Eric...I appreciate your input always, but here is what we are looking at right now.
We want one of our drivers to move up to 160 for 2010 and in our state there is one USAC track and one QMA track. We need to buy new engines because this is a new class to us. I am hearing that USAC has not allowed the new engine because it makes more HP than the old ones. If that is true then clearly we will need the new engine at the QMA track to be competitive. So that is about $900 per engine (primary and backup) so about $1800 for that. Then we will need to pick up two older engines which are USAC legal probably at about another $1000 - $1100 total cost for both of those. So we are talking about $3000 in engines to run the 160 class. The quick answer to save costs is to not purchase a new one for backup at the QMA track and just use one of the older ones for that, which is probably what we do.
If you are saying the older engine wouldn't put us at a disadvantage HP wise at the QMA tracks, then why is it illegal in USAC? Anyone have the data on the differences between the two? If not, no biggie our dyno will be ready soon and we will just find out for ourselves.