ITS in CCPS

[bulldoezr]

New guy here wondering what class to run. I am going to attempt the full schedule of the CCPS this year. Just wondering where the ITS competition is in that series? It looked to me like it might be a little more fun to run IT7, those guys are fast and look like there doing it with less $$$$.

[Ron Earp]

ITS is strong for the SARRC series and the ECR's generally get good ITS competition. A few of us ITS fellows have been discussing the CCPS but it appears there will be little, if any, competition in the ITS CCPS for 2009.

Many reasons for this outcome - some ITS guys don't want to risk their SARRC points cars for the CCPS. Others want to reduce operating costs and choose one series.

My own personnal reason involves time - CCPS many times gets the last run group of the day while the ITS SARRC group is typically in the first three run groups. So, a difference of at least three to four hours in when I get home on Sunday night. IT7 runs with ITS in the SE so you'd be facing the same choice if you went IT7.

[bulldoezr]

Thanks Ron, I wasn't aware that they usually ran that series at the end of the day. I would rather get home early too, but I am willing to run in the last group to be in that series. I have a question. Awhile back, there was a red 1st gen that was so fast that in ran with the s cars no problem at all. I don't remember the drivers name, but rumor has it the car is now white with red bumpers. Anyone remember who bought it or what the number was? Thanks

[seckerich]

The CCPS race is usually scheduled later in the day because the SARRC drivers did not want to risk the car or put the extra wear on tires and brakes before their sprint race. Just depends on what series points are more important. I think it has evolved to be much stronger than the ECR series and still allows a shared car.

[Ron Earp]

If it is a 1st gen RX7 in the Southeast that might be Rickey Thompson. Number 99 and he ran the car in IT7 and in ITA briefly. The car is the best prepped 1st generation RX7 I've ever seen, extremely well driven, and it would turn ITS times very close to the pointy end of ITS a few years ago. Rickey now runs an ITR BMW but he still owns the red 99 as far as I know. He posts here from time to time and might chime in.

Now there are some other red IT7 cars around. Robert Mitchell drives a red 28 IT7 but he's owned it forever. I *think* Blair's IT7 car is currently white with red bumpers, but I can't remember. Blair has owned his car for at least as long as I've been racing (about 3.5 years) and he typically puts it at the pointy end of IT7 winning a good number of races that I've seen, he be fast. Up until about a year ago I'd frequently be in the midst of the IT7 cars in my ITS 260Z. But as my skills have developed I am clear of them and in the middle of ITS these days.

In short, yes, there is some overlap in IT7 and ITS times for sure. The fast IT7 cars will typically hit the rear of the ITS pack in times, if not slightly higher depending on field strength and the track. YMMV.

Have you got a car yet?

[bulldoezr]

The name Ricky Thompson sounds right. I thought he sold that car and it is now a white E-Prod, that's what I heard anyway, not sure who bought it if that's the case.

[NutDriverRighty]

Just a quick note about Ricky.....He drove the six hour at Road Atlanta ALONE and then also drove his yellow #98 SM in the SARRC race. Pretty friggin impressive to me. Oh, I forgot to mention that he WON the six hour, too!

Atilla Lukacs drove a reddish IT7car and was pretty amazingly fast, too. Russ Marshall has an orange IT7 car that happens to be for sale. If you want to have a no excuse car for a good price, scan the classifieds on this site and give him a call (or was it Jeff Ryan??). Whether the car is Russ's or Jeff's, you won't go wrong.

Scott Franklin

[movingchicane]

That is Russ' car that is for sale. Great car, great deal. Come race IT-7, i know of a couple other cars that are for sale too.