in re: reaction drives: see my bit at the top of page 6 for a quick run-down of Current Working Theory on the topic.
Basic answer is that an acceleration-based system simply *can't* beat a velocity-based system for cornering.
That having been said, it should certainly be possible to run ships through the belts by weight class. Since base speed is dependant on ship mass, you just have to make sure they all mass approximately the same. Any speed advantage that you get after that point is either from cutting the tolerances tighter on your turns/better reaction speed or nifty new soup-up techniques you can do with your machine (which requires skill with the machinery, is risky, tends to have *strange* advantages even when it does have advantages, and requires that you deal with the ensuing quirks as you drive - whatever those might be. All of these seem to be perfectly appropriate things to base racing on. You throw a few rings up that they have to pass through in order, give a few guideline signes, and let them go.
Mind you, this probably isn't going to be big buisiness - more like the illegal local drag-racing circuit than Nascar (though, thankfully, without the cops) but it's certainly doable.
Basic answer is that an acceleration-based system simply *can't* beat a velocity-based system for cornering.
That having been said, it should certainly be possible to run ships through the belts by weight class. Since base speed is dependant on ship mass, you just have to make sure they all mass approximately the same. Any speed advantage that you get after that point is either from cutting the tolerances tighter on your turns/better reaction speed or nifty new soup-up techniques you can do with your machine (which requires skill with the machinery, is risky, tends to have *strange* advantages even when it does have advantages, and requires that you deal with the ensuing quirks as you drive - whatever those might be. All of these seem to be perfectly appropriate things to base racing on. You throw a few rings up that they have to pass through in order, give a few guideline signes, and let them go.
Mind you, this probably isn't going to be big buisiness - more like the illegal local drag-racing circuit than Nascar (though, thankfully, without the cops) but it's certainly doable.