Good stuff John, I think by the gist of this competition thread we should read the Anglesey system across to Buxton too. We can't lose the train sticker though They'll still be useful for the startline marshal and bragging rights haha.
It's not fair and makes no sense, because the current format basically allows for the best two drivers to end up in the final. Ie. 1st place qualifier Vs 2nd place. 1st place battling 32nd place... etc... If you have a random selection, then your effective 1st place could battle the guy whos usually 2nd in qualifiying, in the top 32 and the guy that would normally qualify in 12th (for example) ends up battling 32nd place in the top 32, 31st in the top 16, 26th in the top 8, etc... so you end up with several anti-climatic battles at the end of the day. So in short, by random selection, you increase the chances of having what should be the best battle, long before the end of the event.
yeah its not really anything to do with last time, what im saying is if there is No quailifying then that level of driver would be able to enter. That was my only suggestion. but like you and Mike have said, just some kind of control would be fine. Mitto - At the level at buxton style comps. Say we have a top 16. The quilifying always goes like this EVERYTIME 1st - Grindrod 2-12- All the regular/or some decent new drivers 12-16 best of the rest. (not meaning to be offencive just fact) so it ends up being Grindrod more often then not knocking out the 16th, everytime. If it was random - 2 of the lower people could go against each other? either way when it gets to the top 8, all of the drivers in th 2-12 are all capeable of putting on a good/similar show. and in the end it will be one of the 2/12 that are taking grindrod on. its unlikely that in one side of the top 16/32 all the 12 decents will knock all of eachother out? it would make it more exciting for sure. however. There might have to be a practice run to allow drivers to at least learn the course/make sure they both know it before the battle! MORE importantly. Buxton aint BDC, it aint D1 theres no prize money, no big sponsorship deals. no bull shit. so it being 100% all equal and fair aint the be all and end all - So long as the judging is fair - the best driver on the day should still win.
Do you have a solution that doesn't involve single runs qualifying? That's essentially what we're looking for here.
As Mitch said, and I agree with Joe. I'd say having the same tired old top 16 (the better 50% of the drivers) going through from the top 32 is just as boring as having top driver vs. 23rd best driver in the final battle (or whatever). Who says the best battle should be at the end anyway? It's not an anti-climax as it just means a higher percentage of good action is on show throughout the event, rather than: VERY dull solo runs fairly dull good vs. bad top 32, mediocre (actually mediocre, not 3PIC word filter) top 16 of good vs. average driver, decent top 8, exciting top 4.
Without 16 vs 1 etc half the good drivers could well be up against each other early on so will be knocked out early, leaving ones who are nowhere near the best but lucky with the draws to get far in. Don't sound fair or entertaining to me. Same as football, when two good teams get drawn against each other early on, and shit teams get lucky with easy draws and go a long way. Which is why in all sports they do a 16vs1, or automatic byes to later rounds for better people, or so on, to stop the best ones coming up against each other early and to stop shit ones getting lucky draws.
Hooray - I only suggested having byes about a trizillion years ago In fact I remember sending Sweeps a message suggesting 'names out of a hat' for top 32 battles in BDC about 4 years ago. At that level of competition I think qualifying runs are needed though, so I understand completely why he ignored me The FA Cup is teams drawn out of a hat and that format is exciting in its own right. In stock car racing if you're good you have to start from the back! So why not mix it up, I say its a great idea And yes, limit numbers to 32, byes if you have between 17 and 31 drivers
Ah no - I've remembered now what I suggested to Sweeps: You pull names out of a hat for three battles, so each driver does three twin battles against three random opponents, add the scores up and the top 16 scores go through. It would take the same time as 32 drivers doing 3 solo runs (32 x 3 = 96 runs, 16 battles x 2 runs x 3 times = 96 runs)
Like Pikey says though, pretty much every non league competition is drawn out of a hat and is better for it. Like Mikey says, you still get great games, its just not always the last one thats best.
Trouble is though Doc, out of a hat is rarely out of a hat. Deffo isnt in the FA Cup, World Cup, or ANY big comp where there is vastly differing skill levels, as they have countless qualifiers and shit to even get IN the hat. And fuck me, in UK drifting there is vastly differing skill levels... But to stop all the Premiership teams playing each other from the start and some local park team getting loads of lucky draws and getting in the final (and losing 50-0 to a good team) they have a MASSIVE amount of seeds... Extra Preliminary Round, Preliminary Round, First Qualifying Round, Second Third and Fourth Qualifying Rounds, First Round, Second Round, and then FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINALLY, in the Third Round, after SEVEN chances to knock the shitter ones out, the Top Two Leagues (ie the drift equivalent of the only ones with a hope in hell of winning) get to join in.
Good point well made Stav, I didnt consider all the prelims TBF. The issue here is that if the number 2 driver meets number 1 in the first round, we arent going to see the best two in the final (or even the second round) ........... there isnt any way of avoiding that without qualifying or a pre seeding round. The question is whether the drivers are happy with an arrangement like that - my guess is they would be at Buxton but maybe not so much in BDC or something.
All it does is put extra emphasis on the #1 position and slightly de-value the #2 and #3 position. You're either going out there to win, or you might end up being #17 instead of #2. I think that's the only flaw, although is that a flaw at all, as the winner still wins? Maybe we're brought up to beleive that the "podium" is the important part when actually lets face it, #1 is the important bit! Hey, if you're #2 you still have to beat 4 people from the top 32, so you deserve it, even if you are worse on paper than other people and had an easier ride to the top. If you come again next month, you probably won't end up #2 again! That's what'll show people skill - consistantly ending up near the top, and from a "series" point of view it makes things fair again.
So you are sad because he's a better driver than you and earns the number one spot every time by busting his balls... hmm ok. Seems legit!
the problem is without format some will get an easy ride to the top, where the next bloke might have to battle his way there which is unfair.
I'm not sad about anything? I love going against grindrod. Here is a idea almost turning the only negative into a positive. John wants the crowds entertained and drivers from the off. Having some if the better driver battles earlier on might actually work In Benifit, keepin crowed Interest and attendance up! Like John has said in other posts bigger crowed etc.. Cheaper (as I it needs to be) drifts hell if it gets as big as stock cars are in buxton john will be able to pay us to turn up!
I only suggested it if the seeded top 16 from the previous round got to draw from the unseeded in their first battle so there shouldn't be an 'easy route' and to be honest isn't that the whole point in licensed classes? I've only competed every year since 07, so maybe I'm missing the point ;-)
I like that idea, makes it much better. I'm pleased with this thread, it's thrown up some interesting stuff which is what I wanted.
