Lets not forget that, in spite of SCCA trying desperately to get Tom out
of GT-2, Tom is a great driver. The Germans or Japs would do well
getting him to drive one of their cars. It is really hard to believe
that he can drive a modified stock car and compete with cars built as
all out race cars with a stock looking body.
Larry
JEwords@aol.com wrote:
>The announcers didn't mention it, but after Tom's dominant win in '99, SCCA
>not only added weight to the car, they also made him run a restrictor plate
>(just like NASCAR). This knocked off about 40 hp, as I recall. So his car is
>a shadow of its former self and he did remarkably well to finish 5th. If you
>noticed the lap times, Tom was running almost 3 seconds per lap slower than
>the leaders, and Mid-Ohio is his home track.
>
>If his car was allowed to run in the same trim it did in '99, no doubt he
>would have been dicing in the lead group.
>
>But that's not likely, as SCCA has more or less told him he ought to be
>running in vintage events. There's no benefit to SCCA for a Sunbeam to be
>winning races, while Toyota and Nissan add a lot of manufacturer's clout.
>I've seen their GT-2 cars, and they are purpose built racers loaded with the
>latest technology -- including sequential shifters.
>
>Still, Tom continues to do better than might be expected against competition
>like that. And the Tiger remains a great crowd favorite. I was there when he
>won in '99, and the fans went nuts.
>
>John Webber
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