Trophies!

[Johnny B]

is the one dude with yellow plates doing in the pack of Novices?

It's also possible that it's an Amateur from another CCS region, but was a BRAND new racer and wanted to race in the Novice class.

If that's a 109 on the Amateur plate guy, it's probably John Dorans (never heard of him).

Yes, John is registered in the MA region since that was Bob Perkins' LRRS #, which we retired this year. He's a friend of Al Guilbeault who I've seen race at Loudon and Homestead.

[BrianC]

The way I see the novice/trophy thing is like this...
Yes, I got into racing because I thought it was going to be fun, and IT IS! And I tend to be of the opinion that the actual racing and the fun that goes along w/it definitely is reward enough to keep me in the game, but... to say that Novices aren't really competing and are only pretend-racing to learn how to someday really race w/ams/exs isn't really a true or respectable statement. Yeah we are slower than the other two classes, but that is because we have less experience racing... hence the name Novice. It is a race class for racers w/little or no experience racing, but either way you look at it it is still a race and there is a winner. No that novice winner isn't as fast as an expert, but how could they be? An expert is an expert because they have completed more laps and have had more learning experiences than a newbie novice. To be against giving novice winners trophies would be to go against what the organization is trying to do... get more people into the sport. No one spends their time/money to pretend-race. The argument could go on and on, and one could say that if novices don't deserve trophies then neither do the lrrs ex or ams because they are just pretend racing to eventually be able to do AMA or World Superbike...

[Honclfibr]

Yeah, back when racing was just fun and that's it. Good times, good times.

I dunno why it stopped being fun, do you?

I guess it seemed like between the lack of camping and the economy, the people who weren't serious about it just kinda left two years ago. And all the sudden racing just didn't seem like much fun anymore.

But I haven't been back since, maybe those people are back? Or maybe you can't go home again. But it sure was a fun few years.

[Kurlon]

I dunno why it stopped being fun, do you?

I guess it seemed like between the lack of camping and the economy, the people who weren't serious about it just kinda left two years ago. And all the sudden racing just didn't seem like much fun anymore.

But I haven't been back since, maybe those people are back? Or maybe you can't go home again. But it sure was a fun few years.

When they told me I couldn't sneak into AM races despite what the grid sheet said, that was when the music died for me.

[Doc]

The way I see the novice/trophy thing is like this...
Yes, I got into racing because I thought it was going to be fun, and IT IS! And I tend to be of the opinion that the actual racing and the fun that goes along w/it definitely is reward enough to keep me in the game, but... to say that Novices aren't really competing and are only pretend-racing to learn how to someday really race w/ams/exs isn't really a true or respectable statement. Yeah we are slower than the other two classes, but that is because we have less experience racing... hence the name Novice. It is a race class for racers w/little or no experience racing, but either way you look at it it is still a race and there is a winner. No that novice winner isn't as fast as an expert, but how could they be? An expert is an expert because they have completed more laps and have had more learning experiences than a newbie novice. To be against giving novice winners trophies would be to go against what the organization is trying to do... get more people into the sport. No one spends their time/money to pretend-race. The argument could go on and on, and one could say that if novices don't deserve trophies then neither do the lrrs ex or ams because they are just pretend racing to eventually be able to do AMA or World Superbike...

I see your point of view.

But can you see it from the point of view that LRRS is the only CCS venue that has a novice class and this year you are not racing in normal classes either. You have all the GP's, GT's and superbikes but guys are running those classes on supersport machines or Production twins machines and don't stand a chance of getting on the podium against superbike spec bikes. What do they get?

You got guys on SV's running against guys on EX500's and 125's now in novice!

[Mustang]

You got guys on SV's running against guys on EX500's and 125's now in novice!

So? That means one's victory in one of those races is meaningless, and deserves no physical recognition? If that's the case, then there should be no verbal recognition either; there should then be a general announcement after the trophy ceremony, "To all the NV riders who didn't crash out, congratulations."

NV's this year know what types of bikes they'll be racing against; if a guy chooses to start racing on a 125 or EX, he's accepting the fact that he'll be racing against an SV. And that mere fact doesn't mean it's not fair; a 125 podiumed in LWGP at Round 1!

[butcher bergs]

I think all Novices should get their win recognition on Post-Its.

