I always felt that the second set of rims, not the rims themselves, was the
make or break for a newbie. Its symbolic. Once you need the R Compounds your
general level of "event hassle" goes up by several degrees, whether by
needing a trailer, jack, drive alone, etc., plus your hobby budget to keep
fresh tires gets added in. I know there are those driving to and from on R's
(I did for a while until I realized a heat cycle is a heat cycle) with
gravel stuck on them so that they look like those chocolate sprinkle donuts.
I think we may be fairy unique in offering a first year Novice Class on
120's or above, and I remember teetering on the brink at the end of my
Novice season. Lots of nice people including at least two guys named Kevin
decided it for me.
Yes, my basic intent is to grow the sport, and I would propose we take as
egalitarian approach as is practical without spoiling the fun for the
established participant. I think that can best be accomplished by lowering
both the perceived and actual levels of expenditure in primarily stock
class. I don't care what effect it has on Nationals, but naive and trusting
fellow that I am would like to believe there shouldn't be much difference in
car preparation no matter what level. Only driver preparation. To take a
more broad view, as several have pointed out, There is nowhere to go after
stock because SP has outgrown emissions laws and become a trailer class, and
that is in fact a problem.
The bottom line is a majority really agree with this but get drowned out. We
can agree on one thing though: This is way too much autox content.
Tony
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kevin Stevens" <Kevin_Stevens@pursued-with.net>
To: "Anthony Tabacco" <atabacco@california.com>
Cc: <ba-autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2002 12:27 PM
Subject: Re: Stock Shock Chalk Talk
>
>
> On Thu, 8 Aug 2002, Anthony Tabacco wrote:
>
> > I absolutely agree that we should start on tires next but the SEB has
shocks
> > in front of them now. That second set of rims is a member killer. I
concede
> > that the premise of Stock as being an entry is a very arguable one, but
we
> > need something to hang our hat on or what is the point of any limits at
all?
> > It funny that SM is our draw to the outside.
> > Tony
>
> I'll reply to your shock issue separately, and probably offline, but I
> have to just disagree on the rim issue. Why is a second set of rims a
> "member killer"?!
>
> - Again, it's a one-time cost, and rims don't even depreciate much.
>
> - Aftermarket rims are one of *the* most popular and frequent mods.
> As a result, there are screaming piles of stock rims cheaply available
> for virtually every car out there. If you *HAVE* to do something with
> rims, just require stock ones. The allowance dates back to a time when
> a set of stock rims would typically have to be procured at MSRP from
> the dealer. In today's world of eBay and TireRack that's not the case.
>
> I think your issues need to be addressed in a larger context. What are
> you trying to accomplish?? My impression is that you are trying to reduce
> the cost of Stock class competition. Is this for perception
> levels, participation levels, or competion levels? That is, are you
> trying to reduce the perceived entry level cost, the cost to compete
> regionally, or the cost to field a full-on national car? To what level
> are you trying to reduce the cost?
>
> KeS
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