Tom, I'm normally with you, but funky as it might be, it's the rules.
El Mirage Dry Lake
Land Speed Racing Procedures
C. High Points Champion
1. Points Accumulation for Starting Position
Any entry can accumulate points toward starting line position throughout the year by using the
same entry number regardless of the class in which the vehicle competes.
2. Points Accumulation for High Points Champion
Points accumulation during the season can only be combined toward the Season High Points
Champion if the entry competes in the same vehicle, with the same competition number, with the
same owner(s), and within the same body / frame classification for the entire season. Entry form
and VLB data reflecting ownership, vehicle number, VLB number, and vehicle body / frame
classification must be identical throughout the season. Engine class, including displacement, fuel
used, and induction changes (i.e. blown or unblown) are allowed. Vehicles that race in two or
more body / frame classifications during a season may continue to use accumulated points for
starting line position but may NOT combine the points earned in the separate body / frame
classifications toward Season High Point Champion.
You would like to think that the rules have evolved over time and massaged to be better and better. Not with the SCTA. The good old boys club wrinkles the rules any way they see fit, and the convoluted mess that is the SCTA rules is the result.
There is a REASON so many questions about rules are asked on this forum. No sane person can figure them out.
Dean,
Thanks for the post. OK I stand corrected, what car #369 is doing is legal, as far as starting line position.
But,
I still don't think they should be listed as #13 in the top 25. This list should be reserved for people who are running for the points championship, as C.2. states in the above El Mirage Procedures.
Here is another problem I see with this system. I don't see where it says I have to have a vehicle to have a number. So I know of 6 guys in my club who don't run anymore because they only want to run once a year, but don't because they don't want to run dead last in the starting lineup. So I say hey I have a number but no vehicle so lets just run each of your cars at a different meet under my number for starting line position. They all agree, so we go out and say finish in the top 25 every meet. Now we can go to our sponsors and say look at us, we are in the top 25 (not competing for points mind you, but hey they don't know) and proceed to tell our sponsors how great we are.
According to some posts in this thread, this is common at the Lakes. So why are we punishing the people who actually are attempting to be a points champion, by subjecting them to being listed lower in the standings than they should be. As I have said before, I don't think this is right. I feel the starting line position list should continue to be the way it is, according to the rules, but the Top 25 should be strictly for people going for the championship.
And Yes I will submit such wording to my club at the end of the year, to see if the El Mirage Procedures can be changed. I will also include the fact that we should embrace competitors who run for the points championship, and not penalize them the way the current system does as far as starting line positions go.
Tom G.
