RE: WRC - more thoughts

[QSHIPQ@aol.com]

Dave E writes
>my opinion after watching the sport at the top level for the last 16 years
>is that speeds in group b are still much higher than the new cars.
>the "wrc" cars are just much faster over a special stage, thats all.  they
>are incredibly quick around corners.  the group "b" cars would huff and puff
>down the straight bits then wheeze around the corners.  the new cars are not
>as quick on the straight bits, but their speed around corners beggars
>belief.  also, and in a big plus for spectating, the new cars are getting
>pretty spectacular, and the crowds are returning to the sport.

Bottom Line is this:  Time dictates that the WRC are faster than the B cars 
were.  Your notation about them being faster around corners makes one think 
hard:  If mistakes made by the top guns are going to cost cars, drivers or 
spectators lives, it will now just be in the middle of a corner that "beggars 
belief".

>certainly some stages and rallys are decided by mere seconds.  when mcrae
>dnf'ed in nz, he was leading makkinen by 1.9sec.  however,
>makkinen/mitsibushi has been the champ for the last 3 years running (albeit
>rather fortuitously last year), and is inline for the crown again this
>year - which is a level of domination than the sport has never seen.

Point of clarification, the manufacturers points are led by toyota as of 
today, and the drivers championship was led by toyota up to the last rally of 
'98.  "Dominance" or luck?  I think if you really look at the daily reports 
on each rally, it's obvious that any car is capable of winning, luck and 
breakdowns have really been what separates the leaders in the end.  How much 
credit do we give to the driver or the manufacturer?  Ford takes 1000 tyres 
to New Zealand alone. Why?  Let's compare that to the total number of tyres 
taken to all rallyes in the groupe B era.

To contrast this dominance, let's take a look at this Buffum quote:
"The Quattro was the only all wheel drive rally car in North America at that 
time and it was such a superior machine that I was afraid SCCA migh ban it as 
the FIA had banned 4wd some years before.  So on more than one occasionl I 
stopped in the middle of stages to keep the scores closer......  Sometimes 
I'd just slow down on a few stages to keep the scores closer.  We did that 
several times during '82 and '83."

Puts "dominance" in perspective.  Maybe audi should have reread this while in 
the TCC/trans am/IMSA years.  They could still be running awd.  Let's not 
forget either, that all motorsports that have had awd banned, have somehow 
managed to survive (the US has more BTDT here).  FIA hasn't had a history of 
being awd-ban gunshy, and they are due to review the '95 awd ban again really 
soon.

>i don't share your pessimism for the future of the sport.  this lies with
>bernie.  he is keen to involve more and more tv.  the manufacturers appear
>to be very pleased with the "wrc" rules, the crowds are returning and asia
>is very keen for more rounds (china, malaysia).  with the exception of
>toyota's pull-out in 2001, the sport seems to be in very good shape with 8
>committed "wrc" manufacturers.  an all-time record.

TV isn't going to dictate the awd ruling.  In fact, a rwd/fwd car makes more 
spectacular TV compared to the awd, IMO.  Toyota hasn't committed because of 
their look to the F1 theatre for motorsports wins.  My pessimism isn't about 
the sport of rallying Dave, quite the contrary.  My pessimism is in regards 
to the groupe b speeds putting the awd WRC cars in jeopardy of ban (let's not 
kid ourselves either, it won't take much for FIA to take action - they have 
too much at stake to risk another "killer B" label).   A 2wd WRC championship 
sure could prove safe AND entertaining thru the lense. A hard look at the 
design of the latest Ford, it sure appears they are poised to not get burned 
like in the old B days.  Their latest chassis has rwd potential should the 
"need" ever arise.  

The next year should prove to be the pinnacle of awd in rallying.  My hope is 
that it isn't then going to fall to the FIA history books.  The reality of 
the stage times makes that a tough argument in terms of risk.

My .02 arbitraged thru the peso

Scott Justusson