The goal of the sportsman classes is to give our members what they are asking, we hear it all the time. It's a "amateur" national, we are trying to push those ex-pro's out of those classes for true amateurs. What's wrong with that? Vet riders make up large demographic of our sport, we want to give them what they deserve. If you want to argue 45+ or 50+ being a sportsman class.. that's a legit argument. The 25+, 35+ and 50+ are open to ex-pros. The 30+, 40+, and 45+ are limited to amateurs. I think the "John Grewe's" of the world will be ok. He proved it this year in the 35+.
Also I'm extremely excited about a second 125 2-stroke class (schoolboy 1 and 125 B/C) to encourage youth riders to stay on 125 2-stokes. Now they have two 125 two-stroke classes. There is no new C class. The 250 C 12-16 was implemented in 2015.
I believe these are positive changes.