It was really great to see the SLC in person, what a great car, nice to meet Fran, Bob & some of the crew. Sorry didn't get to meet more of you guys, but hopefully soon.
The SLC showed good speed, right out of the box. The team should be commended for their effort, & tenacity throughout. As has been discussed here, & over at the GTM forum, the SLC has created a lot of interest, but some people seem to overreact a bit. It definitely raised the bar, but it is not a typical build.
Howard, I agree with you, there are extreme differences between sprint racing, & endurance races.
I am sure that a quality SLC, or GTM race car can be built competitively for under $100k, & be just as quick, & probably more reliable. The problem with all the high end pieces, (electronics, LMP engines, gearbox etc.) are the added complexity, cost, & unreliability. At some point, seeing as this is amateur racing, the added expense does not equal added enjoyment of the racing experience. At some point it becomes unjustifiable.
The PDG approach is to maximize the available resources, & involve as many supporters as possible. The GTM-R may not be flashy, but underneath it is a well developed endurance racer. It is a polar opposite of Bob's SLC.
I believe that somewhere in between the 2 lies a potential for some really fast, & competitve race cars. Hopefully there will be more cars built, that don't have to break the bank, and we can all enjoy some bitchin racing!
I sure enjoy the competition, as that's what makes it interesting, & enjoyable.
Ted