@TideyFamily wrote:
Prime example.. This last weekend my son goes down to EHT for the double race. He is the only 8 Rookie. So they bump him up to 9 rookie. These 2 other kids in 9 rookie has clip pedals and 1000 dolar bikes. I ask them how long they ahve been racing. Both of them said alittle over 3 years!!!!!! One of them was #1 Regional, He then proceeds to tell me that he is waiting until after the National He will go up to NOVICE!!!! The kid was fast but after the last corner just sat down and let the other kids pass him for the wins. Come on now parents, this is absurd! My son is just begining and only raced 3 times. He has gotten faster each race but nowhere what he will have with 3 years of expierence that these kids have. I raced in ABA like some of you and they went by AGE!!! If you were a 9 Intermidate there was no-way you were wining the state title for 9 year olds.. My son would be proud to be a 8 NOVICE. He would never, nor would I ever condone him to sandbag a race so he couldn’t go up.
I cant speak for the #1 plate rider but the other 9 rookie is my son . Yes he is in clips but he is not on a $1000 bike(Ebay about $250)
Yes he is in his third year of racing and He has NEVER NEVER sand bag a race !! there would be no reason to because even after 3 years he still don’t have but half the move up points to turn novice
IT IS HIS GOAL TO TURN NOVICE
We started racing in 04(little more than half the season)just racing at EHT
In 2005 we did the hole season including the state series (finished 2nd) I had every intention on VOLUNTARILY moving him up to novice after that season UNTIL we went to the Christmas classic in Dec 05 he didn’t even make it out of his 1/4 semi !!!!!
It is a hole new level of competition at the national level !!! So I made the decision to keep him rookie until after the EHT nat.
just 3 weeks ago we went to the first N.E.regional and that ” fast 9 rookie” is still struggling to qualify (he didn’t qualify day 1 and got 4 out of 6 on day 2) They were some fast ROOKIES!!
If he cant be competitive in the NOVICE class (not making mains, not having FUN) I will be more than happy to just race locals and just keep it fun (and save a hole lot of money)
I am happy with my decision so far He did get a chance to go to a big indoor nat. and qualify and he Knows what it’s like to lose
Things need to change with the NBL!! I raced ABA in the 80’s and it was nothing like this ,There has got to be a better way to keep the rookie class for beginners. Chris