Here's what works:
- A club promoting a fun attitude that welcomes new people into the hobby.
- The current sportsman, 1.9, 2.2, Super classes.
- Bodied crawlers.
- Bodiless crawlers.
Here's what doesn't work:
- The win at all costs attitude.
- Spec classes.
- Novice classes that aren't run along with the regular classes, by the more experienced drivers.
- cheap brushed motors with worm axles.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the attitude that people are greeted with when they fist come to an event means far more than anything to do with what the other guys are driving. It took some time to learn that lesson, but we pretty much have it down at our comps, where we've learned how to approach the newer guys when they come in.
Here's a few things that people need to stop asking for:
Spec Classes
Spec classes don't work. New guys want to upgrade their stuff. To stay in the spec classes, they're not allowed to. Therefore, the only guys who stay in them are the veterans who are looking for something else to do...at least until they get bored with it. Any spec class I've seen attempted has fizzeled out after only a handful of comps.
Pro Shafty.
We have a place to run your shafty with dig. It's called 2.2. You might attend an individual event that offeres a prize to the highest placed shafty, but that's about all that's going to happen there. It would simply thin it out too much to consider anything else.
National Level Novice class.
I don't speak for everybody, but I don't see this happening any time soon or ever. It's sort of a contridiction. Novice classes are something that should be handled at the club level. The individual clubs have a better idea of what will work in their area, with their terrain, and with the local interest. Novices typically aren't as interested in travelling and spending the money to attend the national events. I know it's hard enough to get all of the pro level drivers in my club to attend the bigger events, let alone get the novice drivers.
AS a rules committee, we can't set the tone for the attitude that the new guys are greeted with, but as members of this hobby, we should be able to. When it comes to bringing in new people, I think we all want the same thing. I just think we all have different ideas how to achieve that goal.