RE: SCCA Speedfactor
You and RZ have pointed out some of the oddities of the SF system. I've been seeing this in the ESRC this year; get stuck in one mud hole: you drop like mad. Have Seamus drop off the road; and the survivirs' SF's all shoot up fantastically!
I would like to see no more than a .02 drop due to aging. And the stage miles weighting, or eliminating SF from very short stages, should be added into the formula.
A number of us complanined 2 years about the 'double-secret' formulas used. Dunno if that ever got published, but it should be.
And Patr, it can make a huge difference how this is done; maybe not upfront, but in mid pack. You can start 15 places back in a well attended event like STPR or MFR due to SF; if there is dust in midpack, where there is no 2 minute dust window, then a good fast team can really be screwed. Hence RZ's pointing out how a .04 drop in SF due to aging is dramatic. Not all of the 70 drivers he dropped behind will show up, but if 1/4 do, he has dropped 17 start postions.
Regards,
Mark B.