Too young for womens class!!!

[Motogrl307]

:( I just got protested for being TOO YOUNG for our local womens class. I've been racing it all year with my friend who knew my age but now I'm hurting her point standing so she protested me now they took all my points but said I can still race the class if promoters let me! I race all the WML series this year and last. Finished 8th last year and was only 10 now I'm 11 and won the DMSports AM and Mini class this year and my local district gives me the boot for not being 12. Does this make any sense?

 

[awilson40]

You Go Girl....

That really stinks, How old is the women who protested ???
Race against the boys and kick their butts. Think how good
that would feel ;)

Tell ya what, give us an email to the promoter and enough info so we can
tell him the score ( racing number, nothing personal you need to be safe on the internet) And lets all email the promoter so she can race.

 

[blackhawk468]

No it doesn't make sense. Ask to see where it is written in the rule book if there is any. If it is not written down that you have to be a certain age then, I don't see why you can't race in that class. Also usually womens classes are "Open" so that usually means all size bikes and all ages. Fight it, and don't give up.

 

[nikki]

In district 17 - we have had one girl racing the women's class back when she was on 60's (she was probably 8 or 9) and there were no problems. I would get a copy of your district's rule book and check that rule out - that just doesn't sound right. Around here - it's not women's 12 and up - it's OPEN women's. Makes me think a 4 year old girl can race it on a PW if they want.

 

[Motogrl307]

My dad is working on it now. The promoters know me they used to be outlaw tracks and I started racing women on my 60 now there ama and they say that's the rule why should we break it now? Oh well the girl better look out if I do get to race. Lap traffic can be tough! And she is lap traffic. We have a forum board here for ohio and boy is everybody giving it to our dis for me.

 

[mx547]

i have a ten year-old daughter that races a ktm 65. some tracks let her ride women's open, some don't. at one track, i signed her up in women's, they called me up to the tower and said that she couldn't ride. i asked why not? they said she was too young. i asked how old she had to be. they started hem-hawing and then said that she had to be on at least a 125. i told them that i didn't mind following the rules as long as they weren't making them up as they went along (which they obviously were). they made her ride the 60 class.

 

[MONKEYMOUSE]

hmmm

That is odd.My nabors sisters doughter is onley 10 and races :think. theres to reason why you could not race! i think you should look at the rule book and make shur theres no rued about that.

 

[oldguy]

District 16 (Wisconsin) has no age restriction on top or bottom for women. As far as I know we follow the AMA rulebook in classifications.

I think it is great that the young girls get to go out there and mix it up with the rest of them. How many 7 yr olds can say they actually race against a true pro woman racer? We have at least 2 every race at Aztalan (The pro is Kirsten Raemisch):cool:
The nice thing about the womens class is they have enough sense to look out for the little ones. The fast girls are racing as fast as they can but always give the younger riders plenty of room- to bad it wouldn't happen in the mens classes:(
Let us know your districts email or website and I am sure they will get straightened out

 

[firecracker22]

Originally posted by oldguy
The nice thing about the womens class is they have enough sense to look out for the little ones. The fast girls are racing as fast as they can but always give the younger riders plenty of room- to bad it wouldn't happen in the mens classes:(

That's because we're smarter. :p LOL Just kidding!

Motogurl, if I were you, I'd fight it tooth and nail. That's crap. Good luck getting it sorted out and keep us posted.

 

[Motogrl307]

Thanks everyone my district is D-12 the site is www.d12ama.com. I posted each track address earlier but I guess someone took it off so you couldn't bash them.

 

[MBFTY]

Its even worse...

Whats even worse? I cant even race anything over 90cc! Im not 16, and therefore, I cannot control an ATV over 90cc... Or so the feds say. I weigh over 200 pounds... Can you see me on one of those little ATVs like the little kid down the road rides in his driveway? Doubtful...

There definitly need to be some AMA rules changed for us regarding age...

 

[AJ Waggoner]

Whoa people!!!!! :)

It is a slightly grey area in the AMA rule book!
however that is because it doesnt directly address the womens class.
It may need to - and then it may not!

it CERTAINLY addreses the youth verse "amateur" or "adult" clases...in verious sections or in various ways.

