> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rick Brown [mailto:rbrown7@covad.net]
> Power to weight is not insignificant, nor is having ~50% more
> wheel width insignificant.
> In making intelligent and fair classing decisions in prepared,
> the contributions of power, weight and rim allowances all need
> to be considered.
Agreed. That's what I was driving at.
> In 1994, the RX7 gen 2 turbo was moved from
> FP to BP with much concern over their power to weight deficit to the
> V* cars. As a result, RX7's kept there FP weight but were given the same
> rim size as V8 incumbents with unintended consequences to relative
> performance potentials of the two cars.
> My point is that current efforts to find the right prepared class for the
> 1.6 and 1.8 Miatas will yield a better outcome with all factors considered
> and not overemphasis on power to weight. If we were a drag race or
> road race organization, ok, but autocross emphasizes handling.
Agreed again. The key is to look at all factors. If *any* is out of whack,
it can dominate the overall equation. That's why I brought up
Power-to-weight in the case of the Miata since it seems (to me) to be out of
whack with the current AP contenders. The reverse case can be made, of
course, that putting a 10" wide wheel on a 1650 lb, narrow car (Miata) will
give it *such* a handling advantage that no manner of power will overcome
that advantage. I think that one's a harder sell, though.
What it does all point out is that this type of car mix *will* create a
large disparity in course dependency. The cars are so disparite that one
will always have an inherent advantage on any given course. Some see that
as a good thing. I don't. Not when the disparity is this large. But hey,
I'm just one guy with one opinion. :-)
--Andy
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