Warning - Broken Record Alert!!
Here's the SCTA stats (I'm using the term
class, for a specific engine/body/fuel/aspiration/year classification in which a record could be set):
There are 12 diesel streamliner classes (79? other 4 wheeler, and a lot of bikes)
There are 9 diesel-powered pickup classes, including both mini and full size.
There are 4 additional classes, two big-rig diesel specific, two mini/full/big-rig combo classes
Zero door car classes or motorcycle classes.
So 25 diesel classes, with 21 existing BV records (7 over 200mph, and 7 new records since 08), and 10 diesel SCTA racers last year, to the best of my knowledge. There are divisions that have better participation per class, but those are some pretty good stats for our "little" clan.
All but 2 allow you to just repower your gas entry with a diesel powerplant, so 2 Diesel-specific classes total. There are no classes that are specifically diesel pickup (as sold) even with over 1/2 million diesel pickup sales a year in the US (the most common diesel sold in the US), and many thousands of diesel enthusiasts competing every year in motorsports. For the big-rigs, there are 4 classes, but only 2 that are specific. Big-Rig race events are also common in the US as well as Europe.
With the diesels, there are no year classes, engine design classes, naturally aspirated classes, or fuel classes. Nor do I see a need of any of that. All should be Compression Ignition and leave it at that, since most all are turbocharged, and there is no fuel monitoring similiar to what the spark classes have.
There are over 200 existing diesel records (mostly cars) dating back to the 1930's, and no idea how many "open" records, but those are monitored by the FIA and require a heavy
fine fee to record. So diesel racing is certainly not "new" or "unique", but is most certainly on the rise.
Much like the gas guys know a lot about their engines, and the roadster guys know alot about their body-style, the diesel enthusiasts are also pretty serious about their sport. We don't typically race diesels because it's easy. We race diesels because it's challenging.
But going back to the original subject of discussion, I still think the best course of action for a DL class would be to fold it into DS for now. It costs nothing, and won't be much work, and that's how all but 2 of the diesel classes are currently set up. When at least 3 DL entries hit the track running in DS, then petition for a formal DL. The records are soft enough still to set them with Lakester bodies, and it gives you more parity than BGL would.