Regionals

[woOdy]

I think it is time to split the 2 classes again.
We did it years ago and other Regions do it and I think we need to start.
Is it too late to organise that now? Directed to Stu Evans.

[bigred5765]

with the amount of people showing interest in the northwest regionals it may be the only way to go,i still think prebooking in is the way to go no matter what, then the club knows how many people to expect.

[jameswilkinson7]

Maybe its because they are one day events that they are getting so popular?

[DanW]

The regionals are getting overbooked becuase there is so many people booking both classes. The other option would be to limit people to booking for one class at each event only.

If we went back to seperate 2WD and 4WD rounds, that would be 12 regionals which would really hurt club calendars.

Alternatively we do full weekends with one class Saturday, one class Sunday.... but I'm not sure our clubs have the man power to do that.

I certainley think that if the high numbers continue, then the North West region should look to going back to being run by a more formal committee, rather than our current more informal arrangement.

[woOdy]

Totally agree with everything said.
Other Regions do so why cant we?
The only thing I have an issue with is that now some people can not race in the Regionals and I would like everybody that wants to race, race.
Another surgestion is people can only run one class and not two so it gives other people chance to race.
I want to stick with Pre-Booking as I want to know who is coming too.
If people can not get on the web then the clubs need to be told that thats whats going to happen so the members can book in through the club.
This should of been already been discussed and as far as I know this has not happened with Bury Metro?
I think Eric has thought of it because of last year and the late finish and the other clubs have just jumped on the band wagon.
Al I know is the date of the Regional so I can get things sorted for then!

[andy110m]

Hi Woody,

With all the interest in the regionals this year can you let us all know what Bury is doing with regards to prebooking?

Thanks.

[stegger]

Hi Woody,

With all the interest in the regionals this year can you let us all know what Bury is doing with regards to prebooking?

Thanks.

Yeh, i've booked in for the others. What's happening with bury ? :)

[Si Coe]

Until our track is actually completed and ready for use, prebooking is a little premature.
Given current progress it seems highly unlikely that it won't be ready in time, in fact it should be ready in a few weeks, but that is not a guarantee.
It makes more sense to hold off pre-booking until we are sure than take bookings and then cancel.

[stegger]

Cheers Si :thumbsup:

[Si Coe]

I've been considering this and worked out the following:

We really need to split the 2wd and 4wd classes. With 7 or more heats for 2wds, 4wd spaces are automatically extremely limited, and most go to those booked in 2 classes.
But 12 race days is a big burden on the calender.

However:

We don't actually need 6 rounds. The NE region runs 4 rounds with 3 to count.
Currently there are 5 clubs in the series, but Batley is really in the NE region (and has a NE regional too!) and was mostly added because of doubts about the Bury track being ready.

Which means that there are really only 4 clubs that count for the region - Bury, Southport, South Lakes and Keighley. Traditionally Bury and Southport get two rounds, but that seems a little unfair so:

Each of the 4 clubs should have 1 round each of 2wd and 1 of 4wd. That makes 8 weekends total (so not much worse than the current 6) although clubs could choose to do Sat+ Sun. 4 rounds total, 3 to score.

If entries for the 4wd rounds are a little low, how about running SCT's as well? Might generate some interest.

Clearly its too late to sort that out for this year, but I really think its the only viable model for the future.

[DianneH]

On behalf of the Batley Club I would like to make the following points:

From the list of drivers booked in more than 20 of these drivers are either club members or regular attend Batley club meetings (and I have not counted them twice if they are booked in for both classes).

One of the reasons for hosting a meeting in the NW region this year was because of the number of drivers at the club who raced in the north west series last year or were changing to the north west this year and asked if Batley could run a meeting in the NW series - this was then agreed by 'the powers that be' for the NW region.

York club also run meetings in 2 regions and I do not believe that this has ever been questioned and, if my memory serves me well, Bury (when the NW was struggling for numbers) also ran regional meetings in the NW and the NE. Surely not one rule for one club then change the goalposts when it suits?

