With todays advances in composites it would be very east to build a 130 inch Extra in the 16 pound range, it would be expensive but fairly easy. At that weight a ZDZ-60 would deliver unlimited performance but not one TOC pilot does it and they have the money. Light planes do fly better, but there is such a thing as too light. The best wing loading depends on the size and shape of a specific plane, there is no single number. Dick, I have been a glider pilot for a long time, ballast is used to help the glider maintain its speed through maneuvers and penetrate wind gusts better {inertia is not acceleration [an object at rest tends to stay at rest and a object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force]}. I does help the glider accelerate because of the additional weights ability to overcome airframe drag, but thats not the reason its done. If a 5 pound 40 size Extra flew better than a 35 pound 40% thats what the pro's would be using, after all they are there to win. This is however just my opinion and everyone is entitled to there own.