Some really thoughtful observations on the event promotion pro's and
con's lately, and I can't resist throwing in my two washers' worth:
I raced SCCA on and off for 30+ years. Being a budget racer,
preservation of the car was always uppermost in my mind. "Better to
finish third than to lead a couple of laps and go home with a broken
car" was my philosophy. That philosophy is not for everyone, and I also
respect the win-at-all-cost folks if that's what they enjoy.
When I came to Vintage Racing, I was delighted that the majority of the
racing was done in a manner that promoted preservation of the equipment.
BUT -- there's more to this than just our love of the cars. It has to do
with AWARDS. There will be an entirely different character to the races
if awards for finishing position are offered. And it doesn't matter if
it's cash, trophies, or points -- we ALL change from Mr. Hyde to Dr.
Jekyl when awards are offered. All this is true in SCCA racing - the
level of intensity and risk-taking is directly proportional to the
rewards available -- regional non-points races v.s regional points races
vs. National races vs. Runoffs.
THEREFORE -- we it seems to me that we can gain advantages for the sport
by promotion of selected events but yet avoid the crash-and-burn
mentality if we continue to avoid awards.
Comments?
--
uncle jack in frigid iowa
TR4 Rallye Replica vintage racer
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