NEMA changes to womens class.

[Rowdy Mouse Racing]

<Rant On>

So, after refusing to bump extremely fast girls up to the B class last year at the end of the season, and some complaining by the regular NEMA parents, NEMA has decided to make some changes. The womens class used to be based on performance and experience with a C class for new racers and a B class for faster racers and C class champions. Now there will be one class for 12-15 year olds with 105 two strokes and up to 150 four strokes, and the 16 and up girls will be on 125 two strokes and 250 four strokes. One NEMA official told me last year "The womens classes are the best competition in NEMA", now this has been all thrown away and a couple of faster riders will be able to win, year after year.

So, the new womens classes will be based solely on age and bike size instead of experience and overall performance. This means a 15 year old second year rider, will compete for points, sponsors, and contingency against riders having 10 or more years of experience. Some riders who have indicated to Jessi they may be racing NEMA next year are riders like Eden (National Champion) Regan (Winchester Champion) and Shannon (who smoked the B class a couple of times last season after starting with the C class a minute behind B), and several others who had things stayed the same, would have bumped up to the B class to race with riders of similar skill and experience.

NEMA was the last local racing org. to let the girls compete with riders of similar experience (like the boys do), but as one official said to me, "it's kind of a hassle" (to bump the girls up like they do the boys a tried and true system that has been working for years). Well paying $500 a week so NEMA can fill a class, and Pro riders, day riders, and National Champions can run wild on novice riders is a hassle too. As a newer race team I am not yet sure how loaded classes might effect the few sponsors we have.

At least with the classes based on performance, there was a place for less experienced riders to compete and have a chance to work hard and come home with something to show for it. The way you have set it up for this year girls who did not start racing as small children will be at a huge disadvantage.

It's too bad NEMA thinks it's "too much of a hassle" to keep the girls racing fair, fun, and "somewhat" competetive like the boys classes. You may gain a few day riders at the end of the season, but many newer riders will find racing pretty dissappointing. I doubt Jessi will, but some racers might just say screw it.

I wonder how many of you parents who had younger kids fighting for or winning championships as C class riders would have felt if your kids had to race the A and B riders, those first and second years of racing instead? You got to watch your kids work to the top of a class and then move on up to the next class, this experience has been taken from the girls. Why? "Too much of a hassle" or maybe "Don't want to lose day riders"? Either way, it's a cold shot to the girls (and their parents) who have supported NEMA to date..

<Rant Off>

Rowdy Mouse Racing, disappointed to say the least.

[katiecyr]

It'll only make Jessi faster. I found this when I started racing in the Women's B. I'd just give it a chance and if you still don't like it, then switch to a different organzation. This new change may increase numbers in the women's classes which is what NEMA really needs. More riders = better racing, no matter what skill level.

I was kind of in Jessi's situation when I started racing in the guy's 125 C class. I was getting last every single weekend for months. Slowly, I started improving. Now, I finish top 10 every weekend in that class and sometimes even top 5. I think the class changes will help Jessi in the long run.

[Rowdy Mouse Racing]

It'll only make Jessi faster. I found this when I started racing in the Women's B. I'd just give it a chance and if you still don't like it, then switch to a different organzation. This new change may increase numbers in the women's classes which is what NEMA really needs. More riders = better racing, no matter what skill level.

I was kind of in Jessi's situation when I started racing in the guy's 125 C class. I was getting last every single weekend for months. Slowly, I started improving. Now, I finish top 10 every weekend in that class and sometimes even top 5. I think the class changes will help Jessi in the long run.

Yeah, I keep forgetting that we are new to this sport. Not to mention I should be grateful for a third place in our first year racing. After talking to a Nema official, another good friend who has been doing this for a while, and of course Jessica I have come to some new conclusions. We will still be racing the NEMA womens classes but will probably concentrate more on the 125C class for now. I think Jessica did all right there this year. With her work ethic and detrmination, she may be able to make some noise there. Either way, she loves what she does, no matter what place she comes in, so Katie, and the rest of you, "Beware the Pink Flash"!!!

Rowdy Mouse Racing, learnin', still learnin' and tryin' to take it all in.

[katiecyr]

You and Jessi's thoughts on taking the 125c class on are very good. In my opinion, the guys are more aggressive, even back fighting for second to last place. Honestly, for 2009, I thought seriously about not even racing women's classes and just stacking guy's classes. I enjoy racing against the boys ten times more than racing with girls.

[Rowdy Mouse Racing]

You and Jessi's thoughts on taking the 125c class on are very good. In my opinion, the guys are more aggressive, even back fighting for second to last place. Honestly, for 2009, I thought seriously about not even racing women's classes and just stacking guy's classes. I enjoy racing against the boys ten times more than racing with girls.

I wonder if any others will step away from the girls and women classes? We may too, depends on what Jessi wants to do. I still think it could backfire on them if too many of the old girls leave, and with the new rules which will probably discourage new blood from coming in. Another issue is the limits on bike sizes right in the mid teens when kids are normally moving from one size bike to another. For instance, if Jessi wants to chase points this year, we have to decide if she is going to ride the 100 all year in the girls, or the 250 all year in the Womens. Some C class riders last year were on bigger bikes, this year, they won't even be able to race the class unless they buy another bike. One official told me he would just have to build his kid a bike if his kids were to be effected by the rules change, well yeah, he has a garage full of them;) He noted to me that the problem was mixed bikes at the first turn. I can see that a problem in the 85 class with 30+ gated, but not in the Womens C where most races we couldn't even post a 6 bike gate. With the new rules, last year in the Womens C there would have been two regular riders, Jessi and Gianna, and the last 3 races of the season, a couple of series jumpers. They could end up not even being able to gate a top three, much less a 7 rider field needed to keep these "series jumpers" coming in for the contingency. Of course another issue is bumping. What happens if a 12 year old comes in and smokes the girls class for 4 years straight?

They should have stayed with the classes that put the kids in with similar riders. One NEMA official told me earlier this year "the womens and girls classes are the best racing this season, so far. The girls have really stepped it up a notch". We attracted some pretty good riders later in the year too, and they all indicated they would come back, even with the rules the way they were... so now they go and change it? I understand they are trying to do this to bring in more day riders, but I think it is going to kill the girls classes...

I would like to see Jessi stay on the two stroke one more year, ride the 100 in the girls class, and the 250 in the 125C (boys and girls). She wants to run the 250 in the womens and in the 125C. My second choice would be to abandon the womens class all together as you are thinking, and let her go racin' with the boys all day long...

Rowdy Mouse racing, I will be the Red and Green Speedbump in the Parents class;)