>>Don wrote:
>> Wow, that would instantly kill all FF particpation in Solo.?
>> Their index is 0.045 stiffer than ours, which is over 2 seconds
>> on a 50 second course.? We don't even have a chance against FA
>> cars, let alone DSRs.
Greg wrote:
>It wasn't a serious suggestion :-) but it could happen if we (BM &
>CM) don't make the Magic Number. That is exactly why I suggested
>sending letters to the SEB!
Warning: Long Rant.
For anyone who didn't keep up with recent rule changes, the minimum
participation requirements for Nationals classes was recently raised to a
phenomenally high 17. That means if a combination of open and ladies
participants in a class doesn't total 17, the class could be eliminated or
combined with another class. For 2007, the total for CM is 18. Gentlemen, we
are in trouble.
We'd still be able to have a class for regionals, but not for Pro, Tour, or
National Championships.
Just some history on CM. In the middle of my term on the SEB, in 1989 the idea
came up to make CM a FF1600 class. While debating what cars also should also
go into the class, it was decided to put S2s, Solo Vees, and F440s there (there
was no F500 at the time).
Funny aside: Chuck Sample was positively adamant that F440s "weren't cars" and
he wanted them to go into AM. We overruled him. This turned out to be
unfortunate.
For the first few years, IIRC, about 1/2 the class at Nationals consisted of a
combination of Solo Vee and 440. During the ensuing years, that group
campaigned very hard to have their own class.
I left the SEB at the end of 1992. In '94 (?) the SEB gave those folks their
own class. My position, sent via several letters to the SEB, was that the only
reason those cars were so slow compared to FF1600 was because no one was
serious enough to build them to their potential. People were coming out in
beat up, run down Red Devils worth $900. I felt that if someone prepared one
seriously, they would at least come close in time to FF's, and why make a class
for another group of vehicles that will only be a few tenths off the existing
class. I was ignored by the SEB.
I had hoped that many, but clearly not all, of the SoloV and 440 owers would
sell off and buy FF1600s. But of course, once they got a class of their own,
that did not happen.
Over the years, SoloV owners campaigned for more and more allowances, which
they rec'd. They still want more.
So now we see an FM class that is almost twice as populated as the original
"home run idea" class of CM. I'll say it again guys, we are in trouble and if
our numbers continue their steady 10 year decline, we'll lose our National
status sooner than later.
The SEB has demonstrated that they are standing firm in their belief that any
class that can't draw 17 should not have national status. I do not believe
that letters to the SEB will convince them to allow us (or BM) to drop below
17. In fact, over on the SCCA discussion board, the chairman of the SEB stated
in plain terms that he felt the cutoff number shouldn't have been 17, it should
have been 24. He used nifty catch words like "relevancy" and such. I don't
think he really understands what SCCA autocross is all about.
It will be the ultimate irony if CM goes away (to be "combined" with BM), while
FM continues as the illegitimate child of a dead CM.
Again, CM is in trouble and none of us can figure out a way to help it improve.
At least we can sell our cars to club racers (although I for one will never get
a third of my investment back in such a sale). Maybe I'll get an F125. Then
again, I've always wanted a 911. I could get one and run regionals.
Jim
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