Hard core racers are always looking for an advantage. I know guys who have weekend raced for years, even decades, who do OK and have run the same combination forever. Some have moderate success, while many are usually loaded up by round 3.
The guys I know who win the track Championships, (and in NHRA) Divisional and National Championships, are constantly trying new things, experimenting, and innovating to be better. That doesn't always mean faster. It could mean more consistent down the track, more consistent in reaction time, or less likely to red light.
I spoke to Ray Miller III in Columbus about his new car and ask: "How fast will it run flat out?" He said: "That's not what it's built for" The converter, the low gear ratio in the trans, the rear gear, the weight balance, and engine tune are all about Big Buck Bracket Racing. He didn't get his combo by accident. The point being that he is pretty successful, and not by doing the same thing forever, you have to continue to innovate and learn and that comes with sacrifice.
In Nitro racing, performance is all that matters. And to consistently win, you sometimes have to sacrifice today, to win tomorrow.
Alan