Number One (1) Plate

Started by rotoboge, December 08, 2004, 05:42:16 AM

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rotoboge

Can someone explain how CCS came around to issueing the number 1 plate, to the person that accumulates the most points? Seems to me, if I were not the fastest in the class/group, it would be a bit of an embarrasment to stick that number on the bike.

PJ721

#1
overall performance for the year based on each one of your finishes you earn points...you dont have to win every race or be the fastest to earn the #1 plate....Rossi, Miladin, Hayden, Duhammel didnt win every race...or were the fastest at every track...but they each won the championship (aka #1 plate) based on points for their class...
Paul Castiglia
CCS - #524 - SV650

Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Laugh uncontrollably...
And never regret anything that made you smile....

L8brake731

I feel your pain... As the last post said, it's based on your performance "overall" in the classes run. As racers, we do recognise what "perfomance index" is ALL about. Lets us know how well we race, how well we FINISH the race.
Seems to me, to earn a #1 Plate it would be that your performance index numbers should reflect more than 700 to represent an earnest attempt at overall #1. Just my opinion.
The standings are in black and white, just like speed limits on Fwys and taxes, we just have to deal with it. Just my opinion.  
BTW- Congratulations Matt!   ;D
S. Fukiage
CCS/ASRA  #731

Decreasing_Dave

QuoteBTW- Congratulations Matt!   ;D

That's not sour grapes is it Steve??

I know how you feel though, the one who got the amature class last year had a performance index of like 400 something.  Good guy, I'm not taking anything away from him but my index was in the 9s and I was like 4th or something.  :-/

For the record, I think I had the highest index of the top ten, I just didn't run enough races....Oh well.

Dave

Super Dave

QuoteCan someone explain how CCS came around to issueing the number 1 plate, to the person that accumulates the most points? Seems to me, if I were not the fastest in the class/group, it would be a bit of an embarrasment to stick that number on the bike.

I think the number plate idea came about in like 1990...first issued number one plates in 1991 as a result.

Anyway, in 1991, in the Midwest, we had a guy running around with the number one plate...back in like tenth place.

Track costs were increasing, liability costs were increasing, so to increase entries per rider, I believe it was at that time CCS started tallying points toward a number one plate.

So, if you can score enough points in enough classes, you get the number one plate.

Yeah, it can be goofy.  In 1993, I went out to buy my number one plate...I had double the number of points compared to the guy that was in second place.  Some riders have went out and completed a few laps of a race to get the points toward their championship.  Some riders have fought very hard for their plates.

It's a hard one.

I'd like to see a program where only so many races a weekend count toward an over all championship.  That might get more riders to enter the number of required races for a legitimate opportunity to win the championship, rather than it being a program where you have to cough up entry and tire money for nine or more classes.

That's my opinion.
Super Dave

cardzilla

I agree with Dave.  Rarely is the fastest guy in a region donning the #1 plate.  No offense to those out there, this isn't to say they're not fast, just not the FASTEST.  A lot has to do with the very fast guys concentrating on a few classes and probably national events.  I think CCS needs to have a minimum performance index, minimum point clause for the #1 plate.  The former prevents a big $ #1, the latter a rocket who only races 3 events.  Then combine the two mathmatically, say 50/50 and crown a #1.
Of course that said a lot of people wouldn't necessarily change their number anyway, myself included... as well as Rossi.  At least we have one thing in common  ;)
Larry Dodson
CCS # 22
2004 Yamaha R1 Superbike

stumpy

 As a #1 plater I also think there should be a better way to do it. I hate to see people competing for a 1 plate with 3 bikes running all the races and not finishing them, sorry they gave the plate a bad name. I did it on ONE bike, Didn't run all the races and even skipped the Barber round, As far as buying the 1 plate, I ran 2 more races a weekend than last year but did all the rounds in MW, I figure if I was gonna drive at least 6hrs I was gonna get my $'s worth. PLUS next year I get all my entries free at BHF SO I paid an extra 720 over the year,  so I guess it's a investment ;D So anybody that thinks its easy I say try it, Betcha can't do it on ONE bike!! :P :D :) ;D :-* 8)Stumpy
Greg "Stumpy" Steltenpohl
www.teamstumpyracing.com

Super Dave

I did.   ;D

It really depends upon the local competition, and what one needs to do.

Greg, you did well, and there wasn't anyone out there with two bikes really thinking about making a run that was properly competitive.

Now, I will say this.

With the "race" to the number one plate being strictly an all the points you can get program, there isn't the luster among racers and industry sponsors that some people think.