I, like many others at various clubs around the country, give much time to the successful running of the club, which we know is not always appreciated by a minority, and dislike the way clubs are portrayed on this forum, but on this occasion, felt I needed to respond.

The booking in at the meetings appears to reflect that it is what the drivers want - otherwise they would not enter.

I hope the NW and the NE have successful regional series as, at the end of the day, this is what all the hard work is aimed at.

[Chrislong]

The region is a victim of its own success!
Shame it was not expected, and planned for (2 day events), as the way things are there seems to be some dissapointed people unable to get entry.

I know Batley is in West Yorkshire, but it is geographically close to us all, and is an extremely good track. For me I think it is closer than Keighley and South Lakes.

How many 'visitor' racers are entering the regionals? are there any?

[cr1tch]

The region is a victim of its own success!
Shame it was not expected, and planned for (2 day events), as the way things are there seems to be some dissapointed people unable to get entry.

I know Batley is in West Yorkshire, but it is geographically close to us all, and is an extremely good track. For me I think it is closer than Keighley and South Lakes.

How many 'visitor' racers are entering the regionals? are there any?

How do mean by vistor member?

[Chrislong]

I mean somebody not racing for points in the NW as they race a regional elsewhere, i.e. Midwest or NorthEast.

[Evo_Snr]

I mean somebody not racing for points in the NW as they race a regional elsewhere, i.e. Midwest or NorthEast.
In a word Chris NONE :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[TonyM]

Is it too late to consider 2 day events for the rest of the season? It's obviously too late for the first Southport Regional.

If this were possible, why not include an SCT class (2 heats?) on the 4WD day.

[gazhillAE]

I agree
One class only
And north west guys Only not from any other region
Dont see the point really, or maybe doing a heat of non north west guys
Way too many people this year!
Also a weekend of regionals is too hard for me to attend with nationals too with work

Gaz

[phil c]

I used to race the north east series but can only race Sundays due to work and family commitants so when the north west started racing both classes on one day myself and quite a few people who I race with moved across to the north west to double the amount of racing on one day , if you drop both classes on one day I think you will drop numbers as people will go back to there normal regions

[budfish]

I agree
One class only
And north west guys Only not from any other region
Dont see the point really, or maybe doing a heat of non north west guys
Way too many people this year!
Also a weekend of regionals is too hard for me to attend with nationals too with work

Gaz

I agree with gaz on the point that northwest regionals should only be available to people who live in the region so if you live in the north east that's the region you race in and also only one class per driver should free up places everyone had their favorate class and that should be their choice this first come first served basis is wrong!! If you live in the northwest and want to race a regional you should be able to that's it

[Northy]

This is not post code racing you know :lol:

[budfish]

The region is a victim of its own success!
Shame it was not expected, and planned for (2 day events), as the way things are there seems to be some dissapointed people unable to get entry.

I know Batley is in West Yorkshire, but it is geographically close to us all, and is an extremely good track. For me I think it is closer than Keighley and South Lakes.

How many 'visitor' racers are entering the regionals? are there any?

Batley is further east than keighley and Kendal is in the northwest of England

[burgie]

If you live in the northwest and want to race a regional you should be able to that's it

yea, then we could have a 2wd regional over 2 days.

It's unfotunate for those that didn't get in that the event at Southport booked up so quickly. But it's fortunate for the club and the sport that the situation arose.

I think that we could restrict drivers to racing only one class, but that is also unfair.

This situation is un-precedented in the Northwest in for as long as I can remember, only 5 years ago, if that, the only club in the northwest regionals was Southport as Bury chose to race in the North East.

But to say "If you live in the northwest and want to race a regional you should be able to that's it" is infantile. It's like saying I want to win the lottery every week so i should be able to do so - it's just not feasible.

You can't just stamp your feet because you didn't get in. Put some sensible, balanced suggestions forward that are within the current rules and that are fair to all and I am sure they will be listened to.

[Medders]

If you start restricting it by postcode where do us people based in Yorkshire race - we're not in the "north east" or in the "north west"?

