Below is a copy and paste from a friend of mine over on JRCBD. It will provide some interesting reading.
POST FROM JRCBD:
It seems there is some confusion among the IMPBA members and some of the IMPBA Executive Council (EXC) about the Engine Specifications of the Super Sport and Thunderboat class that were voted in by the IMPBA membership. I have researched the paper trail and offer a few information comments. This has taken a considerable amount of my time on this great Saturday morning and I hope that Jim’s BD will not close this post. It is ment to be a somewhat read only post without all the usual flaming. If you want to flame me, do it offline at
[email protected] It seems that a lot of people ask a lot of questions and flame others without first reading the rule book or other good info on the IMPBA Web Site. I suggest you read every Roostertail and the Minutes of all the EXC meetings.
1. Open the IMPBA web site http//www.impba.net and scroll down to Rule Book, scroll down to Large Gas I, scroll down to Super Sport Class item 3. Engine Specifications which describes a Super Sport engine. NOTE: There is no reference to engine manufacturer other than in the carburetor section.
2. Go back to the IMPBA web site, click on Roostertail, then on December 2008, scroll down to page 6 Thunderboat rules, reference engine selection limited to Zenoah or CY (SIKK) motors. This really surprised me as unlike NAMBA I have never seen IMPBA limit an engine to a specific manufacturer (MFG). I think this enters the field of “TRADE RESTRICTION”.
3. Go back to IMPBA web site and click on Roostertail, click on March 2009, scroll down to page 9, Ballot RE-Vote. EXC revised the wording of the Thunderboat rules.
NOTE: The reference to engine being limited to Zenoah or CY Sikk has been removed Ballot on page 47. OOPS looks like the EXC realized the mistake of limiting the engine to a specific MFG.
4. Go back to IMPBA web site, click on Roostertail, click on June 2009, scroll down to page 45, Gas Director’s report on new Thunderboat rule passing and a copy of the rule. NOTE: under engines specifications there is no reference to an engine MFG. This rule in now in effect for a two year period.
Zenoah has improved from a G-2DMarine to a 230 PUM, 231PUM and 260PUM and we did not ban the new models. The CY Sikk is much more powerful than the Zenoah 260 but we did not ban it. BAM!! Along comes a new, more powerful, less expensive engine, stock RCMK 254EVO from Korea.. The big flap starts about it being too powerful and unfair competition for the stock Zenoah and Sikk engines. The Technical Director now wants to ban the engine from the Thunderboat class. Saying it does not meet the “intent” of the class. I think we voted and passed the Thunderboat rules posted in the June 2009 Roostertail and they are locked in for two years. We did not vote on the “intent” of the rule. The definition of “Intent” varies from person to person and is very difficult to define.
What the Technical Director and the IMPBA EXC have to determine is does the motor meet the engine specification of the Thunderboat rules voted in by the IMPBA membership, and not the “INTENT” of the class.
Through the years I have seen Rossi come out with nitro engine that made the OPS and Picco somewhat obsolete and then OPS comes out with a PRO series that made Rossi, Picco and the older OPS engines somewhat obsolete. The IMPBA did not ban the new engines and the members had the choice of upgrading or not. I think we are now in that situation in the gas classes. The members will decide if they want to upgrade or run what they have.
I see comments that the “INTENT” of the Thunderboat class was a low cost, slow, gentleman class. Well folks competition somewhat kicked this in the behind. A competitive Thunderboat with a stock engine will cost $900.00 to $1,200.00 and if you have it built $1,500 to $2,000.00, They will average 50 to 60 MPH and approaching the first turn, the gentleman “INTENT” somewhat is forgotten.
I hope this paper trail of the THUNDERBOAT rules and personal comments have been of interest and I will mail a copy to each member of the IMPBA Executive Council (EXC).
Thanks for reading
Rip Holdridge IMPBA # 3899 Member since 1971. Hey I have raced against Ed Kalfus and John Bridge. Nope did not win.
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Rip Holdridge
Carrollton (North