It is a way cool thing to work for.  But how it turns out in the end for each guy is different in end.

Stump did a good job.
Super Dave

StumpysWife

QuoteI did.   ;D

With the "race" to the number one plate being strictly an all the points you can get program, there isn't the luster among racers and industry sponsors that some people think.

It is a way cool thing to work for.  But how it turns out in the end for each guy is different in end.


Exactly.  Some people go for the #1 to validate their program.  We wanted our program to validate the #1.  Does that make sense?  

As for no real competition.  That's not quite true.  He had competetion.  He had to ride hard to the very end.  It wasn't handed to him.  There was competition on two bikes...he didn't stay healthy. Stumpy did.    

"Buying" it? I don't think so--you can't buy good old luck. Like I said, nothing was won until the day was done in October at Gingerman--he had to ride good all day--and it wasn't easy that day for some reason.    

Stumpy must have got a good deal on his #1.  He didn't start entering 9 races at tracks other than Blackhawk until June.   ;D

If you want the #1, besides the budget, you'll need physical and mental ability, a good team surrounding you, reliable equipment and luck.  Please don't simplify it.  

No, the #1 won't get you sponsors or luster but a good program and a #1 will.

It was definitely an investment.


Heather

LMsports

Rob Oliva
Lithium Motorsports, Inc.
Suspension Solutions
712-546-7747
www.lithiummotorsports.net

mdr14

Stumpy, you don't suck on the race track ;D

Congrats on the #1 plate.

I hope you go even faster in 2005!!
Matt Drucker
MD Racing
www.mdracingstp.com

Super Dave

Ok, now hear me out.

Stumpy did well.

No competition?  Yes, there was competition.

However, the room for error in compiling points over many races over many weekends...that "reduces" the competition for an overall championship.

That does cost money, and there are a good deal of racers that can't supply that kind of financial aid to their program.

In 1995 and 1996, I was obligated to a guy to win some national championships.  The only points that I would receive would be in the classes that I raced in.  A good deal of travel, so that would reduce the competition, so to speak.

The only way to beat me was to win against me, not just score more points  each weekend by entering more classes.

AMA Superbike, FUSA, MotoGP, etc all race for their number one plates by accumulating points in each class for the championship.

In those cases, you certainly don't buy luck.  You fall down or break, you don't score points.  You'll have to hope that someone else doesn't have luck too, or you'll have to decimate the competition.  That certainly requires more luck, determination, etc.

My example in my CCS championship was that I had more points than the number two guy.  In each class, which I raced nine events a weekend, I was the champion in eight of those classes.  I got second in one class because of a case a bad luck one weekend.

Did I buy the championship?  

Yes.

I didn't have a whole mess of competitors trying to do the same thing as me racing nine events.  I'd leave each weekend with six to three wins.  I used that part of my luck and determination so that I didn't even have to go to the final event of the series so that I could complete my full AMA schedule too.

So, Heather and Stumpy, no one has said that anything you have done is bad.  You did well.  It was a lot of time and money.  Those opportunities don't come often.  This is coming from someone who's been in your postion.

However, the stark reality of CCS overall championships come down to just how many races can one enter to get more points.  

Doc Stein is a great guy, but he just plain didn't look so hot with a number one plate getting lapped.  That representation of the number one plate holder has happened quite often because the number one plate is available for purchase. Yes, what he did was physically strenous getting off a bike and on to another.  It was a struggle.  

In the top twenty overall positions, you're gonna have a good number of guys that race several races during a weekend.  But a lot of those people just can't get the time off or there isn't the availability of classes to race enough to get more points.

If you're Brian Hall, racing a GSXR750, you just can't race as many classes.  The only way to win the overall championship is to get a 600 or something else to get more classes for points.  He can only race in five classes as it is, yet finished sixth.  If he doesn't have a good day, like he did in front of me at Blackhawk in the kink in August, a race for the championships might be over.

On the flip side, CCS regional points pay to fiftieth place.

That plays a role in all this too.

Example.

Doc Stein and Brian Johnson had similar amounts of points with different philosophys.

Doc averaged almost seventeen points every time out...that's thirty fourth place every time he hit the track.

Brain averaged a little over forty eight points every time out...that's sixth each time.

To get the points they had, each rider had to enter a different number of classes.

Doc - 232 races....at $35 each...that's $8120

Brian - 77 races....at $35 each...that's $2695

With more than $5000 difference in just the entries alone...overall championships are bought.

I've been trying to advocate change for some time to get the overall championship points figured over a riders best five events for some time.  Only way to make it a real race for the number one plate.

I have to stand by it.
Super Dave