Could have a Yorkshire region featuring Batley, Keighley and RHR :lol:

[mattb]

This is not post code racing you know :lol:Isnt it lambing season up in the yorkshire dales? why dont you help some of your local farmers instead of taking up valuble nw regional spaces?:lol::lol:

[Chrislong]

There must be an answer to keep all happy. But personally I think here is a poor medium for the discussion as there are so many conflicting opinions and too much potential for offending somebody inadvertantly..

Its something for the regional rep with the clubs to thrash out on a more private level.

NW is a victim of its own success, if we had Uri Gellar as a regional rep then the situation would be different. Can 2011 season fixtures/planning be tweaked to satisfy the demand? Or do we continue and let the right people make some informed decisions for 2012?

[footey]

medders ive been thinking somthing very simlair for a few seasons now could call it the m62 region rhr / batley / keighley and even bury

[Stu]

But personally I think here is a poor medium for the discussion.......

Spot on Chris.

It's too late in the day to change things before the weekend (which starts in 2 mins) so we can all talk trackside on Sunday, much better that on some stupid internet forum.

As your drivers representative I'll be all ears and I'll see what can be organsied with the clubs.

It's worth remembering that the first meeting last year had 13 heats, then as the year went along numbers dropped off dramatically.

[budfish]

yea, then we could have a 2wd regional over 2 days.

It's unfotunate for those that didn't get in that the event at Southport booked up so quickly. But it's fortunate for the club and the sport that the situation arose.

I think that we could restrict drivers to racing only one class, but that is also unfair.

This situation is un-precedented in the Northwest in for as long as I can remember, only 5 years ago, if that, the only club in the northwest regionals was Southport as Bury chose to race in the North East.

But to say "If you live in the northwest and want to race a regional you should be able to that's it" is infantile. It's like saying I want to win the lottery every week so i should be able to do so - it's just not feasible.

You can't just stamp your feet because you didn't get in. Put some sensible, balanced suggestions forward that are within the current rules and that are fair to all and I am sure they will be listened to.

You make out that my points have only arisen from my bitter and twistedness well if that's your opinion (which your entitled to) your wrong. Another of my opinions is that if you enter the national series you shouldn't be able to enter regionals either! Give some of the lesser experienced drivers a chance to race the format instead of trying to be a big fish in a little pOnd!!

[johnnygibbon]

it does seem a bit strange how last year we all turned up booked in raced and had a good day , room for all. but this year . fully booked
no warning that it was gonna be differant. i personally didnt relise it got so strict on numbers . and as for finishing late , if you got a day off to go racing , at a regional , who cares what time ya finish its sunday. and if you do care, dont race
with missing booking for this regional at south port . where i would race 1 class 4wd
and being away for kieghtly regional means i would have to race all other 4 rounds .......
but there booked up and now if me and a few other bury members i no of, cant race regionals in the nw
mainly because people are doing 2 classes or coming from outside nw area
i no pre booking helps and the sport is getting popular but to go from how it was last year to being frozen out of regionals by panic booking and over crowding feels a bit shitty
2 day regionals and a sc class would work
or clubs stop being soft and book in BIG meetings if they got the balls
bet rog could run a meet with 200 drivers .
he needs to school these fools
gutted to miss this years regionals along with many others who might have been busy this week and not managed to beat the rush to book
if the sports popular then theres the £££££ and the time to run big events

[mattb]

Im gutted for you and si mate!! dont think rob mills got in any either as hes no internet due to moving house.

[Si Coe]

I should point out my 'plan' was never intended to be a dig at Batley. Its just that, as they already have a regional for the NE if I had to drop a club to go back to 4 thats the fairest option. Dropping any of the others would leave them with no regionals at all.
However if 2wd and 4wd were on separate days, then I guess they don't actually have to be at the same club either.

I am aware that at one point Bury was in the NE region, but I wasn't involved in the club then, and its not something I'd agree with. So its not double standards - times have changed, people have changed.

