Hello all!
I have been a member of NCRS since the late '80's and an active Michigan chapter member for years. I have been involved in the judging process at the chapter level for several years and am now the vice-chair for the eastern portion of Michigan for the chapter. Over the years I have felt that there is a "flaw" or inequity in the judging process. Please understand that I what am going to say is not a criticism of the process but rather a suggestion to make it better. It is my feeling that a highly optioned car has a harder time of making a flight status than a low optioned car. Let me explain. Let's use a car that has A/C and one that doesn't. Both cars , of course, start off with the same number of points (4510 without the bonus points). The A/C car has an addition exposure for losing points both for operations (8 based on 25 for heater, defroster, A/C) and an additional 33 under the mechanical section. If the A/C equipment was totally missing, the car would get a 41 point deduction. The non-A/C car would just get a slash through those items getting full credit. This would be my suggestion. Each car would be presented at the meet with a total number of points based on the options it has that do not replace something else. For example, an engine option would not receive additional points since all cars have engines. An automatic transmission would not qualify since all cars have a transmission. A car with a rear defogger would get additional points based on the amount of a total deduct since there are extra parts and function vulnerable for a deduction. Since a flight score is based on the percentage of parts and function that are typical of factory production rather than total points, the highly optioned car has now the same opportunity to achieve the percentage as the lower optioned car. Yes, it would present problems in regards to figuring out how many points a particular car would start out with but I would argue that the practical issues could easily be worked out if the concept was accepted. Also, in the interest of full discloser, I should say that my car is a highly optioned car but I will not be having my car judged again after next summer's national and knowing that if any changes like this would be adopted it would take far longer for it to happen than that so I would not benefit.
I would love to hear what others think and would also like some guidance on how ideas such as these get on the radar of those who make policy. Thanks for you consideration.
Jeff
I have been a member of NCRS since the late '80's and an active Michigan chapter member for years. I have been involved in the judging process at the chapter level for several years and am now the vice-chair for the eastern portion of Michigan for the chapter. Over the years I have felt that there is a "flaw" or inequity in the judging process. Please understand that I what am going to say is not a criticism of the process but rather a suggestion to make it better. It is my feeling that a highly optioned car has a harder time of making a flight status than a low optioned car. Let me explain. Let's use a car that has A/C and one that doesn't. Both cars , of course, start off with the same number of points (4510 without the bonus points). The A/C car has an addition exposure for losing points both for operations (8 based on 25 for heater, defroster, A/C) and an additional 33 under the mechanical section. If the A/C equipment was totally missing, the car would get a 41 point deduction. The non-A/C car would just get a slash through those items getting full credit. This would be my suggestion. Each car would be presented at the meet with a total number of points based on the options it has that do not replace something else. For example, an engine option would not receive additional points since all cars have engines. An automatic transmission would not qualify since all cars have a transmission. A car with a rear defogger would get additional points based on the amount of a total deduct since there are extra parts and function vulnerable for a deduction. Since a flight score is based on the percentage of parts and function that are typical of factory production rather than total points, the highly optioned car has now the same opportunity to achieve the percentage as the lower optioned car. Yes, it would present problems in regards to figuring out how many points a particular car would start out with but I would argue that the practical issues could easily be worked out if the concept was accepted. Also, in the interest of full discloser, I should say that my car is a highly optioned car but I will not be having my car judged again after next summer's national and knowing that if any changes like this would be adopted it would take far longer for it to happen than that so I would not benefit.
I would love to hear what others think and would also like some guidance on how ideas such as these get on the radar of those who make policy. Thanks for you consideration.
Jeff
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