AX Predictions?

[Gary Burch]

Tom, that's the problem , one of the problems, with the new rules. The tire war starts in S class. Where last year you could run Azenias for no points and a little over $300. Now it's -2 points and $700 for Toyo's. And you can't even drive them on the street. Now that's fair.

[bobbrand]

Whine

Bob, when you can beat me, you can speculate on my temperament.

LOL

I guess I can start speculating!

[Jan Mellinger]

What is the polished dolphin?

Jan

[bibbetson]

The person who wins the BRI (fastest indexed time) gets the polished dolphin trophy until the next event. If you haven't seen the polished dolphin trophy, it's a real treat!

Someone else is going to have to explain meaning of the thophy.

[Kim Crosser]

Coward!

After every race, there are lots of discussions about who would have beaten whom, if they just ran the same car/tires/suspension/etc.

These discussions generally only bring pleasure to the one who believes he/she would have beaten the others under equal conditions. Thus, we have a situation analogous to "waxing the dolphin"...

The "Bench Racing Index" (BRI) is an attempt to handicap the driving classes by assigning a performance factor which is multiplied against the best times - stock cars with street tires get lower factors than race cars with race tires, etc.

Since this doesn't really resolve who is the faster driver, but makes someone feel good, the appropriate trophy for the BRI winner is ... dah dah dah ... the "polished dolphin".

By tradition, each "winner" of the dolphin adds something to the trophy, so at this point, it is a rather interesting melange of items.

[ttweed]

Jan-

The origins of the BRI trophy go back to an old thread on the previous PCA-SDR forum where the value and accuracy of the BRI was argued extensively. It was agreed by all that an index of times to balance the classes was a hugely complex and difficult endeavor, but could make for some interesting comparisons and ego-saving compensation for the people in the lower classes who would never see themselves on the Top-Ten list of times. Thanks to Carl Scragg's efforts, and some legwork by Chris Benbow and myself in assembling historical data, along with the RTP/PAX concept from SCCA Solo2, we have devised a rather "dull blade" for determining a PCA-SDR handicapping system to normalize the classes, on a completely "unofficial" basis.

I believe it was Curt Anderson who coined the phrase "waxing your dolphin" in that thread-- equating the BRI to (ummm, how do I say this in polite company?) a certain act of self-gratification.

With the addition of new cars and classes, the BRI is going to need another revision for this year to maintain its already questionable relevance.

Here is a pic of the dolphin in its previous incarnation, as rendered by the Hauptman clan, who gave it a "surfie-storm trooper" look, including a "grandpa-tee" shirt with an Iron Cross on it, a symbol which appears on their race cars:



and a couple more of it now (after changing hands and rattling around in the trailer. it lost it's former hat, and has been "peaced-out" a bit under my wife's influence)

FRONT:

BACK:


It doesn't show well in the photos, but it now sports a SF Giants ballcap, worn backwards, and there is a flower coming out of the barrel of the .45 automatic the Hauptmans had taped to its fin, and a button with the symbol for nuclear disarmament on its back, along with a decal from my surf club.

It will be interesting to see how it evolves in the future.

TT

[Curt]

I think I may have been the originator (as TT said) of saying the BRI index was a way to "wax the dolphins" of the drivers of fairly unmodified cars.

The funny person though is the one who actually went out and bought a trophy with a dolphin on it! That cracks me up every time I see it. Of course, I have some great plans for that dolphin, but it'll never end up on my mantle, my car is too modified and I'm way too slow.

I think I need something with a softer BRI index, maybe like this? At least it would be competitive with the 944's...... [img][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v426/racea911/DSCN0223.jpg[/img][/img]

[Jan Mellinger]

I had to laugh out loud when I read Tom's post about the polished dolphin. Of course, my mind had already gone down THAT road, but I didn't get the connection. What happens when a woman wins it?

Jan

[ttweed]

What happens when a woman wins it?

It hasn't happened yet, but I guess us guys are going to all have a good cry then, as Denise's shirt suggested at the last autox.

TT

[Burl East]

Bob,

Some days you are the big dog and some days the chew toy. I actually have 11 excuses for being off pace - but no one would listen. Congrats on a great drive.

Worse yet I lost to Chris (Jar Head) and own him a fantastic lunch from the roach coach. -

[Denise Dente]

You all have given me a reason to live. Who cares about year end points when there's a dolphin up for grabs.

Burl, I can't believe you let Chris beat you. I want in on this lunch time action.

See you all in feb. ...hopefully with some new tires.

Denise