I agree that current research funding is now going to the big money
sports, but it doesn't HAVE to be that way. Manufacturers offering
funding money generally want to get some good P&R out of their
investment, and usually they want (or would like) a boost in sales of
their own product(s). Therefore, they give money to research that will
benefit the most people.
If we want research funds, we have to convince Nutramax and others that
endurance is becoming important and high-profile enough (which is
different from "big money") to justify their attention. The natural
evolution of endurance is already making it more widespread and
high-profile, as demonstrated by the increasing media coverage we're
getting. $30,000 of funding into TB research won't make a ripple,
because to the racing industry, it's just one more drop in a big bucket.
They'd hardly get a thank-you note. $30,000 of funding into endurance
projects, carefully administered, could make a BIG WAVE just because our
bucket is bone dry. Off the top of my head, I can think of four or five
projects that would make a difference and could be brought in
dirt-cheap, and would provide very long-lasting benefits to both the
endurance community and to Nutramax.
We need to convince Nutramax that here's their big chance to get in on
the ground floor, be a pioneer in implementing truly relevant
endurance research and thereby earn our loyalty and goodwill forever.
If I were a manufacturer, that would be a better way of spending my
company's money than making ten hot rods happy.
Susan Evans