[John Thawley]

Well.... here's the problem I have.

First, if you make any negative comment toward GARRA, you're "bashing." I resent that. An opinion is an opinion. If it's presented in a thoughtful civilized manner, I want to hear it and I want to discuss it.

So... mine are negative comments. I will preface that with saying I enjoy racing.. especially good racing. I like World of Outlaws, Formula One, and pretty much everything with wheels. Do I like them with the passion and furor that I like the American Le Mans? No. But, I enjoy them.

I have a fundamental problem with products being "dumbed down." It simply goes against my grain. With anything I do, I try to raise the bar. For me, that makes life interesting and as humans, gives our life purpose. Go stronger, get smarter, get faster... push the envelope in everything you do. If you don't, who will?

GARRA's format, to me, doesn't encourage that. In fact, the message I get (speaking as a race fan) is "we will tell you what's exciting and what the benchmark for true competition is and we will establish the parameters of the technology."

Sorry.. that doesn't pique my interest. In fact, for my money, thank goodness GARRA includes the GT class. At least it resembles something honest.

I find it fascinating how NASCAR's "car of tomorrow" and the "Daytona Prototype" are both served up as the future of racing while neither lives up to its name. The car of tomorrow uses a carburetor and there's nothing prototype about a DP. It's an expensive kit car at best.

I think the term "Car of Tomorrow" is pretty self explanatory. I don't think it requires a definition. It should be exactly that... the car of tomorrow. Obviously, it's not even close to being the car of yesterday. Seems like kind of fraud to me... but then again, I'm just a stupid fan who's supposed to file in with my $85 and occupy a 12" slab of bench that, oh by the way, we'll call a "seat."

But let's take the literal definition of prototype. The American Heritage dictionary defines it this way:

pro·to·type (prō'tə-tīp') Pronunciation Key
n.
1. An original type, form, or instance serving as a basis or standard for later stages.
2. An original, full-scale, and usually working model of a new product or new version of an existing product.
3. An early, typical example.
4. Biology A form or species that serves as an original type or example.

OK... so I suppose we have a few ways to use the word. But as racing enthusiasts... as people with a passion for going harder, faster, stronger... which would we point to as our interpretation? I'm guessing we'd go with No. 2 and reasonably accept No. 1 - Sadly, and in all honesty, a Daytona Prototype can only point to numbers 3 and 4.

So.... it simply boils down to the fact that I don't like being spoon fed BS. It is what it is... I can enjoy it for the racing. But it's simply a spec class.

JT