[SCG] SCG- concours rules

[Kent Sullivan]

One thing to consider is that the "old" system depends heavily on who (which cars) show up. So although there is a clear first, second, third, etc. place, it's among those who were present. As to whether that element of chance is good or bad--I think it can be argued both ways.

-----Original Message-----
From: SCG-list [mailto:scg-list-bounces at tiger.skiblack.com] On Behalf Of Mark Corbin
Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2014 5:50 PM
To: P.H. Raker; scg-list at tiger.skiblack.com; corsabod at corvair.org; whubbell at verizon.net; virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: [SCG] SCG- concours rules

Hi Phil,

I think what you’re seeing is what I expected would be the inevitable result of a change in the rules that happened way back at the convention in Lake Placid, NY. The organizers decided that they could give the concours an Olympic flavor by changing the awards to a “gold, silver, brass, er bronze” award system, using set points levels instead of first, second, third, etc. This is something that CORSA has adopted ever since, and it’s something with which I have always had an issue. 

The “gold, silver, bronze” system is essentially an arbitrary line drawn in the sand. You’re not competing against anyone, but rather just someone’s idea of where to draw the line. IMHO it does several things. The “good” thing (that which makes it popular) is that it makes for a lot of “top” honors trophies to be handed out. Recent conventions seem to prove that, with almost everyone entered getting a trophy. Which is why the points have been changed for this year (to answer your question). This leads me into the bad things.

The bad things it does are the following: First, it devalues the trophy, as you haven’t proven anything, like you’re the best by having beaten somebody else out for the top honors. Second, it’s arbitrary, and nothing in concours should be arbitrary. It means that you can either get top honors, or lose them, depending all on somebody’s line-drawing ability, as the line can be set or moved at the whim of whomever is putting on the event, or maybe someone at the national level and in some place far away. And they may be clueless. Or you could be unlucky. And finally, it eliminates the need for classes.

So the question should be; do we want trophies to mean something, or just be a way to make everyone happy? If it’s the latter, then we’re doing a pretty good job of it by handing out trophies to virtually all entrants almost just because the person showed up. It’s made concours meaningless.

-Mark
From: P.H. Raker
Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2014 4:18 PM
To: scg-list at tiger.skiblack.com ; Mark Corbin ; corsabod at corvair.org ; whubbell at verizon.net ; virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: SCG- concours rules

Hello, All,
     After reading Mark's thread about CORSA concours class names, I also read the most recent concours rules as posted on the CORSA website (dated May2014).  I concur in that the class name has been returned to "modified".  Then I continued reading.
     I observed that the point spreads for the three award classifications have been changed from five points per award class to four points per award class.  

Past rules:  -     -     -     -    -   New rules:
85 - 89.99 - Bronze      -        88 - 90.99 - Bronze
90 - 94.99 - Silver        -        91 - 5.99   - Silver
95 - 100    - Gold          -        96 - 100    - Gold

     Can anyone shed any light on why this change was made?

Phil Raker
'65 Corsa Cpe - 140/4
'63 Greenbrier - 95/4




------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2014 11:58:53 -0400
From: "Mark Corbin" <airvair at earthlink.net>
To: <corsabod at corvair.org>, <njdl at sympatico.ca>, "Ken Hand"
    <vairmech at aol.com>
Cc: whubbell at verizon.net, scg-list at tiger.skiblack.com
Subject: Re: [SCG] [Corsabod] concours class name

All,

This is interesting. I just downloaded the CORSA concours rules off the CORSA website, at the mention from Karl Haakonsen that he would like to know the classification rules. According to the download, dated May 2014, the classes are: Class  1 Factory Stock (subdivided into original and restored), Class 2 Modified, Class 3 Engineering. No combining of classes, and no other classes listed. Primary and Seniors divisions remain.

No ?improved? class.

Hummmmm. News to me. Maybe I?ve been out of the loop with this.....

My apologies to all if this has taken any unnecessary time from you. Looks like the situation may have been remedied.

-Mark

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