Clubff1600.co.uk Combe Survey

[darcym]

a quick post to gather peoples thoughts and share my own, as prompted to on the website.

The combe survey on FF1600 was a pretty good read and a good bit of writing by the clubff1600 team.

I find it interesting that the poll results had some many "no opinion" and that all the change was "a good thing" yet the after comments where "ff1600 is great stop messing with it" I wonder if these drivers know what they want or the effects of the new systems.


First of all, as far as I'm aware at combe there is no class a/b/c/d championship that people keep refering to, there is a pre and post 90 championship - the end. So when people say I'm going for the class b championship....well as far as I'm concerned thats rubbish, same with class A. I get the impression this is also the case oop North (diz correct/slate)

This fantasy about 4 championships is making false racing and a night mare for spectators and comentators/journo's

Lets stop or confirm this now.


The regional championship registration is the thing that made the biggest difference to me, and as far as I'm concerned this is the reason...and the sole reason this year has gone so well. It gives you the freedome to move around when you have time and cash, or even want to without a massive extra expense.

The KOK system is poor, using standard races as "points" for a KOK title.

The format should be the series of "special" races, eg festival/carnival/walter hayes/edwina/ and maybe some stand alone KOK events such as thruxton, NI race.

That way you have to decide risking your call/wallet at them against your championship charge - its a real championship style set of events, like the world cup at the festival in ye'old times.


the points system - I'm against big time you score in the top 9 - or what ever or not at all it punishes mistakes retirments, and forces you to race for the win, not for the championship which is what its all about.


Now for the things that have really made me chuckle.The extra comments from the combe paddock.

1.) Jumpstarts - yes jumpstarts happen, you either race and get the place back - or you protest, don't winge about it. I have video footage of a guy in front of me jumping the starts, but as it happened that day was a bad day and I came home 11th - I could have showed the video and got the guy in front thrown out, but I'd rather have been in front by beating him on the track than *****ing about it. If your that bothered speak to the driver and let him know next time you'll protest. I can also say that the race I started in last position this year no-one of the bottom 10 jumped the start - they where still looking for first gear when the lights went green, and if you do it closer the front 8/10 times you'll be punished.

2.) Driving standards, this is the one that makes me laugh the most. I'll bet aside from the odd personal gripe this comment was made by the bottom half of the field, and to some extent I agree, I was almost taken off in qualifying, and lapping someone, but thats part of the racing, the standard at the front of the grid is spot on (despite some childrens dads moaning otherwise) the standards at the back, well there is not one driver who has an idea of defending a position fair, and to be honest most new racers don't - you learn, and if they don't learn complain to the officials, get them to keep an eye on them, either do something or stop moaning about it.


The ammount of people that have "no opinon" suggest they have no idea what the changes are or how it effects them.

I'll take the flack, but lets see your comments

[Ian Sowman]

Or maybe the changes don't affect them...

Matt - there are as many 'championships' as there are classes. There may not be prizes in each of these but there is the prestige. At clubff1600.co.uk we've been following each class 'battle' as well as the outright one. It's not confusing at all; if you find it hard to follow then - well, perhaps it's a sign that you shouldn't worry too much about it. Obviously though winning the championship outright, as Ed Moore did today, is what really matters. Class points races don't devalue that.

[diz]

Originally posted by darcym
The regional championship registration is the thing that made the biggest difference to me, and as far as I'm concerned this is the reason...and the sole reason this year has gone so well. It gives you the freedome to move around when you have time and cash, or even want to without a massive extra expense.

Before centralisation, an away day visit to another region got you stung for a token £5 or £10 one off registration fee. That can't be construed as "massive extra expense".

"at combe there is no class a/b/c/d championship."

There is, but no Class D or E drivers do it. You have one Formula Ford race that comprises cars that fit into three of the five available classes. You probably still refer to Pre/Post90, as the Combe drivers mindset is tuned in to that cut off point.

I get the impression this is also the case oop North

Yes, the same but different. We have become used to having sufficient entries to split the grid at the Pre87 mark and this was always referrred to as Class B and by many, it still is.

[darcym]

The following of the classes is more than admirable, and your right in what you say that there have been some great battles within the classes, however to constantly have this refered to....but in actual fact not have a championship is where the confusion lies eg: X won class B that puts him second in class B, however class B is not mentioned in the program for example as a seperate championship ? then at the end the comentators list out a never ending list of class positions. Its neither one nor the other.

Diz the news of the one off fee is news to me and certainly didn't happen when I looked into racing in a Brands race last year. I think I'll rephrase me position on this, the marketing of this register once and race anywhere has really made it easier to know you can go racing, thus given you the kick to go.

Also no idea why the autocensor picked up crying as a **** word, I can't even think of a spelling mistake that looks that bad.

As editors / championship co-ordinators and the like I'd be interested if you fancied stepping off the fence and giving your views on the new classes,points,championship co-ordination.