Go get yourself a beverage and please, before you light your torch - read this again. My goal is to get us to consider a possible vehicle for growing our ranks. Okay, flame on.

Synopsis: Creation of a new Beginner class intended to entice fence-sitters into our world. It will address three primary issues (all discussed on the Colorado Sport Bike forums http://www.cosportbikeclub.org/forum...ad.php?t=33592 - thanks, Jeff): cost, rider/bike preparation, and competitiveness. Compeititveness will be managed by limiting the duration of eligibility in the class, either one calendar year from first competition or one season only. Preparation concerns from the point of view of the Beginner will be addressed by relaxing the rules to Track Day standards. Cost: in keeping with Peter Egan's oft quoted line and The Beginner's Guide to Addiction Promotion, let's make the Beginner races FREE, yes, FREE! (or really cheap, if free is too much of a stretch, but remember that this is more a recruitment than a profit making concept, and it is time limited. Hell, some could argue that it would be to our advantage to PAY people to try it, just once :wink: ).

These changes would allow beginners at least one dedicated race per weekend, with at most four races if they and their bike meet Novice standards. I'm envisioning an endurance format race (maybe only 15 or 20 minutes long) at the end of Saturday, preceded by a Beginner only practice, (maybe allow sponsoring racers to pace'em?), both of which would take place after the Heavyweight / Open endurance race. (We would probably have a Beginner's rider meeting just before practice; maybe also a Beginner-only tech.) This would give us a lot of time if the worst case scenario - a track-day prepped bike oils the track - hits. (Blow-ups happen; we can get over this.) To make this feasible, a couple two-three of the Saturday sprint races might be relocated to Sunday. Maybe we limit these Beginner races to once per year per venue? Worst case we run them at the end of Sunday. Remember this is a recruitment exercise...

An AMA license would be required. A limited MRA Beginner license may be advisable in order to qualify Beginner-only racers, since I am suggesting that we relax the Novice 'approved racing school' requirement, replacing it with some sort of 'vouching' system instead (see my 4.1.C).

This class could give us, individually - as club members, the opportunity to sponser Beginners. Admittedly, my bike is going on 13 years old, but I'd be willing to let a Beginner use it if the Track Day bike prep rule is deemed too permissive.)

Being a new class, there aren't many rules that would be changed, rather new rules would be added. Okay, here is my official proposal:


Section 1 – RACE CLASS LIST

(new) Beginner: held, (with Beginner-only practice), after all Novice, Amateur, and Expert races have been completed on a race day (or weekend). Grid position will be determined randomly (or FIFO, i.e., by arrival at pregrid after 1st call?)

Section 2 – RACE CLASS DEFINITIONS

2.1 Sprint class general guidelines

2.1.I. Only first-calendar-year (/ first-season racers) may enter Beginner classes.

2.9 Beginner class

The beginner class is a class for first year racers. There are no end of season trophies awarded for this class, (but there may be race day trophies - I'll pony up right now for the first one).

2.9.A. Unlimited displacement, modifications, and engine configurations.

4.1 Beginner definition (this will bump all of the other class definition numbers, i.e., 4.x , up by 1).

4.1.A. Racers are eligible for Beginner races for no more than one calendar year from their first Beginner, Novice, or Amateur race. ('one season' could be substituted for 'one calendar year'.)

4.1.B. There is no community service requirement for racers who compete only in Beginner races. Beginners whose primary classification is 'Novice' must comply with the community service requirements of (old) 4.1.A. (Remember, we're still sucking them in...let them think that the're conning us.)

4.1.C. Beginner-only racers must obtain a written recommendation by an MRA-approved track day organizer or instructor.

4.1.D. Only Beginners may race in classes designated as Beginner.

4.1.E. Beginner racers may also hold Novice classification, in which case their primary classification will be Novice.

4.1.F. Beginner racers whose primary classification is 'Novice' may compete in Novice and Amateur classes.

4.1.F. Beginner-only racers may not race in Novice, Amateur, or Expert classes.

4.1.H. Beginners may not practice in Novice sessions unless their primary classification is 'Novice'.

4.1.I. Beginners who are not also Novices will display red numbers on yellow number plates.

4.1.J. Bike prep for Beginner races will mimic the track day requirments of the track where the event is being held.

4.1.K. Beginner practice and races will be held at the end of race day, after all Novice, Amateur, and Expert races have been completed.

4.5 Beginner to Novice advancement process (current 4.5 becomes 4.7)

Advancement from Beginner to Novice occurs when the following requirement has been met:

4.5.A The racer meets Novice competency and equipment requirements and chooses to relinquish Beginner-only status.

4.6 Beginner Expiration

Racers will lose eligibility in the Beginner class when any of the following transpire:

4.6.A. One calendar year has elapsed since entry into their first Beginner race. (This allows someone to start as a Begnner at the end of one season and continue into the next season; could also be limited to a single season.)

4.6.B. The racer's inclusion in the Beginner class is deemed to be counter-productive by the New Rider Director.

In Conclusion:

What I am proposing amounts to a controlled exception to the club's safety and eligibility regulations. I believe that the one additional race that I am proposing - with a dedictated practiice session - could be implemented within no more that one clock hour. (Unknown man-hours would be consumed by teching Beginners.)