Good afternoon everyone!
Good ideas here.
Switching practice sessions; I see where you're coming from however as I've picked up my pace over the last few seasons I value quality practice more than seat time. It also costs more to go faster and the risks are greater so I think they're to left as is.
Adding a class for motards is a great idea. More fees for the club to collect and another entry point for team championship or beginer riders Intrested in starting out racing.
Safety- just thinking out loud, 1199's and such large displacement bikes create a large speed difference by the end of a straight. Can the class be a staggered start? Or staggered finish?
Staggered finish, crazy thought here but to avoid lapping or major speed differences can the motards race be a lap shorter? I realize track exit and cool down is an issue but what if they rode to bus stop and stopped on the right hand side of the track leaving room for the last lap of the faster class? Could be a nightmare logistically but just throwing out suggestions.
62 out of 154! That's crazy and unfortunate. However I am one that does not volunteer. I travel from Lethbridge (5-6 hrs each way) with my family to compete with the Emra and I simply do not have the time to give either before due to working or after due to having work the next day and packing my young family up requires my full attention. If increasing the deposit is implemented, I'd like to see something like utahsba does and offer me and others in similar situations a "tow fee" were they discount a riders fees for traveling to race with them.
Another thought. If the fee is increased and we can almost cover a race weekend, let's consider giving the folks who volunteer more incentive, such as track attack vouchers or free practice day. This may help increase numbers as volunteering adds more value than the deposit back.
- novice racers
I think the rule book needs to be changed from allowing novices to enter lightweight and women's classes before completing their mandatory 4 races. Torrin Collins as maybe the exception this year but otherwise I believe all riders should have to "earn their stripes" before being able to register for intermediate classes. Reasoning, the front runners on these little bikes are quite good and lapping extremely inexperienced, slow and inconsistent riders is a daunting task at times.
- warm up laps
This isn't exactly a rule change so maybe better posted elsewhere, but having been in some of the largest grids I think we need a mandate of whats going to happen on a warm up lap. There was way to many times this season that someone was just out for a Sunday drive on the warm up lap. I realize there are different techniques riders employ like up and down braking, stretching or exaggerating movements to get the suit outta your crack. What ever it might be, I found that at times it was the most dangerous lap of the race. Riders at the front of the pack waiting to enter should not be fu**ing the dog on there way onto a hot track. Little cc bikes should also maybe refrain from the front unless their pace dictates they be there.
- related problem I have is during practice sessions, maybe I'm the incorrect one but I've come around the checkered flag during practice sessions to see riders with visors up, hands on their hips and cruising along on the race line. If I only get a few laps that session, I will continue practicing thru turn 3-10,11 where I prepare to exit the track. Please correct me if I'm to be off the gas when I see the checkered in turn 2. Thanks.
- Castrol, again not a rule change but related to the agm.
Something needs to happen as we already know. We pay them something like $50k and don't seem to get very good value from them. The bathroom we're supposed to get isn't done, my daughter just about fell into the big hole in the ground that they didn't bother to rope of or exercise any caution, women's bathroom tap was broken the entire 2017 season.
Someone should be employed by castrol concerned about safety and well being of their clients which as far as I can tell if another track is built they won't have many road course clients
Thanks for reading my rant. Have a good weekend all!