<VV> Re:<VV. OT racing origins

[Padgett]

>NASCAR feeds the myth that with a little work, some "race
>parts" you can get mail-order from Moroso, and a little welding in the dirt
>back behind the Chevron station.....you too can make a "dog-lot" Monte Carlo
>win at Daytona!

All racing organizations do and not just in this country. If F1 is the top, 
there used to be F3, Formula Junior, and Formula Vee for "low cost" intros 
which  rapidly escalated to moderate then high cost racing themselves (Just 
ask me about zero-roll-stiffness rear ends). Around 1970 was the last time 
someone on a schoolkid budget could still get started in SCCA National 
level racing and even then the "nut" was close to $500 for a weekend. Could 
get a nice 65 Corsa for $500 then.

Think the biggest difference was in the enormous advances in tire 
technology that began with the introduction of cantilever tires in 1965. 
This showed up the deficiencies in everything else and race car design now 
took an engineer to figure out weight transfer and how to make a car that 
pushed into one that was neutral at speed. While $$$ were required for 
"more than stock" parts that would not break under the stress. Roll cages 
became essential suspension components. And costs went up. Even "stock" 
classes required extensive preparation.

So while european and American racing look very different, this was because 
they evolved differently but not with any less sophistication (though the 
entire concept of bracket racing and "breaking out" is alien to me) and the 
desires of the racers (and the fans) are the same, just the expression is 
different.

Could go on for a couple of hours. Won't.

Padgett