OK, here's a concept I'll just toss out for discussion... So far I've
competed mainly in the local BMWCCA autocrosses. They're run mostly like
SCCA Solo II events, but the classification is very different. Since it's a
BMW club, non-BMWs are put into 4 classes - 2.0 litre engine and under, or
over 2.0 litres; and street tires or R-comp tires. (No, my '95 Mercury
Tracer doesn't have a chance against the Miatas in its class!) BMWs are all
ranked on a point scale depending on each model's capabilities. In fact it
gets more specific than that, taking into account variations in the same
model from year to year. For example, my 1983 BMW 320i has 23 points in
bare stock form. This is as opposed to 14 points for the '77-'79 320i,
which has a bigger engine but a 4-speed instead of my 5-speed and higher
rear end than mine; or higher values for the 320is, the sport package with a
rear sway bar, LSD, Recaros, etc.
Then, in addition to the base points, you tally up more points for any mods
you've made to the car. My 205 width tires are 20mm wider than the 185
stock size. That's 2 plus a multiplier of 2.5 for my aspect ratio of 60 for
a 5 point addition. Under SCCA Solo II rules, I would not be penalized for
the wider tires since they fit just fine onto my stock rims.
I'll soon be adding a rear sway bar off another '83 320i that had one as an
option - by my understanding, legal for Solo II Stock class, but I can't do
any more than that and stay in Stock. That's built right into the point
system, giving me another 3 points. However, all the club rules specify is
"added, larger than stock, or adjustable." Whether I add an OEM bar or a
tricked out aftermarket adjustable job that would boot me right out of Solo
II Stock, the points system adds the same 3 points.
Now what do we do with all these points? Add them up, and your total
determines your class. In stock form, my car falls into class A (the
weakest class). However, the extra points for the tires and sway bar bump
me up to class B, where I'll compete with most 318s (except the Sport), some
2002s, some 5-series cars, and a couple of 7s. From what I've seen, these
classes seem very fair because they're based on a given vehicle's
performance capabilities. Granted, the SCCA classifications attempt to do
the same thing, but I can't see my Mercury Tracer holding a candle to my
slightly more powerful and far better handling BMW, even though both are
classed in HS (and even though the Bimmer is 12 years older). This seems to
be a more direct way to rate each individual car's capabilities and class
them accordingly. This way, it doesn't matter how old or new a car is,
since it will always run against cars of similar capability regardless of
age. And forget Stock, Street Prepared, Prepared, etc. - a seriously hooked
up VW Rabbit could compete directly with a stock Camaro or BMW M3 and be on
even ground, but only if the Rabbit had major mods to give it that much
capability.
Of course, it would be highly impractical to determine a base point value
for not just every BMW (a difficult task in itself), but every car of ANY
kind that MIGHT just happen to come to a Solo II event someday. A point
system doesn't let you say "all RWD Pick-up trucks Not Otherwise Classified"
in HS - they all have to be given a point value. I bring up this system not
to suggest it as a replacement for the current SCCA class system, but to
show how someone else does it and see what everyone has to say. :)
- Justin
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