ITS RX7 for autocross use?

Hi,

I'm considering buying a well prepared ITS '86 RX7 - I've been told it's a front runner, but need to check this out. As I'm on a tight budget, I would like to use te car for autocross initially, then track race it later in the year.

The car would be in the Street Prepared autocross class - but I have no idea how competitive it would be in this class. I've been racing for years, but have only moved to the US and haven't got a handle on class structures, what is fast in each class, what isn't etc.

Anybody able to shed some light on this?

Thanks

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Hi,

I'm considering buying a well prepared ITS '86 RX7 - I've been told it's a front runner, but need to check this out. As I'm on a tight budget, I would like to use te car for autocross initially, then track race it later in the year.

The car would be in the Street Prepared autocross class - but I have no idea how competitive it would be in this class. I've been racing for years, but have only moved to the US and haven't got a handle on class structures, what is fast in each class, what isn't etc.

Anybody able to shed some light on this?

Thanks
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Casso,

What Street Prep class is the ITS Mazda in?

IT cars are pretty restricted compared to normal Street Prep Solo II cars. For example non- IT street prep cars can have ANY size wheel and DOT Tire and they are allowed open carburetion and or fuel injection. I ran my ITA car in CSP against Miata's and CRX's that had 13x9" wide wheels and the latest programable EFI. I got my clock cleaned. Of course that is probably due more to the driver than the car!

The perception is that a Street Prep car is at a disadvantage when compared to an IT car because IT cars have gutted interiors, welded 8 pt cages and are allowed Spherical Bearings. So the SEB has basically brought IT cars into classes where their is no way they can be competitive.

Note, you cannot mix prep levels in Solo between Street Prep and IT.

I would say get the RX-7 and enjoy the hell out of it. I love my '90. I started out autocrossing it when it was bone stock and ended up with good success running in C Stock (this was in the mid-90s). I did move up to CSP where I regularly got stomped by the CRXs and Miatas. Not sure which SP class an ITS RX-7 would run in now, but I don't think it's a front runner. Just drive it, get comfortable with it, and enjoy. Then take it to the track! I know Craig Nagler built an incredible FP 2nd gen RX-7, but that was a while back as well. Good luck!

-Mike

ITS RX7 crossover to CSP.

It seems the Honda CRX's consistently lead the class followed by 99 Miatas.

I use my RX-7 for autocross use a couple of times a year. It works great. I don't really know or care about what class it fits into but it's fun and cheap to do.

I usually just pick a car that seems similar to mine and see if I can beat him while I run time-only.

Last year I let my brother drive it in novice for his very first autocross. Nothing like finally getting the nerve up to race and seeing the guy next to you pull up in a full-on race car. He came in second, but they disqualified him for having R-compound tires. (Which was fine with us.)