Mustang in STU

[titanium]

This was brought up on the SCCA forums and I wanted to get your take on it.


From the GCR:


B. Eligibility
Vehicles meeting one of the following criteria may compete in the Super
Touring category:
• 1985 and newer cars built specifically under these ST rules
• GCR listed IT cars, 1985 and newer, under their current IT
specifications shall compete in STU.
Note: While IT cars may not be competitive in the ST category,
their inclusion in the category will allow regional competitors to
participate in national events.


So here it says that any IT-legal car can compete in STU.
What about the ITR cars?
What about the ITR V8 Mustangs in particular?


Your thoughts?

[JoshS]

I replied in the SCCAForums thread, but no ITR car is going to be any faster than any other ITR car, and no ITR car is going to beat an STU car (once there are real STU cars out there.)

So I think yes, the V8 Mustangs in ITR-legal trim can race in STU, there's no doubt about it. But no, it won't run at the front.

[Greg Amy]

All 1985+ ITR-spec vehicles are legal in STU.

[Matt93SE]

I don't think they're arguing the FACT it's legal, I think the issue is whether it should be legal or not.

[adoyle]

While I agree that ITR cars are not going to beat "real" STU cars, I wonder why they have gone away from the philosophy of the class. It seemed pretty simple...ex world challenge type cars and under 3 liter it wold be in STU and over 3 liter it would be in STO. Now they have thrown out that and allowed 3.2 BMWs in STU and 4ltr v6s and v8s in STU with IT prep. I know people say that the 3.2 bmw motor will not be any better than the 2.8 bmw motors in ITR, then why do it and why do I hear everybody running to that motor for the class. Why have an ST class then water it down with "Field Fillers" for numbers. I know event parcipatation is down and this would bring up numbers, but why go through this and not just make Improved Touring a national class in the first place. It seems this will just be a more expensive IT. You will have a few "real" STU cars at events, then filled with many IT preped cars. I thought the intent of STL or "Super Touring Miata" was to increase parcipatation.

[Chip42]

STU could be a could class once it gets sorted and subscribed. STL seems popular but I think it needs some work to be "good".

but the addition of the list of vehicle builds outside of the normal STU rules has really added to the fog that surrounds all new classes. WTF is the intention? mixed prep as in prod 1 prod 2 (full and limited prep) is simply confusing to the participants. even IT is too hard for some of our dear membership to keep up with. In 2 trips to the track last year, I ran into a guy still runing an AE86 corolla in ITA, a JDM 1.5L VTEC CRX in ITB, and a B16 in a 92-95 civic Si in ITA. seriously - we already have a problem with competitors reading ALL of the rules for the class before spending their money. why the wild cards?

[Dano77]

Its not watering anything down. It clearly states that if you own an IT car and you want to run a national or ten nationals,here is where you can with out spending the cash for a full on build. And oh yeah,we dont think youll win with that level of prep in this class.

There is no one who believes that an ITR mustang will compete with a Real Time Acura or a Champion Audi.

Dan

[Hoof Hearted]

This was brought up on the SCCA forums and I wanted to get your take on it.


From the GCR:


B. Eligibility
Vehicles meeting one of the following criteria may compete in the Super
Touring category:
• 1985 and newer cars built specifically under these ST rules
• GCR listed IT cars, 1985 and newer, under their current IT
specifications shall compete in STU.
Note: While IT cars may not be competitive in the ST category,
their inclusion in the category will allow regional competitors to
participate in national events.

I find it confusing regarding using a "regional" only car for a national race when the GCR on page 79 states:

Note 3: Classes such as Improved Touring, Super Production, A Sports
Racing, and Formula S (Regional and Optional Regional Classes) have
been developed for competitors to race at a Regional level. These classes
will not be eligible for National races since they were created with
the express understanding that they remain Regional Classes only. There
may be other classes added to this philosophy, as we identify classes
for our members to race cars that do not fit within our National racing
program.

Also, the 1985 date is further muddied by this GCR statement on page 441:

No model years older than 1985 will be eligible, except that cars
from model runs began before 1985 are eligible (e.g., if a model was
produced in 1983-1988, the 1983 and 1984 cars are eligible).

So my "regional only" 1984 turd Scirocco is eligible to run (and thoroughly get spanked) in the National STU class...

Let's muddy this pond just tad more...