It seems SCCA has shrinking fields mostly due to their own rule making, political and marketing choices. Back in the day, SCCA was pretty much the "only race game in town". That is simply not true anymore. IMSA was one of the first to breakaway from the SCCA due to dis-agreements with the way SCCA ran races. CSRG, NASA, 24 Hours of LeMons, Hooked on Driving are just a few alternative race venues available to car folks who wants to race or just have track time. All have reduced the field sizes in SCCA for the simple reason, these race track venues are a better alternative to what SCCA has to offer.
Equalization rules are never truly fair or equal. They are almost always politically and marketing driven. Example, if a Triumph TR6 was forced to use all stock parts such as front axles, rear hubs, differential mounts, lower front A arm mounts, clutch and etc.. the car would not survive the rigors of SCCA racing for very long. To believe a TR6 is ready to race as delivered with only safety requirements added is plain folly. It is due to the way SCCA rules are written along with the marketing forces driven by British Leyland from years ago that allowed the TR6 to be competitive to this very day. If not for the passionate and inventive thinking of Kas Kastner, Triumphs would not have been as competitive as they were.
Triumph had to do well at these races due to the majority of their two seaters were being sold here and marketing image is imperative to their ability to sell cars in the US.
There have been a number of Brit cars run at 24 Hours of LeMons, the vast majority have not fared well under these endurance races. Unlike SCCA events where races are typically 30 to 40 minutes long, LeMons races are anywhere from 12 to 24 hours long. If TR6 fans truly believe this car is as rugged, durable and competitive as it is perceived to be, a team should field a stock TR6 in any LeMons race.
