...it does show the lack of priority for Prosolo and the people that support it.
And on my way home, this is what struck me as why the mid-season decision to change the date bothers me so much.
ProSolo competitors pay more per event ($85 vs. $76) than National Tour
competitors. Divisional entry fees are even lower ($60 for a SEDiv, for
instance).
ProSolo competitors
must attend
at least two events in
order to qualify for the Finale. Those attending the National
Championships don't even have to run one event; they can simply pay a
waiver instead. While the waiver is more than an entry fee, it is still
significantly less than an event weekend when gas, hotel and food is
factored in.
ProSolo is supposed to be a showcase event for SCCA Solo (look at the
rulebook and read what it says the "intent" of ProSolo is). I feel a
bit betrayed by Howard and Cindy, especially, with this decision,
because by moving the Finale back for a
warmup day that not
everyone is going to be able to participate in anyway, it shows not
just a lack of priority for ProSolo, but a lack of respect towards the
ProSolo competitor and the commitment one must have as a ProSolo
competitor. They have continually expressed their support and
commitment to the ProSolo program, which is why I can't understand why
they would undermine people's belief that ProSolo is a worthwhile
program by jerking the competitors around midseason -- yet again
(remember the 2003 "qualifying" debacle?).
How many non-ProSolo people are going to be able to do the warmup? 200?
300? What makes them so much more important than the 200-250 who are
competing and have
already made the commitment -- through
competing in ProSolos already this year -- to be there for the
Finale? Why can't
they be the ones come out on Friday instead?
Karen
Karen Kraus
2005 SCCA SEDiv FS Champion
2007 SCCA DSL National Champion
2008 SCCA ProSolo L1 Champion