Speed Series Target Times 2012

[SteveD]

Steve, you really must try and get some sleep at night. Posting at 4.37am. cannot be good for you. :(

at work wuv ,were mega busy at the moment

[Scottish Bloke]

After my initial concerns and dummy spitting episode I've relooked at my chosen class times and if anything I'm more hacked off and dissulusioned now than I was before.

It's no secret that I planned to compete in class D this year and looking at the changes there with 10 soft times I really dont know if its all worth it. I think its all too easy to say just turn up and enjoy it. Personally I do enjoy it very much, I have even been known to enjoy a social refreshment at some events but more importantly I set my stall out to try and win my chosen class and see where things go from there. To that end I think I have been fairly successful. With all thats been changed in D overall honours are unlikely and so I'm quite put off. I really dont want to be travelling the distances I do for a max of 100 points. Soft times constitute for the majority of my pre planned events, I'm also hacked off that there was nothing said prior to these changes being announced, again due to travel times for me I pre plan time off work etc etc to suit.

Should we expect more rule changes for 2013? My personal opinion is that if anything rather than attract its quite off putting. I've been competing in SS for a few years now and am having to decide whether its worth it. Hows does this make a newby feel if its doing this to a seasoned competitor??

I really do appreciate the hard work of the SSOT and a lot of the opinions on this thread however I think some things need to settle for a bit for the future of our Championship.

[stewart pickles]

After my initial concerns and dummy spitting episode I've relooked at my chosen class times and if anything I'm more hacked off and dissulusioned now than I was before.

It's no secret that I planned to compete in class D this year and looking at the changes there with 10 soft times I really dont know if its all worth it. I think its all too easy to say just turn up and enjoy it. Personally I do enjoy it very much, I have even been known to enjoy a social refreshment at sime events but more importantly I set my stall out to try and win my chosen class and see where things go from there. To that end I think I have been fairly successful. With all thats been changed in D overall honours are unlikely and so I'm quite put off. I really dont want to be travelling the distances I do for a max of 100 points. Soft times constitute for the majority of my pre planned events, I'm also hacked of that there was nothing said prior to these changes being announced, again due to travel times for me I pre plan time off work etc etc to suit.

Should we expect more rule changes for 2013? My personal opinion is that if anything rather than attract its quite of putting. I've been competing in SS for a few years now and am having to decide whether its worth it. Hows does this make a newby feel if its doing this to a seasoned competitor??

I really do appreciate the hard work of the SSOT and a lot of the opinions on this thread however I think some things need to settle for a bit for the future of our Championship.

wot he said :t-up:

i'm going back in E to chase rushpuffs (SOFT TIMES) but the way things are going on at work i doubt i'll be ready till the back end of the season

[cast iron]

dont know how im managed to bite my lip for so long ;-)

Thank god I found racing :-)

[Paul Aspden]

I have to agree with Scottish Bloke, the system in place last year yeilded a worthy champion, and it was (I thought) universally acknowledged that the target time system would take a bit of time to sort its self out. But sort its self out it will. I did not anticipate the wholesale changes to target times that we have ended up with, and I think that this is the thing that is upsetting.

That said, I'm sure the ssot will have debated the changes and all feel that this is the best way forwards, as has been said, you can't please all of the people all of the time.

I for one will be out next year in my own car (at last) doing SS events, and like Scottish Bloke, will be aiming to be competative in class.

As for racing being an alternative, it is just as political in my experience...

[funky munky]

Well this has become a hot topic, I hear what Scottish Bloke is saying, I joined the series because I had heard all about how everyone helps each other etc etc and as a way of exploiting my petrol head tendencies, ok you have to factor in travel costs and timings and pick the events that suits. But can I apply for a handicap allowance of 6 seconds because it will probably take me that long to view the map of the track ?

Is it all about having fun/meeting and making friends or winning ? probably a bit of each, hopefully see you at Gurston I will be the snail in the red car !!

[Scottish Bloke]

Is it all about having fun/meeting and making friends or winning ? probably a bit of each, hopefully see you at Gurston I will be the snail in the red car !!

Mr Munky, its absolutely about both, I've met some brilliant friends through 6 or 7 years competing and I like you started as a complete newby just going out initially to see if I'd enjoy it and I certainly did, the bug might bite you or it will grab you and take hold either way I can almost guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy yourself.

