Grintch

So why bother to drive if the index determines how fast we are? The index got faster for most cars in the new '07 Pax (DM was one of the big movers), does this mean my car is faster now? Looking at the 2005 National Tour & Nationals results (I didn't do detailed tracking for 2006): SS beat DM 3 times, DM beat SS 6 times SS beat EM 6 times, EM beat SS 5 times (DM & EM didn't have competitors for 3 and 1 events respectively) In general Nationals competitors have cars fully prepared to the limits of the rules. However this thread is about "stock 7's", which are not fully prepared. Thus the likelyhood of getting beat by a Stock class Z06 is much higher for a stock 7. Especially when you consider that a 7 is tricker to drive than a Stock class car.

#5 would outlaw real Lotus 7's, the series 4. Where the rear fenders are not "substantially round". #7 there are a wide variety of windscreens run on even street driven 7s. I would not be in favor of any windscreen or glass requirement (I am am planning to install a small aeroscreen soon). Why are we stuck in DM/EM? We have too much variation in engine types, power, suspension, and wheel and tires sizes to be easily classified in Stock, ST, or SP (plus we don't meet the requirement for a production car). Look at almost any other class where we would seem to have a chance at fitting (SM2, DP, XP), and you find that we would have to add 300-600lbs of ballast to meet the minimum weight requirements. Thus we end up in DM or EM. While we may not be fully prepared for the class, you can be reasonably competitivive in it, have a lot of fun, and not have to do the unthinkable (to the Lotus fan) of adding a ton of weight to our cars. Bruce F. Grintch2006-11-20 12:28:57

As Del posted in the DMOD forum, a typical 7 is comparable to most small cars (the Miata was Del basis of comparison) in width and wheelbase. We have less front and rear overhang, so our overall length is shorter but that is the only size advantage. It is not at all uncommon for a well driven Super Stock Z06 to beat a 7 in an autocross. Look at the Solo Nationals results. Bruce F.