> Hmm interesting comment. While it is true that one of the core values
> of Solo2 is "economical competition", just how would you write the
> rules such that a car would be excluded simply because it was too
> expensive?
There are plenty of rules whose main purpose is to decrease car
expenses (and others that increase them<s>). Also, cars that are very
limited in production, are also more expensive. The rules that exclude
cars based on production counts are also partly rules that limits
expensive cars.
> When the Phantom first crushed the rest of A-Mod, (by 5.6 seconds)
> Everyone was saying. "You can't bring a car like that into Solo2".
> There was even a proposal to create another Super Mod class. The
> situation is IMHO, identical to the current reaction over Fordahl's
> RSR 3.8. The Phantom is actually quite basic in its technological
> make-up. It cost a lot to build and develop. The actual figure is
> somewhere approaching six figures. Many would argue that this is
> acceptable in A-Mod since it's Solo2's "unlimited" class. However, I
> don't think the rest of the A-Mod competitors would agree with you.
> I'm pretty sure it's cost a bunch for Craig Nagler to do his M3
> (probably six-figures too). Every once in a while, the creep of
> technology takes a jump.
I think 250,000 (if that is the number) is too much for any autocross class
unless you create a single one just for that level of expense. Darwinian
attrition will kill that class very quickly and that will prove that no cars
should cost that much in autocross (at least not ones intended to win
national championships).
Is 100,000 too much for any autocross class? There I don't know. I think
it could be feasible for a few classes to expect that level of expense, but
not many.
And it is also good that some classes are designed to be won by cars
costing 10,000, and that you can't effectively spend more than that.
I'm sure everyone has varying levels where they would do things and that
the SCCA as a whole arrives at a reasonable compromise. And that like
all rules, they have to be modified as people find ways around their
intent. I think this Porsche shows that the intent of Prepared class has
been broken and that some rules changes need to be made to disallow
this particular type of problem.
Jeff Winchell
http://PonyCar.Net
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