Historic racing classes

[rf84]

In post #2 on the SFOS thread "Car Mad" is bemoaning the fact that North Island competitors are not making the trip south.
I know of two competitors (one from Hawkes Bay and one from Christchurch) who were keen to compete (the one from HB had made all their ferry bookings and accommodation arrangements) but are not doing so. The reason they both cited was the class structure (or more specifically, the lack of it) at the SFOS meetings.
Both competitors are what I would describe as drivers (as distinct from racers) by virtue of the fact that they are not super competitive-they do not have that 'mongrel' in them that characterises the true winners. They have competed for 50 years and 60 years respectively and never won an event at anything more than a clubmans meeting or local hillclimb. But they still love to get out in their single seaters and sports racers and drive them hard. But they also love to have other cars to dice with. They don't care where they are in the field BUT they are both adamant that there is no fun whatsoever running around on their own. So why would anyone spend a lot of money preparing a car and entering an event when their small capacity single seater or front engined sports racer is having to run with FF 2000s, Formula Pacifics, ex Formula Holdens etc that are bound to disappear into the distance at flag fall, never to be seen again until they start lapping the tail enders?

[Jac Mac]

Is this not really a case of car driver/owner expectations being different from the organisers schedule, none of the classes at SFOS event actually carry any prize other than the Trophy for the Sir Robertson Stewart GP & entries for that are selected from most class's. You have to remember that most if not all these classic events are really demonstrations rather than out n out races and its purely by chance that many find a similar performance car in the field to dice with.... and then you have the human factor... some guys want to race virtually wheel to wheel, others just want to cruise around and explore the cars upper speed regions.... can get bloody scary at times with such a wide variety of talent out there and there are faults in that regard at both ends of the driver talent spectrum.... might be better for some car types if they just simply had a fast 5 lap procession rather than a 'race. Then you have to consider what the spectators want!

[ERC]

There is a flawed argument from many that it "must be a level -playing field".

I don't buy into that as we (ERC) are running cars with capacities from 7000cc down to 1200cc anyway, so even if all are period perfect, sorry, but there is no level playing field. Compound that with cars from 1951 to 1981 or even 1991 and it looks even more silly stating there is a level playing field. That is why all our points races are handicaps and we have zero moans from drivers about the quality of the racing and we insist on a high standard of respectful driving, though accidemts are bound to happen.

Compound that yet again with zero engine modifications through to bored out blocks, crossflow alloy heads, fancy exhausts, multiple carbs, fatter stickier tyres etc. even if period correct, it is then beholden on organisers to decide what they want, or what they think the spectators want to look at and therein lies their quandary.

If that weren't bad enough, there are those who won't race with other groups - even though car size and lap times are similar so all of a sudden, that chocolate fish racing mentality goes right out of the window. Some seem to think that a grid that is 75% or 80% empty is acceptable to paying spectators. IT ISN'T! OK for a club meet maybe which is 100% for the drivers, but if you are going to charge spectators, then you have to deliver.

So I totally agree with the above posts. What do drivers (and spectators) really want?

As a spectator, I want to see diverse cars on a full grid. As a driver, if I am one of the slowest cars, I don't want to be lapped so I prefer handicaps or speed groups where there is a real chance of seeing someone else on the track and even if the whole field overtakes me, eventually, I still get the 8 laps I have paid for.

If I am an organiser I want enough cars on every single grid to cover costs - and hopefully make a bit of a profit.

[John McKechnie]

In relation to mixing the field- if the crowd pay to see a field of Historic Sports Sedans, are they getting their monies worth seeing a most up to date Central Muscle car running away from the field?
or a modern Porsche Turbo doing the same to a bunch of Historics with modern car group behind.

Value for spectators is when Historic is Historic , not a club day of mix and match.

I disagree about accidents are bound to happen, it happens when someone forgets/ignores what is said at drivers briefing and makes it happen.

*they are racing to win at all costs and prove they can beat the big boys. They need to learn the motto of historic racing*