From my point of view, grasshopper (age does have its priviledges!),
John is correct, and I agree he said it too bluntly.
The real question is, would these folks have run if there were none of
these new classes? Probably the answer is no...because:
1. They'd have to put their classes back to stock or
2. They'd be uncompetitive with SP because they don't want to go that far
(I'm referring to STS)
However, SM and SM2 allow more than SP, and many of those cars could run
in a Modified class. :) In fact, they allow more than Prepared in some ways.
As these new classes develop (it'll take about 10 years), another layer
of classes will be proposed and accepted because there will be a perceived
need to "fit the era," just as the STS, SM2, SM, and STX have fit for this
era, and just as SP was developed about 20 years ago on top of the then
existing Stock, Prepared, and Modified classes.
Maybe it all revolves around "I want a class for ME!" :)
Whether new classes 'good' or 'bad,' I don't think anyone can say. But
their development certainly keeps the sport, my favorite, alive. And that's
a good thing. :)
--Pat Kelly
----------
>From: "Ian Green" <iagreen@ucdavis.edu>
>To: "Bay_Area_Autocross_List" <ba-autox@autox.team.net>
>Subject: RE: Round 6 results are posted
>Date: Tue, Dec 10, 2002, 10:14 AM
>
>> -------------------- Begin Original Message --------------------
>>
>> Message text written by "Jerry Mouton"
>>
>> "
>> Interesting, the new Street Touring S & X, and Street Modified /SM2
>> have been really successful in Slush. Average entrants
>> were greater than any Stock Class, or Mod Class.
>> I guess National was onto something, huh?
>>
>> Jerry Mouton "
>> -------------------- End Original Message --------------------
>> Jerry,
>> Yes and No.
>> There's often a forgotten reason why a different class succeeds.
>> One key reason is that it's a method of avoiding the experienced--and
>> faster--drivers in an existing class.
>> Just check how many drivers in the noted classes are not new to
> the
>> scene and who previously competed in an existing class.
>>
>> --John Kelly
>>
>
> Thats pretty harsh. Don't let too many of the STS guys hear you say that.
> Their usually are several STS cars in the top PAX so I don't know if its
> all that easy.
>
>
> Ian Green
> 2003 Team Coleader
> UC Davis Formula SAE
> http://mae.ucdavis.edu/~fsae
> 97 Honda Civic CX
> http://www.geocities.com/stscxr
>
> "I never let school get in the way
> of my education." - Mark Twain
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