Ed,
Perhaps the judging of "Alternative Engines" could be a good thing... if it
were done right.
Let me try and add something constructive here.

For example: Giving points for having a "home made" redrive rather than an
"off the shelf" one bothers me because I believe it takes us in the wrong
direction. Safety is issue number 1, and unless the judger is an engineer,
and is going to strip the redrive down and examine the engineering and
design in detail, the judgement must be based on outward appearance.

So... what would be meaningful and constructive criterea?
Look at fuel, cooling, oil, electrical. intake and exhaust systems for
redundancy, safety and failure points. Disregard appearance entirely.
Disregard quality of workmanship as it relates to aesthetics. Performance
information and proven reliability would be valuable. Consider cost LAST.

My 2c.
John Slade