Sprint Competition Between the Various Generations of MX5s

[Ned Loh]

I was reading this thread viewtopic.php?style=3&f=71&t=74135 which reminded me of a website that I tripped over the other day. Its seems to be a sprint serious where they try to equalise the NA, NB, NC, & ND into four different classes to compete against each other

Info here:

https://xsroadstercup.com/rules/

Rules and points info here:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8pZxGq ... pIS3M/view

It seems to be that at most states sprint events there are many different classes, sometimes with few competitors. Too many classes in most if not all cases? What do people think of this points based system as a way of fostering competition between models that would otherwise compete in different classes if they were classified by generation/model?

[Magpie]

http://www.aus-cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=904514#p904514

Even better remove the car and make it the driver/car combination on the day... This allows people to change cars, increase/decrease power or make modifications before the next event and then they will be 'judged' against the other people who turn up on that day. In addition, this model also rewards participation in non club events, very important, at least to me.

Another alternative, but still driver focused is https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=942827292521105&set=p.942827292521105&type=3&theater. If you cannot see this (86 Club) then a summary is:

1. Each attendee receives 20 points
2. First event on each track venue establishes a baseline
3. For each 1/10 improvement on baseline time 1 point is awarded
4. Any person who improves by more than 2 seconds from the baseline will have no points awarded for that event and the baseline time is reset to this time to reflect the faster time

Again this is driver based not car. A person can change to a faster car but if goes more than 2 sec faster has the baseline time reduced.

I agree that there are too many classes and little acknowledgement of participation in other forms of non club motorsport. Is the purpose of the competition (at our level) to reward the person or the car?

[Ned Loh]

If the drivers times are relative to their own, you are competing against yourself.

I am more interested in the competition between drivers in similar cars. As there there are now many generations of cars and levels of modification, this has spawned many classes. I liked the points idea of trying to condense the number of classes to just 4 between all.

[Magpie]

By allocation numbers to modifications you are still trying to equalize the car so that the driver's ability is key. Like a handicap. If the car was the driving factor then you make classes based on the car, not attempt to equalise.

Issue with allocating points to modifications is the administration/policing of this system. Yes other systems suffer the same issue. Personally I would make 'challenging' if the car was in the correct class a risk based system, that is if you challenge and it is found to be false then you loose all your points to date, this stops vexatious challenges and wasting administration time...

What sets the QLD proposed model apart is that it is based on the day of the event, this allows changes to the car and recognises driver skill increase between events. The next event is a whole new situation, somebody may not be there you never know until the day! Throw in the points for attending non club events and the 'winners' may not be know until the last non club event is run.

WTAC runs 4 classes
Time Attack series QLD runs 5 classes of which 3 are broken down into 4 sub-classes. A total of 14 possible classes
QR series has 8 road, 4 race & AWD classes for its Street Sprint series
MX5 Car Club QLD - 10 classes

[david_syd_au]

Another alternative, but still driver focused is https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=942827292521105&set=p.942827292521105&type=3&theater. If you cannot see this (86 Club) then a summary is:

1. Each attendee receives 20 points
2. First event on each track venue establishes a baseline
3. For each 1/10 improvement on baseline time 1 point is awarded
4. Any person who improves by more than 2 seconds from the baseline will have no points awarded for that event and the baseline time is reset to this time to reflect the faster time

Again this is driver based not car. A person can change to a faster car but if goes more than 2 sec faster has the baseline time reduced.

So to win the championship, I lap at 1.5(ish) seconds slower than my best at the first event, and then revert to my best at the remaining events of the season. Score heaps of points, win the championship, ... yay!
Improve the car between seasons, repeat.

[Magpie]

There will always be this issue which would almost be almost impossible to make a rule to prevent it, well not really but it would make it too complicated and administratively a burden. KISS principle.

To do what you suggest the person would need to use predictive lap timing to manage down to 0.5 of a second their lap time(s). They would need to do this at EVERY event and not breakout. Personally if they want to go to this effort then they can have the $2 plastic trophy and bragging rights.