Mark wrote:
>While I agree that labeling the class as a mod class would make
sense, I
>completely disagree that SP does it better. In fact, most of
the reason
>that we're having this conversation in the first place is that
the ricers
>that show up with a modded turbo or a turbo controller get
thrown into a
>(completely inappropriate) mod class rather than some kinda
SP-type class.
Regardless of what provisions are made or what classes are
invented, people who show up with cars they modified with some
other purpose than autox in mind will generally wind up
uncompetitively classed. Given that these same competitors often
don't wind up getting times competitive with the STOCK class for
their car, I'd say there's not a whole lot you can do to change
that. Novice classes generally work the best for this type of
competitor.
>I dunno where you're from, but ST in my region is growing more
than any
>other class.
Texas. Our greatest growth is in Novice class, with Street Tire
also doing pretty well. Street Touring has had between zero and
three entries in fields ranging from 100-140 cars, so I wouldn't
say it's setting the world on fire.
>F125 fights a couple problems. The first is that autocrossers
in
>general don't know a damn thing about 2 stroke motors and the
second is
>that autocrossers in general seem to hate anything differnt.
Wrong. F500s have 2-cycle motors, and they are reasonably popular
Solo cars. F125 was given a better chance than any new
class/Category in Solo II history, all the way to subsidized
Arrive and Drive arrangements. It's still a class, but it isn't a
large one because a shifter kart is not a good deal nor a good
Solo II car in general. Unless you were born with titanium
kidneys. =8<0
> I can't
>count the number of people I've herad who bitch about how karts
sound or
>about how they're small or whatever.
Nonetheless, you can't argue with the results of the kart
experiment. The "whole new market" the promoters of this class
promised simply didn't materialize. I submit that STU will fare
only marginally better, although, if it does become a national
class, it may well attract some existing autoxers to change
classes. This tends to dilute the present class structure,
however, as opposed to adding new participants.
> Hello, you don't have to drive 'em
>so why don't you cut the people that like 'em some slack?
I do. They're here, and they get to participate. We all have
accepted that, although I still claim there are some compelling
safety reasons they should not be allowed in Solo II. I'm just
pointing out that there's damn few of 'em, and some of the more
enthusiastic of the original promoters of the concept have gotten
out of the autox kart business altogether. Not exactly what I'd
call a major marketing success.
>Personally the thing I like most about this STU class (what
every name we
>end up calling it, and whatever place it ends up getting
associated with)
>is that I addresses the turbo modders and the same family engine
swappers.
Somebody define "same family." Lessee here, I wanna get a Lotus
Elan Plus Two and put in a Turbo Esprit motor. Is that OK?
>Both of which comprise a growing market segment.
The question that hasn't been answered, however, is whether that
market segment will be interested in buying Solo II under ANY
conditions. I claim that, at best, you can get only a tiny
percentage of those guys to become repeat participants.
> Can any of those guys
>just show up with an import drag car and expect to win? Heck
no. But
>they can show up and get beat by a car that has similar mods
rather than
>some purebuilt racecar.
If you think that STU would NOT become inhabited by "purebuilt
racecars," were it to become a national class, I claim you just
don't understand what autoxers are willing to do to pursue
competitiveness.
Jay
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