Jimmydoorlocks wrote:[snip]
We only won because we didn't break.[snip]
^ This.
Plus, what did the first 4 place finishers run?
More:
I read your posts about your experiences; I commented on the other thread about what the Lemons Grand Prize is - the I.O.E.
I also looked at your results from HPR, and compared them with the rest of the field, though only in a cursory manner.
Seems your team is well sorted. What looks like pit times are consistently quick, and your lap times are also pretty consistent; and yes, about 12 sec./ lap slower than the overall lap winner. And, you didn't break.
And yet: the Lemons Grand Prize is the I.O.E.
You placed ahead of (how many?) teams with best lap times faster than yours - in many cases 10 seconds faster. You were in a single-digit place at lap 42, and consistently in 5th or 4th for most of the bottom half of the results.
If it were me - and it's clearly not - I'd put your team in A and keep it there because of both: how well you prepped the car, and how your well sorted team performs.
Until you run a car that can run a 2:45 at best at HPR - then I'd put you back in B.
But this is not the sport in which I officiated, and ran competitions.
In another thread here (sorry, I don't have a link right now, I'm trying to get back to sleep) therood put together a list of overall winners and engines, which I found interesting. It included at least one 4-cylinder overall winner, though that may have been a turbo 4.
Myl other sport - to increase numbers and participation - implemented additional, lower, classes beyond that which was the norm for ... 70+? years; now, each year, there are _several_ national champions - not just the one. The change was very successful, and actually helped increase the quality of the athletic performances because there were more opportunities, and for more people.
So, I'm in favor of class B, and class C.
And yet: the Lemons Grand Prize is the I.O.E.
In the other sport, anyone can buy the best equipment, or basic equipment. And yes, the best equipment generally does fail _less_ than the basic equipment, but it's not going to make you any better, and it's not generally going to change your placement in the event, either. But you won't spend as much time fixing / tweaking things at the event.
Your team was, what, 28 laps behind the overall winner - an hour.6 off the pace. And yet the prep, and pit stops, were first class.
If I were in your team's position of wanting what your team wants (and I'm not), I'd include in my purchase consideration an estimate of how many penalty laps that faster car will be expected to bring.
I have two primary candidates, both of which I intend to complete. One is what I hope will be an I.O.E. contender; because the Lemons Grand Prize is the I.O.E.. The other is one I hope will stay on track and be reliable, and I couldn't care less what class it goes in, or how fast it'll wind up. My 'win' will be getting each to pass tech and start the race. Everything beyond that - for me - will be gravy.
And: if only 4 specific cars had broken and been off track for an hour.15 or so, ...