BriSCA F2 STOCKCARS WORLD OF SHALE CHAMPIONSHIP PROPOSAL FOR 2013 AND BEYOND

The following article appeared in the BriSCA F2 Stockcar 2012 World of Shale Championship programme at King's Lynn Stadium on Saturday, September 22

Introduction
If memory serves me correctly, when the World of Shale Championship was first introduced to BriSCA F2 Stockcar racing in 1995 the intention was to try and create a World Final standard event for the shale racers of the sport. While of course those who specialise in their racing being on the loose do have an opportunity to go for the gold on a familiar surface, shale World Finals are a much rarer occasion than those staged at tarmac raceways.

RDC last had the honour of staging the World of Shale Championship on August 28, 2010 and it was, not for the first time a tremendous stockcar race. Coming at a time where Mildenhall was really starting to enjoy a purple patch for an excellent standard of F2 racing which continues to this day the race had everything I think you could want to see from a stockcar race. A big field of cars, chock full of pre race favourites and dark horses capable of springing a surprise if things went their way. An action packed first lap claiming the chances of more than one pre race favourite, a thrilling tussle between the leaders at the front dicing their way through the traffic and chaos around them, a determined effort from the back of the grid from star names who didn’t have the best of starting positions and a cruel, yet exiting twist at the end culminating in a new champion being crowned. 

The race had everything. Yet it still didn’t feel quite like a World Final. 

Now maybe that’s not a bad thing. After all there is, and should only be one World Final but is it wrong that we should be striving to make the World of Shale as special and as prestigious an occasion as possible. 

I would suggest that a large portion of this blame lies at the door of the shale promoters. After all, all the other ingredients are in the pot. Some of the best stockcar drivers in the business, battling for a title they have worked all season long to win and doing so on, let’s face it, the best racing surface for stockcar racing. 

But somehow, even after nearly 20 years, the dots haven’t been completely joined and for a race originally designed to be similar to a World Final, is it still just another championship race for BriSCA F2 Stockcars? Albeit a bloody good one. 

So since August 28 2010 I’ve been rattling ideas around in my head about how we could raise the stature of this magnificent event and bring it closer to what was originally set out almost 20 years ago.

Imagine my delight that when, as this year’s event approached and subsequently the focus was soon to switch to the 2013 championship at Mildenhall, I e mailed our fellow shale promoters about my ideas to enhance and improve this event I discovered that my desire was universally shared. 

It seems RDC is not the only shale promoter with big dreams for this event and perhaps the realisation that we share these aspirations with TSR and Startrax is one of the biggest steps in getting to our ultimate goal. 

In fact we have already taken one big step forward this year thanks to TSR’s involvement of overseas shale racers in the event, something I am still amazed has taken so long to achieve. The inclusion of these increasingly competitive racers is a huge landmark in this championship and will help set it aside from the majority of championships in the sport. I sincerely hope that this year is the start in a long and healthy relationship between our overseas shale racers and this event. 

So enough with the back story and waffle, here is the important bit and the proposed changes for next year’s World of Shale series which we hope are somewhat subtle but will add much more excitement and achievement to the series. It has been suggested that the new format remain in place for the next three years while the event cycles again through the three staging shale promoters and all the while we continue to discuss ways to further improve the championship. If these changes we propose for next year prove successful then we have already discussed what could possibly be the next step in 2016. That is of course some way off yet and much can happen between now and then but we hope these changes may at the least spark new interest in this championship and help raise its profile both next year and in the future.

Thanks for reading and to those competing tonight, the very best of luck. Michael Coventry.

World of Shale Championship series 2013
The most significant change to the series centres around the championship race itself and the qualifying criteria. Traditionally the championship grid has been a somewhat simple case of the top 32 drivers from the final qualifying chart that are present for the final taking to the championship grid and starting in points order. 

We are suggesting reducing this so only the top 20 in the final points standings are guaranteed a starting place in the championship. This would be the first step in moving the event closer to the World Championship format where 20 drivers are seeded through prior to the event via the World Semi Finals (we don’t feel at present these is sufficient interest in the series for Semi Finals). Admittedly this would cause some disappointment for those who finish 21st through to 32nd but we hope it would increase the achievement and importance of earning a top 20 place and also in turn increase the importance of the qualifying rounds, which are already a highlight of the shale season. 

From there the next 28 to 32 drivers in the World of Shale points chart (determined by the staging promoter in accordance to the ideal number of race cars for the championship venue) would compete in a World of Shale Championship Consolation Semi Final which would be the first race for the formula at the World of Shale Championship meeting. Drivers would, much like the World Final Consolation Semi Final, line up in points order and the top six would qualify for the Championship and start on the final three rows. 

The grid would then be completed by eight international entries who, again much like the World Final, would line up on rows three, six, nine and 12. Their grid positions could be determined by a race at the championship or time trials or, perhaps better still, like they have this season where their grid order has been determined by events at their home raceways so, like the UK drivers, the leading contenders find themselves towards the front of the grid. 

Furthermore it has been suggested one final adjustment to the qualifying system where drivers will receive five World of Shale qualifying points for every round they attend. While attendance points are somewhat unusual in the formula it is hoped the introduction of this will create more interest in the series. With most of the top drivers in the series attending most of the rounds anyway, attendance points are unlikely to have much impact within the front few rows. However it could make the world of difference between who makes the top 20 and who misses out and it could also make a difference in who qualifies for the consolation semi final which we hope in time we also be considered an achievement among drivers, in particular the lower graded racers who make up the backbone of the shale scene. 

The long term vision
Again, these proposals are just the start of our ultimate goal for this event. It has become very apparent, very quickly that the three shale promoters in F2 Stockcars share the belief that this event could be, and perhaps should be, one of the biggest events of the season in the formula and has great potential to be a far more prestigious event than it presently is. This belief is further supported by the current strength of the shale scene in the sport and this is a crucial starting point in trying to enhance this race to match the same standard of the formula on loose at present. 

But it will not happen overnight, this is a long term plan and again our intention is to modify the format for 2013 and let this develop over the next three years while continuing to review what the next step would be in time for the next three year cycle. 

Thank you taking the time to read these thoughts and proposals and more importantly thank you for your continued support of the BriSCA F2 Stockcar World of Shale Championship. Subject to confirmation from BriSCA we hope to stage the 2013 Championship at Mildenhall on September 7 and very much look forward to your company then.