On Fri, 05 Feb 1999 at 21:30:30 Bill Schmidt wrote:
> I still maintain my original opinion on minimum weights. Consider the >
following: You mentioned your excitement about "increased > participation."
Raise the minimum weights up to what I mentioned > and you will see
massive "increased participation." People with > cheaper, everyday
sportscars will feel they have a sporting chance to > compete and will come
out of the woodwork to race D or E mod. > Consider the following
approximate stock weights which are the > starting place for mod class: <
snip> Fiero 2600-2800 <snip>
Fiero's should be in the 2800 - 3000lb area stock, with options.
> Not everyone wants to race a Lotus and not everyone can $afford$ > to
race one either. Loti are great cars, I owned a Europa about 20 > years ago
but now drive rice-burners. I could start with a $1000 Rx7 > and modify
from that point or start with a Lotus 7 at $15000 to > $20000 and modify
from that point???$$$ Thats an awful lot of > money for an amateur sport
with no purses to speak of. If the rules > dont change, then D & E mod will
continue to be "Lotus Mod!"
AMEN!!! Don't forget AP in that scenario, too. The Lotii in Prepared
are killers at 1400lbs, when my 4 cylinder Fiero must weigh 1900.
Their up to 180hp in that chassis render them uncatchable to most
1900lb Fieros in the 250hp range, top dog Zcars,and high hp Mazda rotaries.
About the only cars to give the Lotii any competition the past couple years
are hi-horsepower (450?) Tigers, and the Witt's Vixen
(love that car - - and I saw where it was for sale!) in A Prepared.
>>> "The Straub's" <straubc@apci.net> 02/05 6:56 AM >>>
Hi list,
>> In a recent response to the GT6 in CSP or DM Bill Schmidt mad >> the
following comment:
>> The Solo 2 Rules should be changed. A good weight minimum for >> D-Mod
would
>> be 1500 lbs. and E Mod should be 1,800 or 1,900 lbs. D & E mod >> ought
to be
>> able to be built using any 2 seat sports car. If the Lotuses are to >>
light,
>> let them use balllast weights. You would play hell ever getting an >>
RX7 to
>> 1500 lbs for E mod let alone a 1,000 for D mod.
>> I would like to repsond to his comments.
>> <snip>
>> 5. If you want to go modified you are going to have to spend some >>
money
>> especially if you want to get to minimum weight. Take off those >>
steel
>> doors, hood, fenders, replace them with fiberglass. Replace the >>
heavy glass
>> with lexan. Strip the interior down and the sound proofing off. >>
Other
>> drivers have entered modified classes wanting everyone else to >> weigh
what
>> they do without doing such preparation.
>>
>> < snip>
>> Craig Straub
I have my Fiero stripped as much as I can without going tubular,
it is just at the 1900 lb minimum that AP allows. it has Fiberglass
doors, etc., already, and I have Lexan. I have a lighter engine, and
can think of no other way to lose weight ( 81/2 lb wheels, lightweight
everything). The car was forced to run E mod from 1991 until the
GT rules were allowed in Prepared in 1994. After the car was proven
totally uncompetitive in EM, the car was parked for a couple years,
then given a new life in Prepared.
The weights that Bill Schmidt suggested would allow more vehicles
from my marque to compete, the V8 Fieros, other Q4 powered Fieros, or
Fieros with 3.1 or twincam 3.4 engines - even the 3800 powered hybrids.
Just the "hopped up" 2.8 V6's cannot find a place in the SCCA to
competitively play. Or how about the Fiero based Kit cars - - there are
quite a few of those out there!!
As an alternative to Bill's proposal, leave D/EM alone, and add a
third sedan mod class with more realistic weights - - - I have a feeling
it could become a VERY heavily subscribed class. For the under 2.0
liter cars, have a 1500/1600 lb limit, over 2.0 and under 3.0 1800/1900
and over 3.0 2100/2200lb limit, or some such.
Maybe then the Corvairs/Stingers would have a competitive place to play,
instead of in CP against the ground pounders, for example. (A
lot of them would come out of the woodwork if they could be allowed
to be competitive). There are others in that same catagory where a heavier
mod class would draw out new players (or old players that got tired of not
having a place to play). A place for kit cars to have fun??
Probably - - most don't fit the Mod mold we now have (or don't have).
Whadda ya think??
George
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