Well, first I never dreamed this topic was so controversial.
I have contemplated this for a while, and as I said earlier in this thread, I received many more "no" opinions on this rule than "yeses". I talked to my co-director for a while about this today, and luckily he and I agree on most things related to slotracing. First, to be fair, let me state my personal opinion. I think there are very good and valid points to both sides of this argument. I have raced in SERRA and at Abbeville (that also uses the RFR for their series). I also, am the director of the MSCRA series that adopted this rule. I personally see no problem with this rule provided that it is used properly and with the race directors discretion. That being said, my MSCRA series uses a rules committee. That committee voted in the RFR. I feel that any racing series should value their racers opinion. Afterall, without racers you have no series! Now I have had people tell me both ways. . . "If you let the racers run the series, they will make everything in their favor and ruin it!" and the other side of the coin . . . "If you don't give racers what they want, they will not come!". I feel that both statements are true! In any situation there is two sides of a decision or argument. I personally feel that the director of any series' responsibility is to listen to both sides and make, in this case, the rule that best fits the series or that finds the middle ground to achieve the ultimate goal of getting more racers to the races!
As far as the Smoky Mtn Retro Association is concerned, Rick and I decided from day one to adhere to the national rules set that has been put in place by the IRRA. I feel that as long as we follow this ruleset, we are in that beloved middle ground because we haven't changed anything from what has so far been a successful venture. There will always be a percentage of people that you will not make happy. Anyone that tries to do that will fail! All I can do as the director of SMRA is to give racers a series that they wish to compete in. Now that everyone is clear on my position, let me say this. At his time SMRA is not running a points championship. For 2010, we are running several events in an effort to find the best race format that seems to work with the fewest number of problems and least amount of complaints. To date, I have had virtually no complaints with my efforts for any race or series I have promoted. The reason for that is I am fair to everyone, and try to put forth the best product possible. With the RFR causing so much of a rift amongst racers, I have devised a plan to use for the remainder of 2010 season. I am choosing to utilize this plan since, as mentioned before, this season is for fine tuning our series to the racers that race here and will race in our series on a regular basis.
The plan is as follows:
At every SMRA race that is held this season, there will be a vote by the racers. (Now before you go off the deep end, read all of this!) LOL!
The racers will be asked if they want the RFR to be utilized at that event. For this rule to be passed (for that event only) there must be a 100% yes vote for the rule. If ONE racer votes no, the rule will not be used. The reason for 100% instead of majority is so that any racer that travels to that race thinking there is not a red flag rule, will not have traveled in vain. I will NOT at anytime change a rule at the racetrack when it could an any way effect a racer that when he left home was told something different. However, if I have a 100% vote for it, then it could not possibly effect any racer in a negative way, and they will not be here on Slotblog bashing me or the SMRA. In the future, once we start competing for points, this will not be done. It would not be fair for a racer not in attendance, but in a points battle to not have a vote. So that I will NOT do. So any rules would be in place before the points season starts. I think this is a completely fair way to assess the RFR in a real race situation. My beliefs are that we follow the national rules, but this way I am giving a fair chance and opportunity to racers that would like to try the RFR before forming an opinion. Thanks for reading! Hope to see you at Bristol!
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Noose, on 28 April 2010 - 02:21 PM, said:
