Doug Hebenthal wrote:
> I have stayed out of this thread until now. Let's talk about Curt's car
> for a second. It is as close to a perfect 911 for autocross that
> exists. No expense was spared to create the car, no advantage that the
> rules allow was passed up.
So, let's actualy TALK about Curt's car, then. How much power does it
have? How much does it weigh? What size wheels/tires, what spring rates,
what is the track? I'm all for comparisons, but let's use data, not
emotions.
> It started from nothing and was built by the
> best in the business (wrt 911's) to be a winning car.
OK, I'll accept that. What does it really mean, though?
> That car cost as
> much as 4-5 Lotus Elan's to build. A Tri-Point RX7TT falls into this
> same category.
That's irrelevant. The number of dollars an individual CHOOSES to spend
prepping an SP car is NOT a factor in classing that car. I dunno why it
is that Porsche competitors seem to want this to be a factor (well, so
does Scotty) but it's not and it shouldn't be. I could give my Lotus to
a racing prep shop, tell them to make it into a winning ASP car, come
back six months later to get it, and I could easily have a bill waiting
for me for 25-30k. There'd still be no guarantee that the car would be
optimum, or that I would win driving it. This sounds an awful lot like
"Waaah. I spent lots more money on my car and it's a lot better-looking
and I drove up in a motor home and that guy in a shabby-looking car beat
me." Seems like I've heard that kinda thing before.
> I also have a car that up to now has cost 4 or so Lotus's to build, and
> I have probably another one to go before it is competitive (a 911 RS
> America).
How much of the work did you do yourself? Are you saying that every
nickel of what you spent was on performance items, and that you HAD to
spend that much just to develop the car?
> In this car the driver needs to get up to speed also (me) but
I would say that I'm in a similar position. My car might become
competitive, but the driver is another matter.
> Why do I bring this up? Because two years ago, a Lotus Elan showed up
> to Nationals after having been driven once or twice all year (A Lotus
> Elan), ran on three tires that were three years old and one that was two
> years old (he corded one of the three year old tires) and walked away
> with the national championship.
"Walked away?" Once again, I'd be happy to hear actual data. Emotional
characterizations just aren't relevant.
> This same car showed up to the Wendover
> ProSolo as its next event (some 9 months later) and gave Curt a heck of
> a time.
So, did it BEAT Curt? If not, what's your point?
> Same tires from Nationals the previous year...
I wasn't aware that Pro Solo tech had become so lax as to allow corded
tires to pass.
> I have run against some other Lotus's in California where the caliber of
> driver is not up to Shauna and Curt and yet the car is right there in
> the lead or very, very close behind.
Again, emotional considerations. Data, please.
> The best car in ASP is a Lotus
> Elan.
Let's say I agree. There is a "best" car in more than one other Solo II
class. In most of those cases, the owners of the OTHER cars aren't
bitching to get their cars reclassed.
> The RS7TT is very good, and with a great driver behind the wheel
> is competitive, but competitive with an average driver behind the wheel
> of a Elan.
Charlie Cave, Craig Carr, and Rex Carle are "average?" Naahh.
> There is also this little problem with numbers. There were not enough
> '66 and '67 Elan's made to make it in SP.
You're absolutely wrong there. There is not now, nor has there EVER
been, a production quantity rule for cars actually classed in Stock or
SP. The annual production rule is for cars "not specifically classed."
BTW, there were far more Elans made than 914/6s. Are you trying to get
rid of them, too?
> They were grandfathered in a
> long time ago,
No they were NOT. They were classed when they were still being
manufactured, just like the Porsche, and they have REMAINED in the rule
book, just like your out-of-production, hard-to-find, expensive, RS
America.
>They should not legally be in SP.
Wrong again. They are sports cars just the same as yours, and they have
every bit as much history in Solo II. You're looking for an excuse
rather than trying to make a rational argument.
>That to me does
> not make an interesting class, or one that I will return to nationals to
> run in.
You already said that you need to improve as a driver. Maybe that is the
most productive place to direct your energy at this time. It certainly
is for me.
Jay
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