New England Region IT EZ

[Flyinglizard]

The class name is very good. Many wont run in a class called "crap can" . They just think too much of their cars and self image. ( whippersnappers).

Edit for Stephen, the nice thing about "Crapcan" is that it gets free coverage in "Grassroots" and comes up well in the search engines. It is a good tool for advancing economical racing . Of which we need more of to stay alive.

IMHO the themes and crap stuck on cars, is a self solving non problem. The goofy theme guys are "lemonheads" and counter serious racing . Those guys and cars wont show up.
CC has no themes. The only hanger-on is one Infiniti with a shark fin outline on the roof. They are also in FL. and have some interest running the SCCA races.
I have never run over or had anything fall off of a Chumpcar that was not a racing part, exhaust, splitter etc. That has been very seldom considering the amount of laps and cars.

I think that the most important part of the initial statement was about the driver ,"IT‐EZ is designed to provide a way for drivers to earn an SCCA racing license and race in regional ".
Is this an evolution of the CRX? Can Crap canners run with out a prior school? On a novice permit?
How can we get this into the SE area?
Well done. MM

[StephenB]

The class name is very good. Many wont run in a class called "crap can" . They just think too much of their cars and self image. ( whippersnappers).

To be honest I always felt the name crapcan was snoby and kind of an insult. I am GLAD we did not follow in that footstep, its not inviting at all.

IMHO the themes and crap stuck on cars, is a self solving non problem. The goofy theme guys are "lemonheads" and counter serious racing . Those guys and cars wont show up.

In the NER area I don't think Chump is very big. Lemons has two well attended events at NHMS though so we need to cater to them a bit if we can. We should also try and get some of the NH circle track guys in as well. They actually have an endurance series that travels to Lee, Star, Manadnock and even races at loudon on the road course at least once a year. I met a guy at a test day last year...

I think that the most important part of the initial statement was about the driver ,"IT‐EZ is designed to provide a way for drivers to earn an SCCA racing license and race in regional ".
Is this an evolution of the CRX? Can Crap canners run with out a prior school? On a novice permit?

I am interested to hear more on this as well.

Stephen

[Greg Amy]

To be honest I always felt the name crapcan was snoby and kind of an insult.

"ChumpCar"

"LeMons"

"Used Car Racing"

Are the terms only 'racist' if you're not of the same race....?



GA, who knows that only a coon-ass can call a coon-ass a coon-ass...

[georgethefierce]

In the NER area I don't think Chump is very big. Lemons has two well attended events at NHMS though so we need to cater to them a bit if we can. We should also try and get some of the NH circle track guys in as well. They actually have an endurance series that travels to Lee, Star, Manadnock and even races at loudon on the road course at least once a year. I met a guy at a test day last year...

it is a prime time to take advantage of this as a region, Lemons lost a NHMS date and Chump has a Thompson date...there will be lechumps looking for seat time locally...I think the series you are talking about is the Northeast Ministock Tour and while it would be great to try to pick them up most of those cars wont pass SCCA tech.

[Abhi]

it is a prime time to take advantage of this as a region, Lemons lost a NHMS date and Chump has a Thompson date...there will be lechumps looking for seat time locally...I think the series you are talking about is the Northeast Ministock Tour and while it would be great to try to pick them up most of those cars wont pass SCCA tech.

I did the last Lemons race at NHMS. There were 142 entries. I could see at least a third of the cars fitting into this new category.

We could run them with the "Wings & Things" run group so they get the track to themselves.

Abhi

[Ed Funk]

Apparently it's more socially acceptable to put your crap in a can than it is to put your shit in a box.

[dickita15]

I think that the most important part of the initial statement was about the driver ,"IT‐EZ is designed to provide a way for drivers to earn an SCCA racing license and race in regional ".
Is this an evolution of the CRX? Can Crap canners run with out a prior school? On a novice permit?
How can we get this into the SE area?
Well done. MM

With regard to licensees, now this is important, this class is a club racing class. This is an opportunity to race with NER SCCA in cars that do not meet the normal rule set. You still need a license and all personal safety gear. This is because these cars run in regular club racing run groups.
If someone has a car available and no license they have a couple of choices. They can enter the NHMS driver school the Friday of Memorial Day weekend or if they have previous racing experience they can ask the NE Div licensing guy Pete Smith if he will waive the requirement. NER is also working on alternative schools on test days before other events though out the year.
I have to say the NER driver’s schools is a hell of a good value, lots of track time, good coaching and a ton of fun. If someone can do it I would say they will have a great time.
So take your Lechump and have some fun and end up with a SCCA license. Then you have lots of options.
The other program in the pipeline is a SCCA CRE or club racing experience. This is the pilot program that ran a few events last year at the Glen, St Louis, and others. CRE does not require a license but is a separate run group with 13/13 rules and performance limited to around ITA/SM levels. I tentatively have permission to run one at the August NHMS weekend. This requires less paperwork so it is a little easier to get into but because it is a separate rune group it is higher financial risk for the region to do. I strongly recommend if you have a car available and want to race do the IT EZ path as you will have a lot more opportunities.

as to what you can do in the SE talk it up to the people in the regions running races.

[tom91ita]

snip.........I have never run over or had anything fall off of a Chumpcar that was not a racing part, exhaust, splitter etc. That has been very seldom considering the amount of laps and cars.

