Paul Foster writes:
> I know you drive a Neon but try to look at this a bit objectively.
<snip>
> The first step is no more closed door sessions at either the National or
> Regional level. Until that happens I shall continue to have my doubts,
Easier said than done. The cost of documenting and reporting every
"closed door" session is greater than you or I would likely be willing
to pay, not to mention the hindrance it would impose on just trying to get
things done. Shady deals will eventually show up on someone's bottom line.
When someone presents evidence, then I'll get pissed, not before.
> particularly when a program such as SS is ruined after Chrysler showed
> up with the Neon and lots of contingency money (and more) to throw
> around.
This is an objective observation? Was SS ruined when neons appeared and
started winning (misclassed or not), or was it ruined when the losers
(individuals, corporations, both? I dunno, but I'd expect better
sportmanship and financial sense from the individuals) whined for crutches
and the SCCA caved in and gave them some? I assume you like the former and
I like the latter. Here's why I feel that way. I saw parity in SSB, heck,
Miatae came out on top at the runoffs in a big way. I'm not as well-
informed about the nearest competitors in SSC. But I definitely think the
cure was worse than the disease. I dare say, despite my professed
ignorance, reclassing SSC neons would have satisfied more people in the end.
But the SCCA itself showed a trend towards modding the SS classes when they
approved cat-back exhausts and updated struts. It turned into Pandora's
box. I think the animosity towards Chrysler is misdirected.
You all might notice that I'm probably not making friends with the neon
drivers, the exhaust and strut allowances gave a lot of neons a hand. They
are now clamoring for bigger and better trunk kits, right alongside the
worst of them, and I can't get behind them.
I have a slight hope that the trunk kit content morass will get so
completely out of control that the good old-fashioned business of classing
stock cars begins to look appealing.
This is my opinion, for better or worse. I somehow take perverse pleasure
in being able to piss off everyone equally.
--
Jeffrey D. Blankenship Senior Technical Consultant
jblanken@itds.com ITDS - TRIS
neon enthusiast #478 Champaign, IL, USA
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