Dan,
I disagree with you, I run Optima, not only in my race cars, but in all my street vehicles since many years (the oldest battery is going on 8 years)and never had a single problem.
Even a regular red top can go through many full discharge/recharge cylcles that will kill a "regular", non-deep cycle battery.
As for a high rate of charge,evey single battery has n optimum rate of charge (amps/hour)based usually on the size,CCA,temperature and degree of discharge.
Luc.
00GTS