----- Original Message -----
From: "Eric Linnhoff" <knuckledragger@kcweb.net>
To: "'autox'" <autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2001 11:05 PM
Subject: Re: Nationals (something I liked)
> > So I guess we will never see you in CM where many cars:
> ============================
> The main reason you'd never see me in a CM car is that you'd need a crane
> nad large amounts of lubricant to get me back out of it. ;^) That and I
> don't particularly fit into the "wine & cheese" crowd. :^P I'm more the
> Tequila and Barley-pop kind of guy.
Then Eric, you just met the requirements to be a C Prep type of guy. And
those cars are big enough for even you. And candidly, I think your
personality would fit right in. :-)
(That's a compliment. the CPers are outrageous, but all the more fun for
that.)
> > 1: Get started by a off-board battery
> > 2: Do not have cooling fans on the radiators and need moving air to
stay
> > cool.
> > 3: Do not have alternators to recharge batteries on those cars that do
> have
> > electric fans or start off of the on board battery.
> ===========================
> Are these due to choice or actual restrictions imposed by the rules? If
> it's by choice then I don't want to hear any griping about the
consequences.
> Do the road race FF type cars run their 30 minute or longer races with
just
> a battery or do they run alternators? Radiators?
Not restrictions, Eric, but permissions. I am ALLOWED to remove the
generator. I am ALLOWED to run a highly modified high-compression engine
with severely advanced timing. Now I suppose I could CHOOSE to run a 9:1
engine when others in my class are running 13:1 or more, and I could CHOOSE
to set my timing at 16 degrees BTDC when others in my class are at 32 -- but
only if I would CHOOSE to run a course in 60 seconds that others in my class
were running in 48. But you see, in this sport of motorcars, the object is
to go as fast as possible within the rules. It makes no sense to build a
weenie car for a class just so it will start more easily when hot, or so it
will never get hot.
Thing is, in your class you do not have those permissions. If you did, trust
me, you would not eschew them just for ease in starting if by doing so you'd
be 5-10 seconds slower than everyone else.
Oh, those FFs. Yes, they run the whole dang race (as much as 45 minutes) on
just a battery. I road race too, and I run the whole dang race on just a
battery. It takes very little battery juice to fire a spark plug, but it
takes a TON of battery to crank the starter motor. Nothing on the car uses
as much battery as turning that damn starter motor. Once, Eric, I ran an
entire race on a battery that was so low it barely rattled the voltage
regulator and I had to push start. But once push started, I had no problem
completing the race.
Cooling. Here's a flash for you. Even in your STS Neon, when you are out on
the highway you do not need your fan. The air flowing through the grille is
quite sufficient. You need only the water pump. You need the fan when you
are idling, city driving, etc. -- driving your car in environments NOT
INTENDED FOR RACE PREPARED CARS. That's the difference between Stock and
Prepared, Eric. Your car is required to remain streetable. Mine is not. It
is therefore unreasonable for you to maintain that mine should retain
aspects of streetability just because yours must.
> As I wrote earlier, I personally would never field a car that was
incapable
> of withstanding the rigors of the event including idling for extended
> periods of time or multiple restarts. That's my choice. If someone else
> chooses to make compromises in the name of going faster, then just please
> don't expect sympathy from me.
Not expecting sympathy. Am expecting some basic understanding from someone
who is no rookie at this. You've been at this long enough to understand the
difference between S/SP and P/M. If you choose not to understand, that reeks
of an intolerance that is surprising even from you. Withstand the rigors of
the event? I have a basic rule. Be gentle and kind to the car in the paddock
or on grid, beat the hell out of it on the track. I object to being
compelled to mistreat it when the clock is not running. "Idling for extended
periods of time" has never been a part of the contest in the 37 years I have
been doing this sport. If you want to have an idling contest ... I concede.
Rocky
#4 DP
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