> On Stock -- Just because the newbie may line up alongside John Ames
doesn't
> mean the rules have to allow the newbie to be outspent by megabucks to do
> so.
Well, that's the rub, innit?
If you give an allowance for a perfectly sensible reason, you, as a
rules-author, have to be prepared to have that allowance stretched to the
limit by people with the inclination, ability, and money to do so.
That's a direct result of how Ames and the less-serious rub shoulders on a
regular basis.
You really can't have one without the other, because in trying to stop the
serious people, you create unecessary heartache and financial burden for
the less-serious. It is one of the bizzare axioms of motor racing that that
more restrictive the rules, the more expensive preparing the cars becomes.
Look at the costs of Showroom Stock vs IT.
> Ames used only by way of example here as a top-level driver -- not
picking on him
> in the least!)
Ditto.
> And as for YOU! -- "I have programmed my own engine management, I do my
own
> datalogging, I rebuild and revalve my own shocks..." <sigh> well I've had
to
> deal with the likes of you forever -- people with the talent to build
their
> own speed and then drive it well.
Well, thank you... but the truth is a little more pedestrian. The fact is
that I don't have an upper-level driving talent, so I have to compensate by
being a better engineer.
The pointy end of that stick is that EVERYBODY can become a better engineer
by studying the material. It takes only the desire and the time.
What's more... "A rising tide floats all boats" or as a recent professor
put it "Knowledge shared is knowledge squared" The more people who learn
how to do all this fancy engineering stuff, them more people who are
exposed to it, the more who learn, etc etc etc.
The technical ability of the average National-level autocrosser has
exploded in the last few years. The preparation levels are way, way higher,
although I don't feel that the net amount of money being spent is all that
much higher - it's just spent more effectively.
> whatever advantage you derive from your
> own talent (and hard work applying it!) is earned and deserved.
I'm glad you said that, because I note a very great deal of the push
towards "I-classery" comes from people UNWILLING to apply their talents and
efforts. At the root of *most* complaints of "my car isn't competitive!" is
someone who hasn't tried hard enough yet.
Like it or not though, autocross is really starting to come of age.
DG
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