Sportsman Class Discussion

[kwkride]

There have been several people mentioning a Sportsman class lately. I believe that a few people have even started to build Sportsman rigs.

I have some concerns about this.

The Sportsman class is a beginner class. "The intent is to give newbies a place to get started and then work up to the 2.2 class."

The reason that it was started was to cater to people that were just getting started in crawling. This class allows someone to get a RTR Axial and compete with it against drivers with similar rigs and skill levels. I have heard people up at HobbyTown saying that they would like to go to a comp but it wouldn't be worth it because they don't even have a dig. These are the people that would like to see a Sportsman class.

My concern is that the people I hear talking about building a Sportsman rig are some of our top drivers. In my opinion, if we have top drivers building Sportsman rigs and pounding on the newbies with them, it takes away the reason for having a beginner class.

Are you guys wanting to start running a Sportsman class at our comps, or are you just building Sportsman rigs for fun?

I think that if people want to build another rig and run another class it should be 1.9s. This is a shafty, no-dig class also. It also has a class at National level events and our club also has a 1.9 invite to Nationals if we run a 1.9 series.

What are your thoughts?

[kwkride]

Now if you guys are just building Sportsman rigs for the fun of it, and you weren't really looking for the club to officially have a Sportsman class, then just say so and I'll go back to coloring.

[Harley]

Like you guys KC guys wanted to run a Sportsman class last year. We did it because everyone wanted to use their shafty trucks still (we also run 1.9). It still allows new guys to come in and compete at a more level playing field but still allows everyone in the club to drive more. We build the courses easy and it's pretty relaxed class. The thing is that there just isn't that many new people and if thats where you're trying to restrict it then it's going to be the one new guy playing with himself

In the end we still had one of our newest members win one of the sportsman comps this year.

[DeweyCJ5]

my intension is to get my sons involved in crawling over the winter and summer and i think a sportsman class will do them well...that being said i want to run my truck with them as well. i do not have a problem with sharing my setup with any one new or old in the club...the pro 2.2 drivers should be ineligible for any points or prizes...we should do it to help out the new people...show them what a rig is capable of doing with out it costing $500.00 +

[DeweyCJ5]

Originally Posted by Harley0706

Like you guys KC guys wanted to run a Sportsman class last year. We did it because everyone wanted to use their shafty trucks still (we also run 1.9). It still allows new guys to come in and compete at a more level playing field but still allows everyone in the club to drive more. We build the courses easy and it's pretty relaxed class. The thing is that there just isn't that many new people and if thats where you're trying to restrict it then it's going to be the one new guy playing with himself

In the end we still had one of our newest members win one of the sportsman comps this year.

what he said

[Super]

A sportman class, I think, is a very good idea. Having a class for new drivers with RTC trucks. Having seasoned drivers in the class is a must I think, new drivers can see driving styles and techniques. When they have questions they can be answered and can explain what certain changes will do and make suggestions. At least that's how it works in our club. I guess what I'm saying is it makes a good tool for getting new people into comping.

[Psychomonkey RC]

Well I figure that if we have a few spotrsman rig we could get the class moving forward. Dewey, Heather,Ty, and myself would be a good start to the class. I know that a few of the 2.2 guys would maybe drop down for a sporty class. Also I do not think that the newbie's would be beat up on for long, look at Chris and Heather. They have been comping for less that a year and they are doing great. This is why we need to get more drivers into crawling.
Now that we have more more at the Plex we could run one 2.2 course and one sporty course and should still be done at the same time. We would just need to have enough judges and scorekeepers. Which this summer we always had enough to do two courses at once.
I would like to see a 1.9 class but it would be a higher dollar class. All out hop-ups to make them comp ready.
Just my $.02
Chad

[hbj069]

Hey all, Well I am not in your neck of the woods but I have a strong opinion on the sportsman class. Last year we were looking at ways to increase members and keep them. nothing more aggravating than spending a grand and having to compete against Austin, really makes a long day. the sportsman class was designed so everybody that wasn't a pro driver could learn and enjoy. After watching the progress and getting my butt beaten regularly I decided to ask the pro's. It has been stated that the average middle of the pack driver can highly benefit from this class. It will put them back to looking for lines and actually thinking about what to do next henceforth creating a better driver, better set-up skills and stronger competitions. just my 2cents.

[666]

The way we do the Sportsman class you can only run 2.2 Pro or 2.2 Sport.

They both run the same course, Sport only runs 5 gates. Pro runs 5+ gates.

The course gets progressively harder as you go. I have seen sport drivers do a better job on the first 5 gates than the pros... If you allowed drivers to run Pro and Sport this way they would be prerunning in a sense. We could set up separate courses for each class but that means more judges, etc.

Not sure if this helps any but I feel it works well.

