Club racing management recognizes the emotional attachment that many racers have with "their" number. The problem is "their" number is now "all of their" number. Accordingly, we are implementing a program to resolve these conflicts. First of all, we are actively applying the "eligibility" rule that has been in the rulebook since day one. It requires a minimum level of current (year prior season) participation to retain a permanent number. If the participation level is not reached the racer forfeits the right to retain the number as his/her permanent number. This will eliminate many of the duplication conflicts, but where duplications still exist among eligible racers, we are grandfathering the existing number holders so long as they continue to maintain their eligibility. We have also instituted a second conflict breaker, ... the home region of the racers. When we have a permanent number assigned, we allow one duplication nationally so long as that duplication is not in the same region as the primary number holder.

OK ... so we have grandfathered eligible duplications even if they exceed the normal limit of two number holders. We continue to allow every number to be assigned twice as long as both racers aren't in the same region. All that means we still have potential for duplications at the track. Who gets what number in that event? Up to one month prior to the event, the answer is the racer with the lowest license number (the more senior member of our racer population). The other, more junior, racer will have to adjust his number to prevent duplication with other permanent number holders who are at the event. Normally an extra "0" or "1" will do the trick, but it may take more than that if you are the second #4 and there is already a #14 or #40 registered at the event. Within a month of the event it reverts to first-come, first-served.

So where do this take us? This process immediately eliminates many of the duplication problems by dropping the permanent number assignments of those who are ineligible according to the participation rule. Among eligible racers, through the grandfather clause, it minimizes the requirement for new number assignments by allowing us to exceed the usual limit of two racers holding the same number. Over time attrition will ultimately take care of those excess duplications. The process places a value on those who have been racing with us the longest, but rewards timely sign up for events. That means that problems can be addressed sooner rather than later and reduces angst caused by number changes at the track.