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Author Topic: Class Age in regards to a Points Season  (Read 70781 times)
wesracing
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« Reply #45 on: November 06, 2010, 12:13:17 AM »

Just thought of the perfect idea. Let's not seperate jr's and sr's and just have 1 honda 120 class with a 12 year old age limit! Grin Cheesy Just kidding guys!
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A and J Racing
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« Reply #46 on: November 07, 2010, 12:17:37 PM »

I got a quick one for you and tell me how you guys would handle this.. This has happened, or will have happened after next weekend, twice at our local club. We get a child who is a Junior Rookie at 8, graduates to Junior Honda this year and ran about 3 or 4 races as Junior Honda and then got moved into Sr Honda. Now we have another one next weekend, same situation started driving last year and moved from Junior Rookie to Junior Honda has 3 races under their belt and now has to be moved to Sr Honda at our next race because of their birthday. Just wondering some opinions on this. I agree with Scott that some sort of experience has to play a part because both these kids have only been running for approximately 1 year and only few races in the competitve class, and now we are basically throwing them to the sharks..
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GB3
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« Reply #47 on: November 07, 2010, 03:11:16 PM »

Practice Practice Practice eventually they're going to the sharks anyway
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sfreitas20
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« Reply #48 on: November 07, 2010, 03:30:46 PM »

The exact scenario that A & J is pointing out is the real issue in my opinion.  If there are any changes to the age rule by USAC, I really hope it is to try to help a kid in that exact scenario, not just to allow some kids to run another full season in Jr Honda/Animal/Stock.
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Scott Freitas
Patriot Motorsports Inc.
wesracing
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« Reply #49 on: November 07, 2010, 04:07:48 PM »

I would look at how long they were in rookie. I feel like if they run 8 months in rookie and then want to complain because they only get 2-4 junior honda races before having to move up to senior then that is something that should have been looked at a little closer at the first of the year and maybe come out of rookie a little quicker. I understand there are some scenarios that are not favorable for the racer but I think they have to understand that when they decide to start racing at 8. I am not saying anything bad about starting at age 8. That is when my son started last year he was 8. I knew the situation we were looking at so as soon as we got 3 rookie show in, I immediately moved him to junior honda so he would have at least 3/4 of a year in a competitive class before we had to go to senior. I feel the racer and handler should feel when they start at 8,they are normally behind everyone else on the track and it is up to them to get caught up!
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slowpoke
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« Reply #50 on: November 07, 2010, 08:05:56 PM »

I know our Jr. Animal is as fast or faster than a lot of  Sr. Honda's. I had my 7 yr. old son out practicing in his Jr. animal with a group of Sr. Honda's a few weeks ago and he was running just as fast and driving just as well as they were so I am confident he will be just fine when he moves up.He tells me the car is more fun and easier to drive than his Jr. Honda car because it has more power, having said this my point is that the kids will have more fun going faster with more power. As handlers we have to up our game on the setups and make sure you get out and practice as much as possible.
 I don't want to see the rule changed just to satisfy a few. 
 If a kid starts racing as a late 8 yr. old rookie then maybe it would be best to practice with the blue plate all the time instead of the red plate.Either way it all comes down to practice as much as you can,I know when we got started at 5 yrs.old we were at the track practicing at least 3 days a week and that is what you have to do as a driver and handler to improve.If you practice ,the wins will come eventually.
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Jeff Lapcevich
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« Reply #51 on: November 08, 2010, 09:00:41 AM »

I think Wes hit the nail on the head.  If you start at 8, you've got some catching up to do.  On the bright side, be thankful you're trying to figure it out with an 8 year old and not a 5 year old.  Wink
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A and J Racing
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« Reply #52 on: November 09, 2010, 02:09:43 AM »

Why not a ruling of something like if you have competed in say more then 60% or 75% of that classes races then you can finish the year.. If you are going to start say Jr Honda and only are going to complete less then the 60 or 75% then you have the choice to either start the year in say Jr Honda and then move up, or start the year in Sr Honda....
I agree with wes to a point, I think it is hard to say move up sooner if the kid isnt ready. I think in some instances, like ours for instance, the kids should have been either left in jr rookie then moved to sr rookie, or possibly moved to sr rookie sooner. I think it allows some parents more time to work with their kids on their own for the jump to the next class..
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sprintcar39
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« Reply #53 on: November 09, 2010, 09:36:34 AM »

why not say if you turn 9 ...lets say after August 1 then you can finish out the year in the same class? Kinda like AJ said now you are 3/4 of the way thru the season?
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Eric Rankine
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sfreitas20
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« Reply #54 on: November 09, 2010, 11:47:55 AM »

why not say if you turn 9 ...lets say after August 1 then you can finish out the year in the same class? Kinda like AJ said now you are 3/4 of the way thru the season?

