I'm going to keep this short because I have not had a chance to inform the ITA drivers on our list. As many of you know, I made my way around the paddock over the weekend to get everyone's feelings (again) on the ITR "thing." I honestly didn't think there was going to be much of a chance from when we discussed this in our forum post-MARRS 1.
This issue was discussed
after the meeting last night. I don't have a results sheet with me, but although the ITA cars up to fifth place were lapped at least once (only one car was lapped twice), there were a very large number of cars on the lead lap, just as there were 11 (almost 1/3) at MARRS 1. There is no doubt in my mind that there would have been more cars on the lead lap if the previously mentioned ITS driver hadn't been such an issue for soooooooo long.
Also, on a whim, I decided to look at MARRS 4 last year (ITA/7/
...Out of 28 finishers, two were two laps down and five were one lap down. I don't remember the ITB drivers complaining last year. That said, there were a number of factors last weekend that may have skewed how "fast" the overall winner finished the race. He had no competition for most of the race and may have dispatched with more cars if he was being pressured.
Finally, where do you suggest we put them? Big Bore I presume....that's the grouping where most, in not all, of the AS cars
always finish 2 laps down. Move ITR and they will be one-to-two laps down as well. Let me tell you something, Rob, Brad, James, and everyone else...If I bring this up, after just two races, it's gonna get shot down. I guarantee it. Not without more data. And do you think that the reps that either (1) almost had their classes removed from the MARRS series over the winter, (2) had to drive w/ ITS in Big Bore last year, (3) are seeing their race lengths shortened due to participation levels or (4) saw over 80% of their drivers finish two laps down to the overall winner from another class are going to have any compassion when discussion / decision time comes around? Not very likely.
Let me state this for all of you to see....I would like to see the ITR cars in another run group....There, I said it. Unfortunately there just isn't a strong enough argument for doing it today.