Should I request to stay AM

[johnny scheff]

   I am not planning on requesting to stay AM,  although I am a bit nervous.  I have only competed in 7 race weekends so I was suprised to learn that I had the points to bump.  I always do 4 races a weekend, that probably helped.  At my pace (consistent 1:21's at B H F on my stock motored SV650)  I assume that I will be a rolling chicane out there.  I am comfortable being passed and I am very comfortable on my bike.  I haven't raced much but I did about 5000 miles of track days and schools before I raced.  My question is,  at that pace,  am I too slow? Any feedback from experienced LW experts would be greatly apprecciated. Thanks - Johnny

[SVbadguy]

I don't know how your times compare because I've never been to BHF.

But you have far more track experience than I did when I moved to expert.  I had five races in '97.  Between then and '03 I did a few trackdays.  I started racing again late in '03.  Did two double points weekends of three or four races per and went expert in '04.  Just do it.

[VCS Racing]

I'm wondering the same thing. I competed in all but two CCS FL weekends, 4 races each. I managed to get a 3rd, 4th and a 5th in some HWSS races but other than that I was a mid-pack racer in the MW races.

I'm 40 years old, twice as old and twice as heavy as alot of the guys that I race against. If I'm doing this for fun, not to progress to the AMA, why should I move up?

[Speedballer347]

When I raced WER-A back in highschool, there was no contingencies in am.....so EVERYONE wanted desperatly to get a white plate.  They even had a real PRODUCTION class (stock pipe, etc...tires shocks, and brake lines)
Anyway, White plate meant "you have arrived"
I got a white after a couple of weekends and it was the best thing since sliced bread.  Now w/ amatuer lotteries, I moved up kicking and screaming :'(

Amatuer racing is all about easy money.  Pull the plug on amateur contingencies, and you will never hear another word or question about getting moved up.
Personally, I think they should dump am contingencies, since 'amatuer' is such a skewed term now anyway.  There aint no real amateur pocketing all that loot.
IMHO, there is no such thing as a fast amatuer anyway....not anymore.  
More than not, the guy on the box has way more tracktime/schools/track-knowledge, than what an amatuer should really have.
Back in the day, amatuer was truly track-newbies getting comfortable and somewhat proficient...then you moved up.
Now amateur is the LOTTO  ;D

[Team-G]

I did 4 am weekends my first season and got on the bump list; I was 39.  I asked to stay am the next year; according to the rules you can refuse the bump once.  I raced an entire season as a 40 yr old am, got a lot of good contingencies and wood.  It made my first full season very enjoyable, especially at my late starting age.

IMHO, base it on your own self-assesment, do what makes you comfortable.  You can always request a bump any time during the season also; lots of guys have done that.

[VCS Racing]

I did 4 am weekends my first season and got on the bump list; I was 39.  I asked to stay am the next year; according to the rules you can refuse the bump once.  I raced an entire season as a 40 yr old am, got a lot of good contingencies and wood.  It made my first full season very enjoyable, especially at my late starting age.

IMHO, base it on your own self-assesment, do what makes you comfortable.  You can always request a bump any time during the season also; lots of guys have done that.

This is my same situation, except I raced 9 weekends. Like I said above, I was a middle pack racer this year, which I'm comfortable with  but as a mid-packer, moving up to expert would leave in the same position, maybe worst. I'd just like to compete for a year before I get too old to do this stuff.

[VCS Racing]

Amatuer racing is all about easy money.  Pull the plug on amateur contingencies, and you will never hear another word or question about getting moved up.
Personally, I think they should dump am contingencies, since 'amatuer' is such a skewed term now anyway.  There aint no real amateur pocketing all that loot.
IMHO, there is no such thing as a fast amatuer anyway....not anymore.  
More than not, the guy on the box has way more tracktime/schools/track-knowledge, than what an amatuer should really have.
Back in the day, amatuer was truly track-newbies getting comfortable and somewhat proficient...then you moved up.
Now amateur is the LOTTO  ;D

If I were in it for the money, I'd have to admit I'm definitely in the wrong sport. In CCS FL, Amateurs don't get money, only contingencies. And as for fast AM, I'd have to say you're wrong, we've got some down here that will absolutely blow some EX's doors off.

Also, with all of the AM's getting moved up to EX every year and with no EX's moving on to bigger and better things, isn't it going to get really crowded sooner or later?

[Thingy]

I think :21s at BHF on an SV is fast enough for you to go expert.  You will be surprised, you won't be the slowest expert out there.

As long as you are comfortable holding your lines, do things consistently, etc., you won't have a problem.  Go expert, you won't regret it.

[Speedballer347]

If I were in it for the money, I'd have to admit I'm definitely in the wrong sport.

I wasnt directing my comment at you personally, just making a statement about the current affairs of amateur.
Didnt mean for it to sound like I was pointing a finger.

And as for fast AM, I'd have to say you're wrong, we've got some down here that will absolutely blow some EX's doors off.

I was one of those amateurs, and I was part of the problem.
A guy who gets on the track for the first time, and by mid season is whuppin ass....that's a fast amateur and more power to him.
But more than not (IMHO) the really fast am's have been to countless trackdays sharpening their skills and track knowledge long before any race license was purchased.  
The guys who fill their weekends w/ trackdays and schools w/ intentions of being the next amateur superstar, when they finally race?
I don't think that's what the amateur class was meant to be about.
W/ the dough involved, makes it pretty tempting to stay am.

Or maybe my thinking is too prehistoric.  Maybe trackdays and schools (pre license) are becoming the overwelming norm.  Maybe such prerequesites will be required to stay even remotely competitive in amateur eventually.  I dunno.  Maybe I need to get w/ the program and say coming into amateur w/ already competitive times makes for better and safer racing.  I dunno.
I can see both sides of it, but my heart says amateur is for learning to go fast, not learning to go fast then getting a license and dominate amateur class.
Like I said, take out the contingencies in amature...and people will be bribing CCS official for that "Expert" white plate.

And who am I to say anything, as I was once a cherry picker myself, to some degree.

[Scotty Ryan]

At the end of 2004 on my stock motored SV650 I was running low 1:17's high 1:16's as an amature. Tha season I won two regional championships.... There is a big spread in lap times between experts. Ed Key can run 1:15's and then there are some of the experts that are in the 1:20 range...At first you may not be as fast as everyone else but you are only as fast as your competition..If you get what I mean.....Hopefully this helps you in your decision...

[ahastings]

Also, with all of the AM's getting moved up to EX every year and with no EX's moving on to bigger and better things, isn't it going to get really crowded sooner or later?

No, because this sport has such a high turnover due to the expense involved. Most never make it to expert and those that due usually get out of the sport within 3 years.

[Super Dave]

I think most people don't gain any wisdom on what to spend money on.

As for fast amateurs...

There have been and always will be fast amateurs.  Before track days, there were still amateurs that could run inside the top five at the expert level.  Still, there is an experience level that is nice to gain as an amateur.  It's isn't just about speed.

The decision to stay amateur or go expert is usually an individual choice.  Both offer opportunities.  Do you have enough knowledge for the amateur class?  The fastest experts will go faster, but, like Thingy said, you won't be the slowest expert.