1. Before you roast me-
i really feel badly for the girl that posted..
that situation isnt fair at all that her comptitor waits all year to protest her!
bad sportmanship:(

Plus I realize many 10 or 11 year olds are fully capable of taking on any competition or racing situation in the womens classses..

Nikki-
D17 would fall back to the AMA rule book if anyone had ever protrested her those years and yes it was brought up many times!
but no noone ever officially went thru the paperwork to protest her.
and i'm glad as it wasnt needed.

Dave-
D16 would also have to not allow that situation under a true protest and i'll explain-
If you are the undersigned insurance carrier for the event...would it make you sleep better at night because "women look out for the little guys"?
I agree that they do..
( and yes sharla they are smarter..men should LEARN from them)
but that doesnt mean that they always will !
or that in a competitive race situation they should have too?
Liabilty is unrreal if you see what mean?

Example- of a D17 pres in court situation
"but your honor- women always look out for the lil ones!! we dunno how this happened" -" and yes we know that all the regular classes are age restricted in every way for safety, but you see sir, the womens class isnt as big so we just combined them? "

The real issue-
you have a "womens mx class'
you have it "open" ( alledgy)and it is amateur( open to adults) or youth
you could have 4 year old on a PW 50 competing wheel to wheel against a seasonewd 26 year old on a KX250.
scary ..
double and triples possibly on the track..whatever.

Sorry this is why there are youth and adult amateur classes and why riders wanting to ride lets say "250C" or "125B" must be 12 years old.

The distinction between youth and amateur is 12.
you could not let a 11 year old ride in 125B

you could not let a 26 yeard old ride in a youth class.

Since womens is considred a amateur class open to "adults"
you can not "by the book " allow a 11 year old to comptete in it.

You wouldnt even THINK about letting a 26 year old man ride competitively in a 7 to 11 youth class on a 250? so the reverse is true from an insurance liabilty standpoint! male or female.This isnt a gender issue.

Keep the big picture in mind before writing any hate mail to the promotors or organizers..

Overall yes the womens class is usually a small turnout ( unfortunantly ) and a lot of promotors let riders of all ages compete..which is ok by me..
Most use common sense and the local ref knows if the young rider in question endangers themselves or other riders while competeing and can make a judgement call for participation that day if he feels he accepts that responcibilty...

but if another rider protests- it just comes down to the rule book or common sense .it is not an "open age " class..
4 year olds agaisnt 40 year olds just should not happen .
and noone would think of combining a 8 year old boy on a KX65
with a male "open age" adult class.

if the womens class was popular this thread wouldnt happen..or even be thought of..

Again ..under the regular circumstances that motogrly competes in I'm sure its fine that she rides the womens class..its just that if someone decides to protest....>shrugs<


Sincerely,
AJ Waggoner
AMA D17 president

(sorry this was soo long ..its just come up many many times, how to safely divide and age group a class that doesnt have enough participation to divide it)

 

[AJ Waggoner]

MBFTY

Whats even worse? I cant even race anything over 90cc! Im not 16, and therefore, I cannot control an ATV over 90cc... Or so the feds say. I weigh over 200 pounds... Can you see me on one of those little ATVs like the little kid down the road rides in his driveway? Doubtful...

There definitly need to be some AMA rules changed for us regarding age...

Totally different issue but it needs addressed to.
Just so you know-I am an AMA ATV congressman and chair the committeee to make those ATV rules.
I have presented to AMA Congress last year to change that age grouping -
it is insane to say the least!
I asked that they continue to work legally on the manufacters and Federal CPSC to have a re- look at that silly ruling.

However you already answered the question in your post...

in your post you say "according to the feds"

and thats exactly it!!
it is a Federal Consumer Products Safety Commission ruling that limits the age..

not the AMA.

so again be careful before sending hate mail or think the AMA doesnt care or wont recognize a problem..

sorry I come off soo defensive!!
I dont mean too..
its just that so many people dont realize your AMA reps probably understand the situation and have likely been dealing with it for a long time.
Probably before you bought your bike.
Some issues are just not that easy to solve when outside forces like insurance or Federal beaucracy is involved
:)

Sincerely,
AJ Waggoner
AMA ATV Congerssman

 

[MBFTY]

Originally posted by AJ Waggoner
MBFTY

sorry I come off soo defensive!!
I dont mean too..

