Dennis Hale wrote:
> Your fallacy is beleiving that all folks want
> restrictions and "level playing fields". Some just
> want to be gearheads without all the limitations a
> "level playing field" requires.
E-Mod
> Those building
> "outlaw" OSP cars are not going to be well served by
> SM. They may not even like DSM or overboosted turbo
> cars. 8-]. You are chasing off faithful, enthusiastic,
> committed enough to actually build special purpose car
> type of participants and hoping for them to be
> replaced by better, more controllable ones. Bad bet I
> think. Just one, simple, largely unregulated class in
> 57 is too much?
E-Mod
> We have never had a problem with just using the ASP
> pax for the OSP group,
I expect that after another year of development the SM PAX will be
significantly faster than ASP.
> but then any number would do as
> I wager NONE of the guys building those "killer" OSP
> cars cares about an arithmetic game giving credence to
> silly stock cars as competition.
Then run in E-Mod and use that number.
> Winning an open
> competition, not a rigged one, is all they care about.
> Whether you "rig" it with pax or SM regulations they
> will be uninspired to play along.
With the exception of a few very large regions which, of course, are free to
handle the situation as they choose, the attendance in E-Mod is low enough
that these folks have all the playground they need. We get over 100 entrants
at our events but hardly ever see a true E-Mod car. To get two or three is
almost unheard of. In fact, if I had entered E-Mod in every event I've
driven this year, I would have won more often than not in my car.
Now, I do think that SM is a bit restrictive, since there are plenty of
common mods that aren't allowed. Gutting the interior of a street car isn't
that uncommon among the drag boys. It's certainly not expensive, either. I'm
also at a loss as to why the engine has to come from the same manufacturer.
I don't know what this rule is accomplishing. Those are just a couple
examples.
But overall I'd have to say that SM does give the structure required for
National competition while still fostering some creative development. I'll
be there in a few more years.
Eric Buckley
7STR: 98 Integra GSR
St Louis Region
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