This is a mailing to both lists even though the topic is that of 'World
Recognition', because Keith Turk returned with his thoughts on the 14th to
the Land-Speed List.
As you will no doubt expect I do not share all of Keiths views and have
titled this mail Lost Opportunities if the effort falters now after just 44
days. These are my views and (once again) they do not represent any
consensus from the list members - because we have not got that far.
The desire for a unified LSR scene appears to me to have become a desire
for the rest of the world to just accept that the SCTA should be the
"Authority" on how the "average racer" can set a World Record without any
changes in their operations at all three US tracks. This disregards the
fact that there are BNI Intrenational records for some of their racers
available from this organisation at only Bonneville and that the SCTA have
no method of accommodating ALL types of racing vehicle.
History shows that when the SCTA wanted to set up an "Authority" that could
offer US racers the level of world recognition that the FIA can, the group
(the LSA) did not gain acceptance.
The term 'average racer' was used by a list member to describe all those
who do not run lakesters or streamliners and are thus excluded from the BNI
International runs - ie most of the racers by number !!
********************
"Nothing much was accomplished" - well I have 650 mailings that have given
me a new insite into the feelings of some concerned racers and organisers
of land speed racing and land speed record attempts around (some) parts of
the world. A lot of time WILL have been wasted unless some positive
'standards' are offered to the racers. Do we just accept this statement as
fact and forget the effort. Is it because racers are preparing their cars
and they are no longer interested in the winter pursuit of bench racing the
rules?
There was a view that for the tracks under 1.5 miles of running length
(from start to end of the timing trap) a STANDARD could be achieved to
accept how these events (on dirt and on airfields) can be run. Single
passes were going to be acceptable, but the speeds would NOT be called
'World Records' as they were not run even in the same way as at Bonneville,
let alone the rest of the world. The 132 foot timing trap used on these
shorter courses was a stumbling block because of its drag racing origins
and that the world sees longer distances (1/4 mile, kilo etc....) and the
list never moved on to addressing the types of vehicles eligible to run
etc.....
When it came to the long course(s), where the quickest speeds were likely
to be achieved, the progress faltered when strong statements were being
made. These included (but were not exclusiveley) concerns about the 'ease'
with which records might be set, that FIA recignised speeds might be in
some way downgraded and that deviating from the current SCTA way could NOT
be achieved. Of course there was a view that the speeds on shorter courses
should be counted as well disregarding the difference of setting speeds
through a 132 feet trap and 5280 foot timing trap.
Of course there were many mailings which set the conversations off up
different paths away from the true focus for the list, but if the important
core items are extracted quite a lot was thrashed out but not enough yet to
offer to the racers for them to decide whether the Standard was a
worthwhile addition to the LSR scene. Remember that word 'addition',
because AT NO TIME was I prepared to 'take away' what racers have already
achieved if a National Club recognises their efforts as a record speed.
The outcome could have been an added 'Standard' which racers could aim for
that would be recognised worldwide amongst an enlarged peer group.
In Keith's mailing of 14/3 he suggests for the first time that, all that is
required is to assemble the existing speeds from the four USA tracks and
Australia on to one list. You then select the fastest as the World Record
in each SCTA or ECTA or DLRA class. The DLRA website is nearly there with
this exercise and their headings for their databases are "World Car Record
Holders" or "World Motorcycle Record Holders". The only track that they
have not listed in the USA is Maxton. Of course to me the world is a bit
larger than USA and Australia and just four/five locations - where are the
UK car and bike records? let alone the speeds set on oval tracks in the
USA, Italy etc........ Guess what - we who are not listed race to
different standards and classes. But I would suggest that at this time
they are equally valid ways.
I guess that the statement made by a list member that "not enough people
are interested" is now true and indeed the opportunity has been lost.
44 days is not long enough to have given the concept a fair chance but I
guess many want 'instant' results these days.
Malcolm Pittwood, Derby, England.
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