In Ohio you are 3/4 through the season, but in FL probably only halfway through since we race until late November. Smiley  There are flaws with no matter how you do it. 

Like I said before it depends on what the desired outcome really is.  Is it to keep more kids in Jr in 2011?  Is it to help kids that got a later start?  Is it because we feel kids aren't really ready to move to Sr at 9?  Each one of these scenarios has a different way in which a change should be implemented to address them...Just moving the date up in the calendar or to Jan 1, just changes which kids are lucky and which are not.
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Scott Freitas
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wesracing
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« Reply #55 on: November 09, 2010, 12:19:16 PM »

Honestly, here is what I feel it is for. Everyone comes to race because of points, right? It is a known fact that if you don't have points, then cars will not show up! How many cars didn't run the national series or a regional series because they were gonna have to jump classes midway through the year? By putting a date in mid season that would allow kids with late birthdays to go ahead and finish the season in the class they started in, don't you think that would encourage more cars to show up to these events throughout the entire year if the junior that is gonna turn 9 in August knows he can run every national race that year in junior honda? Look, these rules are guidelines for the national series, that is why most of our clubs have bylaws, presidents, rookie comittees, and a board of directors to look at these individual situations and USAC has already told us to do what we want at club level. They want us to do what works best for us at a club level where we have 40-50 cars and everyone knows everyones situation a little better. Whenever you try to run 250-300 cars through in a single show, you have to have these guidelines in place and USAC is looking at what is best for the kids at a national level. So the desired outcome is to improve car counts in junior honda and do what is best for the junior honda class at the national level!

  A and J, I would like to hear your guidelines on when you think a kid is ready to move from the rookie class. I feel that whenever they know the lights and flags and how to line-up and somewhat hold a line, they are ready.  I am not one to push a kid out of rookie class but I do feel most people leave their kids in it too long. I don't think a time should be put on it but I know some people think the kid has to be passing cars and winning before they move their kids up and at that point, they have been there too long!
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sfreitas20
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« Reply #56 on: November 09, 2010, 12:42:50 PM »

So the desired outcome is to improve car counts in junior honda and do what is best for the junior honda class at the national level!

This year, Jr Honda had 13 drivers that competed in the required 5 events to qualify for National ranking and Sr Honda had 15 drivers that competed in the required 5 events to qualify.

We might have challenges going forward with the lack of Jr drivers, but the reason is not the age rule.  For example in Tampa we haven't had a test drive day in over two and a half years...changing the age rule to address this isn't fixing the problem, just putting a band aid on it.
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Scott Freitas
Patriot Motorsports Inc.
wesracing
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« Reply #57 on: November 09, 2010, 12:53:35 PM »

 I have said what I thought and I know some people don't agree with me and that is fine. All I do know is there is nothing anyone can do that will make 100% of the people satisfied so I guess I am done on this topic but to USAC, I think it is a good move to let jr. hondas finish the year in jr honda if they are 8 for the first part of the year!
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CrewChief6
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« Reply #58 on: November 09, 2010, 12:54:52 PM »

As for transitioning 8-year-olds to Senior, how about this: if you're turning 9 during the season, you can stay in Junior Honda for up to 6 races, but have to do this within a year since you started racing. That way, you don't linger in rookie to take advantage of the extra races, and birthdays are out of the equation. Obviously, that means you can't run for points if you stay. But if the driver safety is more important (which it should be), then this cushion would be available.

OR

Stagger the Junior Animal class age and make it go up to age 10, so they can get some seat time in a faster class without being fed to the big sharks. Just little sharks.  Cheesy

As for graduating from rookie, I have one plea: pls make sure the driver has good reaction time and knows obstacle avoidance. We recently got hammered full speed on yellow from someone who was almost a lap back after we got wrecked. Obstacle dodging practices should be included in training.

As for Scott's point on Juniors, I agree. Can't put a band-aid on the economy and such.
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Lyra Solochek
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CrewChief6
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« Reply #59 on: November 09, 2010, 01:00:03 PM »

One more suggestion:

Make Junior Honda 5-10 and Senior Honda from 9 and up. But if you raced a full season in Junior Honda, then you have to move up at 9.

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Lyra Solochek
isaaksolochekracing.com
Sponsors: DWT, LAT Racing Oil, AMSOIL, ZeroNine, racinggraphics.com, Family Eyecare of Westchase, Circle of Life Animal Hospital
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