Eric Linnhoff wrote:
[snip]
> Otherwise I kinda like the SST idea. Anything that brings more car guys
> and gals into our sport is a good thing. Even if it means creating more
> classes.
This is the crux of the matter as I see it. And unfortunately, is the
downfall too. "If you build it, they will come" is what everyone seems
to see here. Ok, say we make this class and we begin to attract the 10s
honda crowd. How long do you think it'll be before someone really
-builds- a car for the class and walks away from everyone. Now you've
got an E-Mod car with a license plate and an interior. With the
virtually limitless modifications allowable in this "SST" class, you
have the potential for -rampant- costs to the competitor. And I use the
word "competitor" deliberately. The casual enthusiast is out there just
to play anyway, the competitor wants to win something, even if they know
they're out of the running. They'll still -want- to, and they'll still
try. I'm a competitor, but at the National level, I'm still an also-ran.
But I'm making every effort to make myself and the car faster. But
that's why we have preparation rules limiting what one can, and cannot
do, to a car. Without limits, the biggest wallet usually wins.
Why do these Street Mod, OSP, STU type classes work at the local level?
Because it's a great way to attract the car tweakin' enthusiast. But how
long do you think that these people will continue to show up when
someone like Steve Tamandli decides to put an interior and lights back
in his car? No, that's not likely to happen, but what will happen is
someone out there with more money than common sense will really -want-
to win that national championship in SST, and build a heinously
expensive car that will (when driven well) demolish the competition. And
all those 10 second hondas will go back to the 1/4 mile so they can feel
good again about winning.
Don't get me wrong, I think that we need as much new blood as we can
get. We'll always need that. It keeps us going. I just think that
creating a "street" E-Mod is not the way to go to attract stable long
term membership.
Just my opinion, and I welcome reasonable debate...
-Josh2
--
Joshua Hadler '74 914 2.0 CSP/Bi - Hooligan Racing #29 - CONIVOR
'87 Quantum Syncro - aka stealth quattro
jhadler@rmi.net
http://rainbow.rmi.net/~jhadler/
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