Goodbye National Racing

[smsazzy]

Sports Car Club of America Revamps Road Racing Program
U.S. Majors Tour to Replace SCCA National Racing by 2014

TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 18, 2012) – Sports Car Club of America’s Board of Directors announced today the most significant change to its amateur road racing program in 50 years. Following the 2013 season, “National” racing will be phased out, with the U.S. Majors Tour serving as the top level of a two-tier SCCA Club Racing program in 2014.

“As the U.S. Majors Tour gains momentum, it will take its natural position as the premier level of competition within SCCA’s amateur road racing program,” SCCA Chairman Jerry Wannarka said. “By 2014, amateur road racing will have two levels of racing – the U.S. Majors Tour and Regional Racing, with the Majors program focused on clustering the best and toughest competition and Regionals focused on local racing programs.”

SCCA’s amateur road racing program has been tiered for more than half a century, with “National” racing serving as the top level.

“Over the years, SCCA’s ‘National’ program has evolved across the country into something with little cohesion,” Wannarka continued. “With only a handful of General Competition Rules requirements separating a National event from a Regional event, these two programs have morphed, in many cases, into one type of event that is managed entirely at the local level.

“The changes over the next year will take the premier events, geared toward our National Championship drivers, and provide a better link through a series managed by the SCCA National Headquarters. For non-Majors events, this change will remove the limitations that holding a National event have historically placed on our Regions, providing the flexibility needed to customize their Regional Racing programs.

“The focus of the Regional Racing format is on the experience of getting on track and racing wheel-to-wheel. The U.S. Majors Tour takes that same experience and focuses on the intense competition of Championship racing within the SCCA.”

A path to the National Championship Runoffs will exist through both the Majors and Regional programs.

For 2013, that path includes Majors Conference Championships (comprised solely of Majors events) and the National and Divisional Point Championships (including all Majors and regular National events).

Details of the 2014 path are still being determined, although the Board has committed for paths to exist for Runoffs-eligible classes through both the U.S. Majors Tour and Regional Racing.

“The goal is to have a very direct path to the Runoffs through the U.S. Majors Tour,” Wannarka said. “But, there will continue to be an additional path through local events that a driver might support throughout the year. It is important for both the U.S. Majors Tour and the Regional Racing programs to thrive. The Runoffs need to support this initiative with a qualification path for each.”

Details on Championship point structures, 2013 events and Runoffs criteria will be announced in the coming weeks.

Additional information is available at http://www.sccamajors.com.

[qposner]

As Ian said on the Left Coast board:

"OK, I've read it twice and I think I get it. We've had a two tiered system for decades but at the end of 2013 the scca will to totally revamp the system and move to a two-tiered system. Have I got it right?"

[smsazzy]

I actually think it is likely a good thing overall. It should make less races, but higher profile with fewer classes to deal with.

I think it is a kind of back door way in to reduce the number of classes without eliminating classes at the regional level.

[tiagosantos]

Exactly.. I don't know about other parts of the country, but I think it can only improve things on the west coast, especially the PNW. Regional racing is a joke around here. I think all of last year there were 3 FV entries in PNW regionals.. 2 of which were mine - so I could get my national license..

Rather than a two tiered system like it is currently, I think of this more like eliminating the split between national and regional, but then adding a higher profile, pro-like experience for those who can afford it or want to make the effort. Similar to the much loved open wheel pro series out there, in FF, FC and FA.

[brian]

Tiago has made a critical point. Every region around the country has unique racing programs and that will continue with the Majors program. But there has been a proliferation of national races that has resulted in poor attendence, lower competition and financial burdens on the regions that hold the events. The US Majors Tour is designed to address these problems. There will be more than one path to the Runoffs.

The US Majors Tour will not mean more events but be in conjunction with existing national races. If you have attended a BF Goodrich Super Tour, you have experienced what the Majors program will provide and more.

We all allocate our racing budgets to our favorite events like the June Sprints, Rose Cup or the Watkins double. The Majors program is designed to make more events special and earn favorite status. If you ask the drivers who participated in this year's pilot program you will receive positive reactions.

The 2013 US Majors Tour will be a second year of learning and improvement. Your BOD believes that these premier events will improve the racing, provide a visable and more consistent package for sponsors and improve the financial results for regions. Please join me and include the US Majors Tour in your 2013 schedule.

[GrapeFarmerAl]

So, if this is a way for the SCCA to reduce classes, but not on the regional level.. how will there be two ways to the Runoffs? What classes will be eliminated? Do we as a CLUB have a say....UH..since they made the announcement, apparently we don't. Do I trust SCCA? Not much. As members of the CLUB, we've been supporting losers like Enterprise and Pro Racing, could this be another? Just look at the schedule in Sports Car every month to view their priorities, Pro Racing is first in line. We as CLUB members pay our dues to support what ever the board wants to try and I don't seem to remember SCCA asking for our input. I agree something must be done to increase the numbers; maybe this will work.. in any case, we as members are funding it.

[brian]

Who said anything about class elimination? That's another issue. There will be an element of some Majors called the Invitational that will include only the top 10 classes but there's nothing in the Majors program to eliminate classes. Nearly 70% of all racers run in the top ten classes. Now, if your class is not in the top ten, then it's up to the class to recruit more members. Trying to provide a national experience for everyone is just not working. We vees have been fairly exempt from lousy run groups but there are classes that NEVER get a decent race. The Majors is designed to address this problem.

There is an ongoing program to consolidate and organize national classes, but the majors has virtually nothing to do with it. If you read Fastrac, you will read about this program. Every concept is posted for membership input in Fastrac and the CRB & BOD are trying to be as transparent as possible and include membership input at every stage. If you do not trust this process, may I suggest you volunteer and become a member of one of the committees charged with doing all the hard work ?

In addition to the Majors program, in 2013, competitors will be able to run other nationals and qualify for the Runoffs. Based on what we learn in 2013, there will still be a divisional component to qualifying. Notice I said divisional, not national. We would like to have each division be able to design their own program for qualifying but that may not be feasible.

By the way, Pro made a profit last year and has been making it's debt payments on time. US Pro motorsports has been going through difficult time. Attendance is down in all categories including NASCAR but SCCA is poised to continue it's success in the future.