What should classify you as a "rookie" for a race?
Howdy,
I am hosting a Rookie class race for my Porsche event in January and the idea of what does or doesn't make you a Rookie has come up in several scenarios. "What if my only win was in an invitational with only 8 participants?" "What if my only win was 3 years ago?" "What if my win was a stock race and this is a modified entry?" All of these are valid questions that are making me ask the main question........
Does a single win make you a "Pro"? I could see back in 2020 when mail in races were few and far between that a win could elevate you to the next level of builder. But this year there were over 100 races and the chances of an outlyer win are higher. Not all wins are created equal. Does a win at an invitational of 8 racers have the same weight as a win at Gravity throttle against 103 entries? I would say no.
I want to ask the racing community, what makes a racer a rookie? Numer of wins? Number of years racing? Number of races entered? Is it even a number or is it something else?
Thanks for the input,
~Rancid Cactus
Discussion
I would say a year and the rookie stripe comes off wins aside. I just started and have a lot to learn but I am also not afraid to put my builds up against the vets of the racing world as well. It is cool for a track host to have races for the ones still getting their feet wet as well. That is why I love this community.
Why not make the Porsche event open on an invitational basis? Either through first hand at your own events or keeping an eye in the larger scene, I think you have a feel for who you want at the track so the INTENT is satisfied. If the intent fails to get executed, I don't see good things happening. It's going to be difficult to properly throw open the doors publicly AND have the right "bouncer" via the rules set behind the velvet rope. Lots of "fuzzy logic" that you describe yourself in this post
A goose egg in the win column seems to be the most common (and easiest to police) criteria. I think there's an argument that pick your ride and maybe even stock races shouldn't count. I could also make a case for rookie status up until twelve months after joining RLD or after your first race regardless of stats. Some rookies are better than most. Some of us veterans...aren't that good. At the end of the day it's your track, your event, and your rules. Just keep an eye on the ability to and amount of effort required to enforce whatever criteria you decide on. My experience with you is that you're here to have a good time and not to take things ultra seriously. Just be consistent with the enforcement decisions that you make and do whatever you want with your rules. It's your house.