It seems that autocrossers are increasingly falling in love with big
torque and big cars. Take a look at the entries for Nationals in 2000.
As of 9/4/2000 there are 1108 entries. Of those 374 are in classes
dominated by V8s or big HP cars. That's 33.75% of all the entries.
In the Stock classes the biggest class is BS/BSL (Miata spec class) with
70 drivers. However, SS/SSL (Corvettes and RX7s) are in 2nd with 69 and
FS/FSL (Pony cars) in 3rd with 65. The SS and FS crowd makes up nearly
29% of all stock drivers.
Go to Street Prepared and we find even more of a shift to big cars.
BSP/BSPL (Corvettes, Datsun 2xxZs, and Nissan 300 turbos) has risen from
the dead with 51 drivers and ESP/ESPL (Pony cars with a strong stirring
in of the BMW M3s)has 47. This makes a total of 41% of open class Street
Prepared and 46% of ladies class Street Prepared are driving the big
cars.
Prepared is totally dominated by CP/CPL (Pony cars) with 77 drivers. Add
in BP/BPL (19 drivers mostly in Corvettes or Turbo Nissans and Turbo
Rotaries) then the big motored cars make up an astounding 55% of open
Prepared drivers and 45% of the lady Prepared drivers.
Modified is a bit fuzzy as EM is the only class that is really close to
the concept of a big motor in a big car. With a 1500 lb. minimum weight
these cars aren't exactly large. However, 46 mod cars are in EM which
makes up 24% of open class drivers and 19% of Ladies class drivers.
What this shows to me is that even though many in SCCA think of our sport
is ideal for the tiny car nimbly dancing through the cones while, in
fact, a large number of us prefer the brute force a high horsepowered car
lets us play with. There's no substitute for massive torque!
Ben Thatcher
Apex Benefit Services & Motorsports
Stockbridge, GA
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