Over subscribed Grids
Had some good questions about the over subscribed grids at Brands Indy (2000 and Classic) and Silverstone GP.
Notably about grid swaps/changes or reserves policy.
Here are some pointers regarding how we try to get as many members racing as possible.
Firstly there is no space in either timetable to split out any of the classes to an extra grid as we have been able to do at Cadwell.
Thus at Silverstone we are very limited on any creative ideas for getting any more people out as it is one grid each day and that is it.
For Brands Indy there is the possibility of swapping classes between grids (as at Donington last year) but Moto isn’t all that far behind Classic in terms of numbers and by the time we get to the race weekend it might be that a swap would have no benefit as the problem is having 3 classes that are more than half a grid each in numbers. One thing we might be able to do if there are spaces on the 2nd grid is to ask for people from the 1st grid who aren’t after ultimate championship points if they would race on the other grid to help someone else get a race – but they would have to be ‘invisible’ for points if they raced on the ‘wrong’ grid.
We don’t run pre-qualifying, not considered fair at our level of racing. We want people to know when they set off for the weekend that they are either a confirmed entrant or a reserve (and accept the implications of that). No confirmed entrant will be ‘bumped’ by the Club. Reserves who decline to attend the meeting as a reserve will get a full refund.
So the procedure is:
1. We only know for certain how many entries we have at close of business 3 days before the event (that is the result of our very member friendly entry/cancellation policy which in this case proves less friendly to reserves) but will be asking people to be nice and let us know really early if they are pulling out so that reserves can be notified ASAP.
2. We can run with 20% extra cars in qualifying than in the race (MSA rules)
3. Reserves who run in qualifying are still reserves after qualifying, irrespective of the time they set (even if they set pole time), but must have set their 3 laps at least to meet the MSA 3 lap qualifying requirement.
4. If any cars then withdraw (mechanical or accident) we let in the reserves who have ‘qualified’ in reserve order (order the entries were received).
5. Even if they aren’t officially in as the grid is formed, the remaining reserves can wait at the pitlane and if cars fail on the parade lap or right at the start, the Clerk of Course can opt to let them join the race at his discretion.
6. Reserves who only qualify but don’t race get a significant refund (can’t remember the exact figure)
7. Because our race weekend is usually two independent days, the reserves who raced on Saturday are not guaranteed a race on Sunday as the original entry is re-set for day 2.
