by SCM Pres » June 25th, 2003, 4:08 am
At the I.S.R. rules meeting, May 3rd, in Las Vegas, I brought the point.
On the EASTERN PRO TOUR, I feel that the CHAMP 440 put on a great show. They are fast enough. A Champ 600 class would add to the cost and would widen the gap between top teams and the other drivers.
In Valcourt, on Friday, when the track was perfect, we saw speeds of 102 mph. On Sunday, in the final, at the end of the day, when the track is not so smooth, the speeds turned around 98 - 99 mph.
In Beausejour, last March, Jacques V. told me he ran 102 mph with his 440 and 108 mph with his 600 (before he blew...). So far, nobody worked very seriously on a Champ 600. If we open the door, very soon, we will see speeds over 110 mph.
This difference in speed would bring us back in the F-III speeds. The best F-III drivers were crashing at that speed: Bender, Sackett, Appolson, Sturgeon, Nicholsen, Pilote (and I'm listing only those who took wild one's in Valcourt...).
Do we really need this speed to put on a good show? Do you feel that most of the existing race tracks are safe enough for the drivers at that speed?
If you want to have another class to race your Champ 440, why don't we plan a "Super Mod. 440" with the exact same rules as the Champ 440?
I will let the other racing associations speak for themselves...
Think about safety, safety and safety... We already lost too many good friends!
Marcel Fontaine
S.C.M. Pres.