STU in 2010 runoffs

[StephenB]

GCR is clear that cars that are not within 120% of qualfiying pole time will not run... just be carefull not to waiste your money on the trip.

Stephen

[Greg Amy]

See, now that would be funny as all hell! 50 ITx cars show up for STU, and because one guy shows up with a full-up World Challenge car, 46 cars fail to take the green! Instead, all 46 teams sit out at the Turn Two area, drinking beer, eating brats, and causing all kinda general melee!!!

Yeah, like there won't be a Steward's request for waiver on that one...

On the other hand, still sound like fun!

[benspeed]

I swear I'll buy rain tires. It was the worst having my son tell me back at the trailer, "dad, you were slower that a three legged turtle - you got slaughtered."

If that's not motivation to reach into the wallet.....plus, I have a cash infusion on the way for way more goodies that tires :-) I just might have to buy a pimp wing for when I run STU!

[shwah]

GCR is clear that cars that are not within 120% of qualfiying pole time will not run... just be carefull not to waiste your money on the trip.

Stephen

I would not give that a 2nd thought. I have never seen them enforce this rule, often to the detriment of those actually racing for a national championship...

[Butch Kummer]

Also remember that 120% is a huge gap from front to back. Suppose a killer WC Touring car with a killer driver shows up and runs a 2:25 in qualifying. You're still good to go if you can run a 2:54 or better - times that most SSC cars ran at the Sprints. The Chief Steward also is allowed to waive the 120% rule as well (RTFS), so don't let that keep you from participating.

And yes, I DO think it would be cool if STU was the largest class at the 2010 Run-Ons.

[jcmotorsports]

I think it was enforced in 2006 in SSC with a REALLY slow driver(I think there was contact with a front runner as well in qualifying). I think that has been the only time I have seen it at the Runoffs or any national for that matter.

[Dano77]

Let me see,if I street port and run a solid axle the car should weigh 2400# right? The car already weighs 2380 {old weight}we can gut completely,add wings and spoilers and such and change the trans gears in a stock case. Add 17 in wheels and 12 in rotors and 4piston calipers. Subframe connectors and stiffen within the existing body, Move pickup points 25mm lower strut towers add material to reinforce{move}. Add cold air intakes within the body/spoiler outline and ram air from the nose. Basically keep dash pad and stock grill Make rain lites on 4 corners and run 4 nationals,dbl at VIR Dbl at Pocono and tow 23 hrs to the boggest beer and brat fest on the planet.
Do I have this correct or am I missing something? Oh yeah,it seems real tough to find a way to "cheat up the car"
Dan 70 IT7/STU???

[Bill Miller]

I have just one thing to say to Greg and Andy.



FUCKING DO IT!!!!!!

[Rabbit07]

OK, the old Neon survived the ARRC without a scratch, not counting a broken axle. Who else is in for the Dbl Nat @ Sebring in Jan? Since Greg says I can be the poster child let's get an early start on this STU thingy!

[shwah]

Astute readers of the last fast track are already aware that every single one of us can now enter the 2010 Runoffs if we finish 4 national races in STU...even if we are all in the same division.

Is this still a live idea?

[Gregg]

I'm thinking of going for it....

[Greg Amy]

Ditto.

[benspeed]

Same here - looking to blend some Pro IT and national races...

[shwah]

If there is a real interest in hitting up the sprints as a group, let me know so I can ask that STU be placed in a reasonable race group.

[Greg Amy]

If there is a real interest in hitting up the sprints as a group, let me know so I can ask that STU be placed in a reasonable race group.

Consider it a formal request. But do note that we could (will?) have IT cars as fast as ITR there, so it'll be difficult to accommodate ITC Hondas...

We may also wish to formally request waiver of the 120% qualification rule. If I go to all the trouble of towing to Wisconsin to have a good time, only to be told to sit on my butt for the race because we have a World Challenge TC car on the pole, I suspect the organizers will be faced with an extremely light entry list after all...we'll just need to learn how to get along nicely. - GA

[shwah]

I cannot remember the last time that the 120% rule was actually enforced - can you?
I agree there will be a wide range of speeds, I just don't want them dumped in a group with even faster cars than ITR making the disparity even worse.

I mentioned that this could happen to Chicago Region. It was recieved as a positive thing. Any guesses on attendance. I think 20-30 people will say they want to do it, and 10 people will.

[Greg Amy]

I cannot remember the last time that the 120% rule was actually enforced - can you?

No clue. Except for working Tech on occasion, I've been out of the National scene since '92.

Any guesses on attendance. I think 20-30 people will say they want to do it, and 10 people will.

No clue, again. I suspect we'll have a good handful of I.T. folks just in NeDiv running STU (we usually get around a half-dozen entries Regional weekends just for the extra track time), but this being the first year of STU/Runoffs eligibility I suspect most IT guys won't "get the word" this year until it's too late for them to qualify for the event. I just simply can't even begin to guess how many folks will actually follow-through to run enough Nationals to qualify and actually make the tow.

[Z3_GoCar]

I'd need to get six regionals before I can convert to a national license, but with two double-Nats I should have the region sown up. We had one STU entry last year that didn't even complete one race We used to run G/H-P with GT you can't get a higher speed differetial than this.

[gran racing]

To qualify, do you need to run the same car in national races? Or can it be a mix of multiple such as STU and SSC? Wasn't sure if the driver is the one to qualify or if it's the car.

Never really followed the Ruboffs or cared too much, but heard it's a week long qualifying set-up? Or what's the event schedule comprised of / like?

[shwah]

I am talking about the June Sprints. Topeka watches what goes on at our big National when planning the Runoffs, but I don't have any more idea who to talk to there to accomodate us than any of you. I do know who in my region to talk to about the Sprints.

You do not need to 'sew up' your region in any class to qualify for the runoffs. You just need to finish 4 national races in one class to go to the runoffs. Seems to me the obvious goal is to increase runoffs car counts. Of course if they simply made IT classes eligible for National competition they would have achieved that goal and then some. As it is we can all get in as STU (Prod class if we are classified there and have appropriate safety gear (window clips, fire system)).