Before we go into the comparisons to full-size racing I think it's important to address a more fundamental question.
What is good racing?
Let me get straight to the point-Modern "big time" racing SUCKS! Formula 1,Nextel Cup,CART & IRL are all just a shadow of what they used to be.
And there is a whole generation of people that don't know anything else.Everything has become "spec" racing(just like TC)and it's boring.Technology has advanced to the point that the cars have so much grip,downforce,and capability that the horsepower has to be capped because they are capable of "ludicrous speed" and must be regulated down to the point that they are all identical,at every point on the track,and there's no passing. To quote Chris Economaki-"Thats not racing-it's a high speed dress parade".And he would know because he's seen it all-from the beginning.Why is this relevant? Because TC racing is the same way-this is everyone's "model" for good racing.How much difference in performance potential is there between all the current top of the line cars? NONE-it's spec racing!The screwed up thing is that the popular thinking is that that's the way racing is supposed to be.But when any racing series is allowed to go too long under the same structure it becomes overdeveloped,outrageously expensive,and less exciting(TC).Here's a few racing series that did exactly that,and died.-
Trans-Am(died 4 times)
Can-Am(these first two were some of the best racing there ever was)
GTP
GTO
GTLite
And all these were "fast" with "close racing".And look how many premier racing series are fighting for their survival right now.
This may come as a shock to some,but you can actually have very different cars on the track at the same time and still have close exciting racing! I watched 2 hours of racing today on Speed from the SCCA runoffs.The first hour was Formula440(I think)-the little 2 stroke formula cars.They're pretty much identical,lots of grip and not a lot of power,and not too many of them(just like TC).The second hour was Touring2-man what a race! Completly different cars all on the track at the same time-in the same class-and competitive! Here's a list of the cars that ran in that class-
Subarus
Firebirds
Mitsubishi EVOs
Camaros
Neons
GTOs
3 series BMWs
Cadillac CTSs
350Z's
(HPI and Tamiya make realistic looking versions of most of these bodies aleady)
4's,6's,V8's,turbo and non turbo,all wheel drive and 2wd,light cars and heavy cars-and they were evenly matched,and competitive! Some cars were stronger on some parts of the track than others and thats what makes for racing that's exciting to watch-and participate in.And it was a race!-a real battle.They look fast-hanging the tail out,four wheel drifts,three wide and off in the dirt and right back in the hunt without losing a position.Proof positive that the cars don't have to be absolutly identical,and absolutely hooked up to be competitive.How is it that all these different cars can be competitive? They are all just a little bit overpowered.Street tires,no downforce.The great equalizer.
If we are going to look to fullsize racing for guidance,or ideas,we need to look to amature fullsize racing programs.There's not much good you can take from Nascar where it takes $50 million to field a winning team,and $50 million just to show up.(TC is like that now)Formula 1? Sir Jack Brabham said recently "My entire budget for my last year of racing wouldn't pay the catering bill for an F1 team today"-not much good to be learned there either.SCCA has classes for everything from bone stock production cars to spec racers to full blown big bucks race cars.They also have classes that are only run at the regional level,not at the national level.Some classes became so popular at the regional level that they became national classes,but they began as budget classes for new racers.No matter what form of racing you are involved in,there is something useful to be learned from any,and every other form of racing-both techically and in its organization.The form of racing that we can probably take the most useful lessons from is local short track oval racing.There are over 800 dirt tracks nationwide,plus the asphalt tracks,and they are thriving.Like us with our little cars it's a weekly show,and they have to draw enough cars,and put on a good show to put butts in the seats and make enough money to survive.Just like at hobby shop! A short track program usually will have about four distinctly different classes separated by cost,and speed.And there is a pretty big jump from one class to the next.At the bottom is usually a "bomber" class of some sort that can be little more than a car straight out of the junkyard with some safety equipment that can be campained for next to nothing.Next up will be a "street stock" class that uses production cars with limited modifications,and greater preparation and tunability.Next will be a class that will be purpose built race cars that still use many production car components like Modifieds or limited late models,or maybe 4 cylinder sprint cars.At the top will be the premier class-usually Late Models or Sprint cars.Completely purpose built race cars with high dollar horsepower and a big tire bill.The important point here is that there is a big difference in the equipment,and the cost in each class-and the lower classes always have the bigger car counts.TC racing isn't like this-the equipment is really the same in all the classes,costs the same,and the difference in speed is marginal.The short track promoters know that they need the volume of the lower classes in order put on a full show,and keep the stands full,so they can offer a big enough purse to attract the premier class cars,and keep the stands full! Your LHS needs to do enough volume to pay the rent,but it's the same thing-you need an undercard to support the premier classes! This isn't unique to oval racing-the same rules apply to any racing program that has bills to pay.NHRA is the same way.The sportsman classes bring in money needed to support the pro classes.
There is another important,fundamental question-What is fast?
Einstein said it best-"It's all relative" In order for something to be fast,it has to be faster than something else.Something is always either faster or slower in context-relative to it's comparables.Fast has nothing to do with lap times.Faster lap times are just that and may or may not make the racing more competitive,or more challenging and rewarding.The challenge,and therefore the reward,is going faster within the set parameters.Which is some combination of the class rules/structure,laws of physics,and probably your budget.It is entirely possible to have good racing under a different set of parameters. Where the lap times are different,but the cars are still "fast".When it comes right down to it "fast" means on the edge regardless of miles per hour or lap times.If you're dancing on the edge-you're going fast!
Thanks again for listening.
Next up-the downside of downforce.