We’re looking at replacing the “Expert” and “Novice” classifications and instead going ahead with 3 Classes based on Time Brackets.
Some info from the data: 3m00s seems to be the average laptime, with an average standard deviation per round of about 5s.
Therefore, based on the data that we’ve looked at, these 3 time brackets would possibly be (TBC):
Class 1 [Expert] : 2m57 and below
Class 2 [Intermeidate] : 2m58 – 3m02
Class 3 [Novice] : 3m03 and above
Time bracket classification for racing is pretty common around the world, and is a good way to balance spending and driver capability within a racing series.
What this means:
a) We’re able to create more classes
b) Provides more opportunity for more people to win and feel the stim of being on the podium
c) Reduces the expenditure and entry-level spending. Once you decide on a class for the year, you will run in that class all year
d) Reduces on-circuit incidents, as a Racer just needs race within his time bracket rather than within an experience level
Some further information at this point in time:
1) We haven’t yet made a decision whether to generate the Classifications based on the time performances this year (of which we have data), or whether the responsibility is up to the Team/Driver.
If we go ahead with Team/Driver choosing your Time Bracket, once you choose your time bracket and register for that particular class, if you dip below the bracket time you are disqualified.
2) If you think you’re smart and actually normally can do 2m59 but decide to join the 3m03 bracket, you will end up disqualified. This is called Sandbagging. Allow me to explain:
When you race door-to-door, in the heat of the battle you cannot control that you will always lap above 3m03. For sure at some point. you’ll dip below the time and end up DQ.
This Time Bracket concept does not allow for ‘kasi chance’. If you choose your bracket, you live in that bracket for the 1 year, or you can change bracket halfway but won’t maximise the Championship points.
ALTERNATIVELY if we classify you next year based on your lap times and performance this year, then there’s nothing to hide!
3) As mentioned, the Time Brackets are TBC. Everyone is going to say “hey not fair I’ve done 3m02 before” or “konek la my best time ever now puts me up against the Big Boys in the 2m57 Below category”.
If we’re going to be fair to everyone, then this goes nowhere, as usual.
We will determine the Time Bracket based on good old mathematics, which is why I churned the data, as you can see in the graph above. Max, min, mean, standard deviation, and normal distribution: the numbers don’t lie.
4) When you choose a Time Bracket, you then set up your car and driving to suit the bracket. The effect of the bracket racing rules is to place a premium on consistency of performance of the driver and car rather than on raw speed, which in turn makes victory much less dependent on large infusions of money, and more dependent on mechanical reliability and driving skill.
5) It may not be fair to name the Classes as Expert, Intermediate, and Novice, as the Saga Cup times are also determined – to an extent – the investment in the vehicles. So once we give them their official names, we’ll use those.
We’ll probably still give them classy names like Ron Jeremy, Rocco, and North Pole!
tarmzi
ALTERNATIVELY if we classify you next year based on your lap times and performance this year, then there’s nothing to hide!
the above is only true if the team/drive/car combo is constant, which most probably not. I’d suggest not to go there. Let teams decide on their class and race. They must not go below their timing.
On another note, how do i qualify or over take the driver infront if both of us doing 2:58s(the fastest time allowed in our group)