[Chuck Norton]

Larry,

In my opinion, water boxes and burnouts are more than a cultural phenomenon and crowd-pleasing artifice. Today's rubber compounds and track prep go hand-in-hand to give our cars a consistent, efficient launch. There are times when less intense burnouts are desirable but it is the responsibility of each driver to know when "less is more" and adjust accordingly. If burnouts were to be banned again (yes, I too, remember the dark ages), consistent performances would require serious reconsideration of torque converter and clutch configurations, tire compounds, chassis set-ups, and driving styles. I, for one, at this stage in the evolution of the sport, would be disinclined to support the elimination of burnouts.

c