maybe the good old british GP (those were the days ) This way if you want to make the nationals more elite there will be other big meetings out there.

Errr.... anyway hope that all makes sense

[Rob]

On a slightly different note, can you get an F3, F4, F5 grade from nationals or can they only come from regionals? As I did 4 nationals but only managed to get 3 regionals in.

[Chris Doughty]

only F1 and F2 can be got at nationals, 2,3,4,5 is through regionals

[Rob]

So as I only did 3 regionals I don't get a grade for next year? damn.

[Chris Doughty]

if your score from your 3 is still good enough to get you high enough for your grade then you will get that.

you don't HAVE to do all 4, but it does help you get more points that way.

also, I believe you only drop by 1 grade each year.

for example, if I didn't race for 2 years and I finish as an F1. when I come back I would be F3

[Evo_Snr]

Originally Posted by Rob

So as I only did 3 regionals I don't get a grade for next year? damn.

Your grade for next year will be "F5"

[MikePimlott]

Originally Posted by DoughtyUK.net

if your score from your 3 is still good enough to get you high enough for your grade then you will get that.

I thought if you didnt complete in 4 out of six you didnt get graded or just dropped a grade if you already had one.