Originally Posted by
ERC
Thanks for the history Steve. Good work.
What it highlights more than anything is that "it didn't race then, therefore it can't race now" - even if bog standard, which means I can't get an FIA Appendix K for the Marcos because no-one was daft enough to race one in period. Dr Jonathan Palmer and others raced the Ford V6 and many raced the Volvo 4 cylinder so they are OK in international historic racing today, but not the Volvo 3 litre.
If we started with a totally clean sheet of paper instead of trying to justify this that or the other, covering regulations and procedures old and new, then it would often be much simpler. There is a tendency for too many people to over complicate matters by trying to rule for absolutely everything and that is either impossible or offputting. The anomalies abound and as nzeder has already pointed out, what is allowable in one area isn't in another and vice versa and quite frankly, it makes a nonsense of the whole system, no matter how well intentioned people are or were when the initial rules and regulations were drawn up.
The biggest issue of all however is that different philosophies abound but as none of this is serious racing in terms of national championships, sanctioned or otherwise, eventually, everything comes down to the following (Saloon/sports/GT only):
a) Will a promoter offer grid space to a group or series?
b) If yes, to a group, then either it is an invitation group as at the Festival or Manfeild (ex-Whittakers - got me hooked on their chocolate anyway!) or Ruapuna (Skope?), Southern Festival of Speed and so on.
c) If yes to a series, it runs to series rules, whatever they may be.
The onus then rests on all parties to make the right decisions be that the numbers eligible or signed up.
As I see it, the Classic & Historic commission maybe should concentrate on the pure, the genuinely Historic, Schedule/Appendix K if you like, the single seaters who have always run to specific formulae anyway, CoD's to preserve and enhance that provenance and to secure the future. Maybe this should just be the Historic Commission?
When it comes to the saloons/sports/GTs, standard, road modified or out and out racers, there needs to be some very clear thinking and I believe rightly or wrongly (probably wrongly!) that the current commission is having to try too hard to fight its way through the morass and even within its own membership, there is a large diversity of opinion, in which case, maybe we need a parallel commission that adequately covers and represents the licence payers.
If this also means a simplified documentation and a more umbrella structure, so be it. You almost need to be a lawyer to fight your way through the current paperwork and therein lies the hub. The vast majority of drivers just want to race their cars. It is a hobby for relaxation. They just want to turn up at a meeting, race, chat, (have a beer?) go home. They don't want to organise race meetings, series, social runs, awards dinners or workshops. They don't want to sit on committees, they don't want to lift a finger to help. They don't want to contribute to messageboards, fill in surveys, answer emails etc.
This and other forums are dominated by those who either have too much time on their hands or who have a genuine passion for the sport and are happy to stand up and be counted, or have big mouths and strong opinions - or a mixture!
We have to talk to as many drivers as possible to assess their stance on various issues which is what most series people do. It is then up to them to maintain or grow their series to a level that is viable to be invited to a meeting. If we get it wrong or the numbers aren't there, then there is a natural attrition and a class either fades or is amalgamated.