Why little interest in ITC?

[ronin12]

I was reading in the NARRC points thread about such few ITC drivers(and have seen it while flagging)and was wondering if anyone could enlighten me why. I am an aspiring racer and can't decide between karts or IT. It would be nice to have people to race against and I would like to go IT racing and ITC seems like a good beginner starting point, but the fields are well not there. I have read down south they have large fields of ITC cars and don't know if it will come back to the N.E. or not.

[Knestis]

There are some good conversations on that topic buried here somewhere but opinions differ. I tend to think it's because...

1. The eligible cars have fewer fans than they used to, and new cars aren't being added to the class.

2. It's possible to go faster, being about as competitive, in bigger fields, for not a lot more dough, with an ITB or ITA car.

3. Perceptions of "what a racing car is" have changed as performance and consumers' expectations of speed have increased.

K

[toddgreene]

Could be the old ITC cars up North have rusted away...
while they are still available here in the South...

Todd

[dtanthon]

I know down in Summit Point they have many ITC entries. At Pocono earlier in May we had more than a hand full. Good cars and drivers.

I know Russ Horton ([email protected]) up in Stockbridge, MA has a ITC Rabbit for sale (car is in Torrington I think), good reliable car. This was Brian Musnicks old lap record holder at LRP.

With NJMP opening we expect the fields from NARRC and MARRS to mingle, we do expect the ITC entry to increase.

ITC is a great way to get involved, plus a Rabbit has plenty of parts if needed and a lot of expert drivers in the NE.

[spnkzss]

I know down in Summit Point they have many ITC entries.

Not anymore. Most of us jumped ship over the winter. MARRS 1 and MARRS 2 both had 4 or 5 cars. No more 15 car fields

[Rabbit05]

Brian's car had the track record at NHIS , not LRP..


..and one reason for the class dieing out , in my opinion , is that the grouping with SM, helped kill ITC in the NE. Plus the older cars doesnt help either. (NE weather)

I think it is a great class to start in though , you learn to drive smooth , with a low HP car you cant afford to make mistake. Ask Tim K, about some of the great races we have had. There was a time when there was about 5 of that could win and one race , at Lime Rock ,you could throw a blanket over all of us at the checkered....

Fun times !!

-John

[gran racing]

Among the other reasons mentioned, people like yourself see that there are very few ITC cars being run and want to participate in a class with higher entries. So instead of adding to ITC, another class is chosen and things keep snowballing.

[cpm motorsports]

Brian's car had the track record at NHIS , not LRP..


..and one reason for the class dieing out , in my opinion , is that the grouping with SM, helped kill ITC in the NE. Plus the older cars doesnt help either. (NE weather)

I think it is a great class to start in though , you learn to drive smooth , with a low HP car you cant afford to make mistake. Ask Tim K, about some of the great races we have had. There was a time when there was about 5 of that could win and one race , at Lime Rock ,you could throw a blanket over all of us at the checkered....

Fun times !!

-John

John - Fun Times Indeed!

Doug Koza - Photographer

[Tkczecheredflag]

Brian's car had the track record at NHIS , not LRP..


..and one reason for the class dieing out , in my opinion , is that the grouping with SM, helped kill ITC in the NE. Plus the older cars doesnt help either. (NE weather)

I think it is a great class to start in though , you learn to drive smooth , with a low HP car you cant afford to make mistake. Ask Tim K, about some of the great races we have had. There was a time when there was about 5 of that could win and one race , at Lime Rock ,you could throw a blanket over all of us at the checkered....

Fun times !!

-John

I believe John V has the LRP record with a 104.9 in "C" - smokin lap John.

Here's one of my favorite mosquitos - Always added dimension to the ITC/SM races.

[joeg]

Our class--ITC--is a vintage category. There are too few newer cars with small motors.

The newest one allowed--a new Beetle--is too heavy.

However, with gas prices rising and manufacturers downsizing their offerings, this class can make a comeback!

[jimbbski]

My racing history is mostly with MCSCC with a few SCCA races thrown in. Over the years since I sold my ITC car (1995) I have seen ITC shrink here in the midwest as well. Last race I went to had no ITC cars & 1 ITD car. ITB is not that big either but it at least has cars. ITA is where the racing is. 20 cars is not uncommon with half the field SM cars running dual classes.

The only thing I can see to increase the numbers is to re-organize the cars classed in ITB & ITA and adding the slowest ITB cars to ITC. I don't think that would go over very well with the membership though! Adding a car here & there has been done but a total re-do would take a major effort that may just get shot down in the end.

[mlytle]

Our class--ITC--is a vintage category. There are too few newer cars with small motors.

The newest one allowed--a new Beetle--is too heavy.

However, with gas prices rising and manufacturers downsizing their offerings, this class can make a comeback!

is it too soon for the ITAC to classify the smart car, yaris and fit?

[Ron Earp]

However, with gas prices rising and manufacturers downsizing their offerings, this class can make a comeback!

It very well could - in like eight years or so. Assuming the gas prices remain higher, and go higher, It'll be a few years before the auto manufactures will be able to shift production to smaller cars with smaller engines to provide you with modern ITC cars. Then you have the five year classing rule that exists in IT.

Isn't it just cheaper to get a used A car, or even an S car, and race that? Used race cars are pennies on the dollar and I've never really understood the argument that the C cars are all THAT much cheaper to race than A or S. I can see some savings on brakes as the weight is lower, but it isn't like 1/2 as much or anything of that nature.

Wouldn't even the Fit and Yaris put a beat down on the standard crop of ITC cars? Yaris has 106hp, the Fit 109hp.

[dave parker]

Putting on funny looking green Yoda mask:
"Aggression and anger. Take you to the dark side it will. Hmmm. Continue your training you must."

Yoda mask off.

As someone who has played with ITB and ITC cars his whole racing career, it pains me to see the declining fields in B and C. But as Charlie has said then came SpecRX7 and Spec Miata, and most beginners went there to learn the craft.
I think that those cars too will see a decline, many of them are approaching the twenty year mark and eventually the next "new thing" will come along and even Mazda will get bored. Remember, "Some Miatas are more spec than others".

Hopefully, the club and its members will not give up on the low horsepower, small cars that made sports car racing what it is today.

cheers
Dave Parker
WDCR HP#97
2007 MARRS HP Champion

[Ron Earp]

Hopefully, the club and its members will not give up on the low horsepower, small cars that made sports car racing what it is today.

I don't think the club has a choice. These cars are simply not made anymore. Someone brought up the Fit and Yaris, but those cars have 104 and 109 hp, I think they would eclipse ITC performance entirely.

Even if SM declines the cars will still be much newer than the average ITC car and more "available" to the average club racer. I'd bet that the number of logbooked SMs far outweighs the number of ITD, ITC, and maybe ITB cars ever constructed.

SM fan I am not, but the numbers are huge.

Ron