New scoring system introduced

From: Arthur Abraham <vidsport@uskonet.com>

The MSA Off-Road Car Racing Commission is to implement a new scoring system in this year's national championship, and has been forced into an early change to the 2002 calendar.

Crews in this year's series will earn points for class and overall positions in the Special and Production Vehicle categories, with all events to count towards the championship. Points will be combined to determine class and overall championships in each category, with the system similar to that used in the national rally championship.

Class points will be awarded for first to eighth position. Points will be awarded on the following basis:

1st -- 12; 2nd -- 9; 3rd -- 6; 4th -- 5; 5th -- 4; 6th -- 3; 7th -- 2; 8th -- 1.

Overall points will be awarded in the Special and Production Vehicle categories on the following basis:

1st -- 25; 2nd -- 21; 3rd -- 19; 4th -- 17; 5th --16. From 6th place to 20th place points reduce by one point per position with 20th place earning one point.

The new points system also carries a sting in the tail. A competitor in a higher class beaten by a competitor in a lower class loses points and will be scored as though competing in the lower class.

"We feel the new system rewards competitors across the board," said MSA Off-Road Car Racing Commission president Piet Swanepoel. "This is particularly true of crews from a lower class who beat competitors in a higher class."

On the calendar front the final two events of the season, the Carnival City Casino 400 in October and the Lichtenburg 400 in November, switch positions.

-saorc/msa