This post will be updated from time to time to show new rule proposals that have been submitted.  New proposals will be added to the top of the list.

Feel free to discuss these rules in the OCCRA Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/occraok/

*Updated 1/1/2019

Name: D.J. Blair

Proposal

I propose to change the mini 85 race from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. Right now the kids race a 50, 65, and 85 at 30 minutes. When they move up to long course they race 90 minutes. I think they should get more race time as they get older and move up classes.

Name: Matthew McCollum

Proposal

I propose a new rule for minis that involves parents not shadow your child if he or she races in the (a line or b line) of the minis all classes 50,65,85. The reason for this new rule is to allow the children to have a fair race with one another and be more independent and allow room for other races and so he or she runs there’re own race. I think that if a child has promoted them self’s or has been done by scoring then it’s time for them to be on there own and lean more on the sweepers for help or bystandards and in my raising of 2 races once they have began and were in the c classes as a 50 and 65 I do see a possible need for a parent to shadow and do not see a need to take that away due to a beginner rider that may not be comfortable with there machine just yet I do not see a problem if a parent wishes to shadow there child in (c classes) only, also this rule doesn’t stop if a parent is working the entire day but a do feel that if your sweeping you should pay attention to all races not just your child. I have the upmost conference in my child’s ability and I think everyone should but if your following the racer and are at they’re side then when is that fair to the others parents aren’t racing in those classes and by shadowing you might as well race for your child that’s my opinion hope to see this new rule for this Upcoming season!

Name: Loncie Tucker

Proposal

I would like to propose that we develop a 40+ intermediate class.
This would ease the mind of those members that had to be bumped from the amateur into the intermediate that they would still be racing in the same age group.

Name: Emily Cohlmia

Proposal

I would like to propose that Officers , regardless of whether or not they race at least one race, are full members in good standing, as long as their monetary dues are paid and membership, liability forms are signed. Currently, we have more than one officer that were not able to be a voting member because of this rule. I think that officers, due to their position, are competent and aware of what is going on in the club, and are able to make informed voting decisions…..actually, more so than racing members, even, in most cases.

Name: Allen Aboujeib

**Withdrawn at request of author**

Proposal

The following rule proposal is intended to solve several challenges that quads and bikes sharing tracks have on each other as well as create opportunities to unite bike and quad riders. We all just want to have fun but quads leave a significantly larger footprint on most tracks than bikes. In no way is this rule proposal meant to be taken as a strike against quads, quite opposite actually. In a time where quad races are fading and being eliminated across the nation, this proposal is in an effort to prevent that from happening with OCCRA.
OCCRA has about 25 total Long Course (LC) quads that race on any given weekend but still make the bike track very difficult to enjoy since bikes always go after quads. Quads and bikes have very different impacts on trails. Bikes at just about any experience level cannot get a flow or rhythm going since they are crossing back and forth over dual ruts as an example.
Whether racers, parents of racers or spectators are willing to admit it or not, there is a rivalry feud between quads and bikes largely because of the impact quads have on tracks from my research efforts over the last few years. There is very little opportunity for quad and bike riders to meet, ride together or hang out since most quads are driving home Saturday afternoon before bikes even show up for practice. I believe the following proposed shared practice and 3 main events on Sunday will change this. By accepting this rule proposal the only foreseeable resistance to this would be a very small portion of the club rearranging their schedule.
The Rule:  
All Short Course (SC) and Mini courses would be on Saturday. Sunday would be 3 Long Course (LC) main events with Quads always being the last race of the weekend (A/B/X, or B/A/X).
All LC machines (A/B/X) would have shared practice Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning during normal big bike practice times. I would imagine quad racers would be excited about additional practice time. With the last several years of consistently low LC quad racers the shared practice should not have enough of an impact to negatively affect bikes, nor bikes affecting quads.
The key part of this rule that should not be compromised is that LC quads will be the last race of the weekend to be effective.

Name: Donn Coffman

Proposal

1. Move Amateur (700s) up to the 400 or 500 line. The 700s are much faster as a whole than the 500s or 600s.2. Combine 50+intermediate and the 60+expert classes. Last season the 50+ averaged only 4 riders and the 60+ averaged only 5 riders. Could be called 45+ or 50+ vet class.3. Move the long course quads to the last race on Sundays. The quads destroy the track.