[Psychomonkey RC]

Originally Posted by 666

The way we do the Sportsman class you can only run 2.2 Pro or 2.2 Sport.
If you allowed drivers to run Pro and Sport this way they would be prerunning in a sense. We could set up separate courses for each class but that means more judges, etc.

That is what I though. That is why we would have to run seperate courses. We are just tring to get the class off the ground.

[kwkride]

This is the kind of feedback that I am looking for.

This is one of the items that we will be discussing at our meeting.
I just wanted to get the discussion started early.
It's kind of hard though since most of the club members never log in to RCC.

[major94]

Originally Posted by kwkride

I just wanted to get the discussion started early.

Is that the same as pre running?

[kwkride]

Originally Posted by Psychomonkey RC

look at Chris and Heather. . . .

When I think of a Sportsman class, I think of those people that showed up with their AX10s and Venoms and never completed a course all season . . . . .

[Ax10xman]

I would take advantage of a sportsman class.

I still want to give the pros a good run in the 2.2 as well

[DeweyCJ5]

Originally Posted by kwkride

When I think of a Sportsman class, I think of those people that showed up with their AX10s and Venoms and never completed a course all season . . . . .

that being said how many of us really completed courses...we really set our courses hard... sometimes harder then national event's i have been to

[ax10]

my 02 cents. I enjoy competing against top drivers. I Always come away from our comps having learned something, be it driving advice or technical. The friendliness and helpfulness of our clubmembers takes alot of the sting out of not placing well or not completing courses

[DeweyCJ5]

good thats something we like hearing... i am more then willing to help any one with their rig

[no2hud]

Being able to drive with top drivers such as Nice Tie-Ty, Psycho Chad, Crane Opp Chris, Sexy Bib Overall Brent, Fred "jlast" Sanford, Mr. Cleavage Dewy, HOT ROCKIN SHAFTY CHICK, Goat Roper Cain, Pres Kwkride, along with many others, only helps my lack of ability for sure. Keep it one big happy family and adopt others in!

Just show the LOVE and watch it grow!

[Eritex Inc.]

Alright, here is what I see and hear from you, correct me if I am wrong.

1. We want to have a class to ease people into crawling.

2. We want a second class to run on comp day.

3. We are looking for a "cheaper" way to crawl.


Those all sound great for bringing new people into crawling. Some of the issues I see are these...

1. If we run 2.2 Sportsman on separate courses we will be screwed. Fitting 6 courses and the 2 finales at HobbyTown would be next to impossible. That would go for the park in Lincoln, Sioux City, and maybe even Trendwood. The only place off the top of my head that could handle 8 full courses in a day is Cunningham. So, because we are not blessed with large crawling areas, we would need to take our average course from 10 gates and 7 or 8 minutes and go down to 5 gates and 4 minutes. In other words, you would need to spend money on a 2.2 and a 2.2 Sportsman to get that same amount of crawling as we get in just 2.2 now.

2. Judges and score keepers. Running the classes completely separate you need twice the amount of judges and score keeper.

3. For those of you that think this will be some low buck option to 2.2, look at some of the rigs the good drivers are building for the sportsman class. Top shelf everything but just no dig. I bet most of the rigs driven by the guys who win this class will cost 80 to 90% of what the top 2.2 moa rigs cost. Ask Josh how much he has in his legal Sportsman rig. Not a "cheaper" option.

If we truly want to run a class to ease new people into crawling at a lower cost, we do it like Patrick said some of the Colorado clubs do it...

Originally Posted by 666

The way we do the Sportsman class you can only run 2.2 Pro or 2.2 Sport.

They both run the same course, Sport only runs 5 gates. Pro runs 5+ gates.

The course gets progressively harder as you go. I have seen sport drivers do a better job on the first 5 gates than the pros... If you allowed drivers to run Pro and Sport this way they would be prerunning in a sense.

If we want to just run a second class that uses shafties and does not allow dig, 1.9's are the answer. They cost less to build (price it out), have smaller gates, and are challenged by smaller obstacles. Theoretically we could run all 3 classes at once with no more headache or judges and just 50% more area needed compared to running the 2.2 and 2.2 Sportsman and completely separate classes. I say the NSCA does this...

We have 3 classes but you can only run 2 per comp day.

You can either run 2.2 OR 2.2 Sportsman because they will use the same courses and then run 1.9 as well.

I think even setting it up this way, areas to hold comps will be tough to find. But hell, what do I know

[DeweyCJ5]

my sportsman rigs are 3 stock frame axial ax10's the only thing on mine is the bta kit... all will have proline tube frame body's oh and all have emaxx shocks with losi white springs... the thing with 1.9 is i would have to buy 3 new rigs and then make them comp worthy and i am not doing that