Trackday riders, would you try racing AFM if we had Novice/Sportsman classes??

[Sane_Man]

Cherrypicking would be the main problem in the novice class. The other problem is you wouldn't want to bump a guy up for winning when they are to far off the pace from the top guys in the main class. Say 2 or 3 wins in the novice class AFM takes a look at the laps times if they are within the % you're talking about compared to the top riders the rider is moved up.

Why are you bustin' on Matt Mladin?

 

[SPEED]

Awesome, huge step in the right direction!!

With WSMC you get bumped up after 30pts. or may ask to move up with 10pts & 3 races under your belt. Seems to work out pretty well.

 

[afmotorsports]

Cherrypicking would be the main problem in the novice class. The other problem is you wouldn't want to bump a guy up for winning when they are to far off the pace from the top guys in the main class. Say 2 or 3 wins in the novice class AFM takes a look at the laps times if they are within the % you're talking about compared to the top riders the rider is moved up.

It would be unlikely that someone would win Sportsman races and NOT be within 115% of the Expert race winners. With the number of trackday riders that have already done their "homework" and are already up to speed, I find it hard to believe the winner of the 501-650 Sportsman race wouldn't break a 2:10 at Thunderhill (that's roughly 115% of the 1:53s of the 600 Superbike winning racer)

No matter what, a rider MUST be within 115% of Chris Siglin or Andy Carman to race in 600 Superbike on Sunday!

 

[eeeeek]

I'm liking this. Wins, imo, should not be a part of the equation for a few reasons, though:

1) The disparity of bikes in the classes. SV650's have a smaller chance of beating GSXR600s. Ninja250 vs 25o 2 strokes or SV500.

2) There can be only one winner in each race. Let's say Bobby Fong started his career in Sportsman and won all three of his first races. THat doesn't mean that the guys who got 1 st, 2nd, or even 10th place aren't getting up to speed.

The WSMC point system has merit. If you add in the 115% rule to their point systems, then you have something solid. It would force new racers to do at least three Sportsman races and it would allow novices that aren't beating the superhuman novices a chance to move up within 3-5 Sportsman races.

 

[280SQUAGGLER]

Oh man just what ive been looking for ...id most certainly be in it ....

 

[ontherearwheel]

There's more to racing then just lap times.

A track rider does not experince the closeness of a pack of racers going into the the same turn all wanting to be ahead of the person in front o them and do not want to get passed.

And then there is passing, passing on late braking, and so on....things that are not experinced in a track day.

Thats why new racers need to start in a novice type class until the prove themsleves they can race and not just turn certain lap times.

 

[kiltwearinfool]

I like the idea. Not because I want to race, but because I want to get more track time. I used to care about winning, but now just getting out there for less than a $300 trackday (no offense meant to those excellent local trackday providers) is motivation enough for me. I could use less midweek sick days and allowance money.

Do you see any advantage to having a "wildcard" system available? For those that are showing promise and development in the Sportsman class, they could get an invite into an AFM round to see how they do before officially getting bumped up.

Would Sportman run as Yellow plates, or a different color?

Thanks for not being PC and calling it "Sportsperson" class

 

[joe]

Hey Alex,

What happens when all these great new riders graduate to expert in 07 and we still have a limitation on grids? I'm sure the 500/450sb class would still be fine, but what about the still balloning "big bike" grids? If your plan works and we do start to pull a whole new audience, at what point will we overload ourselves?

 

[tiltedworld]

Alex,

I've used all my mojo on you

One more question regarding cherrypicking. If a person is within his/her 115% for the sportsman class and asked to move up after so many points, would they still be allowed to run up a class in sportsman, where presumably the smaller bike will be less competitive as well as possibly over the 115% for the larger-cc class? Or are they automatically moved up?

This could lead as well to increased racing for novices too as they cross the threshold to Sunday's races, gaining more experience by running on Saturday up a class in Sportsman and on Sunday in his/her normal class, no?

 

[racercutie]

can i race too? I have the screenname for it

Yea, same here.

 

[tiltedworld]

Hey Alex,

What happens when all these great new riders graduate to expert in 07 and we still have a limitation on grids? I'm sure the 500/450sb class would still be fine, but what about the still balloning "big bike" grids? If your plan works and we do start to pull a whole new audience, at what point will we overload ourselves?

I'm guessing Alex will say that the percentage is decreased to manage the grid sizes. 112%, 10, 9, 8 whatever to manage the grid size from season to season.

 

[projek7R]

That sounds good to me, only makes sense!! no hard feelings. It is racing.

 

[kneedragon2000]

YES!

I want to start this year but $ got in the way, actually lack of $

Are you thinking just 600's? I wanted to race my EX

+5

you took the words right out of my mouth.

if you find out you can run with the normal AFM runners can you jump up or are you stuck there for the season?

 

[chrisn6104]

Consider this:
AFM offers a sportsman class for selected and overcrowded bike classes. All new racers wanting to race in these classes can start in the sportsman lvl. At the end of the year or during the season (which ever might work better or be fair) after racers earn so many points they move up. Also at the end of the year the riders in the higher lvl with little/no points, and/or slowest ect have the choice to move down to the sportsman lvl. Obviously the number of people moving up and down would need to be considered to help with overcrowding and cherrypicking.

 

[CykoKlr]

Fair enough....

I would probably be more inclined to race if it was set up this way...

+1. So I dont have to drive to WSMC

 

[superhawk]

As far as cherry picking goes, very simple don't give out trophies. They can print out the final results and injoy that. Although I have my AFM Lic. I have yet to start a race, so I would look forward to racing in the sportsman class, if for nothing else but to get some tracktime in under race conditions.

 

[OldCat]

Just give minny trophies, half the size with the same pride.

 

[Mikesdad]

My son is going to have his first race on October 2nd in the 250 production class. He had been turning pretty good lap times on an R6. When the decision was made for him to start racing I knew that I didn't want to have him begin in one of the 600 classes. One reason was the size of the grids and another was the prcentage on crashes. Anyone who rides on the track knows the issues in regards to large differences in lap times. I also feel that If he spends some time in a sportsman class he will be better prepared when the time comes for him to move up.
With this proposal it seems like he will have more than one class to race in and not be in way of riders that are racing for points. It sounds like a much safer approach for those who are new to racing. As the father of a new racer I would feel much better with two day events. Who knows, I might even give it a try.
Mike Sr.

 

[MackeyStingray]

i'd like the option for "not really novice" racers to race in sportsman even if they're qualified under the 115% rule to race in the "real" races. particularly the GT/enduro races.

 

[CykoKlr]

i'd like the option for "not really novice" racers to race in sportsman even if they're qualified under the 115% rule to race in the "real" races. particularly the GT/enduro races.

All the enduros were posted as novice/expert..