Where ITA is now isn't exactly where you think it is Dave. If you are referring to the CRX, remember, once the process was applied, cars got heavier and lighter that were outside that envelope (100lbs). So that envelope is not designed around anything that was 'misclassed'.
Sure it is. Prior to this regime, a car(s?) was classed and it did better than anticipated. Another car was classed to be on par with that. The once front running RX7s and other cars got pushed down in terms of their competitiveness potential in the class. A new standard was created.