Katie,
Does it seem strange how much leapfrogging there is between different cars
in each class recently? I haven't been around long enough to know, but if
you didn't know better you might wonder if product planners from car
companies are standing around in parking lots with stopwatches!
In AS, the 944S2/968 and MR2T seemed like good cars for quite a while. Then
in '99 TC Kline (who shared a car with Shauna Marinus I think...) tried my
car, the Z3 2.8 (not M!:) Coupe. Close, but no cigar. In '00 Porsche upped
the Boxster to 2.7l, and suddenly that looked good, then the S2000 became
(hardly) available. For '01, the Z3 Coupe is up for a major power boost of
32hp with a 3.0l engine. And who knows when they'll stick a 180hp motor in
the superlight MR2-S? And that's just AS.
This competition *should* be good for sports car fans. The fact that
manufacturers are taking non-exotic sports cars seriously again is healthy,
especially given the decimation of Japanese sports cars in the nineties.
However, it can all be a tad frustrating when you're trying to buy a car. I
think it's easy for people at my skill level, because I can *never* blame my
car (although I often do!). As much as I might whine about how quick those
Boxsters are, the fact is that people like you and Ben have proven beyond a
doubt that the times I need are possible and well within my reach if I just
drive the damned thing! However, I can understand it must be tough when
you're at the national level and it seems like some people can get a new car
every year just for autocross!
Think on the bright side. For the mere mortals among us, the Miata will
*always* be a brilliant autox car, as well as a really wonderful car in
general. I certainly hope to own one some day.
Back to your original question though, have you ever thought of setting up a
co-drive for next year?
Peter Thana
SFR AS-ST
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