No idea if this reads ok but taking the numbers who entered for 2009 S1 Rotax and then the numbers who did timed qualifying including exlcusions and 'no shows' as a % of the number entered, then the drop-out rate for R1 to R5 (R5 uses the entry lists as an indicator) looks as follows:
Seniors - entered = 47 R1 to R5 raced = 43, 37, 37, 33 & 33 = 70.2% still doing it or 30% who for whatever reason have dropped out
Juniors - entered = 46 R1 to R5 raced = 45, 45, 42, 40, & 37 = 80.4% still doing it = pretty good
Minimax - entered = 52 (impressive) R1 to R5 raced = 45, 45, 39, 33 & 34 = 65% still doing it.
Ok there's lies, damned lies and stats and the crunch has affected people and it is the holiday period AND maybe JUST maybe the new format has put some people off once they realised they weren't going to contend for major honours.
But the fact is whereas Junior is holding up well, the nos for Seniors and Minis has dropped and I believe some of the KF (2) classes will show the same.
So is it a symptom of the current climate or something a bit broader that the sport needs to address. Or just a rogue spike in the numbers!
As I said, I hope grids for clubs continue to be or start to get healthier and that the review has enough teeth to identify what needs to change.
We're left the sport in March but clearly I'm still 'spectate' and I'd rather see a leaner but more efficient industry than one that stretches itself so far there isn't the quality of competition starting with grass-roots karting.
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