We always cheered for him. I believe it was also a chain drive and smaller tires. If he got a good draw and the track was a long way around up top he could flat dfoot the bottom.
Although someone else brought this up , I am going to comment on this , I have never felt letting this car run was a good idea as they have the shoot out for cars like that . the smaller tires ,chain drive etc. it would really be a mess if all the micros showed up at the Chili Bowl to run .A lot of them could be as fast or faster than the midgets just as he was .I am not putting him down ! but it wasnt a midget
How can we start a campaign to get him back in? What would it hurt? There is a ton of stuff that would NEVER be allowed anywhere else. And there has been more than a fair share of top level drivers "moving mere mortals out of the way". With nothing ever said. If it happened, I never saw anything like that from the 118. The 118 NEVER was a chain drive. It is a brilliant engineering effort at a "Chili Bowl only car". It is far from alone. And it is exactly the type of effort that helps bring people in. There is always a crowd around Bondios pit wondering what he might do next. And looking holes in his cars, knowing that they can't comprehend all the tricks. Everyone, roots for the underdog that is doing it with talent instead of cubic money. If he won on his qualifying night; the fans would blow the roof off of the place. I say let him run.
This is why you need a rule book. Saying you don't have any rules, except body & fuel rules, and then outlawing cars (this one and previously the Aussie V8s) goes against the spirit of open competition racing.
"This is why you need a rule book. Saying you don't have any rules, except body & fuel rules, and then outlawing cars (this one and previously the Aussie V8s) goes against the spirit of open competition racing."
EXACTLY!!!
The rule book doesn't need to be big, but you can't say something is illegal if there are no rules.
There was a technical write up on the car, but I can't seem to find it without some research. It was absolutely legal (engine location, shaft drive, etc.) It utilized a motorcycle engine and 10" wheels. To outlaw a "purpose built" car for the Chili Bowl is laughable. A good number of the cars wouldn't be legal in any other racing series due to lightweight tubing, traction control, body panels, fuel tanks, etc.
So now the rules are:
1. No grafting two motorcycle engines into a V8,
2. No left front skis in place of a wheel
3. No 10" wheel cars
I guess innovation is great, until you upset the wrong people. Then it's all get in line with the rest of us!
