matt
I agree that 50+/60+ and masters Bs in the same race makes no sense. The 50+ has a huge spread, some really fast guys (could race As) and some really slow guys (would be MOP masters C level). This doesn't lend itself well to racing with another field that is larger and in aggregate is faster (master Bs). If you had 50+ race with the beginners, and start first, it would allow the fast guys to race unimpeded and the slow guys would not screw up the beginners race that much (and it is just beginners anyway, nobody is racing for glory or an upgrade, just to get experience, so what if it is a little screwed up; it will help prevent sandbagging).
The 50+ and Masters B fields individually are bigger than a lot of the other races, combining them makes a mess and does not lend itself to competitive racing. If your field (masters B or 50+) does not start first or you don't have a call up, in my opinion there is never a chance to really "race" because you are often just being impeded by slower riders. At least for the master Bs, we kind of have an alternative to just race Bs (talent level is basically the same, just about half as many racers so the race can sort itself out without major impediments) and that is probably what I am going to do in any Crusade races this year. I would be curious what the basis is for combining these fields? The only thing I like about it is that I have to travel pretty far (I live in Corvallis) for most races, so it gives me time to get there.
Also just an observation from other sports with wave starts or multiple races. From race-to-race and year-to-year, adjust the start times, it is not like the race schedule and order needs to be sacred. I understand, yes it is easy to remember if we use the same schedule for every race, every race, every year, but some people like to get up early, some people apparently like to watch NASCAR some people don't. It sounds like nobody likes being the last race of the day because everyone leaves. If you mix it up, you can give different fields and opportunity to be showcased.