One thing I would like to add, for me personally, I don't lose any sleep over this issue. I've finally gotten myself to the sharper end of the novice pack this year and at that point you'll be racing those people soon enough either way. Might as well start chasing them now so I can keep improving!
There seems like a clear distinction between a guy like Bryan Evans who, despite doing trackdays like a full time job (jealous), only started racing at the very end of 2015 in Houston and true sandbaggers. There will always be guys that come out of nowhere to dominate for the reasons that Dugger articulated. Is that sandbagging? It's definitely not gaming the system. He's new and should have an opportunity to dominate in novice. But one of my main reasons to be in novice is to pick up speed and skill from the guys ahead of me. I only race in the B's and C's, i'm gridded up only against other novices. There are still 4-5 people that I can pick up a good bit of speed from in any of my races. If it got to the point where I was winning every race, I'd be doing myself a disservice by not bumping up to expert. Who else is there to learn from in novice if I were to be leading my races?
What is undeniably sandbagging, and quite disgraceful in my eyes, are they guys that got bumped then protested and stick around as a novice to dominate. Where is the fun in that? They clearly have the skill to be in the front pack and in one case in particular are racing against experts anyway (in a wave start race). I really like Duncan's idea of keeping track of bumped riders and forcing them to move up to expert. A penalty of not having points in the rookie expert series because they chose to sandbag in novice before getting force bumped mid season seems appropriate.
So my questions are as follows.
1. It's my first year racing as a Novice sprinting with the exception of 2 rain races at the last round of 2015. So since I just got my yellow shirt off and won in SBBNV, SBCNV, and F40 MWNV and run 40's and 39's at MSRH does that makes me a Sandbagger???
2. If I'm asked to voluntarily move up to Expert and I decline due to I feel the need to work on my racecraft to be a safer racer for my self and other experts before I move up, I am a Sandbagger???
3. If I were to move up during my first year to expert if asked, do my points go with me? Do I start at very back of grids due to not having started in the expert races?
4. So being a talented rider/racer in my classes is a bad thing? I started riding just over 1.5 years ago, so wining in my novice classes makes me a Sandbagger?
Maybe the Expert's not meeting the criteria for expert status, or running sub standard expert class times, need to be bumped down or you know "practice makes perfect"? I practice and get as much seat time I can manage. I have a goal to WIN WIN WIN! It is a mind set I have, and with this I work hard to meet my goals. I'm just trying to shed some light on this.
I'm just going to put my head down and race!!! All this is nothing I want playing in my head and UN-focusing me from my goals. I don't like feeling that people think I am sandbagging, but really don't care! I have no plans on bumping until I feel my race craft is at expert levels, and at the end of the season I' am promoted, I will not protest it like others do! But I will probably not bump during the season being my true first year of Racing.
Sorry, didn't mean to reignite the flames in this thread.
No Bryan, no one is calling you a sandbagger. If you go re-read what lead to this point in the thread it was discussing folks who were refusing promotion at the end of the year.
No Bryan I don't believe you are in this category.its your first real year.
I think you should enjoy it,and try and dominate every race .just when bumped do the right thing you will be a great addition to the expert ranks even now.
Bryan, you are a good friend and your hard work is admirable. I'm going to offer my answers to your questions as I see it
1. Just do your best and no one can call you a sandbagger.
2. There's no replacement for seat time and race experience. Everyone should spend the time in novice to hone their racecraft before moving up when they have done just that.
3. Refer to the rulebook. If no mention of it, then no points ...
4. Refer to answer 1.
I wish every racer nothing but the best. Good luck this season! I know your drive to win will give you much success.