Two 'new' National Classes in fastrack

[titanium]

Great,
I just got my new 'BP' decals and there good for less than 30 days.

All changes are effective 12/1/08 unless otherwise noted.
Prepared
1. Change the Prepared category name to Super Touring.
2. Change the B Prepared class name to STO.
3. Change the D prepared class name to STU.

Well, at least people will stop calling it 'B Production'.

[924Guy]

LOL... saw that.

OK, next source of confusion... Street Touring road-race cars?? ;)

Notice also that they moved back the start date to allow earlier cars? I think my car's now only 10 years out of the mix! LOL (eah, I know it should be a vintage car...)

[lateapex911]

And, did I notice large scale prep changes to those classes? (I might be confused with another class, but...) I thought I saw the removal of SIRs, and the changing of the weight structure.

[Greg Amy]

And, did I notice large scale prep changes to those classes?
Yup, they almost rebuilt it from scratch. I heard a lot of potential competitors didn't want to get into the SIR things.

This should actually be a couple of good classes, once they take off. Good place for an ex-World Challenge Mazda Protege or Acura Integra/RSX...

[lateapex911]

Good place for an ex-World Challenge Mazda Protege or Acura Integra/RSX...

That's exactly what I was thinking when I read that. Not sure about the growth potential, but I don't have a good feel for those demographics.

[Kolin Aspegren]

Or and old SSC car built to ITA rules, since driver not interested in running regionals
with people on there novice permit.

k

[Greg Amy]

Or and old SSC car built to ITA rules, since driver not interested in running regionals with people on there novice permit.
???

[CRallo]

Or and old SSC car built to ITA rules, since driver not interested in running regionals
with people on there novice permit.

k

???? +1

if he is saying what I think he is: IT cars can't run in prepared at nationals, can they?? this would most likely carry over... or is he assuming there would be no novices in Prepared/Super Touring?? which wouldn't be true... can't tell you how many times I've seen a newb in a car way over his head!

[Kolin Aspegren]

Guys ITA and ITS can run in DP/ STU. My other comment came from me getting
wrecked out this year by a driver on his novice permit in the only regional I ran.

Body work = no fun

k

[Greg Amy]

IT cars can't run in prepared at nationals, can they??
Absolutely, as long as you have a National license. But, there's nothing keeping someone from running BP/STO in a World Challenge Viper in Regional races on a Novice Permit.

Note, though, that it takes - what? - 5 races to get a National license...?


....or is he assuming there would be no novices in Prepared/Super Touring?? which wouldn't be true... can't tell you how many times I've seen a newb in a car way over his head!Amen. There's nothing stopping someone from going to driver's schools and running their first Regionals in a full-up Formula Atlantic, Formula 5000, Trans-Am/GT-1, or A Sports Racer Frisbee Can-Am car.

There is ZERO correlation between driving experience/skill and categories...All it takes is a deep pocketbook...

On edit: it takes FOUR sanctioned Regional races before you can apply for a National license....that's two double-Regional weekends of "experience"...

[dickita15]

I actually had a student of mine at a school who rented an ITC Rabbit for his schools and his first race was in a brand new FSCCA car. Fortunately he had a lot of kart experience and was pretty good.
But I do find Kolin’s comment pretty funny.

[titanium]

I understand what you mean about the SIR.
In the two years I've run BP, NONE of my competitors that I spoke with ran a SIR.
Of course, if the car was a 'real' current or former World Challenge car, they did not need one.
Every race I participated at, I had a SIR.
It was in the top drawer of my toolbox.:D

As for the weight change, it was 3100, now a 5 liter Mustang is 2750lbs, plus -50 for a solid rear axle.
So 2700 is the new target.
My car weighs 3295 with myself and 1/2 tank of fuel.
I can get out another 200 by gutting the doors and going to lighter wheels and Hoosier tires.
The rest would require replacing the hood, fenders, nose, decklid and roof with carbon fiber pieces. a la Ernesto Roco's AIX Mustang.
http://www.musclemustangfastfords.com/features/mmfp_0604_1998_ford_mustang_cobra/index1.html
Not sure if I want to spend that kind of money.

[Racerlinn]

Rules Nerd Help Needed:
Was there not some provision at some point to allow IT cars to run in their Production class, as long as they remained in IT spec? No requirement for Production stuff like a fuel cell or fire system? Or am I dreaming and now the only way to "National" an IT car is to run in Super Touring in IT spec?

[Jeremy Billiel]

Rules Nerd Help Needed:
Was there not some provision at some point to allow IT cars to run in their Production class, as long as they remained in IT spec? No requirement for Production stuff like a fuel cell or fire system? Or am I dreaming and now the only way to "National" an IT car is to run in Super Touring in IT spec?

STU (the old DP)

[Knestis]

I'm a known skeptic but I'm of the opinion that the Club can monkey with the details of this all they want and it's still going to be a dead end. Frankly, the fact that they've made so many changes over the first couple years of the category is evidence that there are lots of different people trying to accomplish different things with these classes. No "program coherence" in the parlance of what I do. It's a recipe for ongoing confusion and instability.

"Super Touring - It's the anti-IT" :)

K

[Racerlinn]

"Super Touring - It's the anti-IT" :)

K

Agreed, but it's also the "Place to get a another race in on a National/Regional combined weekend."

But I'd rather run in a Prod class with other cars.

[SLUF]

Just to share our experiences so far:

My son and I run a first gen RX-7 in IT7 and STU. He runs in the IT group while I run it in the STU group. The only real problem we have had with the one race in STL was the grouping of STU in with the big bore GT, STO, EP and Touring classes and directly after the it run group. We requested, and received, a transfer of STU to the SM, SS, and small bore touring group where speeds were MUCH more comparable. There was another entry in STU and he agreed to the swap as well.

It couldn't have worked out better. The SCCA got additional entry fees and my son and I got to run both days too! I managed a class win and fair overall finish in the Saturday race with all those Miatas buzzing around in the wet. Drove like crap in the national but that happens sometimes. I can strongly recommend this for those of you wanting to double dip and get a taste of national racing. Just don't let em put you in that big bore group though! The closing speeds are rather hairy.

[Racerlinn]

Yes, trying to avoid Big Noise group as well.

Rules Nerds help!:
GCR says stock location stock gas tank is OK for me (it's ahead of rear axle).
Would have to add a fire system (I have hand helds).
Would have to add two straps over rear window glass (I already have clips on the front)

What else am I missing to make a basic IT car Production compliant????