Hi Greg!
Don't worry, my manhood is not diminished by your vTek!
Re split starts:
I'm one of the folks who asks for split starts, and I'm happy to share my thoughts.
I agree that there are some CRAZY slow prod cars. The Healey at LRP, although beautiful, was 15 seconds off the pace!! 15 seconds!! I lapped him about 8 times (no joke). But this has nothing to do with split starts. Every group has slow pokes, it's part of the deal.
Small bore has always required the fast folks in lower HP cars to deal with the less fast folks in the high HP cars. It's part of the game. But that doesn't make it fun.
Most small bore races have the outcome of GTL, FP, and HP heavily influenced or even outright determined by the EP and STU folks that hold us up. I accept this when it's unavoidable. This is not the case for the slow GTL, HP, and FP folks. We can pass them on the straights. Passing a car with 50+hp on you is, to say the least, a challenge. Even when you're apex speeds are 10mph higher.
The number one thing that split starts add is:
It minimizes the pig pile in L1 T1. In every grid there are cars with tons of motor behind cars with faster lap times and less motor. Drop the green on this mix and they all tend to try to occupy the same place at the same time. Crunch!!!
Let's face it, split starts or not, the fast guys are likely going to lap the slow guys, race tires or DOT tires. So it's not like the split start results in any more lapping than a combined start, and it provides for a safer start.
No one likes bodywork. That's all we're asking for when we ask for a split start.
It's worth saying that in every case, when we've asked for a split start, the DOT tired folks have been understanding and super helpful. Folks have asked questions and objected, but when we had a chance to talk it out, they understood the reasoning and we're accomodating. HUGE thanks to you folks for your help.
-Kyle
GTL #92
PS: Here is my LRP video: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjY8Pa6P0Qo[/ame]
Click around and you'll find the SP and NJMP videos too.