great discussion here. for the record FPP is very much in favor of unified rules for the 2.6 class. we have many pulls in Ohio and we plan to add more in the future. ultimately it is up to the current members to decide on the rules for 2011. we want a class this will permit the local guys to enter and participate regularly along side the USA-EAST regulars.
however we have seen it in the past. as the class gets more advanced the number of 'locals' start to bail out. now the Fair says - 'Why no local trucks??" and we start over again from the bottom.
we now have three Diesel Truck classes for points with USA-EAST. our pulls are seldom 'trucks only' due to the fact that Fairs want variety. If we have to add another entry level class to the mix the number of hooks for the existing three diesel truck classes will suffer in the long run. and i might add the quality of the show will suffer as well.
OK, Rick, I hear you.
How about this, how about we start heavily promoting the "local only" (2.6 NoFHW) and "county only" classes that you're already putting on, maybe toss in some incentives, and grow it.
I know you don't want two classes and I get that. But with the local only, I think you effectively already have a second class. So let's make the most out of it.
And with these classes, if I were King for a day, I would let it be known far and wide that "ringers" from the big-boy class are not welcome in local-only....maybe tell USA-East regulars from NADM 2.6 that they need your permission to participate BEFORE the pull even starts. Like anyone inside the top 8 in points in the big class, sorry, come and spectate.
The other thing you could do for the locals, open it up to that county, AND adjoining counties.
You are never going to balance a "pro" class with daily drivers. Blending is impossible...far too many have tried and ended up with both groups pissed off. So working with what you already have, could be successful, I think.
About the only thing I can think of to have daily drivers run alongside the big trucks, is to give them a 50' handicap. Kinda like bracket drag racing.
Otherwise you will junk up the 2.6 class so bad that your top runners, the ones who come every week, will likely go elsewhere.