FC Unity/Clarity for Future

[farrout]

One other factor to consider is availability of parts for the different cars.

Formula cars and sports racers tend to require more tinkering with at the track and more preparation at home between races. Some cars more than others. If you are handy or a decent mechanic, this should not be a problem. At the track, there are all kinds of drivers and mechanics who are usually more than willing to give advice or lend a hand, part, tool (That is one of the beautiful aspects of our sport).

Quite a few cars are limited in the size of driver they can accommodate.

Go to a race and talk with the various car owners about their cars.

Despite all this, the madness that is racing is tons of fun! Welcome to the addiction

[Rick Kirchner]

I think Arbitrary has a lot more reading to do on this site.

[Arbitrary]

I've got a lot more everything to do when it comes to do with everything to do with racing.

[fastbackss]

I think Arbitrary has a lot more reading to do on this site.

Hopefully that is being tongue in cheek and not being snarky old guy talk.

Since I don't know you from Adam, and neither would a new guy on the site, I suppose it's worth pondering.

-Mike (relatively new guy)

[Rick Kirchner]

My point is that those generalizations, while true, just barely scratch the surface. For instance, if you use a late model
van diemen as a reference, the chassis across all those classes are essentially the same, differing mostly in what's bolted to it and what covers it. The "visually appealing" thing is perplexing. Again, there more similarities than differences until you go back to pre-'98. Otherwise I'll assume "visually appealing" has something to do with the faux F-1 look. Some might say visually appealing is the 1970 Winkleman WDF-1, which looks like a 4 cyl version of a gurney Eagle F-1 car of that era.

Tomaaato vs tomahhhhto. When it gets right down to it, the differences are more about the specific parts you are going to be working on, not on whether or not you are going to be working on it. The costs just migrate from one aspect of competition to another and field sizes are completely local.

[KMiller]

I found this extremely interesting. My 5 cents due to the Canadian vs US dollar is this is a overall issue with many levels of motorsports starting from the bottom up.There are many factors but if you start from karting and work you way up, the numbers are declining in every division. You can't build from the top down, offering big carrots, this just doesn't work period. There are a few bright spots now and then like a roller coaster, but that coaster is now on a hill heading downwards. You can blame adding engines, transmissions, but that's only touching the surface of a more serious problem. Racing is becoming a spectator sport and the kids today would rather sit in front of a TV with a controller. No effort, no drive, they just don't live life like many of you I have. I think the aging thing was also touched on. As one of you said, its take time effort and hard work to be good, and if the people today can't step in and be that right away, well they go sit back in front of the TV. BUT motorsports is not the only one suffering. Up here in the north as an example, a huge drop in hockey numbers at the younger levels. Cost here to is crazy so they look for less expense sports. Money is a big factor and since its hard to finance a race operation on top of your other toys and mortgage, well there isn't time and money left over. I don't have the answer cause I would be more than happy to fix it, but it isn't engine and transmission issues causing this. It a much deeper problem.