For those of you not on the National list - looks like this will affect all
regions equally...
KeS
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-autox@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-autox@autox.team.net]On
> Behalf Of rjohnson@friendlynet.com
> Sent: Friday, March 31, 2000 22:55
> To: autox@autox.team.net
> Subject: Major Announcement
>
>
>
> Time to unveil something that has been quietly in the works for 6+
> months. Many of you know that I have been strongly opposed to the
> ever-expanding number of classes in Solo II; and the "build it and they
> will come" attitude often expressed when suggesting a new class/category
> that is primarily designed to fufill the needs of the proposer, rather
> than meeting the needs of the sport as a whole. We have seen efforts
> directed to small pickup trucks, shifter carts, the various iterations
> of 'Street' - and this is only the list of classes that have become
> reality. Many more have been proposed.
>
> This current effort started years ago in a casual conversation with
> Peter Raymond, and has really blossomed with the help of Byron Short and
> Howard Duncan. And as Byron was the point guy for the shifter carts,
> and Hoser Grant the SM evolution, I have become, by default, the lead in
> this effort. And I need your help, in two ways. We need to form a
> committee for rules, etc. and also find some regions that are willing to
> test the concept at the local level.
>
> In short, we are about to address probably the largest segment of
> un-enfranchised motorsports enthusiasts in the country: motorcycle
> riders. Hundreds of thousands of hi-performance machines out there, and
> unless they are willing to run motocross or the hi-dollar world of road
> racing, they have NO place to play with their machines. We are about to
> provide that place, in Solo II.
>
> Where we are so far: We have a commitment for a class in the Pro &
> Tour events for 2001, and likely an exhibition class at the Solo II
> Nationals that same year. This leaves us plenty of time to work the
> rest of the issues.
>
> The AMA (American Motorcycle Association) is fully on board, and will
> likely be of some help in rules development - both for next year's trial
> class, and for the inevitable expansion of classes in this category
> beyond 2001. The AMA is offering to it's existing and potential members
> a reduced price, dual AMA/SCCA membership, as they see Solo II and the
> affiliation with SCCA a way to retain and increase their membership.
> Prior to contacting SCCA, they had considered developing an autocross
> program on their own, but this partnership gives them access to an
> established, on-going successful program. The benefit to SCCA and it's
> regions is obvious: increased numbers at events, with only incremental
> costs. These folks attending events will hardly require most of us to
> expand paddock space, for example!
>
> For the future, AMA would like to tie into SCCA's Solo I and Club
> Racing programs, especially at the Regional level. Many Regional races
> are undersubscribed, and the addition of a class or two of motorcycles
> would help absorb the large overhead of a Club Racing weekend, with no
> reduction in track time for the existing classes. This will make entry
> fees more affordable to our existing competitors.
>
> In some areas of the country, with smaller Solo II programs, I can
> easily see rapid growth to the point where there would be more
> motorcycles than cars. This makes sites more affordable, and more money
> in the treasury from the big increase in entries.
>
> I will not claim that all of the issues have been addressed, as
> necessary to meld the 2 wheel crowd seamlessly into the existing Solo II
> mix. Much of the development and safety work done during the shifter
> cart movement will serve us well, like abrasion suits for example.
>
> -This will certainly lead to incredible growth, as many have desired.
>
> -The numbers and demographics of this crowd are very appealing -
> today's performance motorcycles aren't
> cheap!
> -We have a soft promise of major sponsorship from one of the biggest
> manufacturers.
> -There is the strong impression that the excitement of motorcycles is
> just what is needed to finally bring a
> significant TV presense to the sport.
> -This provides a high performance, lower cost alternative to our
> existing participants.
> -It provides a place to play for those who have retired from
> motocross, at a very early age.
>
> I am also convinced that there will be many nay-sayers out there, who
> will make claims that motorcycles do not belong in Solo II, and that the
> whole concept is a joke. Save your breath. As sure as it rains in
> April, this will happen; and we won't be made fools of in the motorcycle
> community as we were in the cart crowd.
>
> If you are interested in serving on the committee, to address
> classing/prep/safety issues, or can convince your Region to serve as a
> test-bed for the concept, please contact us at:
>
> www.lirpaloof.com/foops.html
>
> Roger (Ohio) Johnson
>
>
>
> to: int:autox@autox.team.net
> cc: int:duncanscca@aol.com
>
>
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