2013-12-09 09:17:19.2
Eddie believes that the changes being made to the sprint championships for 2007 are a giant step forward in Club100.
For 2007, the top 15 drivers from both Heavyweight and Lightweight championships – plus a handful of other top drivers who compete in the occasional race – will be racing in a separate Premier sprint championship next year, with the remainder of the 100 plus competitors fighting it out in the Heavyweight and Lightweight championships. There will also be a football style relegation and promotion system in place to ensure a more level playing field.
Eddie has said he feels Club100 are spot on with this new change: “I think it is the right way to go. In recent years the numbers have been dropping off in the sprints. Mainly, I think, because there is less in it for the lesser drivers. Club100 has really become a victim of its own success – it is such a fantastic series and such good value for money that it has attracted some awesome drivers who dominate. Even to make an A final is an achievement – something that very few ever manage, and I think this puts a lot of people off.”
Eddie himself sighted a lack of competitiveness as one of the reasons he quit the sprints.
“Although I was a regular A finalist, I was only ever fighting for a top 10 place in the A final. Although this is extremely good in Club100 terms, it’s not where I want to be, and that is one of the reasons why I stopped.”
When asked if this new change might convince him to come back, Eddie was typically cagey: “It’s possible. I never ruled out a return to the sprints anyway but this new change definitely makes it more appealing. Who knows? We’ll have to see what happens this year won’t we?
As usual at this time of year, the subject of weight reared its ugly head again. The weight limit for the new Premier sprint championship will be 83Kg to compromise the two weight classes. Club100 are considering doing the same for the Premier Endurance series, which Eddie will be competing in for IMSD Racing. When asked on his thoughts on this Eddie replied
“This is always the hot topic during the winter season. Personally I would rather they left it alone. I have worked hard this year to lose weight so that I am spot on for the endurance championship. Being 6ft 1, I am about as light as I can possibly be and still be deemed healthy so I would rather they wouldn’t raise the weight limit because that will piss me off. I also think we should be encouraging fat people to lose weight, not appease them by raising the weight! Having said that I’ll do whatever Club100 decide.”
