Kirk,

I love reading your posts because we obviously have such different
views. Your point about NASCAR is amusing because it is hard to find a
more intrusive organization that micromanages their sport. NASCAR is
EXTREMELY safety concious that monitors not only the detailed design
of the car (when was the last time they actually raced "stock cars"?),
but every minute aspect of race operation. If there is a fatality,
such as Earnhardt's, they take action to prevent it from happening
again:

Safety has become a paramount concern this year in NASCAR. Restrictor
plates, throttle limiters and soft walls have all been hot topics in
an effort to find an answer to a single question, "What else can be
done to limit driver injury"?

Should NASCAR mandate the HANS® Device?
By Frank Ryan
October 31, 2000
AutoRacing1.com

I don't think that soaring can accomodate this level of governence.
After all, we don't have multi-million dollar sponsers and a national
TV audience. But to compare our sport to NASCAR on just one aspect
presents a distorted picture.

I agree that there is nothing to compare with a high-speed contest
finish for the adreneline junky. The problem is that most tasks aren't
assigned turnpoints, resulting in gliders approaching the finish line
from all directions. Consequently you can be mixing slow speed gliders
in the pattern (at low altitude) with high-speed finishing gliders.

It IS sad to see this part of the sport go (along with the start line)
since this is the only spectator part of the contest.

Tom