Jack, and the group,
I can speak with some authority on the update for safety subject, since
I started racing an SCCA production car (Super 7) in 1963, went to the
run-offs 3 times in the days when you had to actually run well and
qualify for them, was on the SCCA Board of Governors (now Directors) for
6 years, served on the SCCA Competition Board, was 5 years with K and K
mostly as the SCCA's insurance agent of record, and still race a S 2000
in SCCA and hold a Stewards License.
My hope is that Vintage Racing as an entity, regardless of the group,
does not go down the same road as SCCA, only 20 or 30 years later.
In the beginning we ran mostly stock vehicles with minor mods. Each
change was due to one of two possible scenarios.
1. Requests were made to the Comp Board for a "safety improvement"
such as bigger brakes, dry sumps, stronger rods, steel cranks, flare the
outside of the fenders since I can't safely flare the insides any
farther (you get the idea)
2, Requests were made to improve performance, such as I need 200 pounds
off cause my car is too slow, or I need the 1600cc engine cause the 1500
is too slow and I can't get it anymore.
All this is what the communists used to call the baloney technique.
Take a small slice today, another tomorrow and soon you have the whole
damn baloney.
In vintage we need to protect our baloney!!!!
Just as proof of the above statements, and where it will take you. The
SCCA, in its infinite wisdom, has just allowed alloy heads on Formula
Fords cause the old heads are getting hard to get. This means that
every Formula Ford in the United States now has to buy an aluminum head
if they wish to remain competitive. Now that's real progress.
When I get on one of these tirades my wife always says, "Why don't you
tell it like it is Howard (Cosell), don't hold back".
Thats the way I see it.
Larry Dent
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