I talked to David today during lunch. Without him being there he really couldn't be of much help but said that there had to be another issue. Now that you mention the battery, maybe that was it.
My LS has a cylinder that has lost some of its compression. I am using a 20/50 weight oil and it is working out for me. It has stopped the oil burning until my 3,000 mile oil change. I keep an eye on it.
I am working on building another block to replace it but in the meantime that oil seems to be of assistance.
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if you can only race me in a straight line then whats the point 
...91 SMF SCCA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8341770@N07/5601083432/http://www.flickr.com/photos/8341770@N07/5601083432/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/8341770@N07/, on Flickr
I see people out there spending money on the car to improve it … If you spend half that effort just working on your driving skills, making you and the car work together as a team, then you’ll go faster – period. To make the car go a second faster on the track takes a lot more energy and money than making yourself drive it one second faster.
– the late Tom Thrash SCCA Solo E Production