It seems clear that the current situation is unworkable in the long term. I gather Keighley is pretty much booked up and thats not even till June. I think the second Southport is filling up too, in fact only Bury hasn't because we haven't started yet. This concerns me because last summer some of the people I was talking to at the 2nd Bury and Southport rounds hadn't even been racing at the start of the season. This summers new recruits are now denied entry to all the regionals as they are fully booked, and the outdoor season has only just started!

I agree that Oople may not be the best place to discuss this, but I'm afraid talking about it on Sunday isn't a great idea either. Because most of the people that feel very strongly about how things have panned out won't be there as they didn't get booked in................

Edit - Actually Stu, if you do want to talk about this on Sunday please PM me. As I'm not booked in I'm not racing but I will come over if need be to represent those people that have asked me to.

[AndyG]

Even if Batley wasn't in the NW, then you would still get people from the Batley area preferring to participate in the NW series, instead of the NE series.

- Less total mileage (the tracks in the Newcastle area are a long jaunt)
- A series with more events
- Preference of tracks
- Dates in NE calendar clash with personal commitments (this is my personal issue)
- Both classes in one day (from an individual's point of view, that can be a bonus)

It's all conjecture now, but I would certainly say that it's a fair expectation in this day and age that people can access an internet site to see what's happening in the regional series.

That said, looking at these things from all perspectives, I would suggest that some advance notice could have been given to all, about how and when regional booking will take place.

...all these observations with the wonderful benefit of hindsight of course.

[DianneH]

it does seem a bit strange how last year we all turned up booked in raced and had a good day , room for all. but this year . fully booked
no warning that it was gonna be differant. i personally didnt relise it got so strict on numbers . and as for finishing late , if you got a day off to go racing , at a regional , who cares what time ya finish its sunday. and if you do care, dont race
with missing booking for this regional at south port . where i would race 1 class 4wd
and being away for kieghtly regional means i would have to race all other 4 rounds .......
but there booked up and now if me and a few other bury members i no of, cant race regionals in the nw
mainly because people are doing 2 classes or coming from outside nw area
i no pre booking helps and the sport is getting popular but to go from how it was last year to being frozen out of regionals by panic booking and over crowding feels a bit shitty
2 day regionals and a sc class would work
or clubs stop being soft and book in BIG meetings if they got the balls
bet rog could run a meet with 200 drivers .
he needs to school these fools
gutted to miss this years regionals along with many others who might have been busy this week and not managed to beat the rush to book
if the sports popular then theres the £££££ and the time to run big events

Do you ever think before you engage brain? You make such offensive remarks - so flippantly!

I object to being called 'a fool'. I do not need any 'schooling from Rog' on how to run a meeting. I, along with other volunteers at our club, am quite capable of doing that.

I am pretty sure that each club could run a meeting with 200 drivers - the skills required are the same regardless of how many heats - the only difference is the length of time to host the meeting.

I would suggest that you turn up on the day - very rare for everyone who books in to turn up (especially when they have not pre-paid). If you do not get a place then maybe you could volunteer to get some 'schooling' and help to run the meeting - every club is always looking for volunteers - especially at big meetings.

[johnnygibbon]

i often make flippant remarks not intended to be directly offensive to any one , especially not to you dianne as i no you are no fool - please dont take it personally
allthough i bet rog could teach ya a trick or to in a few other areas ....lol( flippant)
as for the rest si has volunteered to be our voice of reason and diplomacy in all this and he does "think before he engages his brain" and even he hasnt managed to get in the regionals .

[DianneH]

I have made a suggestion to Stu that Batley track is big enough for 11 car heats and we can see how things go at Southport as to whether it is possible to run 13 heats/ This is something that will probably be discussed at the regional tomorrow.

Hopefully we can try to get everyone in that wants to race to avoid any disappointment.

I still think that it will be very unusual if everyone turns up on the day, although it is the start of the season when everyone is keen to start racing outdoors.

