This is a good discussion. The issue of transparency is obviously where I've had my problems with this process. If that gets addressed then I personally would be happier.

The issue of subjectivity is a hard one and has been discussed in various guises on here before. I agree with Greg and have said similar things about PCAs being applied to cars whether they're being called PCAs or not. I also agree that just objectively following the formula is probably going to result in some cars being better than others and some cars being worse. The question is whether or not that matters. Greg says no, others say yes. If it matters then how do you go about injecting subjectivity into the process. Do you attempt to do it during the initial classification based on the perceived capabilities of the car, which are based on some form of "knowledge"? This has many issues as Greg points out and has been discussed. Do you wait and base it upon the cars performance? Which also has many issues. Do you do both?

Inject subjectivity into the process and there's always going to be room for discussion and people questioning how the car's weight was determined. The only way to prevent this is to do as Greg says and run the formula and let car weights fall where they fall. Your car can't make the assumed 25% increase in power. Too bad. Your car makes more than 25%. Good for you. There's a nice simplicity to it. Of course, you'd have to go back and redo all the cars that got subjectively adjusted during the grand re-weighting.

The purist in me says run the formula and go. The utopianist in me says subjectivity is needed to level the playing field as best we can. I personally think most people would like to see an attempt at leveling the playing field even if they know it's flawed and won't be perfect.

The key to me is to have it out in the open how a car's weight is derived. If it's thought a car can make 30% over stock because it has some whiz bang cam then put it down in writing somewhere so that people understand it. People are going to complain about a car's weight no matter what once subjectivity is introduced. If it's in the open, though, people won't mistrust the process.

David