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Stated production capacity is 16 kits/month - so limiting bid process to 1st 25 amounts to first 6 weeks of production. The way I read it, after the 1st 25, it is a random draw from amongst those sending in an order sheet.

If the entire production run was going out based on $$$$ I would agree that it's bad - but to the extent that there are those of us willing to pay $xxx for a 6 week head start, I don't see any real harm.

Totally lame and counter to the intent of the class. People paying to get a head start on having the car and testing to get it setup.

This just baffles me.

Some regularly buy new tires...sometimes multiple new sets for a double weekend. Some here will own several engines, and dyno and run the one that makes 0.5% more power. Some invested in Penske vs. Koni shocks...check. Multiple track days for tuning and practice. New, light bodywork to replace old, heavy crashed stuff...check. Expensive data system to perfect the driver....check.

And nobody says a word.

But let somebody bid to be the "FOB" (first on block) for the new motor (which isn't compliant for competition for what...another YEAR ?), and suddenly the SRF world goes all socialist. People are willing to pay some extra $ to get their new shiny, and we're gonna get all "tsk tsk" on them ?

As a wise man might say: "Dude........really ?"

John Walsh wrote:This just baffles me.

Some regularly buy new tires...sometimes multiple new sets for a double weekend. Some here will own several engines, and dyno and run the one that makes 0.5% more power. Some invested in Penske vs. Koni shocks...check. Multiple track days for tuning and practice. New, light bodywork to replace old, heavy crashed stuff...check. Expensive data system to perfect the driver....check.

And nobody says a word.

But let somebody bid to be the "FOB" (first on block) for the new motor (which isn't compliant for competition for what...another YEAR ?), and suddenly the SRF world goes all socialist. People are willing to pay some extra $ to get their new shiny, and we're gonna get all "tsk tsk" on them ?

As a wise man might say: "Dude........really ?"

But the difference is I don't have to wait behind someone willing to spend more on tires or shocks. I call, place the order and get the tires or parts I want at the same time as everyone else. I don't have to compete to get in line with someone else.

cooleyjb wrote:

John Walsh wrote:This just baffles me.

Some regularly buy new tires...sometimes multiple new sets for a double weekend. Some here will own several engines, and dyno and run the one that makes 0.5% more power. Some invested in Penske vs. Koni shocks...check. Multiple track days for tuning and practice. New, light bodywork to replace old, heavy crashed stuff...check. Expensive data system to perfect the driver....check.

And nobody says a word.

But let somebody bid to be the "FOB" (first on block) for the new motor (which isn't compliant for competition for what...another YEAR ?), and suddenly the SRF world goes all socialist. People are willing to pay some extra $ to get their new shiny, and we're gonna get all "tsk tsk" on them ?

As a wise man might say: "Dude........really ?"

But the difference is I don't have to wait behind someone willing to spend more on tires or shocks. I call, place the order and get the tires or parts I want at the same time as everyone else. I don't have to compete to get in line with someone else.

Or we go the other way entirely and have a sealed, first-price auction. People can pay whatever the hell they want, and the amount over and above the Enterprises price (plus shipping and handling) will go into SRF promotion and/or a charity. The winners are the highest offers in high-to-low order (lowest being the current "premium" price). We could keep it anonymous, which would likely increase the bids!

I don't care so much about when I upgrade. I just want to be in the bigger class. If I put that much value on just having a faster car (versus good racing) I'd just do track days in my daily driver.

But the difference is I don't have to wait behind someone willing to spend more on tires or shocks. I call, place the order and get the tires or parts I want at the same time as everyone else. I don't have to compete to get in line with someone else.

Parts for a car that you can't even compete in next year ?

Enterprises wants to see if they can bump their bottom line with a limited number of engines for the "first on block" club, and it's outside the "intent of the class" ?

Dude...seriously ?

I'm going to weigh in and agree with Bruce on this one. It just doesn't feel right to me. That said I really don't care if SCCA can make some extra coin of others if it helps support the class, Erik, Shannon, etc. while not giving any real advantage to those people. When my engine lets go I'll be getting a new one, spending time at test and tunes sorting the car out ,then rejoining the races, this could be in a few months or 2017. Either way when I get on track with the new engine I'll have people to race with and to me that is why this class is so cool.
- Josh

Okay - if bidding $$$ for the 1st 25 is a no-no, how about we put those that will run Sebring and Cal Speedway in January 2015 to the top of the list? After all, we do have a somewhat limited supply of kits since they can only be produced at a specific frequency - and we do need to try to have some cars ready to hit the track in real competition on both coasts in 2015 so it would certainly make sense to get kits to folks who will race them in January (which also gives us an unfair advantage over those that won't race until the ice melts so I guess we should ban racing in the south as well). Or how about considering longevity in class? Or frequency of racing? (I like all of the above since they favor me ).

At any rate - I sent my reservation sheet in but did not bid. Wonder how many reservations Erik has received - and how many are from those bitching about the process.

Actually, if one assumes that there is some monetary value in an early position in line for a kit then Erik's method just preempts a few fortunate individuals who might otherwise draw an early position and sell it to the highest bidder.

This way, if there really is such a market, Enterprises cashes in to the benefit of all as opposed to a few lucky individuals hitting the jackpot.

And if there is no market, then no one will bid and all of the kits will go by lottery.

So where's the harm???

If I can't upgrade over next winter you guys will have lost yourselves a cheerleader. If I wanted to get hosed by my car choice I would race a Touring car. Seems there is some tail wagging the dog going on here when the only reason for enterprises to exist is to provide us with cars and parts...

I would have been an early adopter and would have upgraded this winter given the chance, so I will reserve judgment, still excited about it, just less so.