There’s no doubt that the Restricted class is a competitive division filled to the brim with developing talent. The class is home to drivers ages 8–16 and is considered by many to be a beginner, learning, or transitional class. However, if you follow micro racing, you know it isn’t uncommon to see a competitive Restricted driver also competing in A-Class, Non-Wing, and sometimes even Outlaw, often finding success in doing so.
This raises a debate: Should drivers be able to compete in both Restricted and another class at the same time? Let’s talk about it.
There are many arguments for allowing drivers to compete in both Restricted and another class at the same event, as is allowed at the majority of races. Many of the drivers who race Restricted are more than capable of handling the added power of the other classes and reap the benefits of the additional laps that come with racing multiple classes.
On the other hand, if a driver is capable of handling the additional horsepower and being competitive in the upper classes, is there any benefit to continuing to compete in Restricted?
As the season winds down, the Tulsa Shootout will be on everyone’s mind, and there is no better example of the different combinations of classes teams choose for their drivers to run. With time to change setup or switch cars, and laps being more valuable than gold, more drivers run multiple classes than ever.
There are many drivers who will run both Restricted and A-Class at the Shootout. Some will have two separate cars, one set up for each class. Others will run A-Class with a Restricted engine. With the additional time between classes that a massive event like the Shootout provides, it isn’t even unheard of for teams to switch a single car and engine from Restricted to A-Class.
The reasoning for running a Restricted car in A-Class with a Restricted engine is usually similar to those who race Non-Wing Outlaw with a Stock Non-Wing car: track time. With no rule disallowing this and a Restricted car being legal in A-Class, there are few downsides to this tactic.
The controversy doesn’t usually stem from those who are running A-Class to get more laps in their Restricted. The debate really begins when a Restricted driver is running a separate car for another class and performing at the high level necessary to be competitive.
Every year at the Shootout, we see a few drivers take on the difficult challenge of running all five micro classes. We’ve also seen drivers who haven’t run Restricted during the normal season step back into the class to chase a Golden Driller, raising another controversial question: Is winning a Golden Driller in Restricted, or Junior Sprints, for that matter, as prestigious an accomplishment as winning one in one of the main four classes?
That question gets to the heart of the debate. If Restricted is primarily a developmental class, should a driver who is already capable of competing at a high level in other classes still be allowed to race there? Or, if Restricted is simply another option for competition for drivers ages 8–16, should those drivers be allowed to compete wherever they are eligible?
There are arguments on all sides. Some believe you shouldn’t be able to run any micro classes outside of Restricted if that is your chosen class of competition. Others believe you should be able to run Restricted and A-Class or Stock Non-Wing, but not Outlaw. And some believe you should be able to compete in any or all of the micro classes simultaneously, as is currently allowed at most, but not all, events.
There is also a fairness argument to consider. A young driver running another class to gain experience may benefit from the additional laps, but what happens when that driver is no longer simply gaining experience and is genuinely capable of competing for wins in the higher classes? At what point does allowing them to continue racing Restricted become an advantage over drivers who are using the class primarily as a developmental steppingstone?
In my opinion, this debate really comes down to how you perceive the Restricted class. Is it a developmental class designed to help young drivers build the skills they need to be successful in bigger classes, or is it simply another option for competition for kids ages 8–16?
So, what do you think? Are there arguments for or against limiting Restricted drivers to the Restricted class that weren’t mentioned in this article? Let us know in the comments!
