It is proposed that the number of 1/32 Nationals places allocated to Areas will be based on the number of competitors in their Area meetings instead of their total number of registered Area members.
Handbook changes to "1/32 National British Championship Rule 2.5"
Current rule..
Allocation of National Qualifiers
At the 1/32 Nationals 48 places are allocated in each of the open classes (Saloon, F1 and Sports/GT)
(a) The overall National Champion in each 1/32 class (Saloon, Formula 1, and Sports/GT)
(b) The top 5 points finishers in the 1/32 BOC, will qualify for the 1/32 Nationals in all 3 class. (If one National Champion is in the top 5 BOC places, the
6th. place BOC driver will qualify etc.). After these 6, 7 or 8 places are allocated, the remaining Nationals places will be distributed as follows.
(c) 13 places in each class shall be allocated in as near as possible direct proportion to the Area's membership who have either been Overall National
Champions in each open 1/32 class in the last five years or is premier grade for the reasons 2.2 ii - iv above and who have not qualified in (a) or (b) above.
The council may allocate an extra place to the Area organising the National Championship.
The remaining places in each class shall be allocated to the
Areas in as near as possible direct proportion to the Area's membership eligible for the Main Grade who have not qualified in (a) or (b) above.
Proposed new rule... (changes to part c onwards)
(c) 13 places in each class shall be allocated in as near as possible direct proportion to the average number of premier grade competitors in their Area's meetings who have not qualified in (a) or (b) above.
The remaining places in each class shall be allocated to the Areas in as near as possible direct proportion to the average number competitors in the Area's meetings who are eligible for the Main Grade and who have not qualified in (b) above.
The average number of competitors in the area meetings will be calculated from the meetings up to and including the March area meeting date.
Explanation...
The proposers' opinion is that basing the allocation of Nationals places on the numbers attempting to qualify for the 1/32 Nationals rather than the total membership will produce a fairer allocation of places. They point out that some areas' membership totals include those who are not interested in racing at the 1/32 Nationals.
The proposal maintains the current system designed to give main grade drivers in different areas a more equal chance of qualifying.
The proposal maintains the current “not qualified in (a) or (b) above “ system which means drivers can qualify for the Nationals by (a) winning the previous year's Nationals or (b) from the 1/32 British Open Championship.
Important points to note...
It is recognised that areas need to know how many Nationals places they have been allocated a reasonable length of time before the Nationals. The final area meeting in the country could be in April, but by taking the number of racers in area meetings straight after the March meeting (normally the second Sunday in March) means we can tell areas how many places they have by mid March.