Ok as promised, here's the latest kick at the cat for the revised & clarified
STU rules.
Here's the plan:
1) Leave these rules posted for public comment for a period of one week.
- They are posted at http://autocross.dsm.org/stu.html (with better
formatting)
- Please spread them around (I will be posting them to the DSM list) so that
I can
get the maximum amount of exposure & feedback. (Given enough eyeballs, all
bugs are
shallow - Linus' Law)
- Anybody who's feedback is incorperated into the rules will get credit for
it
- When discussing them on this list, please trim down the rules to the
section you
wish to discuss - please don't repost the whole thing!
2) Send the changes to Denver
3) Start the mailing campaign. These changes will not be implimented
(regardless of merit or the lack thereof) unless there is a display of member -
and _potential member_ support for them. My lone nut crying in the wilderness
wil not accomplish one dammed thing without member support.
4) Once the changes are approved ( :) ) we have to make a special effort to
try and get them under the noses of our target audience - and once they show up
to play, they will need "mentors" to show them the ropes. Getting the rules
changed & clarified is only the first step, we have to make the effort to bridge
the gap.
That means my car will become an STU car within seconds of rules approval. It
also means I'll probably create an STU Mailing List and Web Page to help support
the class - unless someone else beats me to it. (hint, hint) :)
So without any further ado, here's the rules:
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Street Touring Unlimited Catagory
The purpose of this class is to provide a class for highly modified,
small-displacement, production-based, street drivable
cars. This class is specifically designed to allow maximum creativity and
freedom of expression, while limiting the number
and type of modifications more typical of purpose-built, track-only cars.
Dennis' Note: The intent is that anyone who has modified a street
vehicle, either for drag racing or for street performance -
or even just for looks - has a place to play where they can have a
reasonable opportunity at becoming competitive. The class
also serves as a showcase for a highly active and under-utilized market -
the "Sport Compact Car" demographic
STU.0 VEHICLE ELIGIBILITY
All four-plus passenger, front engine, hard top, production-based
sedans/coupes with engine displacements equal to or
less than 3.1 litres are eligible for Street Touring Unlimited.
Dennis' Note: The original Street Touring wording was: "All sedans/coupes
(four seats, four factory seat belts, not sportscar
based), maximum displacement 3.1L, normally aspirated"
This wording created a number of ambiguities for STU eligibility:
1.What exactly is meant by "sportscar based"? This portion of the
rule was written to specifically prohibit the Porche
911 (which it is agreed is not a STU demographic vehicle).
Our solution is to add the "front engine" requirement to the STU
eligibility statement, and drop the wording "sportscar
based".
2.Given that STU allows turbochargers and Torson differentials, are
vehicles that met all requirements for ST save a
turbo or a diff (Talon/Eclipse, SE-R) STU-eligible? How about
vehicles that have an ST-legal model, and an
STU-illegal model? (Talon/Eclipse)
Our solution is to make STU all-inclusive. If you are 3.1L or
less, and have a front engine and at least 4 seats, you're
in. Period.
STU.1 AUTHORIZED MODIFICATIONS
A. All allowable modifications in Stock Catagory are allowed.
B. All allowable modifications in the Street Prepared Catagory are
allowed.
Dennis' Note:An analysis of the STU rules as detailed in the 1999 Solo
Rules has shown that STU differs from Street
Prepared only in 14.2D (seats), 14.2E (steering wheel) 14.2G (roll
cages), and 14.2H (fuel cells). In all other cases, the STU
rules are the same, or in excess of the SP rules. Given the popularity of
one-piece seats and Momo/Sparco steering wheels in
this demographic, restricting 14.2D and 14.2E does not make sense, and
14.2G and 14.2H are safety items.
Given this, it makes a lot of sense for the STU rules to be built on the
SP catagory rules, the same way that Street Touring is
built on the Stock catagory rules.
C. All vehicles must be equipped with the following items:
1.Headlights (high and low beam)
2.Turn signals, front and rear
3.Brake Lights
4.Heater
5.Windshield wiper/washer (single wiper conversions OK)
6.Horn
7.Parking Brake
8.Interior Door Panels/Garnish
9.Side Window Raise/Lower Mechanism
10.Licence Plate
11.Reverse Lights
Dennis' Note: The original STU rules wording required that the vehicle
both be registered for the street, and have passed an
emissions test. However, State/Province licencing requirements and
emissions requirements vary, and range from no
requirements (Kentucky) to vastly stringent requirements (California). As
such, the SCCA cannot maintain a level playing field
without explicitly specifying the equipment that must be on the car in
order for it to be "street legal".
STU.2 BODYWORK
A. The firewall, roof, door skins, rear quarter panels, trunklid (if any)
or rear hatch (if any) must remain Stock. Holes may be
drilled to allow attachment of body kits, etc. This specifically allows
replacement hoods, fenders, wings, front and rear
facias, and side skirts.
B. All window glass must remain Stock.
C. Bolt-in chassis re-enforcing members are allowed. (Multi-point strut
bars, subframe connectors, etc.) This does not
allow welded structural members, or tube frame conversions.
STU.3 TIRES
A. No allowences in excess of Street Prepared.
STU.4 WHEELS
A. No allowences in excess of Street Prepared.
STU.5 SHOCK ABSORBERS
A. No allowences in excess of Street Prepared.
STU.6 BRAKES
A. Any brake rotor, pad, caliper, lines, dual-circuit master cylinder, or
drum that conforms to STU.1C.7 may be used.
Dennis' Note: Aftermarket brakes (Baer, Brembo) are very popular in this
demographic
STU.7 ANTI-ROLL (SWAY) BARS
A. No allowences in excess of Street Prepared.
STU.8 SUSPENSION
A. Suspension components are unrestricted as long as they use the Stock
mounting points.
STU.9 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
A. Aftermarket computer systems (air/fuel computers, timing computers,
boost controllers, etc.) are allowed. Modified OEM
computers are allowed.
STU.10 ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN
A. Subject to the following limitations, all engine and drivetrain
modifications (including supercharging/turbocharging) are
unrestricted:
1.Nitrous Oxide injection systems are not allowed. NOS injection
equipment is allowed on the vehicle, but the bottle
must be out of the car during competition. It is recommended that
vehicles equipped with NOS leave the bottles at
home, rather than removing them at the event site.
Dennis' Note: Lots of these cars have NOS systems, but they are
problematic in a Solo2 environment. Presence of
NOS equipment should not disallow a car participating though, if
the system is disarmed.
2.Engine swaps must be of the same make as the car chassis, or of a
make available from the factory in the chassis
in the case of joint venture produced car.
3.The 3.1 litre displacement limit is after any boring, stroking,
etc. At no time may any engine exceed 3.1000 litres in
displacement.
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