Name: Emily Cohlmia

Proposal

I propose to change this rule: ” Children under the age of 14 shall not be allowed to operate motorcycles, 4 wheelers, golf carts, or side-by-side utility vehicles, other than the vehicle they are racing, and only during their race or practice event and while traveling directly to and from those activities.”to “Children under the age of 16”.  There are several reasons for this:
1.  We have mini riders in the same class….some that are over 14 and some that are under 14.  This year, pit riding became a huge problem as kids were turning 14 and able to ride their race vehicle more than just to and from their event, per the rulebook.  These younger kids see their friends riding and then break rules to go ride with their friends.  Changing the age to 16 eliminates this problem and adds consistency because all of the mini riders will fall under the same rule regardless of when their birthday falls during the year.
2.  At 16, kids are able to be licensed drivers.  This is an appropriate age to be able to take more responsibility for safety, rather than at 14, which is not a licensed driving age.
3.  Just some statistics for you to add to the argument:  According to www.healthresearchfunding.org, more than 25% of fatalities involving atv’s happened to children under the age of 16.  Of the 2865 ATV fatalities last year of children under 16 years of age, 43% were under 12.  Nearly 75% of ATV crashes result in debilitating brain and spinal injury.  
Now…I know that we all know this is a dangerous sport and we take that risk to have fun, but let’s keep our kids safe by not creating additional unsafe situations by allowing the mini riders to pit ride.

Name: Emily Cohlmia

Proposal

Currently the rule book states:  “Class changes are approved by the Score Chairman. Do NOT change your line-up position or OCCRA numbers without prior clearance.”   I would like to amend this to state “Class changes are approved by the Scoring Director only.  If a rider addresses a class change at the scoring trailer, the scoring staff will contact the Scoring Director to make the decision.  Do NOT change your line-up position or OCCRA numbers without prior clearance.  If a class is changed without clearance from the Scoring Director, the rider will lose the ability to carry their first three race times to their new class. “I had several issues this year with riders who did not clear changes with me, as the scoring director, which, in turn, caused a lot of problems within Mototally.  It caused a lot of frustration and confusion to some other riders, and I had people mad at me for an incident that I was not even privy to.

Name: Emily Cohlmia

Proposal

I propose to add the rule:If a rider moves from B Long Course to A Long Course (bikes), Your overall points and/or times do not move with you.  I am only proposing this due to Mototally’s capabilities.  Mototally will not carry overall points from B to A.  I had several riders upset with me this year because of this situation.  We also had a situation where one rider may have qualified for A overall, even though he started in B classes at the beginning of the year.  Luckily, that rider did not complete the requirements for year end awards, or it would have been an issue.

Name: Emily Cohlmia

Proposal

This proposal is to eliminate this from the rule book. Last year we ended the Team Quad A/B, so this rule is no longer needed. “Team Quad A/B is skill based. You must enroll into the class based off of the most experienced rider. This would also include your alternate. However, officer discretion can be used when a bike expert is used as an alternate for the quad amateur class. Example the bike expert has never been recognized as a quad racer other than serving as a team alternate. For 2019, Team Quad A & B will be combined due to poor attendance.”

Name: Emily Cohlmia

Proposal

I propose to add this to the Quad Team Rules.  They are rather vague and this is just an attempt to make them a little more clear.
If a team member leaves the team, cannot race, etc. for the season, then their team alternate automatically becomes their new “regular” team member.  The team, then can appoint a new alternate for the remainder of the season, but the newly appointed alternate may not become the “regular” team member, unless in the event that a “regular” team member cannot race, leaves the team, etc.

Name: Emily Cohlmia

Proposal

I propose to add this to the Quad Team Rules.  They are rather vague and this is just an attempt to make them a little more clear.
If a team member leaves the team, cannot race, etc. for the season, then their team alternate automatically becomes their new “regular” team member.  The team, then can appoint a new alternate for the remainder of the season, but the newly appointed alternate may not become the “regular” team member, unless in the event that a “regular” team member cannot race, leaves the team, etc.

Name: Emily Cohlmia

Proposal

I propose that we change age calculations from “as of Jan. 1st” to “As of the first race of the season” for adult classes (long courses, Sat. bike race, and Women’s Short Course Quad–to exclude youth classes).  We changed this last year to match the mini’s, which states, “age as of Jan. 1st”.  We had several members, especially older members who had Feb. birthdays, had already turned a veteran class age requirement, but were not able to ride in that class the entire year.  This rule is beneficial to the young kids, to allow them to stay in the lower classes, but it has the reverse effect for adults.

Name: Emily Cohlmia

Proposal

If a rider changes classes that requires a different machine, i.e.  Mini 50 moves to Mini 65, they may not take points or race times with them.  
1.  The biggest reason is that Mototally does not have this capability without really messing up others’ scores.  I dealt with this more than once this year and it was a nightmare to work around.
2.  It is not fair, in my opinion.  If a 50 goes to a 65, they would be taking times from a centrifugal clutch without having to shift to a bike that has a clutch and has to shift, so the 50 that is moving up has this advantage, while also has a disadvantage of engine size.  It just isn’t a fair comparison and should not punish those who started out the year in the 65 class, for example.  
3.  50’s have shorter tracks a lot of times, so it is impossible to match times and laps when they aren’t running the same course.This should also apply to adult classes, i.e. if you start in a sport quad class, and you want to move to the utility quad class, it is not a fair comparison in machines, which in turn doesn’t make it a fair comparison in times.