Points and the future of V8

First part: I searched because I know it was discussed but for the life of me I can't find it. If I remember correctly, wasn't there a cap of points you could reach per region? 80? 100? Here's my situation. I'm racing in the Atlantic coastal region, and missed the July RRR double header as I was at PittRace. I did well in all other rounds, almost making a complete clean sweep aside from the 2nd place I got at Cycle Jam. Assuming I do well at Road A again in September, I should have 90+ points (97 if I would win it). The GNF is double points, and with the cap of points you can get, I would still have a mathematical chance of winning the National title (assuming I won, obviously). Basically, if I don't have a chance of winning the National title (even if I won the GNF), I'm not driving 14 hours one way. I love Barber, but not that much. I'm just trying to plan out the rest of the season at this point.

Second part: Is V8 going to be a continuing revolving door with the 12 year rule? Within the next year or two, it's going to open up a huge portion of available bikes, that without a doubt, would be easier to ride fast than the bikes that the class was originally designed for. I talked to another rider at PittRace about it (John something, #99) and it really got me thinking about it. I think there has to be a set year, like 2005 or something and that's that. You could grandfather some models (05-06 Kawi 636 for example) but with the lack of bike changes across all bike brands in the 07/08/09 range, you're going to open the flood gates and all of a sudden, you could legally race a much newer bike than 12 years old.

 

Wouldn't you like to see the class grow? Sure the money on the bike has been invested,but the fields are small,and it has to grow somewhere.
I'm looking to get into this particular group next year,and I'm excited about whats going to be legal each year.
The technology is leaving bikes in the dust for future racing.Im glad this is at least being addressed with wera.
Its Vintage,and hope it draws riders back like me that want to dip in the pool.
Just my 2 cents.Please don't hate me!!

 

First part: the regional I am not aware of any points cap.. the national title works this way in v8 you take your six best finishes in any region and the gnf results count double on top of that. Now if you so up with say 5 wins and 1 2nd place and another guy has 6 wins if you beat him at the gnf you win the national.. but if you show up with any thing less than 5 wins 1 2nd. you are racing/hope that guy with 120 crashes out or is not a front runner at that track
Second part:
When this class was made mongo said that that would basically be the last vintage class.. the schedule in a weekend would not allow any more classes. That he couldn't keep creating classes to keep a certain year bike competitive.. thus the reason the 12 year rolling rule was put in place. is the short version there is a thread on here about it somewhere.

 

I've always done track days and never raced wera. Next year I was planning on entering vintage 8 on my 06 gsxr600. I am drawn to it because it seems it would be less hardcore and easier to learn in than the 600 class. I have a few friends with similar plans and bikes 2006-2008. I think it will bring a lot of people from track days to wera since they can be competitive with a 12+ year old track day bike.

 

I definitely want the class to grow, but for 2020 (Sounds far off, but at this point it's 2 race seasons out), you will be able to race the 2008 R6, which with no changes, means you can run a 2016 R6, that will only be 4 years old, in a "vintage" class. So you'll have fly by wire, auto blipper/downshift, everything under the sun in a vintage class, which leads you right back to the same reason/problem the class was created - to give the early 2000's bikes something to race in that they would be competitive in.

 

Well I have already bought a 2007 R6 for next year....so if it changes....I hope it is after next year!

 

And good luck winning the national with 97 points! John what's his name will come with 120! And aren't you the dick wad that was on here a year ago telling me that nobody cared about my Vintage National Championship anyway? Well what a difference a year makes when you got skin in the game!

 

Yep that was me. And still nobody cares.

Let me elaborate on that. Nobody outside of the vintage page cares.

 

He's got a point ya know lol

Hate to say it. I love Vintage because the racers are around forever and in my opinion true racers.

Most modern bike guys never make it past 3 years.

 

Correction no one but the hammond clan lol

 

Well if it doesn't matter, let me race my 10 in the MWT class. I asked a few of the guys in the paddock, trying to get some kind of gentlemen's agreement. They all said no, in their indirect ways. "Well, I'm chasing the championship and need the points..."

I found it a bit ironic, as I'm faster on a 600 than I am a 1000, so it's either I beat them on a technically illegal bike, or I beat them by a greater gap on a class legal bike. So far, the only guy I can't catch is Michael Burns on that fugging rocketship of a R1.

I mean, it doesn't matter...right? Nobody is out here anyways.

I literally bought my zx10 solely because of the V8 class. Do I bother in A superstock? No, because I'd get my ass handed to me. I average 4 sprint races a day, I'm not sure how much more you expect one to "come out" and ride.

 

Do you remember the good Ole days in the 90's when you had to buy a new bike every year or 2 to stay competitive? I do! So I see the V8 class with the rolling 12 year rule the same way. As the new models open up within the 12 year rule, it is going to keep getting fast and more technology. And as far as the bikes with no changes for years and it opens up a big block of years for basically the same bike. What's the problem? That means you can buy a 2008...or a 2012...or whatever the bike has no changes. So make it easy on yourself. They will be the same bike. Can pick up a 2008 for $4,000...or a 2012 for $6,000...same bike. And here is the thing. YOU STILL HAVE TO PUT IT UP FRONT! I know some people on here call me a dick when I say this, but my bike is a 1996...and I pass some modern bikes...say 2004...2005? So it is just another year. You still have to ride it.

 

The TLR is no match for the 05 GSXR's or Burns R1 in V8... I need to consider a 05 1000 but may steer toward a MW bike instead...

 

Get you a V7 bike! We need more bikes in the class.

 

Right. I don't necessarily disagree, but why is any Vintage class created in the first place? To keep that era of bike competitive with others close to it, otherwise it never would be right? So the rolling rule stays for the next 4-5 years, what are you going to race the era of bikes the V8 class was designed for?

I suppose the question to answer is this: are the bikes the rolling 12 year rule going to inherit still competitive in the modern A/B/C classes? And if they are, why do they need to be eligible for the V8 class to begin with?

 

It's the irony of what is considered "cheating". For a big bike track, for instance. Road A. I've ran 36's there on a 600. Only ran a 39.8 on my ZX10. It's just hilarious that it's "cheating" to ride a bike I can't go as fast on.