dg50@daimlerchrysler.com wrote:
> it is still possible to enter SM with a well-prepped,
> SM-eligible SP car and have a reasonable expectation of
trophying.
And I claim that there's nothing at all wrong with doing that.
> Given a
> A+ driver in that SP car and a couple of the top "real" SM
drivers having a
> bad day (or breaking) it's not impossible that an SP car could
steal a SM
> National Championship.
"Steal?" No, "win." It's a National class, and everyone has as
much right to enter it as the folks who're already there. If you
win it in a legal car - Stock and SP cars _are_ legal in SM and
SM2 - then you win it.
> With time, this becomes less likely, but there's no question
that there is
> a window of opportunity for bottomfeeders whenever a class is
young.
"Bottomfeeders" is such a pejorative and inaccurate term. It IS
possible that a current competitor in, say ESP, might want to
test the competitive waters in SM as part of building his(her)
car into an SM ride. If such a competitor is presently able to
win with no additional mods beyond what SP allows, then I'd
suggest it's in the good old American competitive spirit to
continue winning with the car in that form until the competition
raises the bar enough to force you to develop the car further.
> You won your class at Nationals, end of story.
Agreed. And, if you can win SM in a Stock-legal car, so much the
better. That sort of possible scenario has a way of keeping the
other folks in the class motivated.
;<)
> Suprisingly enough though, that has made a difference to people
in the
> past. "It's not a _real_ Championship *sniff*"
Or, maybe more to the point, a "supplemental" class usually isn't
eligible for the contingencies. And might not be around next
year.
> There has been two other factors that have worked to keep
bottomfeeders
> away, at least from SM.
>
> The first is sportsmanship.
I'd say that couldn't be more off base. If the class is soft
enough that it can be won in a car that is legal for Stock or SP,
then it can only be good for the class performance standard in
the long run to have that fact demonstrated.
> But, these fine
> sportsmen (no sarcasm, I mean it) realized that them showing up
in the
> tender years might well have a chilling effect on class
participation,
As if the same folks showing up _later_ won't have the same
effect? I say it's better to get the pain over with now. A few
bubbles may get popped, but the folks who stay with it will be
the truly serious ones.
> if somebody raises the bar, it up to the
> class to rise to the challenge, not try and pull the leaders
down.
Bingo.
Jay
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