You dont! Im glad to hear this... Where do I go to support you?

 

[Hondaxrguy]

You said they took away your points, but said you could still race. Well, I'd say keep on racing! Show them how badly you're going to spank them next year when you're 12! :p

Jeremy

 

[AJ Waggoner]

MBFTY

Thanks for taking the post in the right light.
Sometimes the net doesnt convey exact meaning well.
I'm from illinois so it is AMA D17.The election process for
AMA Congress for me is by the clubs and promotors of D17.
no worries as whoever they elect each 2 years would still strongly fight to beat that silly CPSC ruling down.
a 200 pound 15 year old on a 90cc is very unsafe and isnt that what the CPSC is supposed to be doing? providing safe guidelines for products?

If you want to help..write your Fla state congressman.
The truth is the AMA has decent influence but not the influence your state congressmaen nationwide would have on the CPSC !!
and the CPSC is the real problem on this issue.

 

[oldguy]

AJ thank you

for clearing up my misperception (and lack of knowledge ) of the rules. Your points are all very valid and need no defense.
I also agree with your statement that waiting til late in the season to protest is poor sportsmanship and I believe that aspect is what caught my attention and ire in the beginning.

 

[AJ Waggoner]

Oldguy-
Dave, i came off a bit defensive lol..
it really should be addressed DIRECTLY in the rule book and Ive asked for it to be changed for several years.
That way women riders wouldnt have to dig thru the whole book to try and get a ruling on it?

Ill tell you why it hasnt probably-
if you directly address the issue what happens?
no more combining the now "spelled out in the rulebook classes"
and it would eliminate the way the majority of the tracks run the women class..with the low rider turnout..not nessacarly a good thing?
but "by the book" it would be safer liabilty wise for the promotors.
i think most just prefer to "let it ride" the way it is and if someone gets fired up enough to protest a young kid that is beating them..
its sad and unlikely , hopefully they wouldnt want to look so petty?
and it seldom happens..it does come up often but not under an official protest.
When it happens it falls back to the current youth verse amateur book.

Not sure whats best to do with the rulebook ?
and i dont think the AMA is either untill participation grows.
but any input here I will gladly pass on at AMA congress?

 

[Motogrl307]

I just don't think girls should have to wait til they're 12 to race they're own kind. I don't mind racing the boys I've been doing it since I was 6. But I know alot of girls just starting out at 10-11 that don't want to race the boys to start out. I'm a very advanced rider and can hold my own with all the girls including the 125s and the tracks know this very well. So I think the 12 yr rule is pretty discriminating against those of us that can ride. Next year I'm going to race super mini and schoolboy on my 100 so I think I could handle the womens this year but the rule says I can't. Oh well I'm off to Binghamton to race the WML with all the OLDER girls on 80s-125s-250s

Bye

 

[AJ Waggoner]

Motogrly- i see your pouint..
but the same could be said for hundreds of 11 year old boiys thatr could be fine in the 15 year old or 30 year old classes.
but that is NOT how the insurance carriers look at it, and for a fairly sound reason.

Its the same as there are some 13 year olds that could "safely" drive a car..and certainly far more safely than a lot of drivers a see on the road!!
but not many will get a drviers licence at that age.
A line has to be drawn and its not always fair, but it usually has the majority of cases best interests at heart.
in your case it stinks for you personally ..
but its just a year away.

Good luck! Roost um!

 

[wardy]

AJ.........................................

I want the book royalties in the next post of this nature..............heck in fact i bet this one thread gave you arm pump!

Nikki, I always wondered at that time who was faster on the track? Philo or her mom? it seemed that MA could beat her some times at a dead run! :think

that whole age thing got stirred up by one little tiny e-mail i sent Roger 2 years ago.........boy did I step in that stuff !