Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 15:27:51 -0400
From: "Burns, James B." <James.Burns@jhuapl.edu>
Subject: Stock Class Model Year Exclusion and Showroom Stock
I think a stock class model year exclusion is a bad idea for autox.
However, one advantage I do see is an alignment with the SCCA club road
racing Showroom Stock class. For those that don't know, Showroom Stock and
Touring class cars must be within the last 7 model years. After that they
may or may not get classed in Improved Touring, depending on performance
potential. There are only specific cars classed for club racing, as opposed
to autox which allows any car to compete (except maybe some SUV's/Jeeps that
could easily flip), and that's why I think the exclusion is a bad idea for
autox. However, I would like to see some stock or SP classes where a road
race car could be competitive.
Showroom Stock cars have to run stock wheels, stock shocks, and stock
swaybars, and their tire sizes are limited. They are really "stock", unlike
Solo2 stock class cars (which I would like to be more "stock"). These
restrictions plus the extra weight of the cage and fire system make them
generally uncompetitive for autox. They do permit some "trunk kits" on
certain cars that include different shocks and swaybars, but those cars are
not allowed to compete in Solo2 stock class. Improved Touring cars can
compete in SP, but they have to run the stock fuel injection (or carb)
including the stock throttle body and intake manifold. They also have a
limited wheel size and tires cannot extend outward beyond the stock
bodywork. These limitations again mean that they generally aren't
competitive against "real" SP autox cars.
I'm probably in a minority in wanting to compete in both road racing and
autox in the same (stock or SP) car, but I do know some others in my region
who feel the same way. I think it would be great for grassroots motorsports
to have an autox class for a popular and cheap road racing class like Spec
Miata or Spec RX7. Maybe a combined class for both Spec Miata/RX7 with the
times indexed. Who knows, it might even be more popular than SM2 :-).
Brad B.
'97 M3 (B-stock trophy fodder)
Making solo2 and roadrace rules work together will never work in SCCA. It
makes sense and would save us money.
Bill Cadenhead
EP/P2 1979 Rabbit Ex SSC 1980 Southern pacific Nat'l champ. I got it new back
when you could get a new car for about the price of a set of trick solo2
shocks. I run it at VW track events were there are no stinkin rules.
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