IT should really think about welcoming Older SM's....... Without a new class..

[Knestis]

If the Miata had never been produced, would SCCA have died? Hell no! People that want to race would race something else. The Miata is the easy button, a ton of development has been done on the car by Flatout, Planet Miata, Kessler, et al. Buy a Miata, rent a Miata...easy. But we sure as he'll don't need more classes for them to run in! Or cater to their every whim.

This.

SCCA is good at eating its own young, classing-wise. Pretty much all of the current SM stalwarts - those teams that rent fleets of them - left another class smaller when they departed. Based on what I know from three freaking decades of this game, only the tiniest handful of new racers would have opted to, say, buy a bass boat instead of racing something else, absent SM.

K

[Z3_GoCar]

So-Pac Division already allows SM's to race in IT in the divisional races. It's called out in our regional class rules. The sky's not fallen and the really serious SM guys only run SM anyway. It's mostly the mid-pack and back racers who do both or even SM-STL-IT.

[joeg]

Miatas should be eligible for all classes--even open wheel. Just take the front fenders off.

We can then have unlimited double dipping.

[seckerich]

The depowered racks should have been done in IT a long time ago. For the ITAC to even think they consider that in classing is a joke. Nowhere in the process is parasitic drag of accessories considered. And this is from someone with a lifetime stash of non powered racks.

People with this hatred of Miata and the classes they can run need to get a little perspective. As a race chairman the numbers do matter. True what Kirk says, most of these drivers would just be back in the IT car they left if SM never happened. It is also very true that Mazda has pushed many other manufacturers to step up and offer contingency because of their support program. Those double dipping entries you make fun of help keep the numbers up and your entry fee down. I love it when OPM, etc rent the SM to another driver for ITA/ITS, it pays the bills. Now if you really believe that the 1.8 diff beat you you have some soul searching to do.

All past discussion aside, it sets a precedent to allow it and the ITAC has resisted that for good reason. That said never seen a driver protested because of it.

[Andy Bettencourt]

All past discussion aside, it sets a precedent to allow it and the ITAC has resisted that for good reason. That said never seen a driver protested because of it.

Agree. This can be dealt with on a Regional level. Specifically allow them in your regs and it's done. The issue is that there is no guarantee that he SMAC won't continue to tweak the rules to make those cars 'faster' to keep up with the 99's. Basing a rule on a spec level of another class that you can't control is not smart from the 10,000 ft level. Deal with it locally until it doesn't work, then fix.

[gran racing]

Many regions now also have SM2 to deal with exactly what you're talking about. It's quite popular in the N.E. The solution is already there.

I actually agree with Dan. Don't change IT rules to accommodate the car. Change the car to be legal with the class YOU CHOOSE to race with. When it becomes time that the car you're running isn't where you'd like to be at, sell it and buy something else. Yes, maybe hard to do emotionally and potentially financially. I just went through that recently after selling my ITB car and bought a guess what... LOL

[Chip42]

what Andy said - the allowances in SM which are beyond IT are offset by the allowances in IT that are not in SM. a fully complaint SM car is not compliant with IT but it's also not better than a fully built IT car, even one without more than slight intorturation of the roffe corollary. to include that in IT certainly wouldn't upset the balance of the class - but you never know what allowances might be made in the future that COULD. so it's a no go. as has been pointed out, there's plenty of other options with and without changes to the cars.

re depowered racks - SAE net HP includes accessories, SAE certified HP does likewise. so everything from the early 70's on that ONLY came with PS, yes, it is included in the process.
does that mean we should or shouldn't allow them? you've all seen the votes out of the committee and CRB in the past. it hasn't been allowed, we dont' see a NEED to allow it, and it COULD have some effect on parity. easy to do, convenient, etc.. are good arguments. they are not the only arguemnts considered. FWIW, I'm in the camp to allow depowering racks on cars whos specline included both PS and manual steering - but it's confusing and I understand why this position was not adopted.

[lawtonglenn]

I vote we just change the rule and let people loop the damn PS if they want

[Ron Earp]

Again, what's wrong with running them in SM2? Nothing on the cars needs to be changed, IT doesn't need to modify it's ruleset. Everything is already in place and done. Seems simple to me.

Since when is more classes the answer to a problem? Doh, SCCA. Carry on. Off to find out what SM2 is.....

Ask for member input regarding PS depower.
Please ask the people that pay the bills.

Yes, more of this please.

I vote we just change the rule and let people loop the damn PS if they want

Probably the best course of action is to create an initiative proposed by drivers that everyone in the region agrees to. I haven't spoken to a driver who doesn't want to see this change, but Chip indicates the ITAC and CRB won't be on board with it. For such a proposal the simplest form would be requiring that the PS pump remain and not be removed.

[gran racing]

Since when is more classes the answer to a problem?

Normally I'd totally agree and thought the idea was silly. Then I saw more of it and thus far like it. Thought it was more used in other areas too; guess not.

[Terry Hanushek]

Ron

Off to find out what SM2 is.....

These are NA Miatas (1990-1997) prepared to the current SM specifications. SM2 is a Northeast Division class and part of the NEDiv Road Racing Championship (division series).

Terry

[JLawton]

Realistically, at our level, the gains from power to non power steering isnt going to make a shit bit of difference........