Originalsterm

I would guess it is much like repurposed material to something on the points list, like making a wing out of a piece of trunk. If it is specifically on the list for points, you get those points whether you buy something or make it. But tech would be the final say.

Looks like they closed the ordering, I wasn't able to buy one. "not available at this time"

I'm running coils on my BMW from a different BMW and was told to claim points. It would be cool if I didn't have to...

We struggled to import an Integra Type R race car about 6-7 years ago, it was a whole fiasco at the border since there was no import documentation and no title. We ended up not getting the car despite having it on the trailer at the border coming back into the US.

Sorry, I meant to edit out the driver development part. Just leave the car setup equipment. I agree, the driver can make or break just about any car in any series.

Most of that stuff is one and done, you don't need to buy them over and over. But is that stuff what helps make front runners? Quite a few teams probably need dyno time for tuning as well. Extra track days to fiddle with alignment and weight distribution, or is that sort of thing handled once per season on a practice day that may be included with a race weekend?

This is a great data point then! Are you a small team with a smaller budget and very experienced drivers? Did you pick the perfect platform to start with and therefore are fast for less$? Do you win on strategy and prep? Some teams may show up with an under developed platform and keep throwing money after money into it without any progress. Some teams need to invest more in drivers and less into the weekend/car. This is useful information.

Top 10 overall at the Glen is great, huge field with some faster cars. I’m sure it can be done, and Tuttle doesn’t always DNF, so a single data point isn’t a tell-all of correlation. Not saying there even is one, just speculation…

Obviously bud

I wasn't sure how to word it, and I bet it would change who answers and what they answer, but I'm curious where spending lines up with finishing position. Are the $10k weekend teams the front runners most weekends? Are the <$3k teams the lap markers who just like coming out to have a good time and don't even care if they finish? Just guessing, but the tire discussion is what sparked the poll, are they teams who say tires should be open the bigger budget teams and the increase cost is just a smaller percentage of their whole budget anyway? $1,500 in tires per weekend is nothing if they are already spending $10k, but when that increases your cost by 50% you feel it more and can't justify it. Just speculating. I really wish I posted a poll like this when I started, it would have given me a little more grounding in what it would take to start a team of my own.

Actually it did reflect a bit. The other issue was tech asking why I built my cage out of aluminum. I was laughed at a few times for that. All in good fun, but the reflection from the bars at certain angles was distracting. Flat white or flat grey from now on.

-A team interested in becoming relevant might want to know how much more they might be spending -An outsider looking to join a team -An outsider looking to start a team -A team who may have chosen a poor path that is costing way too much to go way to slow or break constantly -Someone from another budget series looking to make the jump -A series who wants to brand themselves as budget to ensure they are still following that plan Other than those people I guess nobody would care.

Either way, cool. Just curious.

Paid crew? Or just buddies you bribe with food and drinks?

I think he means that some of the teams qualify by winning a smaller race versus competing against the top contenders in the series in a bigger race and coming in somewhere lower in the overall standings. But you are right, the qualifications are clearly listed, there is nothing stopping teams from picking an event they feel they have a better shot at in order to also meet the qualifications for the championship. Not the easiest this to accomplish in an amateur series. Not to take anything away from ANY of the teams that have qualified, I'm just reading between the lines and saying out loud something we've considered as well. Will we win the Glen? Probably never. Could we get lucky at Thompson? Maybe someday?