• To bring together the best FEs and FCs from around the country; and
• To bring together as many FEs and FCs as possible.

At the Gold Coast Nationals there was a clear emergence of two distinct classes of entrants. As the event has become more popular and more prestigious, it has attracted greater numbers of top-flight vehicles. Whilst it is correct and the desirable outcome that these cars should take home the most illustrious silverware, it is important to recognize the achievements of the other 80% of the entrants. The average vehicle at the last event was of far higher quality than the average vehicle even as recently as 1995. But the top end is even further ahead, and at the Gold Coast there was a group of vehicles that could have held their own at any car show in the country. It’s not an ideal outcome when one or two cars take almost every trophy between them, but at the same time systems where entrants are limited to keeping just one trophy result in lower-placed entrants taking home awards they know they don’t deserve.

To this end, the Nationals Delegates have agreed to a new system of Awarding Trophies, known as the “Top Ten” system. In summary:

• Every entrant will be professionally judged;
• The 10* vehicles with the highest scores will be identified (irrespective of their Stock/Modified class). Each of these will receive a “Top Ten Finalist” trophy, a major award recognizing them as being in the highest echelon of vehicles.
• The balance (known as the “Club Class” vehicles) will then be separated in to categories according to the current “Dynamic” scheme (see below), and trophies awarded accordingly.
• The “Minor Awards” (Best Exterior, Interior, Engine Bay) will be distributed amongst the Club Class vehicles, according to the Judges’ scores in those various areas.
• The Grand Champion Stock and Grand Champion Modified will be awarded to the two cars with the highest scores in each group (who will be amongst the Top Ten)

Some of the benefits this scheme brings are:

• Fairer competition amongst cars of equivalent quality;
• A wider allocation of trophies: roughly the same number of trophies will be awarded, but spread amongst more entrants, without diminishing the efforts of those at the very top;
• Introduction of extremely prestigious trophies: to be recognized as amongst the Top Ten entrants is high praise indeed;
• The Minor Awards will be more reflective of their original purpose, by recognizing the best aspects of the cars that don’t quite make it into the Top Ten.

The dissatisfaction of some entrants that there was no peer voting whatsoever at the last event has also been noted and addressed. From now on there will be a small number of peer-judged (or Entrants’ Choice) trophies in addition to the ones listed above, the exact number of which will be decided by the host club.