AMATEUR UPGRADES

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

   This is one of the concerns I had also thought of because most people are better at some tracks than others. As I had suggested, after achieving a certain average %, then allow that person to continue racing amatuer for some period of time as determined thru a racer opinion poll. If you happen to achieve the other % of being too fast at that track to stay amatuer (ultimately requiring an immediate move to expert status for your next event) but are much slower at the other tracks, then mabey the too fast % should only be enforced if achieved at 2 different tracks. I believe that your average for the whole event and not just 1 class should be used in making these decisions.
   The other thing I am thinking is that if you have this much ability at one track that it should be soon to follow at the other tracks. As for if you only race your local track and very rarely others, then laying down the smack down on the other amatuers year after year at this track isn't really fair or representative of being an amatuer. Going expert will only make you faster and force you to get even better than you may already be (I realize that it's nice to win, but at least make it a challenge if your that good at your local track).
   This is the type of question that helps to refine this type of system and would make it even more fair to everyone. I still believe that the racers know best in this situation and should be involved in determining what percentages should be used. The way I see it, this system would be alot more accurate than the point system currently being used to advance amatuers and would show that they actually have the ability to keep up with the experts.

[GPgofast]

...And what would you do in Kane's case at Las Vegas where he set the TRACK RECORD!!! Move some experts back to Amateur...

[GPgofast]

...and also, it may sound like I am against Kane, the opposite is true. I feel if he wanted to stay amateur all season it was his right. I felt he had as much right to the prize money as the next guy, maybe more in fact when you looked at his commitment. The entire problem with the amateur/expert situation is $$$. If there was no money in the amateur's, Kane would have bumped himself up to expert after the first weekend, just to be eleigible for the prize money. When the system is set up as it is, I don't feel you should punish someone for being good. Change the system. My .02 cents.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

   I don't believe the system should be used to automatically move slower experts back to amatuer, but could be used as an accurate judge of ability if that person did indeed want to take the step back to amatuer.
   As for the amatuer classes, I have always thought that this is a place for racers of unyet refined ability to race against each other and actually have a chance to place well. The contingency that is offered to amatuers (by the manufacturers) is offered to get them to use a specific manufacturers product as a beginner, hoping that they will like that product and stick with it thru their racing carreer - an investment in those companies future. The money classes in amatuer are for a similar reason, racing is expensive and this provides them an attainable reward for there investment. Even something as simple as a plaque to hang on the wall is a reward.
   Racing is very addictive but is still affected by the hollowness of not having some type of reward for your effort. Imagine if only the experts recieved trophies, contingency, and all the prize money. More of the amatuers would then be looking forward to going expert as soon as they qualified to do so. The status of that white plate is desired by almost every racer, but it can be intimidating to make that move also.
   I believe that staying amatuer for no reason other than the money is not what the amatuer class is intended for. Staying in the amatuer class when you should without a doubt be expert is like staying in middle school because that's where you are on the honor roll, instead of going on to high school. The system I proposed would help amatuers to easily see how they compare to the experts in the same classes.
   For reasons listed above it would make more sense to reward the move to expert, instead of rewarding someone more for keeping the training wheels on (amatuer class) and not moving on to where they belong. I think that paying more money in the expert classes (say back to 10th or 15th place) and less in the amatuer classes would improve racing all together and give the amatuers more desire to become expert.
   This is not intended to offend anyone, but I imagine it will.

[Gixxer124]

I don't know how that could help learn anything but track layout.

OK Weg, how about race lines? I'm pretty sure they were taking the fast way around the track. And isn't learning the layout real important too? First you dog me to go expert and learn the fast way around a track, then I use a video to do basically the same thing and it's a bad idea? What did I do to you? ??? :P ;D ;D
 ;D

[Gixxer124]

Mike, I like your idea. You've got my vote! Even if they did'nt go to electronic scoring, if there was a racer in question, a stopwatch could be used. I've seen them take the time to use one for guys running close to a lap record. ;D

[Decreasing_Dave]

                 I have invested alot of brain cells into this and would like to know if this seems fair to everyone out there or if it could be improved?

I believe that it was a good brain cell investment.

I also think GP is right.  Money is the root of all evil, as far as staying amateur.  I need it, I want it, I'm a first year racer, too bad if I'm faster than you.   This is the mentality and I have to be honest, I'm in there too.  Racing is expensive, show me the money!

My $.01 (can't spare .02, I have a race coming up) ;D

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

   As far as the amateur money thing is concerned I don't really want the money taken away from the amateurs, I just don't want it to be the reason for people to not go expert. Racing is expensive and any money you can win does help, especially after seeing the latest increases in fees for everything in the 2003 season. It is so much of a double edged sword though, too much money available and people don't want to move on to expert. It just doesn't make sense to me for there not to be a much more desirable difference in rewards to want to go expert (both money and contingency). But on the other hand by then your already hooked on racing and they must think they will create more business by enticing the amateurs with rewards (even though many amateurs look up to the experts and their opinions on products and services). After all, the long term racers (pronounced long-term revenue) are experts and provide the stable money base for CCS & the race product manufacturers thru their personal purchases and suggestions to amateurs as to which products they use.

[Decreasing_Dave]

Mike, I agree.

Here's my take.  I'm a realist.  I've raced 2 weekends.  I did well my second weekend, but I was very inconsistent with my lines and lap times.  I believe that once I get things sorted out, that money or not, I'm going to be bored in Amateur.  As errogant as that sounds, if this turns out to be the case, I'll voluntarily move up before the end of the season.

You won't hear this from all the other Amateurs.

[the_weggie_man]

Kevin, relax man.  I dogged you about status because you won 2 championships and you should be an expert in '03.  I don't care what you did in other classes, they don't count.

As for the videos, I never said it was a bad idea, just that about all you could learn is layout, that would include lines ....    Being a champion you should know there's alot more to learn than that.  ;D ;D

I wish you a great '03 season.

[Gixxer124]

 ;D ;D ;D