You want a real trophy? Start winning in a class that is, at the very least, recognized by the rest of the nation.....oh and by the way, when you do bump to Amateur you're actually still a Novice.

Welcome to racing!

[CBR929RE]

The way I see the novice/trophy thing is like this...
Yes, I got into racing because I thought it was going to be fun, and IT IS! And I tend to be of the opinion that the actual racing and the fun that goes along w/it definitely is reward enough to keep me in the game, but... to say that Novices aren't really competing and are only pretend-racing to learn how to someday really race w/ams/exs isn't really a true or respectable statement. Yeah we are slower than the other two classes, but that is because we have less experience racing... hence the name Novice. It is a race class for racers w/little or no experience racing, but either way you look at it it is still a race and there is a winner. No that novice winner isn't as fast as an expert, but how could they be? An expert is an expert because they have completed more laps and have had more learning experiences than a newbie novice. To be against giving novice winners trophies would be to go against what the organization is trying to do... get more people into the sport. No one spends their time/money to pretend-race. The argument could go on and on, and one could say that if novices don't deserve trophies then neither do the lrrs ex or ams because they are just pretend racing to eventually be able to do AMA or World Superbike...

I agree. That last race was fun as hell. If that was a track day I would have just tucked in behind you on the straight and followed and took you on the brakes into 1 but I had to get you before the line so some effort had to be used to get me in a position to do it.

I think all Novices should get their win recognition on Post-Its.

You want a real trophy? Start winning in a class that is, at the very least, recognized by the rest of the nation.....oh and by the way, when you do bump to Amateur you're actually still a Novice.

Welcome to racing!

I guess they take awhile to print. you better have both of mine ready this weekend. and they better be fucking yellow, none of those stupid ass other colors, I want the original. And if I win more races they sure as hell better not take a month.

[Doc]

So? That means one's victory in one of those races is meaningless, and deserves no physical recognition? If that's the case, then there should be no verbal recognition either; there should then be a general announcement after the trophy ceremony, "To all the NV riders who didn't crash out, congratulations."

NV's this year know what types of bikes they'll be racing against; if a guy chooses to start racing on a 125 or EX, he's accepting the fact that he'll be racing against an SV. And that mere fact doesn't mean it's not fair; a 125 podiumed in LWGP at Round 1!

It is not "meaningless" but it certainly isn't fair.

Hell there was an SV in MWSB. Do you think those guys (on the outclassed bikes) care more about trophies or improving their race craft?

I think recognition is a good thing. Does it have to be on the same level as the AM and EX classes? I don't think so.

The Novice class has changed. This is one of the changes. Work on getting more experience/faster and get bumped. I'll give $20 to the first one of you NESR Novices that earns a podium your first weekend in Amatuer.

Disclaimer: I was a novice and I got trophies. It was an awesome feeling to "earn some wood". I felt lucky to have the novice class knowing if I raced elsewhere I would have gotten zip. That was made clear to me by my teammates. Novice is a "development class". I was also told by my teammates and a number of racers here on NESR that you should bump as fast as you can because it wasn't "real racing" until you were an "Expert". So I bumped, as fast as I could and now I am a Club Level Expert. woopie.

[OreoGaborio]

I'll give $20 to the first one of you NESR Novices that earns a podium your first weekend in Amatuer.

is that offer retroactive?

[Doc]

is that offer retroactive?

No. Cherry Picker.

[obsolete]

Being that I don't race I know my opinion doesn't matter but if you raced in novice and got wood but now feel they shouldn't that's a wicked jerk move.

[The Snowman]

I'll give $20 to the first one of you NESR Novices that earns a podium your first weekend in Amatuer.

Mark these words. This is my first amateur weekend.

[Doc]

Mark these words. This is my first amateur weekend.

Good Luck!

1 111 AM Byrnes, Sean 01:21.583 35 35 2001 Suzuki SV650
2 324 AM Rodgers, Riley 01:22.229 30 30 2003 Suzuki SV650
3 142 AM Calhoun, Matthew 01:21.735 26 26 2003 Suzuki SV650
4 889 AM Beaurivage, Keith 01:23.763 23 23 1999 Suzuki SV650
5 611 AM Dayon, David 01:24.730 21 21 2001 Suzuki SV650
6 951 AM Kourafas, Andrew 01:25.476 19 19 1989 Honda nt650gt

1 565 NV Boucher, Chuck 01:26.046 35 35 1999 Suzuki SV650

[Kurlon]

Being that I don't race I know my opinion doesn't matter but if you raced in novice and got wood but now feel they shouldn't that's a wicked jerk move.

