Thomas Bryant, Ardun Doug and the List,
No apologies for some repetition.
If your 'local' club was empowered and willing to run an event to "21st
century rules", rather than the present way, why should it cost more? It
would not of course. (I do not wish to have a 'man from Switzerland' being
paid to travel to New Zealand or Africa or India or the USA every time).
There would in my mind be no great organisation and it would not be a
'Governing Body' in the negative sense that those two words are being used.
'Governments' exist to raise tax to pay for what they do in our name -
oops !! no politics on this list, sorry Keith.
Please remember we are hoping to attract ALL Nations to adopt these 21st
Century Rules - this has to be affordable for the newcomers as well.
If you are NOT interested in competing against or having your speed
performance judged against speed record contenders using similar vehicles
in other countries to be the Worlds Fastest in your class - it has been
said before, you stick with what you are used to. But if your Peer group
expands to the whole World ........ who knows what that could achieve.
The FIA and FIM do NOT organise anything in speed record breaking terms -
they are not that type of organisation. They recognise National Groups who
look after their counry's activities. They have set down procedures for a
method of record attempt operation and some classes (mostly with just cubic
capacity divisions) which have not altered much in the last 90 years. Once
again - the FIA do NOT recognise racers in a body/chassis- class division
way, so 97 % of the cars running at Speedweek/Bonneville are not yet
legitimate International vehicles. I will accept that the Aussies are
doing their best to redress this. ( FIM are slightly better with the bikers
and class variety).
Is the DLRA group affiliated to the FIA?
The FIA/FIM are only "active" in record attempts when an Individual or team
decides to ask (read PAY) for a permit to run an International attempt.
How many of those have there been in the last three years?
The answer would suggest that there could be just be a better method.
Venues - if you wish to travel the world looking for the fastest venue to
be the fastest in the world then you can (should you have the money). If
you can compete on a track in your home country then that is your own
choice. The track differences have to be forgotten about - provided the
timing trap rule is consistent - unless it is a comparison of National
Speed Records that you want. Should we want to be picky, do North-South
(approx) runs at Bonneville equate with east - west runs at Pendine Sands?
Britains left Pendine Sands (174 mph) for Daytona Beach (276 mph) and
Bonneville 409/425etc mph (history), but there are other venues around the
world that MIGHT takeover from Bonneville (in the future) - I just do not
know. Is this one of the reasons for negative thoughts on this subject?
Would it matter if once again Bonneville did not have the overall fastest
wheeldriven record(s). That was the case in my lifetime - 403 mph Lake
Eyre '64 vs 394 mph Bonneville.
1% rule - Mike J is probably right (as the clocks were of a reasonable
standard) - it stops some of the potential for weather assistance. Do we
need to have a wind speed limit as the FIM do? - another layer of
officialdom for the car world !!
Malcolm Pittwood, Derby, England
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