March fastrac

[lateapex911]

The Prod folk have rejected IT cars coming into Prod with the appropriate safety mods at every turn.

The publicly stated issue seems to be that they reject having that level of prep in the category. You have to remember, there are huge battles in the Prod community over cars getting 25 pound weight additions or breaks, or specific car allowances like slightly larger brakes, etc.

Allowing cars into classes based on a plan like ITX goes to Prod Y will possibly work, but ONLY if the Prod community feels there is NO chance that any IT car could be prepped well enough to have a snowballs chance in hell at being competitive..even with the mid packers.

Thats just my feeling, maybe I'm wrong, but years of watching the intercategory feuding makes me think that they have little interest in bigger picture concepts.

[cherokee]

I agree with you 100%, that was more of an "if I was king" kind of statement. Look how badly they have screwed up LP. That is an "in for a penny in for a pound" kind of deal, there is not too much limited about limited prep.

However IF, and that is a big IF, It would solve the entire IT national issue, if you want to run you ITx car in prod put a xP sticker on and some slicks and go have fun. Pull the slicks off put the ITx sticker on the side and run the IT race. Too good for us, we get to go run at a national level if we want, or run at a regional level just like IT is now, with zero change to IT. Prod guys would get car counts up the wazzu, and some fresh meat to their races. Have the same thing for prod cars that want to go to GT, and so on. Sure there would be bugs, but the key to the deal would be zero changes to the car from the lower class, change one thing and it is a Full prep car, or a GT car, or whatever. And when you want to move up in your prep level you already have your feet wet in the class. I know that this is the wrong forum for this but I think that prod is going to be one of those classes that is going to start hurting in the near future, IF they keep to the best subscribed classes go to the big show.

I guess this is one of those great ideas that will never happen as it is just too good an idea, that seamless transion from class to class is just a pipe dream.

[seckerich]

Just don't show up in prod with the dreaded "X" bar. You could die a slow horrible death. Wonder why this does not get clarified in prod. Keeps the rif-raff out I guess.

[Andy Bettencourt]

My proposal to the CRB was to allow IT cars IN IT PREP. No additional allowances for slicks, no additional mandates for fuel cells. In order for this to work, a seemless trial must be available.

I know I would run a National or 2 in my ITA car in FP - if I could plug and play. There is no doubt in my mind that my mid-mounted plastic gas tank is safer than 90% of cell installs anyway. Take us the way were are if you want to get us exposed to the Prod world. There is no harm in it from any angle.

[RSTPerformance]

My proposal to the CRB was to allow IT cars IN IT PREP. No additional allowances for slicks, no additional mandates for fuel cells. In order for this to work, a seemless trial must be available.

I know I would run a National or 2 in my ITA car in FP - if I could plug and play. There is no doubt in my mind that my mid-mounted plastic gas tank is safer than 90% of cell installs anyway. Take us the way were are if you want to get us exposed to the Prod world. There is no harm in it from any angle.
[/b]

Slicks or no slicks, if I could run my IT car in a National Production class I would at least do 1 or 2 races... The Northeast fields are so small in Prod, that I would probably even qualify for and run the National Runoffs (if they are located closer to the northeast in a few years) if I could afford the travel expences... No I wouldn't win, but I think it would be fun to run with the prod guys for a mid pack result with my IT car.

I would imagine that the National office is alwso worried about "worn" cars showing up and bringing down the image of the field that currently at least looks a bit more professional than the mid IT fields. While I think some cars do look rough on the edges most are acceptable from 50' (thus would look ok on TV )

Also I have herd Prod guys complain about racing with big bumpers vs. no bumpers and a fear for less experience and invested drivers taking them out.

All in all I do think it is the best for the club and the members as a whole to allow all IT legal cars in a Production class. And I think it should be simple as stated in earlier posts ITx = Px class. It should not be done by making a specific car = Px class.

Raymond "The truth hurts sometimes" Blethen

[Joe Harlan]

Slicks or no slicks, if I could run my IT car in a National Production class I would at least do 1 or 2 races... The Northeast fields are so small in Prod, that I would probably even qualify for and run the National Runoffs (if they are located closer to the northeast in a few years) if I could afford the travel expences... No I wouldn't win, but I think it would be fun to run with the prod guys for a mid pack result with my IT car.

I would imagine that the National office is alwso worried about "worn" cars showing up and bringing down the image of the field that currently at least looks a bit more professional than the mid IT fields. While I think some cars do look rough on the edges most are acceptable from 50' (thus would look ok on TV )

Also I have herd Prod guys complain about racing with big bumpers vs. no bumpers and a fear for less experience and invested drivers taking them out.

All in all I do think it is the best for the club and the members as a whole to allow all IT legal cars in a Production class. And I think it should be simple as stated in earlier posts ITx = Px class. It should not be done by making a specific car = Px class.

Raymond "The truth hurts sometimes" Blethen
[/b]

Not an issue Raymond, The Natioanl office is worrried about attendance not quality. If we were worried about the quality of the competition we would have left it at the top 3 qualifiers per division and enforce the 120% rules..
YOu would be welcome in any ole hotrod or jealopy that could get around the track.

[RSTPerformance]

Not an issue Raymond, The Natioanl office is worrried about attendance not quality. If we were worried about the quality of the competition we would have left it at the top 3 qualifiers per division and enforce the 120% rules..
YOu would be welcome in any ole hotrod or jealopy that could get around the track.
[/b]

Personaly I think that is the new SCCA, and I must say that it is good to hear... good attendance certainly brings good racing!!!

Raymond

[PSherm]

I know I would run a National or 2 in my ITA car in FP - if I could plug and play. There is no doubt in my mind that my mid-mounted plastic gas tank is safer than 90% of cell installs anyway. Take us the way were are if you want to get us exposed to the Prod world. There is no harm in it from any angle.
[/b]

I would definitely do the same, provided the cars went into Prod as you proposed earlier (or maybe on the Prod board), NOT where they are currently classed...