Don't be shy, make yourself known, if your unsure about anything someone will almost certainly be able to help you whether at an event or before. if there are any competitors at your local meet, they too will point you in the right direction. Don't be embarrassed to ask if your unsure and if you don't want to post questions on here you are very welcome to PM me and I'll help where I can.

Enjoy!

Rich

[davidgh]

I have to agree with Scottish Bloke, the system in place last year yeilded a worthy champion, and it was (I thought) universally acknowledged that the target time system would take a bit of time to sort its self out. But sort its self out it will. I did not anticipate the wholesale changes to target times that we have ended up with, and I think that this is the thing that is upsetting.

Paul

There hasn't been a "wholesale change to target times" -- they are still the fastest times in class since 2005. The only change is that an additional condition has been introduced to the effect that, in order to be valid, they have to be faster than the people in "nominally slower" classes have gone, which seems pretty reasonable to me. I don't really understand what Rich is on about; he wants target times, but in class F (for instance) there is a full suite of TTs, so he could have the opportunity of 102 points at every event.

David

[stephenh]

Paul

There hasn't been a "wholesale change to target times" -- they are still the fastest times in class since 2005. The only change is that an additional condition has been introduced to the effect that, in order to be valid, they have to be faster than the people in "nominally slower" classes have gone, which seems pretty reasonable to me. I don't really understand what Rich is on about; he wants target times, but in class F (for instance) there is a full suite of TTs, so he could have the opportunity of 102 points at every event.

David

Reading S. Bloke's post, David, I dont think class F is his concern.

"It's no secret that I planned to compete in class D this year and looking at the changes there with 10 soft times I really dont know if its all worth it." (quoted from his post)

[davidgh]

Reading S. Bloke's post, David, I dont think class F is his concern.

"It's no secret that I planned to compete in class D this year and looking at the changes there with 10 soft times I really dont know if its all worth it." (quoted from his post)

Accepted, Stephen -- but Rich has gone in F before (and won the championship there ). He has a car which complies with the regs for F. He states that his aim is to win the championship again -- with 102 points theoretically up for grabs at every event, F would be the logical choice.

However, I hope that far fewer 102s will be delivered this year. We might well find that 100 turns out to be a rather acceptable score

[stephenh]

"However, I hope that far fewer 102s will be delivered this year. We might well find that 100 turns out to be a rather acceptable score"

It would be a very acceptable score for me!! :laugh:

[funky munky]

Mr Munky, its absolutely about both, I've met some brilliant friends through 6 or 7 years competing and I like you started as a complete newby just going out initially to see if I'd enjoy it and I certainly did, the bug might bite you or it will grab you and take hold either way I can almost guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy yourself.

Don't be shy, make yourself known, if your unsure about anything someone will almost certainly be able to help you whether at an event or before. if there are any competitors at your local meet, they too will point you in the right direction. Don't be embarrassed to ask if your unsure and if you don't want to post questions on here you are very welcome to PM me and I'll help where I can.

Enjoy!

Rich

[funky munky]

Thanks for that Scottish Bloke, just looking forward to the first event and then things should be clearer trying to not get hung up too much on times , ive not had enough time in car as yet but its getting warmer down here. But agree that enjoyment is first on list.

Pete

[pete g]

well im looking forward to this years challenge .just hope i can do enough events

i understand why its been done .and think it will be a great year

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

Just a side note from myself. If you have inklings of doing well in the championship and challenging for overall honours then entering events with target times in the hope of scoring bonus points is all but essential. If target times do not exist for venues then the appeal to enter them is very low.

This then presents a chicken and egg situation - if no-one enters events that do not have target times for their class then there will never be any.

In my view, no class other than the one concerned should have any bearing on the target time for other classes. You choose your steed according to which class you fancy enetring and then dont want to be worrying about what other classes are upto. Many reasons exist for why differing class times could be slower than a supposed "faster" class. What if weather conditions on the day that target times were set were different from class to class in the running order ie - it was dry and then rained for the latter classes. OK - you have the 113% rule but this isnt fool proof as was nearly caught out at Llandow last year