Eric -Your last paragraph about F500 being dragged along or left behind
brings me to a question out of curiosity. Keepng in mind that I only got
into sports car racing in 1983 --What was the situation in FV when FF came
out? How did they keep themselves going?
I just got back from a NARRC regional at Lime Rock and am pretty beat up as
my shoulders are severely bruised and I have what they used to call a hip
pointer in football on my left elbow from all the right turns. These are
violent little cars! However we had three people stop by our tent to ask
about the F500. Two were young people and one was a current snowmobile
enthusiast. He seemed most interested in the snowmobile connection to F500.
The last person to stop by was seriously interested in the car and came from
a Kart racing backgound. Naturally Shelly and I pointed out the fact that he
was already used to left foot braking and would not have to learn it as I am
trying to do. ( I looked fondly at the S2000s that were racing...old
memories)
The point is there are people who are INTERESTED in F500 just as they are!
Particularly when we told him we have yet to buy a new set of R25s ( I got 4
mounted sets when I bought the car along with mtd rains that were used once
and a new set of intermediates)and that the engine was last rebuilt in 2004
ie:LOW maintenance costs. I also mention that I tow with a 98 Dodge Dakota
V6 and an open single axle landscaping trailer slightly modifiedto include a
tire rack. This combo gets me to NHIS at an average of 17.5mpg (all
expressway) and if I go to Lime Rock (up and down hills with 2 lane roads
for half the way) I still get 15mpg. There are people out there so let us
talk F500 up as the most bang for the buck at every opportunity.
Ed Capullo
From: Eric D Christensen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [F500] Editorial: How did F1000 go wrong?
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2006 09:38:02 -0700
On Sat, 2006-08-19 at 11:55 -0400, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Since there are so many old cars that are once again competitive, the
> combined FF/F600 class increases it's participation grow by 20-30%, as 2
or 3 'new'
> DB-1s start to show up at each national. Most of these have been built
for
> under $20K net, so this becomes the de facto entry-level open-wheel
class,
> pushing F500 aside.
I fear that this is a much more likely and relaistic scenario than
David's horror story. Not that David's horror story isn't possible (or
even likely).
But I agree that the 600cc bike motors WILL pose a significant threat to
F500.
Marshall poses some real serious (and legitimate) questions here....
> So, will the guy with $20K to spend buy a new F500, a converted DB-1
F600,
> or a Spec Miata? If so, why or why not?
Sadly... I have to say that I would have to give some pretty serious
consideration to a converted DB-1. And that's a tought thing for me, the
ultimate F500 cheerleader, to acknowledge.
> Alternatively, should F500 be the lowest-cost option in a single group
that
> includes FF/F600/F500?
>
> Where do you want F500 to be in 5 years, and how do you plan to sell it
> against the likely invasion of the bike-engined cars?
I think that pretty much sums up the the core questions that we, as a
class, need to answer.
> These issues are being put in front of
> the board NOW; our proposals so far are a great start, but if we don't
take
> some leadership, we will be dragged along against our will or left
behind.
Without some solidarity and sense of purpose F500 WILL be dragged along
or left behind. We can either embrace change and grow (or at least
sustain) the class, or we can resist change and be left behind. I
believe that the class MUST evolve somehow to remain viable for the next
20 years. If it doesn't evolve it will become extinct (Darwin's Theories
apply to racing classes too). We need to figure out what that
evolutionary path is, and how to manage it in such a way as to keep the
class viable and cost effective.
As always, just my humble opinion...
--
Eric D Christensen
Proadmin, Inc.
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