Re: Welding up the diff.

[Iain Mannix <mannix@privateI.com>]

At 10:32 PM -0500 12/10/1997, Shawn C Meze wrote:
>At 5:36 PM +0004 12/10/1997, Ken Buck wrote:
>>>Just remember, autoxing is not racing, just ask our insurance
>>>writers.
>
>
>On Wed, 10 Dec 1997 18:38:06 -0700 Iain Mannix <mannix@privateI.com>
>writes:
>>Never forgot that.  I don't consider autocross "racing."  Actually, I am
>>one of the rhetoric wierdos who cringes when people call it "racing."
>
>
>For someone who is anal as you are, I cant understand why your opinion of
>"racing" is so different from the definition? As far as I can tell, its
>racing.

Dammit, just threw away the original message.  I'm torn.  The SCCA says it
is not "racing."  On the other hand, drag _racing_?  My basic idea is that
if drag racing is racing, so is ProSolo2.  If ProSolo2 is racing, so is
autocross.  But, SoloII is not(?) racing?

I think the reason I prefer to specify "autocross" over "racing" is that in
autosport, the commonly accepted meanings are different.  If you tell
someone you "race a car," most are thinking about wheel to wheel.  If you
tell someone you "race a car," but it in reality is a drag car, chances are
the person would be surprised when they saw a tubbed Nova with a 454 on the
trailer.  It seems more accurate to me to specify "autocross" over racing -
I'd agree that by the book, it is racing - drag racing is racing, slalom
racing on skis is racing, time trials on a bicycle is racing(although most
cyclists specify criterium, roadrace, timetrial), etc.  I don't disagree
that it is "racing" in the wide definition of the word, but to be more
accurate, it is autocross, gymkhana, SoloII(which, for those who don't
know, SoloII and autocross are synonymous - sorta like Cola - Pepsi is
cola, but it is Pepsi's cola.  SoloII is autocross, but it is SCCA's
autocross).  Whatever you want to call it, it is racing - but I prefer the
accuracy of autocross.

If I dragraced, I'd specify.  When I tell people I compete with my car, I
specify autocross and time trial.  If someone offhandedly asks me whether I
"race" my car, based on the seat/stickers/etc, I will say yes - but if it
goes beyond that, I first explain that I autocross, then go from there.

I do not subscribe to the idea that one is better than the other - all
forms of autosport are valid and equal in my mind.  I'm not into the
dragrace thing, but I respect it and have a slight idea as to how hard it
is.  TSD Rallies do not appeal to me, but the cohesiveness of the driver
and navigator is not to be scoffed at.  I would like to roadrace someday,
but I do not see roadracing as somehow better than autocross.  Autocross,
to me, is a fully valid form of motorsport.  It has differences from other
forms, but as far as I can tell, no other sport emphasizes the driver's
ability to be consistent and precise as autocross.  Dragracing is up there,
too - the timer starts when the green light goes, you've got one and only
one chance to get it right.  Autocrossers get three shots.  I'm not trying
to devalue autocross, if anything else, give it the regcognition it
deserves - it is not only "racing(as long as the SCCA is not listening),"
but autocross as well - not roadracing, not dragracing, etc.  Hope this
clarifies things!


I.Mannix



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