Would there be value in creating a new entry level category? This probably won’t be a very popular idea at first thought, but I am interested in doing a bit of further brainstorming about it. Others have also mentioned similar ideas. Give some thought to this a bit before jumping to your conclusions.

While I will bring the idea of IT becoming a national class, that really shouldn’t be the center of this discussion. That said, there has been much discussion about IT becoming a national class. I am confident this will increase the barriers to entry (even if just perceptions) and hurt the category’s status as “entry level”. Within our current structure, I am not in favor of this move. I then look at how it will impact ME, and really do not like the idea as things stand. At the same time, I have tried to open myself up and acknowledge the benefits for the club as a whole making IT a national class. It would also be possible for this new category / class structure to exist if IT stayed regional. These cars would run with their IT cousins’ run groups.

The idea of this new category would be to utilize a rule set blend between IT and showroom stock. Essentially it would be viewed as show room stock “older and cheaper” or IT-STOCK. Utilize the safety requirements of IT cars, stock engine, stock suspension, stock ECU, and a few bolt-on goodies. Also allow the gutting of the car’s interior as allowed with an IT car.

Cars would be classed with the weights they are in IT. I recognize that cars are classed as they would respond to a build in IT trim and some cars are better stock than others, but that couldn’t be a focus for this category.

The key to this would be to create enough disincentives for people to spend much money in the racecar and truly make this class budget friendly. What could be done to disincent people from spending much money in this category? I’m not entirely sure. A few things that come to mind include: no track records, no victory laps, truly recognizing this as an entry level / budget friendly category... Any other ideas? (I do not like the idea of claim rules.)

One argument I foresee hearing is “We do not need more race classes – we already have too many.” Maybe it is time to slowly eliminate a few of these classes even if through natural extinction? There is most definitely a place for an entry level category within the SCCA, whether it continue to be IT or a newly formed category.

Like I said, it has just been something I’ve been brainstorming about a bit and this just represents some of my initial thoughts.