STL : National ?

[NORRIS]

To Greg and everyone. My most humble apologies!!

I guess I must be getting old. I obviously totally forgot that I posted that the first time. PLUS it took me a day to realize that you even showed me the first link and I still didn't catch on.

Maybe I had been over indulging in my sponsors product?

Once again, very sorry, my bad.

Now back to your regular programing

[mossaidis]

since you are open to comments, check out your signature. You repeat the car number, class and brand/model twice... for the most part

[NORRIS]

since you are open to comments, check out your signature. You repeat the car number, class and brand/model twice... for the most part

HA!!!

Gotcha there!!

I've got TWO BMWs!!

They both are #07 and were built to ITR rules.

Nice try

You get an A+ for effort

[mossaidis]

IT's OFFICIAL!!!!!

For Immediate Release

SCCA Includes Super Touring Lite in National Club Racing Program

TOPEKA, Kan. (Dec. 5, 2011) – Sports Car Club of America’s Board of Directors approved the addition of the previously Regional-only Super Touring® Lite (STL) class to National competition in 2012. STL will be included as a separate class for events during the season and then participate within the Super Touring® Under (STU) class at the National Championship Runoffs®.

Super Touring Lite represents a significant group of cars not currently able to compete in the SafeRacer SCCA National Racing Series. The class features cars less than two liters in displacement with permitted engine swaps, aerodynamic components such as wings and splitters, brake upgrades and aftermarket suspension components riding on DOT-approved tires.

For 2012, STL will run in each National race, grouped with STU but counted separately as any other National-level class. Drivers qualifying for the National Championship Runoffs in STL will be invited to compete in STU with their STL cars.

The intention is for STL to have its own National Championship race in 2013, in conjunction with planned class realignment in the Super Touring, Touring and Showroom Stock categories.

[JohnRW]

** For STL specifically, I suggested that this class could be used used as the initial entry for this idea: make it National, let it run the National program without a guarantee for a Runoffs berth, and for the first year or two of eligibility the top STL competitors could be invited to the Runoffs as grid fillers for STU as an exhibition class. No guarantee you'll get a berth, but if there's some spots left over in the STU group - which will have its own group in 2012 - then STL guys can show up. From there on STL would be on-par with the rest of the organization, succeeding or failing purely on its participation numbers.

[Greg Amy]

Just call me Claire...

(Honestly, I didn't know that in advance. Really...)

Full release:
http://www.scca.com/news/index.cfm?cid=50891

On edit:
Ok, no more excuses. Get back to the garage and start building some STL cars!

[JeffYoung]

Congrats guys. Good work.

[TStiles]

There goes my kids inheritance

[Prof. Chaos]

While STL becoming a National class is very cool, I can't help but wonder why this wasn't done from the get go. In my case, the ITA car I was going to build into an STL car got sold to fund an STU build -- I didn't see any point in going from a Regional class (ITA) to another Regional class (STL). Had STL been National from the beginning, I would have never sold the ITA car and I would have run the 2011 season in STL instead of STU in an IT car.

So this makes it 29 classes at the 2012 Runoffs?

[Ron Earp]

So this makes it 29 classes at the 2012 Runoffs?

Jeebus.

[Greg Amy]

So this makes it 29 classes at the 2012 Runoffs?

Haven't counted them but...a conditional "no". As I understand it, with the dispensing of the 2.5 rule the BoD has given the CRB authority to make the decision on who can go the Runoffs. I am not privvy to any specifics, but I'm inferring that the CRB will take that authority and ensure that the Runoffs has a reasonable number of groups (for maximum track time) as well as a reasonable number of classes/entries to best use those groups.

<Greg's completely unqualified opinion>
This will probably mean that a lot of groups will be combined; read: smaller entry numbers will likely be combined into same groups, a la STL with STU for 2012. Really lower-entry classes will possibly retain their "National" status but not be invited to the Runoffs at all (so fewer classes overall). If, how, when, where this will be done I'm sure is under discussion.
</Greg's completely unqualified opinion>

What it means for STL, specifically, for 2012 is that we can compete as STL during the year, and I think we can crown Divisional STL champions, but when we go to the Runoffs in September we will be entered as STU cars. As such, we will not have a STL National champion until 2013, though I will plan on spearheading some informal effort to visually identify all cars in the STU group that mutually agree to prep to the lesser STL rules (versus wider mods of STU) and we'll have our own "informal" champion (likely crowned with lots of beer.)

For 2013 we go for it.

I encourage IT and SM competitors to continue to enter STL and STU as double-dippers, and when you're ready to build a full-up STU and/or STL car, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Now, since I'm kinda feeling like the dog that somehow finally caught the postal truck and suddenly realizes he actually doesn't know what to do with it, I think I'll go into the garage and rub my car.

GA

[Prof. Chaos]

What it means for STL, specifically, for 2012 is that we can compete as STL during the year, and I think we can crown Divisional STL champions, but when we go to the Runoffs in September we will be entered as STU cars. As such, we will not have a STL National champion until 2013, though I will plan on spearheading some informal effort to visually identify all cars in the STU group that mutually agree to prep to the lesser STL rules (versus wider mods of STU) and we'll have our own "informal" champion (likely crowned with lots of beer.)

For 2013 we go for it.

When I read the press release, I missed that. What a weird hybrid approach -- the CRB is certainly getting creative.

So how embarrassing for me will it be at the Runoffs when an "STL" car beats my STU car?

[Mrsideways]

Lol, Darn, I won't have enough time to get a k20 into a NSX by sebring though. Excited to see it go though!

[Rabbit07]

Lol, Darn, I won't have enough time to get a k20 into a NSX by sebring though. Excited to see it go though!

We have to add the NSX to the List.........

No, seriously.

[Mrsideways]

We have to add the NSX to the List.........

No, seriously.

I was just thinking of Funny cars to put little motors in. Like a Viper with a neon motor.

[1stGenBoy]

Since the CRB killed our GTL cars with a smaller (again) restrictor and we have no chance of winning anylonger I, think I'll get the old ITB car out and run some STL races. Heck Road America is only an hour away so why not? Maybe even treat the old girl to a fresh cylinder head and some new brake pads...
I know I have no chance of doing well with it in STL but this is supposed to be fun! Right?

[Matt93SE]

You could say the same with the GTL car too...

I know I have no chance of doing well with it in GTL but this is supposed to be fun! Right?

Just saying.

[lateapex911]

Since the CRB killed our GTL cars with a smaller (again) restrictor and we have no chance of winning anylonger I, think I'll get the old ITB car out and run some STL races. Heck Road America is only an hour away so why not? Maybe even treat the old girl to a fresh cylinder head and some new brake pads...
I know I have no chance of doing well with it in STL but this is supposed to be fun! Right?

So why not race an ITB can in, ummm, ITB??

[Matt93SE]

Because then he'd have to slum it with those damn Regional drivers, DUH!!

[LD71]

"SCCA Includes Super Touring Lite in National Club Racing Program"

Let the watering down continue! More classes, yeah that's what we need! And let's make more classes within a class to make it even more ridiculous-STL is on it's own or is it part of stu? Better yet I suggest we have a special 'National Champion' Miata STL class for double dippers--how appropriate, Still More class!

I was almost ready to pull the trigger on getting back in, this seals it, the club has lost the concept of a lot of drivers racing in the same class to determine a worthy champion. There may be a bunch of folks supporting these tiny slices of the competitive pie at first, but no one at the helm understands that there are a limited # of competitors to run a National season and go to the runoffs.

Best to wait and see if SCCA can come back from the insanity before committing to the class of the month.

LD71