WCMA executive would like to thank Doug Campbell and Gary Roberts for preparing the White Paper on WCMA's competition car classifications which brought these elements to the attention of the WCMA licensed competitors and initiating an active discussion at the 2014 WCMA AGM.
Changing the car classification has been a long time coming. Each year Wayne Schellekens WCMA's race director would be frustrated with me & others asking a similar question (over about an 8 year period) of the competitors. " Are you really happy with the present car classifications?" Each year the majority would say they were okay and we'd continue to tweak the rules and add another class or 2. In addition, to a few of us non-competitors asking about the present rules we had a number of WCMA competitors approach us in the off season or right after the annual AGM and ask about using other groups rules, and we have had a number of Albertans who race in the United States saying if WCMA's rules were more like the ones in the States they may come back to race in Canada. The time for a change was fast approaching.
In the fall of 2013 we received a few very pointed emails ( non-flattering) which encouraged me to re-read CASC-ON, CACC, SCCA & NASA car classification rules and to talk to a few members of WCMA motorsport community which many thought that it was now time for a major change . During a WCMA conference call early in 2014 I asked for volunteers to seriously look into the various possibilities. Doug Campbell and Gary Roberts seized the task and did a great job.
The vote took place at the 2014 WCMA AGM and it was decided by a significant majority to replace the IT, ST, and GT WCMA classes with class rules from or similar to NASA's Performance Touring and Super Touring.
We're now in our infancy stages and there are a number of hurdles to be cleared. We may see some bumps, bruises and the odd stumble, but I'm confident we're heading in the right direction and in 2016 season the WCMA's car classifications will be new, which we hope will serve the community well for many years to come.
The task at hand is now in the hands of the WCMA executive ( The majority is now the responsibility of the WCMA's Race Director Wayne Schellekens and Gary Lohues (WCMA Tech Committee Leader) and Uwe Terner, (WCMA's Chief Scrutineer.))
WCMA will use the WCMA forum for the majority of news releases/updates, possibly some on the WCMA's facebook page, & emails directly to competitors if there are any major announcements. WCMA will keep you up to date as we progress through this new exciting, major change.
Gary Leadbetter, WCMA President
Indeed, thank you guys.
It is brave of you to take on the whining, moaning, pissing, bitching, complaining, confusion and general resistance to change that comes with a new rules set .... And that is just me, who knows what everyone else will be like.