Some people might get an inkling, then, of the difficulty in
attaining National status for a new class that can't draw
from ANY existing class to fill in participation numbers.
The toughest road any class has ever gone down is F125.
The only way to run in it is to ante up and buy the machine
to drive. One hell of a leap for the 90% who only autocross
and have no intention of racing W2W with it. All the other
Modified category classes have been broken off of existing
ones, providing an instant participant base.
The reward, though, is at hand. Participation is still increasing
on Regional and National levels, and the SCCA/WKA alliance
for a Constructor's Championship has provided a shot in the arm.
The class advantages have been around all along (including the
low [$170/set] cost of tires), and NO ONE can spend big money
to gain an advantage in performance.
Bleed the bank account, the college fund, or the plastic cards on
technology that MAY work in your (pick a class) ride. OR, consider
F125, the class where the DRIVER counts more than any other class,
and the speed/$ is unmatched.
In a message dated Thu, 8 Aug 2002 14:00:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
bthatch@juno.com writes:
>
> Here's the problem. Lots of people won't develop cars for a class that
> *might* become a national class. So, the chances of the class maturing
> without national status is practically nil. That's why we have to build
> to national status first, with cars that aren't necessarily developed to
> the full potential of the rules.
(emphasis is mine)
Alan Sheidler
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