Well, the July issue of Fastrack News is out. In it is a
Tech Bulletin (#10) that is directly impacting me individually.
Although my engine is not mentioned (only the larger engines),
it IS a GT engine. Those mentioned were GT-1 cars, mine is
GT-2. But the Bulletin states "Only a Fiero equipped with the
original 4 cyl or 6 cyl engine may compete in class F Prepared
under the Fiero listings"
My little Fiero has been moved around in class for the 4th time
since it was built by this tech bulletin. First it was EM, then the
GT rules in 95 let it in FP. Then when the Lotii had nobody to
play with, it was moved to AP, the first of this year back to FP,
and as of July 1, it is now back in AP.
I tore the car down in August, 1998 for a complete suspension
and engine rebuild, to the tune of some $15,000+, in order to be
more competitive in AP against the lightweight Elans, the 1900
pound TVR's, and the V8 Sunbeams that were then in my class.
It took a year to complete this project, and the car had some
mechanical and suspension growing pains, but is now in the
dial-in phase. It has run in exactly 5 events since completion
(and has been classed in - now - 3 different classes since August
1999 for those 5 events). The car is still not running right, but on
the road to recovery.
When first built, it weighed about 1900lbs even, heavy for EM. But
when the GT rules were first allowed, it was at minimum legal weight.
Then a 50 pound penalty was charged for the engine conversion in
GT-2, so the car grew heavier. Last year it was up to 80lbs. Now,
as of July 1st, it has a 10% (or 190lb) weight penalty, or a minimum
of 2090 lbs.
That is where I have my tilt with this rulemaking, and where my car is
again made uncompetitive by rulemaking.
And just look at what this little 2.3L engine is asked to run against at
that weight!! What is the RSR minimum weight, for example - - DUH!!
It is like the vaudeville act of trying to catch the spotlight.
Well, I am getting off the merry-go-round. Please accept my
resignation ftom the NeOkla SCCA Board of Directors, all
committees, committments, and responsibilities to the SCCA
organization.
Please revoke my SCCA membership and Safety Stewardship.
Please remove my name from the Safety Newsletter list.
I am in process of comtacting both NASA and Equipe Rapide
for information about sanctioning an autocross organization in
Oklahoma - - after I check out their rules and rulemaking policies.
I will be joining either COMA or NASA for some road racing fun,
and continue to play at the local dragstrip. My love is autocrossing,
so I hope to be able to continue to play there too, but just under a
new governing body.
And I will continue to monitor team.net for autocrossing news, as it
is not SCCA specific.
I would like to thank the SCCA for the past 8 years. It has been - - -
REAL.
G
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