Jim I agree with everything in your post but would add the following caveats:
-Novices, either first time out or first time at a new track, really don't have much of a knowledge base to help them make a decision regarding go or no go. You see cars out there, your instructor is ready to go or you've been signed off on. The indications are it is safe to go--no crashes yet-- despite any natural aversion you might have in gettng the car on the track. Combine that with an instructor that may be pushing to you to speed up or take a more agressive line can lead to a newbie doing things that he/she might not ordinarily do. Nobody likes to look like a candy ass at a macho event, especially after they've spent [
B]all[/B] that money on the car and the event.
To sum it up, what you're saying makes perfect, logical, sense except that there is an emotional component to this that can tip the balance for the novice to roll the dice rather than step back from the table. I think the more experienced driver will have a better feel for his and the car's capabilities to help him make those critical decisions.
-Mixing skill levels in run groups--especially the novice group--i think is a big no no; even worse when the weather gets bad. The novice ends up looking at his rear mirror more than the track. At this event, there were race prepared cars that were sprinkled in both the C & D groups that looked to be tuning up for the PCA race on the weekend. I had a 944 blow by me--roll cage,guttted interior,race exhaust--on wet track driving and cornering like he was on rails. I'm guessing a true 'C' class driver doesn't circle the track in that kind of rig.
Anyway, my wife and I survived, learned a lot and look forward to another DE at this track; I just hope it won't be
raining.