Some Proposed STL Rules Changes

[mossaidis]

>> Having the class rules come closer to converging with Prod/GT rules and requiring more money to make competitive a car is not what the STAC/CRB was probably hoping for when STL was birthed.

Set free any pretense that the rules can control costs. I could build an STU car for $3000. It would be competitive until someone decides to outspend me. Popularity - competition - drives costs. Nothing else.

K

(Partly off-topic)

The more compliant half of me says: in extreme cases where time and money are not an object, you are correct.

The more stubborn part of me says: Admit that a 9/10th GT-1 build is far expensive than 9/10th SSC build regardless of popularity and competition. Most of us in the IT will eventually build a 8 or 9/10ths car. Yes there are times when modifying to more restrictive rules is more expensive to do when compared to building to the more expansive rules, i.e. stock flywheel cut down to min thickness (viewed by some as a legal gain in IT ~ $350) vs buying a new flywheel (STx ~ $250). Yet in this case, I can argue that the suggestive rules which will involve TB/IM & control arm purchases, installation and testing (dyno time) costs will be more expensive than the keeping and legally modding these parts within the current STL.... even in the 10/10th world.

[Knestis]

>> Admit that a 9/10th GT-1 build is far expensive than 9/10th SSC build regardless of popularity and competition. ...

That has nothing to do with anything. I figured it was self-evident that i was talking about within a given class. But that said, back in the day, a top-flight SSGT Pontiac V8 cost more than a GT1 version of the same engine.

My point was that there is no way that specific STL rules can keep someone from spending money. They can force the diminishing returns curve to come into play at lower spending levels but a person who wants to spend $100K/year to run up front in STL will be better equipped to win than somene spending $10K/year trying to do the same thing. It's about expectations and if the rationale for any given allowance is based on limiting $$ spent, it WILL eventually be a disappointment if the class gets popular and competitive.

K

[mossaidis]

>> Admit that a 9/10th GT-1 build is far expensive than 9/10th SSC build regardless of popularity and competition. ...

That has nothing to do with anything. I figured it was self-evident that i was talking about within a given class. But that said, back in the day, a top-flight SSGT Pontiac V8 cost more than a GT1 version of the same engine.

My point was that there is no way that specific STL rules can keep someone from spending money. They can force the diminishing returns curve to come into play at lower spending levels but a person who wants to spend $100K/year to run up front in STL will be better equipped to win than somene spending $10K/year trying to do the same thing. It's about expectations and if the rationale for any given allowance is based on limiting $$ spent, it WILL eventually be a disappointment if the class gets popular and competitive.

K

Ah yes argee. Yes I am dense sometimes.