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Re: Records

To: Dave Dahlgren <ddahlgren@snet.net>,
Subject: Re: Records
From: W S Potter <wester6935@attbi.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 20:31:20 -0800
Sanctioning bodies specify what "records" are in specified classes.  They
differ from sanctioning body to sanctioning body.  FIA has different
specifications than SCTA/BNI and USFRA for a timed mile/kilometer.  ECTA and
SCTA for the distances they run. NHRA, USAC, AAA (at one time) and so on
have their own records depending on their definitions.

Start your own motorhome sanctioning body and you can set all kinds of speed
and endurance records but look out ... Gale Banks is big into motorhomes and
he has sponsored some extremely fast equipment.

The Guinness (sp?) Book of World Records is a very good example of being
able to define what a record would be (something that has never "officially"
been done before) and once it is certified for that "thing" then everyone
else has a target.  In that case the definition of what qualifies to be a
record is up to the Book people, not the person who is applying for a
record.  

There are those who have issues with the Bonneville 200 MPH Club minimum
speeds for land-speed racing but they are usually quite obviously defined by
the similar bodied cars running displacement sizes larger and smaller than
the class in question.

Take the first timed runs on the salt flats by Teddy Tetzlaff in the Blitzen
Benz in 1914.  He actually exceeded his timed mile speed at Daytona by a
fraction, but AAA didn't accept stopwatch timing for anything under ten
miles or some such figure.  As a result ... no record.  He had the distance
and the many stopwatches but no sanctioning body approval.

Wes


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