Anyone not going to Southport Regional can always come to Batley for a practice! Track preparation at 10 am and racing starts at 11am. I still run meetings for club members who do not want to do regionals.

[ianjoyner]

I still think that it will be very unusual if everyone turns up on the day, although it is the start of the season when everyone is keen to start racing outdoors..

This is my main concern with all the no deposit pre-booking. It will be interesting tomorrow how many of the original pre-bookers make it, but even that probably won't reflect how many will make it to the later rounds, where people are pre-booking weeks or months ahead. It will be sad to see people missing out because they think there's no places when inevitably some pre-bookers won't show.

I'm not sure what we can do about it, other than asking people to gamble on the reserve list and urging pre-bookers to let the organisers know as early as possible if their plans change.

It's something we have to monitor, but if last year is anything to go by (it might not be!), while tomorrow will likely be full, we're unlikely to see 120 at the subsequent rounds.

It does seem wrong for people to be in two classes over people being able to enter at all, perhaps the later rounds this year people should nominate a preferred class and should only get a place in a second class if entries allow.

[ianjoyner]

Another thing to note is that I think pre-booking, certainly with South Lakes last year, started as a way to get drivers details onto the club's computer to speed up booking in on the day, I think this is probably true with Southport too, rather than it being a way to control who get's in. But it's become pre-booking since the realisation that if everyone who pre-registered their details showed up the meeting wouldn't be able to cope.

[Si Coe]

Yes Ian - the problem with Southports first round last year wasn't so much the number of people as the time it took to book them all in on the day.

[Chrislong]

How do-able is pre full payment with prebooking? This must really help the club, im assuming dishing out change becomes time consuming, but it'll also mean there'll be less people not showing up, and the heat list can be prepared the day before? Only an idea.

Not everyone has internet, but those who don't surely have friends who'll help?

[footey]

maybe a option for this season is if u pre book and dont turn up u get put on the reserve list for the next round then people who havnt got a entry have a chance of getting in :confused:

[DianneH]

I would agree with that too.

if you have pre-booked and do not turn up without letting the club know (in good time) then the club rep could let the next club know who had not turned up and they are put on the reserve list and the places offered to those on the reserve list.

The same would apply for those that have booked in for both classes and then turn up on the day and withdraw from the one of the classes.

[Chrislong]

Sounds fair to me.

[woOdy]

yea, then we could have a 2wd regional over 2 days.

It's unfotunate for those that didn't get in that the event at Southport booked up so quickly. But it's fortunate for the club and the sport that the situation arose.

I think that we could restrict drivers to racing only one class, but that is also unfair.

This situation is un-precedented in the Northwest in for as long as I can remember, only 5 years ago, if that, the only club in the northwest regionals was Southport as Bury chose to race in the North East.

But to say "If you live in the northwest and want to race a regional you should be able to that's it" is infantile. It's like saying I want to win the lottery every week so i should be able to do so - it's just not feasible.

You can't just stamp your feet because you didn't get in. Put some sensible, balanced suggestions forward that are within the current rules and that are fair to all and I am sure they will be listened to.

I wish you would stop saying that as we still held a north west regional in that year. We did both that year! Look at the results for that year. I have told you this before but you seem not to understand!

[cobra_shadow]

maybe a option for this season is if u pre book and dont turn up u get put on the reserve list for the next round then people who havnt got a entry have a chance of getting in :confused:
I have been watching the forum over the last few days and trying to think of ways to help. I have been going over the list for the Keighley regional and inputting the pre booking onto the website and think that this could be a very good way of ensuring people are not just panic booking not even sure if they are going to go. You know the whole " just in case I want to ".
I know that last year was our very first time holding the event and as we never knew any better thought that over a hour for booking in was just way too long. The point of pre booking for us was just to get that booking in time shorter and get the racing that everyone had come for going quicker. I have given up both my classes so that more people can book in. I also know that one of our other committee members has also dropped a class to make room.

[MRD]

I also know that one of our other committee members has also dropped a class to make room.

Just doing my bit to help make the world a better place :lol: Move over Geldof!