HPSCC at pendle trans am 2012 Options

[Jake D]

Myself, Phil and Ted participated in the 2012 Pendle Pony Car Wars.
Some very close racing and challenges for us all. I especially enjoyed the finals where Phil just popped me to go through to the next round.

Good days racing guys.

Just to let you know, there will be some slight amendments to our rules, format and schedule for the Hawthorne park Trans am. Does anyone have any opinions regarding the inclusion of 2L class and standard class?

Rules will be released at the tail end of this week

Jake

[Jake D]

Appologies, U 2L class*

[ThatCorvetteGuy]

Jake, I think we could run the U-2L and standard classes. But it would depend on two things. Firstly, a limited entry. Which because of restricted space we'd be forced to do anyway. Secondly, we could do away with 'step-up' finals and base the results on the cumulative heats. Finals could be a separate competition open to any of the three classes, but with just the one shot at glory (say 15 laps). If there was enough interest we could run it as a knock-out comp?
It seems to me to be slightly unfair that someone could finish 1st over the distance in heats and then maybe lose the final because of mechanical failure.
Also, 3 minute heats might be a more efficient use of time.

Be interesting to see what the others think.


Cheers!
Phil

[ironman]

It seems to me to be slightly unfair that someone could finish 1st over the distance in heats and then maybe lose the final because of mechanical failure.

I had a mechanical failure in both the heats and finals, i think ted did as well in the heats, and we were bottom 2 for the bottom final.

Myself and mal were discussing coming along to hawthorne park, I think for people coming a distance like us it would be better to have 2 classes to run in. Nothing is set is stone yet though so dont base your desitions on us. We would like to come but it is a while away and we both work so it depends on a lot of stuff.

cheers

tom

[Jake D]

Thanks Tom and Phil, it does seem unfair for people with mechanical failures, but I would appreciate it if you could suggest another format for us to run.

Cheers
JD

[Kustomart]

Hi there Jake...

First of all, a big thank you to yourself, Ted and Phil, for attending the Pendle Trans-Am event last weekend, it was great to see you all again..

With regards to your own Trans-Am event later this year. I think Phil's suggestion of doing away with the step-up finals, and using the heats results to decide the outcome (laps and footage) an excellent idea.
I hope you dont mind, here are a few of my own suggestions, which could make your event that little bit special.

I find it very frustrating (as do many others) to do well in the heats, only to lose out in the step-up finals, after all that hard work, so I think phils idea is great.
However as a bonus for doing well in the heats, there could be "shoot out" for the top 5/6 in each class as a seperate race, and just to make it a bit more intresting, lane choice decided by a draw from a hat/box.
This would also cut the race time frame down, so you could run 3 classes if time allowed.

So to sum up..
Final results for all classes is based on the heats laps and footage. (1st, 2nd and 3rd trophy)
Top 5/6 heat drivers in each class, run a shoot out final, as a bonus for doing well in the heats (one 1st place trophy)... Lane choice decided by draw.
One car can be entered in concours (car must run in at lease one heat).. Seperate panel of 4+ judges/experts to decide on winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards)
Finally.. Overall driver of the event, based on their total points/placings over all the classes entered, including concours (overall event trophy)

If you did have to decide on only two classes, I would suggest dropping the under 2ltr class and having the std out of the box class (which seemed to go down very well at pendle) as it made for some very close racing, and was great fun.

Hope these ideas give you some food for thought..

All the best.. Martin.

[Jake D]

Hi Martin,I take onboard what you say about the heats and finals results not being fair, however I strongly feel that finals are a very good climax to the day and it would be unfair for someone who had a mechanical failure in the heats if he was not given a chance to step-up to the final that reflects their ability.

I think that step up finals will stay, but a seperate award for the heats alone could be a possibility.

With regards to your suggestion about the concours, the only way that it could be fair to have a judging pannel is if they are totally independant from the concours which would be very difficult. And to be honest, the previous concours results that I have seen have been pretty fair

JD

[nitro]

Keep the step up finals, there has been a lot of talk about a lot of racers not attending the slot it challange when the step up finals stopped. IMO its what a lot of racers look forward to, 'everyone gets a final'....I bet the winner of the over 2l & the U2l last weekend would vote to keep the finals; even if I had won the group stage and came lower in the field in the finals I would still vote to keep them....

[CJA]

Absolutely Agree Peter.

The step-up finals are the best invention since sliced bread !!.

Many racers have benefited from them, for example failure in a heat, as you say, but still having a chance to get back.

I had an awful qualy at North London a few years ago, ( wrong tyres ), and ran in 6, yes six, step ups to get to the B final.

Each to his own, of course, but I dont understand the anti step-up argument :-

It seems to me to be slightly unfair that someone could finish 1st over the distance in heats and then maybe lose the final because of mechanical failure.

What if you have a mechanical failure in one of the heats ??. No chance to achieve a fair result !!. The step-up gives you that chance.

vbr Chris A.

[Jake D]

The rules will be released shortly, just need to confirm some final things first. I think that I wilm have step-ups and a smaller award for first in the heats (certificates maybe?).

[Jake D]

Just to keep you all in the loop, full details, rules etc will be released shortly. Just a few final things need confirming.

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I have taken them into account when re drafting the rules (slightly)