(why am I stepping into this mess again?)
SP classes suffer from the same ills which every mature class suffers. People
with money or know-how or both have over time identified a car that is near
the top of the potential for the class and over time built it to the limit of
the rules. Those who for whatever reason (be it economic, sentimental,
stubbornness, etc.) do not have one of the cars near the top of the potential
of the class or built to the limit of the rules feel left out.
Want an example of a class that is suffering this fate right now? How about
those car owners who identified the 4th gen Civic DX chassis with a Si engine
as a car near the top of the potential for ST and then built the cars to the
limit of the rules? Seems people are complaining that this car "goes against
the spirit" of ST, but no one seems to be able to dictate a set of rules that
makes the car illegal without castrating the class (or its competitors).
Stock category has a class like this too...SS. Want to play in that class?
Better be ready to ante up the money for a Z06 if you have any hopes to win
the big hand at the National table.
Prepared? How about the need for a Miata in DP?
The only way to disrupt this pattern is an occasional, painful reorganization.
Stock just had one and it is still shaking out. SP had a couple of minor
reorgs over the past 6 years. I think Prepared is begging for one (but that's
my opinion, and I don't participate in that class so I will respectfully let
those with dogs in that fight make their own case). If the "killer hybrid
Civic" is outlawed in ST, then that will result in a reorg of sorts. No
categories or classes are immune from the pain of being stagnate with only a
handful of cars dominating or being reorganized frequently resulting in
keeping the deck well shuffled but risking pissing off all the players.
The participation over the past few years has proven that the is a place for
ST to fit neatly between Stock and SP, and SP to fit between SP and Modified.
None of these categories is suffering or waning due to the existence of
others, so why are we constantly compelled (at least one a year) to forecast
the demise of one and claim that in the long run only one will be capable of
existing? It all comes through in waves...some are in troughs, some peaks, and
others somewhere in between. As long as the concept of a category appeals to a
large enough crowd and we continue to elect to the advisory committees and the
SEB those with the wisdom and commitment to keep the rules evolving enough to
keep that crowd interested, I think there is room enough for everyone.
I said it last year, and I'll say it again...Before we bequeath the future of
Solo2 to ST, let's wait until the baby teeth finish falling out.
J. Brett Howell
www.pebblemotorsports.com
-----original message-----
"...This combined with the ST alternative could spell a further decline (for
SP)..."
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