August 2010 Fastrack

[JoshS]

Those two statements illustrate clearly that you are not in a competitive region. It is *not* reasonable to ask for Club Racing policy decisions to be based on a case like that. Put differently, any policy based on that kind of thinking will almost certainly come up short of expected outcomes or result in unanticipated consequences when (if...?) it gets competitive.

Sure, when it gets competitive, I totally agree.

But until that happens, it's great, and can lead to all sorts of club and program growth. Once the growth has occurred, the club can roll out a different program that caters to the competitive.

I think this is what NASA is doing. All of us who have BTDT can see that NASA programs like PT and GTS will take a serious turn when the competitive spending comes in. But until that, they are doing great. If they can recognize the inflection point and time it right (probably by building a different category that caters to those that are about to cross the line), they will have it made.

[Knestis]

You're suggesting that the CRB and/or BoD has put that degree of thinking into SPL, Josh...? That's like suggesting a moth has a range of contingency plans in place as it flies toward a light, to be selected depending on whether it finds a fluorescent tube, campfire, or bug zapper. No. Way. That's funny as heck...!



K

[JoshS]

You're suggesting that the CRB and/or BoD has put that degree of thinking into SPL, Josh...?

No, I'm certainly not saying that ... I'm just saying that it wouldn't be a bad strategy if it HAD been thought about and there was a longer-term strategy at play.

But I'm glad I made you smile :-)

[Matt93SE]

... so I guess Don Istook and Matt Reynolds aren't worthy competiton

The region may not be 'competitive' yet, but the car count is increasing at every race while the IT count ir staying the same. Thus STU is attracting a different crowd than IT and your evil plans to hold the poor guys hostage are safe.

[tnord]

Matt Reynolds? like Matt Reynolds running a SM in STU?

no.

[Matt93SE]

dunno what car he's driving, his name is on the results sheet. probably his SM Miata since he ran in ITA the day before. oh noes!

[tnord]

ITA or ITS?

i think he had a 1.6 before he had his 99, could have been that one. Matt is a wonderful driver, but you're more than dilusional if you think a SM (even a 99 without RP) is anywhere near the same ballpark of speed as what STU should be.

[Matt93SE]

who says I'm being delusional? Maybe that's you guys. Maybe I just like working everyone up into a frenzy.

(All bragging aside, I could outdrive Schumacher. In a golf cart.)

[pavis]

The southwest division IT/STU program is NOT competitive. The division stuggles to support regional races and IT has been left behind which has left IT racers looking to add some track time. Hopefully some of that will change with the new Colorado plan next year which might allow IT to grow.

Almost all the STU cars this year (including me) are IT or spec miata crossovers (Save Grahovic's grand am car).

[Knestis]

... so I guess Don Istook and Matt Reynolds aren't worthy competiton

The region may not be 'competitive' yet, but the car count is increasing at every race while the IT count ir staying the same. Thus STU is attracting a different crowd than IT and your evil plans to hold the poor guys hostage are safe.

So are those STU entries in addition to - or instead of - the classes where they would have been (e.g., Istook)...?

Don't for a minute believe that I'm worried about new classes simply because of their potential impact on IT. My issues are bigger than that.

K

[Matt93SE]

the word that I've heard (through the grapevine, so take it for what it's worth), is that Istook is going to be running his VW in STU and in T3. move some weight, change inlet restrictors, do a couple other minor things between races and voila.

the last few results I've seen Istook running shows him in T3 and the last National race at TWS he entered T3 on Sat and STU on Sun IIRC. that's by memory though so consider it as valuable as everything else I've said here.

[jimmyc]

This the istook you are talking about...

http://www.world-challenge.com/event...=1158&event=99

[Kolin Aspegren]

STU and T3 are in the same race. Of course that could change, but then some entries
will not be attending.

k

[Matt93SE]

This the istook you are talking about...
http://www.world-challenge.com/event...=1158&event=99

Same guy, different cars, way different level of competition.

[jhooten]

The southwest division IT/STU program is NOT competitive. The division stuggles to support regional races and IT has been left behind which has left IT racers looking to add some track time.

Say what? Have you looked at the Sowdiv schedule for the rest of the year? There are two double regionals yet to do, one each from Houston and Texas region. Lone Star had a R/N Memorial Day weekend.

Yes we tend to front load the schedule with the Nationals ( the cooler part of the year here and snow still on the ground up north). Sowdiv holds plenty of Regionals many of which are held between the Runoffs and the start of the new rules year. I still don't get this Sowdiv ignores regional racers mentality.

[Matt93SE]

It's cause we're not catering specifically to them, therefore they're being ignored...

[JS154]

OOH, engine swaps. S-14 powered Z3 with a two stage dry sump, six speed sequential transmission, or maybe go the other way and swap a 4.9 liter V8 and run STO....

V8 would be the way to go.

If you run an S14, it has to be US - so that measn 2.3l - so that puts you in STU - which mean you have to run the AFM, so aftermarket ECU agins you nothing, and the AFM is the serious choke point - wont; support the compression or cams allowed, plus you'd be running against ex-World Chalenge Touring cars - which are rumored to be putting down *way* more power than the 250 original"target for the class'

I was thinking this may be a good class for my E30 M3, but for what it would cost...no way.

[lateapex911]

Sure, when it gets competitive, I totally agree.

But until that happens, it's great, and can lead to all sorts of club and program growth. Once the growth has occurred, the club can roll out a different program that caters to the competitive.

I think this is what NASA is doing. All of us who have BTDT can see that NASA programs like PT and GTS will take a serious turn when the competitive spending comes in. But until that, they are doing great. If they can recognize the inflection point and time it right (probably by building a different category that caters to those that are about to cross the line), they will have it made.

It would be GREAT if that's what the big picture thinking was.

PT would be AWESOME if there was a real way to handicap that many cars with that many mods, a way that couldn't be 'gamed' by a 4th grader. (That's it's biggest failing, and I can't see how that aspect can really be changed)

So, If i'm reading this all, we have a class that's running where a guy on multi year old tires and an admittedly not top notch build is happy because he's winning trophies, and his competition seems to be the random SM or maybe IT car? I don't think I really need to draw the conclusion...

[stamper]

The ONLY reason STU has posted such large numbers in national racing is because all the Spec Miatas take advantage of the rules aimed at them, and run in both SM and STU.

STU will die the instant they all switch to STL.

Smoke and mirrors.

[lateapex911]

The ONLY reason STU has posted such large numbers in national racing is because all the Spec Miatas take advantage of the rules aimed at them, and run in both SM and STU.

STU will die the instant they all switch to STL.

Smoke and mirrors.

Maybe the class should REALLY be called DDL? (Double Dippers, Light)