Originally Posted by
oespinoza83
When I raced as a 4, my results only mattered compared to other 4s. Meaning, if I was racing a 4/5 crit, I was only scored as if all of the 5s did not exist (for final ranking and field size to determine points payout). Now that I am a 3, the same applies. If I do a 2/3 or 3/4 crit, I am only ranked against the 3s in both races. This shows now that USAC's website has your "Upgrade Status" shown now with the number of points you have/need.
As far as the whole local crit thing, who cares? I know plenty of guys here in Houston that only race the local weekly crits and maybe the local road races (within 1-hr of town). Racers travel/don't travel for various reasons. Everyone has different schedules, lives, goals, budgets, etc. and being a "God at the local crit week-in-week-out" doesn't mean, or even matter, to others around the state/country. What I am trying to say is, I have never heard anyone say "yea so-and-so is a beast cat 1, but never races outside of Houston so he isn't good".
TL;DR. Race your bike and stop worrying so much. Races come and go. Racers come and go. Teams come and go. Enjoy the effin' ride and quit being in a huge rush to get it all in so fast.
I read the rules as suggested by someone. If you are a 4 and do a 3/4 race, your absolute place counts. And you get "Credit" for all the 3s and 4s you beat. You get credit for both. However if you are in a 4/5 as a 4, they only place you against the other 4s.
Maybe this is a new-ish rule, I don't know. Maybe it was different back in your day.