Although Greg McKnight and Harry Marchbank won
yesterday's 2WD RSAC Scottish Rally outright, they won't get maximum points in
the ARR Craib Scottish Rally Championship. And neither will Iain Wilson and
Chris Williams get runner-up points. Instead, points will be allocated by amalgamating
the total finishing times between the 4WD Rally winners and their 2WD rivals.
Which set me thinking.
If this year's RSAC Scottish Rally comprised two separate events with
two separate sets of results over identical stages, then why not award separate
SRC Points to both sets of winners? Or even half points to each top 14 as
opposed to full points for the top 29? For sure it would spice things up
towards the end of the season.
Such a scheme would not affect Class points as the two separate events
were divided along current SRC class divisions anyway, so no change needed
there.
And given the fact that we have already lost a round earlier this when
weather stopped play in the Borders, then such a scoring option might have
added a little extra drama and excitement to the 2018 competition.
Sadly it can't and it won't because 'rules is rules' and they can't be
changed part way through a competitive season, but perhaps it might be
something that organisers could look at in future.
The Scottish Tarmack Championship already awards its overall championship
points on a class based system as opposed to first over the finish line, and
whilst that works for them, I'm not quite advocating the same system for the
forest rally competition.
The RSAC came up with yesterday's format before the MSA relaxed its rules
on rally seeding and running order just last month, so rallies may not need to
run such a format in future, but why not? And why not award equal points for
both sets of winners?
If just two events in each championship season were to run such a
format then it might inject a little bit more uncertainty into the final contest
outcome, much like 'playing the Joker card' to score double points in the British Championship - but only better!
As I said, just a thought. We-ll, I think it's a good idea.
