With the happy realization that Steve and I really are not in huge
disagreement overall...
> BTW, just because SP and P go in different directions from Stock, does not
> make one logical and the other not -- they are just different. Today they
> must be accepted as such.
>
> OK, I understand your point. But I still hold that the GCR Production
> rules, and therefore Solo II's Prepared rules, are not logical. I
> understand how and why they are what they are and that "competition
> adjustments" have perverted the original form. But still, a $10,000 full
on
> race motor breathing through a stock carb for the purpose of limiting its
> potential is not logical. Neither are wheel limitations that have been
made
> irrelevant by cantilever tires. Perhaps we will just have to agree to
> disagree on this one.
Yeah, probably. :-) Of course, it must be realized that the $10,000
full-on race motor is a phenomenon of the late '90s. So are 15:1 engines.
Once upon a time a 10.5:1 motor was a hot setup and $3,000 was outrageously
expensive. Thing is, limited by the induction, engine builders have found
other ways to boost power (and it always costs more to do it). It's basic
Darwininan theory -- no matter how restrictive the rules are the mechanics
always will find a way around them when the ultimate objective is to go
faster.
> Adoption
> of Steve Bollinger's proposal allowing wider wheels in P would all but
> eliminate the problem. (This is of course another issue altogether and I
> make no secret of being a supporter of Mr. Bollinger's proposal.)
And I'm not. <sigh> again we must disagree. :-)
I am not because there is no problem needing this solution. Cantilever tires
are a fact of life now in smallbore Production and Prepared cars and that
fact is not likely to change anytime soon. Bollinger's now-dormant proposal
is therefore a solution seeking a problem. Bollinger was reacting to reports
cantilevers might go away, and he wanted to maintain the same tire patch
(also unnecessary, but another argument entirely). Fact is, tiremakers are
still making cantilevers and are expected to continue to do so. One reason
they were said to maybe be going away was that the tiremakers could no
longer get the trick material from DuPont that was used in the carcass.
Alternate materials have been found and is being used. Hoosier's tire
actually has improved some because of it.
Road racers use the same wheel and tire, and more of the tires, so if
cantilevers are ever going to go away it will be felt there with much more
immediacy. As long as those guys have no need to fix this, there is no need
for us to make any such pre-emptive move. Doing so would only benefit the
wheel manufacturers by forcing all of us to go buy new wheels. I have wheels
that work just fine, thank you. Don't need new ones. Rather spend the money
elsewhere.
--Rocky
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