Just finished reading Jason Beck's column in the January 2022 issue of the last good racing magazine, Speedway Illustrated. It's a satire about NACARs new spec car. If you don't normally get this magazine, this issue is worthwhile if only for that column.
However, it got me thinking (not the best thing to do...) about racing in general these days. Think about it, most, if not all major race associations have basically adopted spec rules for their race series. Cup cars next season are being built by a NASCAR specified firm, engines are being supplied by one source per brand, tires have been spec for years, even the bodies will be standardized.
IndyCar, how many chassis are there? 1! Tires? Same! 2 engines, all spec.
Formula One Has a new rules package, same deal. No real innovation allowed. Drivetrains are hybrid v6, a few manufacturers, but the rules are so restrictive they might as well just use a spec package. Tires, well 3 spec tires per weekend, soft, intermediate and hard, chosen by Dunlap from 5 plus rains and intermediate wets.
NHRA, you say. Except that the pro classes, TF and FC, are for all practical purposes, spec series. 500 ci hemi, blower specified, tires, etc. And Prostock, it's become a joke, sorry GM and Chevrolet. Lower classes? None that interest me as a spectator. I've never been much for going 1/4 mile then stoping.
SCCA? I've been a member for 33 years, only IT, Improved Touring, was reachable by most of us. I don't know if it's the same today, so anyone that has current experience please weigh in. The original idea was take a showroom stock car that had aged out, make a few changes, and race it to death. So basically very restrictive rules. Good but still effectively spec classes.
Dirt racing up here in the northeast? Again the rules are so restrictive they might as well just use a spec package. No place for those who want to build something different, or run a different engine. The era I raced in had weight limits for unlimited engines, and a weight break for under 360 ci engines, running any fuel and injection. Now it's a carbureted 467 ci big block on gas, or a 358 ci engine on gas. They don't race together.
Lower classes? Rule books are too thick there too. I could go on and on...
You guys that do land speed racing probably have the least restrictive rules, and are a last bastion of individualism. And I can imagine that you get a real rush driving as fast as your wallet allows. I've never tried it so I won't knock it. The only problem is that there's not a lot of venues available for all of us to race at. Can you imagine if 10 % of all the other racers showed up at one of those weekends to race? I'm thinking that everyone might get 1 run in.
So you ask, where the £^¿"# is he going with this drivel? I'm thinking that some enterprising promoters in various regions could develop a form of racing where the rulebook is mainly safety related, with only a minimum dry weight, a maximum width and length and height, and a maximum tire width. All else open to your imagination. Oh and maybe a claim rule. $5000. Or maybe not. And one old NASCAR rule, that one that basically said anything outside the spirit of the rules would be banned, with 1 caveat. An owner's counsel having the final say.
And no changes to race on dirt, asphalt, road courses, dragstips, road rally, or whatever venues people want to race on. Also let's agree on one other aspect: no prize money. Only bragging rights.
That's my feeble attempt. It's free-for-all time
However, it got me thinking (not the best thing to do...) about racing in general these days. Think about it, most, if not all major race associations have basically adopted spec rules for their race series. Cup cars next season are being built by a NASCAR specified firm, engines are being supplied by one source per brand, tires have been spec for years, even the bodies will be standardized.
IndyCar, how many chassis are there? 1! Tires? Same! 2 engines, all spec.
Formula One Has a new rules package, same deal. No real innovation allowed. Drivetrains are hybrid v6, a few manufacturers, but the rules are so restrictive they might as well just use a spec package. Tires, well 3 spec tires per weekend, soft, intermediate and hard, chosen by Dunlap from 5 plus rains and intermediate wets.
NHRA, you say. Except that the pro classes, TF and FC, are for all practical purposes, spec series. 500 ci hemi, blower specified, tires, etc. And Prostock, it's become a joke, sorry GM and Chevrolet. Lower classes? None that interest me as a spectator. I've never been much for going 1/4 mile then stoping.
SCCA? I've been a member for 33 years, only IT, Improved Touring, was reachable by most of us. I don't know if it's the same today, so anyone that has current experience please weigh in. The original idea was take a showroom stock car that had aged out, make a few changes, and race it to death. So basically very restrictive rules. Good but still effectively spec classes.
Dirt racing up here in the northeast? Again the rules are so restrictive they might as well just use a spec package. No place for those who want to build something different, or run a different engine. The era I raced in had weight limits for unlimited engines, and a weight break for under 360 ci engines, running any fuel and injection. Now it's a carbureted 467 ci big block on gas, or a 358 ci engine on gas. They don't race together.
Lower classes? Rule books are too thick there too. I could go on and on...
You guys that do land speed racing probably have the least restrictive rules, and are a last bastion of individualism. And I can imagine that you get a real rush driving as fast as your wallet allows. I've never tried it so I won't knock it. The only problem is that there's not a lot of venues available for all of us to race at. Can you imagine if 10 % of all the other racers showed up at one of those weekends to race? I'm thinking that everyone might get 1 run in.
So you ask, where the £^¿"# is he going with this drivel? I'm thinking that some enterprising promoters in various regions could develop a form of racing where the rulebook is mainly safety related, with only a minimum dry weight, a maximum width and length and height, and a maximum tire width. All else open to your imagination. Oh and maybe a claim rule. $5000. Or maybe not. And one old NASCAR rule, that one that basically said anything outside the spirit of the rules would be banned, with 1 caveat. An owner's counsel having the final say.
And no changes to race on dirt, asphalt, road courses, dragstips, road rally, or whatever venues people want to race on. Also let's agree on one other aspect: no prize money. Only bragging rights.
That's my feeble attempt. It's free-for-all time
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