Novice now != Novice in prior years

[obsolete]

Novice now != Novice in prior years

My dad walked 20 miles to school in the snow up hill both ways too.

[butcher bergs]

Being that I don't race I know my opinion doesn't matter but if you raced in novice and got wood but now feel they shouldn't that's a wicked jerk move.

Even when I was a novice I felt the same way I do now. It's a class that is not recognized by the entire rest of the nation.

At the time, yes I accepted my wood with a smile and it felt great but I knew deep down inside that it didn't mean a damn thing.....actually it meant less than nothing since it's a "special" class only in LRRS.

[butcher bergs]

I guess they take awhile to print. you better have both of mine ready this weekend. and they better be fucking yellow, none of those stupid ass other colors, I want the original. And if I win more races they sure as hell better not take a month.

Don't worry, Bob, it will be yellow.

[The Snowman]

Good Luck!

1 111 AM Byrnes, Sean 01:21.583 35 35 2001 Suzuki SV650
2 324 AM Rodgers, Riley 01:22.229 30 30 2003 Suzuki SV650
3 142 AM Calhoun, Matthew 01:21.735 26 26 2003 Suzuki SV650
4 889 AM Beaurivage, Keith 01:23.763 23 23 1999 Suzuki SV650
5 611 AM Dayon, David 01:24.730 21 21 2001 Suzuki SV650
6 951 AM Kourafas, Andrew 01:25.476 19 19 1989 Honda nt650gt

1 565 NV Boucher, Chuck 01:26.046 35 35 1999 Suzuki SV650

Yes, but you said ANY podium. Right now, Formula 40 Lites only has 2 entries.

[Kurlon]

My dad walked 20 miles to school in the snow up hill both ways too.

2010 and prior - Novice runs full classes, full schedule. Bumping is based on performance within your class relative to other novice riders.

2011 - Novice runs a restricted class list. Bumping out is based on performance relative to Expert lap times.

Notice the key change, your perf in novice is no longer based on how well you do compared to other novices, it's purely based on laptime compared to experts. Win a novice race but don't hit the laptime threshold to move to Am, congrats... you didn't hit the mark yet. You're not racing others yet, you're racing the clock, yellow plates are the reward for hitting crossing the goal line.

[Doc]

Yes, but you said ANY podium. Right now, Formula 40 Lites only has 2 entries.

Ok, I'll add the disclaimer that there needs to be at least 5 people in the race. DNF/DNS do not count.

:

[obsolete]

Well, rationalize it however. It is a race, plain and simple. It's even recognized as such by announcing the winners of said contest at the end of the day.

As an outsider looking in at an organization that is trying to attract more racers and spectators, a group of higher level racers admitting it was great to receive a trophy and actually excepting the trophy saying that the next group of Novices are undeserving of the same reward for the same accomplishment makes you look like a bunch of jerks.

[The Snowman]

Ok, I'll add the disclaimer that there needs to be at least 5 people in the race. DNF/DNS do not count.

Doc sucks!

[Doc]

Well, rationalize it however. It is a race, plain and simple. It's even recognized as such by announcing the winners of said contest at the end of the day.

As an outsider looking in at an organization that is trying to attract more racers and spectators, a group of higher level racers admitting it was great to receive a trophy and actually excepting the trophy saying that the next group of Novices are undeserving of the same reward for the same accomplishment make you look like a bunch of jerks.

But that is not what is happening.

[CBR929RE]

Even when I was a novice I felt the same way I do now. It's a class that is not recognized by the entire rest of the nation.

At the time, yes I accepted my wood with a smile and it felt great but I knew deep down inside that it didn't mean a damn thing.....actually it meant less than nothing since it's a "special" class only in LRRS.

I've never understood this way of thinking. what difference does it make that it's Loudon only? what class is it that's also LRRS only, production twins I think. if you win an Ex production twins race it means nothing by your reasoning. That win means nothing because the rest of the country doesn't run that class.

Don't worry, Bob, it will be yellow.

thanks buddy