N20 cheating or not? It's one of those fights you can't win
Whether or not nitrous is cheating is one of those issues where valid points can be made for either side. 95% of the time, a group can argue, and in the end the two sides will walk away with the same views.
Can an SC go 12's without nitrous oxide and be streetable, yes. Is it going to cost you big money, at this point likely, but I suspect it will become less and less expensive the more we learn.
There are a number of approaches I see. One approach is to use boost. You have to build an engine to handle boost for a 12 second run. You would also have to increase the efficiency of the blower. Another way is to increase compression, volume (boring and/or stroking) so that the engine produces more power without substantial boost. Beyond the engine, traction, suspension tweaks, weight, transmission setup, altitude, and many other factors come into play. All of the bolt ons with no nitrous will bring you very close to 12's with good traction, good track prep, a good driver, close to sealevel altitude, a very good transmission, and a little luck. I'd even say it will happen.
Adam Mullen
The SC Kid