[SPAM] Rules changes Advancement

[Donny Wright]

Great posting, and food for thought Troy, but you need
to know your NASCAR history a little better. 


:-)  Donny
--- "Troy A. Newman" <troy_newman at msn.com> wrote:

> Buddy,
> I have been really quiet lately. I don't think the
> changes you are looking at are going to increase
> pattern participation. The weight and box limits in
> my opinion are good and don't need jacking
> with......
> 
> I know you and Don are working hard at it. We on the
> sequence committee are as well. I don't think
> changing the box is going to help us. I really don't
> think changes to the weights or sizes is going to
> help us....
> 
> I want to weigh in here so to speak on something
> that I feel will help pattern grow in changes to the
> rule book. I feel most changes to the rule book are
> going to make us more elite or a more secret way you
> have to do things. Guys that are even in our ranks
> don't read the rules so why make them even more
> specialized..and so on.
> 
> BUT there is a single set of things in the book that
> I feel and others feel need to be addressed.
> 
> Advancement to the next class.
> 
> I think we should just NIX all advancement rules.
> Let the pilot fly whatever wants too and when ever
> he wants too. Let him jump around if needed. The
> reason its not used. I have been from sea to
> shinning sea ATL to CA and have never actually heard
> anybody keeping track of their points. The AMA says
> its up to the pilot and they provide a little card
> to fill out. I have been flying pattern since 86 and
> have never seen one of the cards! Its not
> enforceable. There is no database to keep the
> records. It takes too much time and energy. We spend
> our time and energy in other places more rightfully
> so....So lets eliminate the advancement system.
> 
> Reason #2 is we don't have the numbers we once had
> to push people up to another class when they may not
> be ready. SO would we rather push a pilot up to the
> next class and maybe out by peer pressure...... or
> have him staying in the same class.
> 
> My opinion is I don't care if Dave Brown himself
> came back and flew Advanced. I think we could all
> benefit from him being a the contest and
> participating in the events.
> 
> Prime example I witnessed two district Champions
> last season move up to the next class and neither
> one was ready to go. But they felt obligated to go
> since they won the D champs. The reality was that
> they went to enough contests to get the points. The
> reality also is they don't have the skills they
> needed to learn in the previous class.
> 
> Pattern is about perfection and precision. I see our
> pattern ranks getting smaller and smaller and the
> skill sets getting weaker and weaker. The pilot that
> survives the Intermediate sequence for a couple
> years maybe even wins some stuff around locally then
> moves up. But the reality is just because he won
> everything locally with maybe 2-3-4 pilot doesn't
> mean he is now ready for the next show. The quality
> of flying in the lower classes seems to be lower
> that it has been in the past. Our numbers seem to be
> much much lower too. Pattern flying is about
> perfection and flying that perfect sequence. I think
> if we eliminate the advancement stuff over time we
> will gain back some of the old dogs for another run.
> And new pilots that have not learned the required
> skills can get them before moving on. It has been
> brought up that back in the old days
> pre-turnaround...a local guy would dust off his
> model and support he clubs local event. Maybe if we
> let him fly whatever he wants then we might get him
> to come back after 5-10 years off. This could also
> could encourage new people. No pressure to move up.
> Enjoy the competition at  a level you are
> comfortable. Right now we reward any margin of
> success with more and more challenge. Maybe this
> pushes people away. Many people in their lives are
> content to be right where they are. They want to
> play and have fun with the group...but are not
> comfortable up with the next group. WE SHOULD NOT
> TURN THEM AWAY!
> 
> Some pilots will never be ready for a jump from
> Intermediate to advanced. regardless of the current
> large steps between a couple classes. I feel that
> there are some career Intermediate pilots like my
> father in-law Jerry. He is one of the best pilots at
> his local club. He is the man for test flights, and
> advice among the crowd. But He is happy and
> challenged with Intermediate. He will continue to be
> happy and challenged with it for a long time to
> come. 
> 
> The cheer from the crowd in the awards of the
> contest is always move up...move up. Especially in
> Sportsman.Is pushing people away...in my mind. We
> need to pat them on the back and say good job...not
> jump IN and get eaten by the sharks.
> 
> I think this defeats ourselves a little. 
> 
> If we let someone jump around classes and he got in
> too deep he could always come back without AMA, DVP,
> and so on approval. Just fly what ever class you
> want to fly!
> 
> The question is would we rather have a guy sand bag
> a little and still have him at an event or call him
> a trophy hog and push him out. This goes for older
> more seasoned pilots as well. The guy is getting up
> there a little in years like my buddy Pastorello
> <picking on you man I like to pick on Bob because he
> fights back!>  and  flew at a very high level of
> competition but now wants to not practice all the
> time...maybe doesn't have the best model for the
> job....Let him move back from a masters to an
> advanced and fly there. He has a bunch of knowledge
> and can help people at the events. Plus sometimes he
> is even fun to fly with!
> 
> Would we rather have him or Not?
> 
> This does a couple things. Keeps the pilots that
> can't make it at the higher level what ever the
> reason...and it also improves the skills of the
> lower classes.  A newer pilot will have to be more
> prepared to win an event and he will not readily
> jump to the next class as there is nobody to fly
> against in the current class. Competition is a
> motivation factor. If a guy is out there doing his
> two loops really well...then it will inspire the
> another pilot to "work on my two loops because old
> Bob is going to kick my butt when we get to the
> contest next week."
> 
> For most people the biggest factor for them being
> here in Pattern today is they wanted to learn to fly
> better. But that success and flying better today
> pushes them into another class that is more
> difficult yet. You know Mark Martin is still running
> the Busch Series and he has been a Cup champion and
> Busch Champion before too. Even though many look at
> the Busch and Truck series as a kind of minor
> leagues to the Cup cars.
> 
> Just some thoughts
> 
> TN

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