SHELBY FEST 07 - Let's talk Classes

[REPTYL]

Being an event organiser with the cobra car club over the last decade, I have noticed a trend involving the major events and people and cars competing in them.
As technologies advance we find the performance gap widening between the newer Cobras and the pre 90’s normally aspirated small blocks. We also have many competitors running road/race tyres and another group spending thousands on stroking or supercharging their older vehicles.

Last year at the Shelby Fest we had to run 5 different Cobra classes to ensure we weren’t disadvantaging a competitor with a lesser machine running out of his class. This keeps most happy (although we always get a few wingers).

Problems with this scenario: Trophy cost, in-balance of numbers within the classes, some classes may only have 1 or 2 competitors entered, people try to get there car in to a less competitive class. How do you group the cars fairly: On power, engine size, performance, tyres, handling or driver skill.

Last years classes:
Cobra class1
Cobra class2
Cobra class3
Race class
Ladies
Mustang
GT40

Times the number of classes by the number of events and you have a lot of trophies.

Let’s think outside the box on his one. No more adding to the number of classes or modifying the criteria for the specific classes.
Let’s re-think the whole event, simplify and maybe add a new twist that allows everyone to compete on a level playing field.