I think that the most important part of the initial statement was about the driver ,"IT‐EZ is designed to provide a way for drivers to earn an SCCA racing license and race in regional ".
Is this an evolution of the CRX? Can Crap canners run with out a prior school? On a novice permit?
How can we get this into the SE area?
Well done. MM

i have had more "issues" running with Prod cars at National/Major events with oil being dumped on the track. i think they should be referred to as "Oil Can" racing and subject to banning.

regarding licensing, i know of at least one fellow LeMons racer that applied for and got a full license (not a novice license) based on his LeMons racing, his status as a Honda event instructor and recommendations from SCCA driver/members. he went the alternate licensing route through Atlanta region and went to IT Fest this past year and loved it.

it is my understanding that without the SCCA member recommendation, he would have received a Novice permit. all i know is that with his ~100 track days as a driver and instructor and his ~ 12 hours of actual wheel to wheel LeMons racing, his level of experience vastly exceeded mine (two classic driver school weekends) prior to going wheel to whell in SCCA.

[dickita15]

i have had more "issues" running with Prod cars at National/Major events with oil being dumped on the track. i think they should be referred to as "Oil Can" racing and subject to banning.

that is funny. A friend of mine who runs Spec Racer at the Glen where they run together refers to that inevitable mid race full course yellow as British Half Time.

[mossaidis]

that is funny. A friend of mine who runs Spec Racer at the Glen where they run together refers to that inevitable mid race full course yellow as British Half Time.

LMAO!!

I love the off-season. I love the off-season. I love the off-season.

Now, who is placing bets on where and when Jeff Lawton's next SCCA will be?

[Dano77]

My best un educated guess is.

Lime Rock in a used IT7 car that he found under a rock. He will sel the Miata and pocket 10,000 Pesos in the deal.


Or he might show up at Thompson.


Only the Shadow Knows

[Flyinglizard]

GA, please explain the logic of ; inviting a successful class to come and race with SCCA and then changing one costly parameter of that class, one that is a large part responsible for that success.
Copy success, dont EFit up.

I see no reason to repeat past mistakes. Keep it simple and cheap.
The R tires have no good rewards other than a little G load. You also slide through the grass faster and hit the wall harder. Please tell me one benefit of R tires other than maybe you get them for free.
It would make the most sense to start this class on the 20 tires that most Chumpemons have in the garage . Once the horse is out of the barn, you cant go back. ( You could loosen the rule up later to meet demand) but once some new guy's wife buys him a set of Hoes. it 's over.
Chumps spend more on fuel than tires!!
There are maybe 12-15 "R tire" classes that are already weak. Allowing R tires to this class would just add to the weakness. The R guys can run someplace else.
Having a dedicated group on streets makes a lot of sense.
180 Tires would indeed allow double dipping for the rest of the IT cars and some of the Prod cars. 400$ per set of tires is like free for most of you. One set of wheels and tires are about the same $ as 4 Hoes and can last 50 sessions.

Chumps went Chump for a few reasons. Hassle, cost, track time.
You comment makes no sense and is rude.
MM

[Knestis]

Yeah, sorry, guys - I'm totally drinking the street tire koolaid on this one.

(And yes, I have raced on them, so nyah!)

The primary purpose of the idea is to capture the Chump/Lemons crowd. Even if it's framed as a "fun run" class initially, you KNOW it's a racing class and racers gonna race - particularly if it catches on even a little. Messing up a key aspect of what makes those formulae work seems like a bad idea. The class can't be everything to everyone so there's no sense dorking up a key aspect of the draw for the target market.

Unless I misunderstand and the class is really supposed to target existing SCCA class-eligible cars...?

K

[Greg Amy]

GA, please explain the logic of ; inviting a successful class to come and race with SCCA and then changing one costly parameter of that class...

Easy:

1) It's not inviting "a" class, it's inviting a category - a mindset - of significantly disparate vehicles from multiple, disparate, disorganized "organizations". NER is inviting "crapcan" cars to come play in, and experience, a different culture, and not to a specific set of regs from any specific other orgs; and

2) They're not changing any costly parameter; they're saying "come run with us, whatever your configuration, whatever you got, as long as it meets our minimum safety regulations."

Herein lies the major difference between how you see this and how I see this (and this is *NOT* a personal attack): you see possibilities of competition, I see possibilities of access. You're thinking in terms of how you can be competitive in a particular class at a minimum of cost; I'm seeing how we can get someone who's not raced with SCCA to come race with SCCA.

And you can race on street tires if you want to. We don't care. Just give everyone else the right to choose what they want to do, too.

A lot of people just gloss right over that whole "no guarantee of competitiveness" thing (the whole basic concept of Improved Touring - the original crapcan series back in 1984!). Some will see that and think "oh cool, a place to play" while others see that and think "oh good, I can be competitive 'cause no one else will try to be". When it comes to ITEZ, I'm the former ("hey, go play and have fun") and you're the latter ("I'm'a gonna win that race!") I could be wrong, but I suggest that ITEZ's intent is "go play" and that means "by whatever means you choose to do, but keep in mind someone else is gonna spend more money than you".

THIS is why I keep teasing you about the "jumping the shark" thing with crapcan racing. It's gone beyond the "let's go have fun stage" and is well past the "I'm'a gonna win that race!" stage. Right now, NER SCCA is all about "go play". That may change later, but for now...

Greg

P.S., Non sequitor, I'm still trying to decide what to do about Sebring and PBR - still trying to find a hitchhike space for my Integra - and I'd really like to get a couple STL finishes under my belt. If you have a car that'll run two weekends without issue, might need to meet up.