An Informal Look at AMA C Class (lengthy post)

As for the 3 on the AMA card stuff.. well that's dumb. I personally know many lifetime C riders. I actually parked with one this weekend. He's 21 years old... been racing since he was on PWs... finished last in the LCQ of 450 C at the regional. He has no business being in the B class.
I am only saying this for Loretta Lynns competition. It is then a true Novice class.
 
The problem only lies on the ones trying for LL and know what they are doing.

Riders lay off on races to finish lower on purpose, they dont race C class locally and make sure, like in the example, that they only race 6 races instead of 7. In the example, the first rider did both of what I just mentioned.

Its a loophole that riders use to beat the system, technically not cheating but in reality it is.

Again, a simple look at lap times at area and regional qualifiers would fix the problem. I dont care if a rider is a first year 450 C, 250C or not, if they are running lap times as fast or faster than a majority of the B class then your out, you arent a "Novice" classified rider.
 
As for the 3 on the AMA card stuff.. well that's dumb. I personally know many lifetime C riders. I actually parked with one this weekend. He's 21 years old... been racing since he was on PWs... finished last in the LCQ of 450 C at the regional. He has no business being in the B class.

We brought a friend to a local race last year, had only been riding for about a year. He watched the C class that he would be racing. 3/4 of the group jumped a large step up double, he said right then he would never race if that was what his class would be. Thats where the real problem starts for people thinking about the trying the sport.
 
Should a guy that's only got a year on a bike be thinking about racing?
(not a kid - kids don't have C class - think about that for a moment)
and what is racing for someone with a one year learning curve?

How good are you at anything with only a year of experience? - let alone MX , the hardest of them all?
 
Should a guy that's only got a year on a bike be thinking about racing?
(not a kid - kids don't have C class - think about that for a moment)
and what is racing for someone with a one year learning curve?

How good are you at anything with only a year of experience? - let alone MX , the hardest of them all?

So at what point is racing ok?

nov·ice
ˈnävəs/
noun
  1. a person new to or inexperienced in a field or situation.
    "he was a complete novice in foreign affairs"
    synonyms: beginner, learner, neophyte, newcomer, initiate, tyro, fledgling;

When should a person meeting the definition of "Novice" actually begin racing the "Novice" class then?
 
We have all seen a guy just like that at a fair race.

Hershey that is my point. My sons friend came to the races to watch Matthew race. He rides a KLX 110. I think he realized real fast that he was no where near ready to get on a track in the C class. No one wants a D class. That was the purpose of C class.....it was added when there was only A and B. Now it is a full blown competition class.......Rule book says no OEM backing, but yet all the Manufactures pay contingency to the class.
 
No Joke - Someone that has never ridden wouldn't have gotten the bike off the line, that's a KX -250 Two Stroke.
They would have stalled -
I will say that was a time when SX style jumps had just been introduced - not many of us knew what to do with them.
Brandon was trying his own thing -



This is someone that has never ridden a KX250 before ----!!
 
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I remember back when the rule at LL was anyone over 50 years old was allowed to enter the +30 B/C class, regardless of their previous skill ranking. Amazing how different the sport is now, could you imagine John Grewe, Dave Hand, Doug Dubach racing B/C just because they were 50?

Like Alex stated in his post, I too know lifetime C riders that will never become skilled enough to advance. C is a skill level, not a time counter. Heck I'm probably a lifetime C rider myself!
 
Should a guy that's only got a year on a bike be thinking about racing?
(not a kid - kids don't have C class - think about that for a moment)
and what is racing for someone with a one year learning curve?

How good are you at anything with only a year of experience? - let alone MX , the hardest of them all?
This^ I see so many not ready to race. This is actually quite the problem at some level. Kids need to ride ride ride, just don't jump in with both feet, get hurt or discouraged the first time out.
 
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