Why not specialize? If we look at NASCAR, they've had various cars
for various venues for a number of years. They have short track cars,
speedway cars, super-speedway cars, and road race cars. They have
qualifying engines and race engines.
We have uhhhh - drag race cars. Bzzzt. Wrong answer.
Some analogies: We can use a screwdriver for a chisel, since they
both have a steel shaft with a tapered edge on the end. Most of us
don't use a screwdriver for such abuse (and those of us who do, never
let on when we take them back to Sears for replacement) because a
chisel does the job much more safely, non-destructively, and efficiently.
It's a question of the basic definition being very similar, but with
small enhancements to make the tool work even better.
A ratchet wrench and a hammer have quite a bit in common. Both have
a handle to grasp, are made of steel, and have an enlarged rounded
area at the end of the shaft. You know what's coming next - though
you could indeed drive nails with a ratchet, a hammer works a whole
bunch better.
So is this the future for competitive Pro Stock teams? Are the current
teams using a ratchet when they really should be using a hammer? It
looks like that's probably the case.
While the elite teams always seem to find a way to go fast, those
who watch Pro Stock can tell you who's good at Houston in 50 degree
weather, and who they'd bet their money on at Indy when it's 102 degrees.
Sure, some of that has to do with tuning. But if you look closely,
there are teams who seem to always be in the thick of things when
the weather's good and there are others who are a real threat in the
deepest depths of summer heat. What WJ is saying is that there may
be more to this than just a tune up. Those struggling (or falling
behind the leader) may be trying to cut a bolt with a screwdriver.
And since the Ol' Perfesser will tell anyone who listens that his
cars are only tools, we'd bet that he's getting ready to add a whole
bunch more tool storage to WJ Racing.
The next sound you hear is the sound of the competition whining up
to speed -- just before they call their chassis builder to order a
six pack of new cars.
