On Monday, December 4, 2000, at 07:48 AM, dg50@daimlerchrysler.com wrote:
> The current move towards the weight limits (short term) and the inclusion
> list (long term) is to provide a better mechanism for determining what
> comes in and what stays out. The scary cars are the small, light, RWD/AWD
> cars that are out there (small cars that put power down as well as the big
> cars) - especially because they tend to be rare. Spec Civic is OK, spec RX3
> is not.
I have to disagree with this philosophy. What is happening here is exactly what
those folks who objected to SM a couple of years ago predicted. Someone would
perceive a car as being a threat to the Honda/Acura hegmogeny and that car
would then get banned prematurely. While I think an RX-3 would be a good car
for SM right now because of it's size and suspension development level of cars
like Tom Berry's car, there is no way that if SM was left alone that the RX-3
would be the hot car 5 years from now. What I object to here is Dennis's
implication that if someone spends big $$$ developing an unique SM car that the
SCCA could come along and ban it later, wiping out the owner's substantial
investment every bit as surely as moving the S2000 to B stock. In my opinion
you need to come up with a consistent set of SM rules now and *pledge to leave
them alone* for 5 years or so. If you don't no one will ever totally develop an
SM car for fear of being de-classed (remember SM cars have few other places to
go besides Mod) and having the SCCA flush their investment down the drain.
If you want SM to be just a Honda/Acura class let's just call it that right now
instead of calling it an open class and then constantly penalizing or banning
other cars for daring to go faster than the "favorite son". Frankly I think
that if SM goes down this slippery slope you'll end up the "red-headed step
child" instead.
I have lots more to say on this subject but thankfully it's time to head for
work so I'll spare everyone for now. I do intend, however, to let Howard and
the SEB know my opinions.
Thank you,
- Alan Dahl
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