Quote Originally Posted by Greg Amy View Post
If we allowed any chassis into STL then we would have to adjust the RWD multiplier to even out the absolute best FWD option (Acura Integra?) versus the absolute best RWD option (Lotus Exige?) at which point the difference would be on the order of hundreds of pounds. Which may very well be the direction we're heading, given all this desire to run these "uber-chassis" in STL.

Be careful what you ask for...you might get it.
So the issue here IMO, and with the S2000, FD RX-7, RX-8 etc, is that none of these cars are any better than the Miata and MX-5 when prepped to STL rules. What makes the Lotii so good is (lack of) weight, high end RR shocks, weight, adjustable suspension and weight. It's a false truth when you then equip a Miata with the same shocks, same adjustability and then take away 100% of the power to weight advantage the Lotus comes with from Hethel.

In the C&D Lightning Lap series, the Lotus doesn't do anything special outside of it's awesome power to weight. Cars of equal P/W with even 'lesser' suspensions can lap as fast. Add to that the cars come with R-compounds further exemplifies that if you evened up the 'prep' AND the power to weight, it would be just another double-wish-boned RWD car.

And if you use the CRX/Civic theories on speed, the MX-5 would be a better platform than an RX-8 because of wheelbase given they use essentially the same bits.

So at the end of the day, which I will include in my letter, I think these exclusions are based in total falsehoods given what is already allowed (Miata and MX-5) and the assumption that equality in equipment and power to weight will be achieved. If the committee wants to stand up and say that they think the RX-8 is better than the MX-5, I will accept that, but sure would like to hear why they think so.

At the end of the day, I really do believe that the original concept for the class was for FWD piston-engined cars based on cc to weight. Quickly realizing that was just Honda Challenge and the pool of interested parties was small, a door was opened, slightly, for other stuff. And that other stuff has to stand in the corner and wait before being told they can actually stay or they have to leave. Not in the interest of a great big party, but because the party-designers never really wanted a big party. They just figured they had bought too much beer and needed some more people to pay to get in and drink...but once the beer is gone, everyone out!