Posted for Walter Atkinson <walter@advancedpilot.com>:

 Rick:
 
 Congratulations on your success.  I have been part of a race team in Reno as
well.  (we scored three GOLD second place finishes in T-6s.)  I also raced a
Porsche in the Mexico City Grand Prix, so auto racing is not foreign to me
either.  It's a rush but it does require a different set of issues being
addressed than engines which are used for every day use and have different
longevity and efficiency concerns.  If I were to race my airplane, I would
make some changes in the current engine set-up.
 
 No one is taking issue with your racing success using that supercharger
system. That is a very different issue than the normal flying conditions we
encounter as pilots of GA aircraft and as I have pointed out, the problems of
the gear/belt-driven superchargers are minimized at WOT....  as in the
condition you have listed.  There is no disagreement on that.  Again,
congratulations.
 
 I would suggest that being intercooled would be a much better situation for
your engine and it could have made up the difference in being second place.
 That also would increase the detonation margin for you.  IN YOUR CASE, being
intercooled could increase the HP output since there is no exhaust
backpressure issue.
 
 Walter