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The thing that has me confused is that you are upset that a car that is completely legal for the class, and prepared for SS, a level that has a theoretical lower performance potential than the prep level for SM2 allows. If he had shown up in that same car, with SM2 prep, would you still be mad? What's the difference? You are in a class with rules that allows someone to spend $$$$$$$$$$$. Actually I take that back, there isn't a single class in the solo where one cant spend $$$$$$$$$$. Of course there is less incentive to spend $$$$$$$ on an HS car than there is on something with a lots of opportunity for tweaking, but my point is, you will always be outspent. Go have fun, and drive your car, and enjoy what you built. 

All right. I'll stop whining.  For the record, I don't mind getting beaten by faster cars or faster drivers. 

I don't mind CSP cars or SS cars entering a theoretically faster class. 

I wasn't thrilled about the intention of scouting classes for weakness and jumping in to win tires.  It seemed sort of... well... predatory.  I'll just readjust expectations.

JCN:

All right. I'll stop whining.  For the record, I don't mind getting beaten by faster cars or faster drivers. 

I don't mind CSP cars or SS cars entering a theoretically faster class. 

I wasn't thrilled about the intention of scouting classes for weakness and jumping in to win tires.  It seemed sort of... well... predatory.  I'll just readjust expectations.

Now you're getting the right attitude! 

Just imagine you owned an SS car, and at a local tour you noticed 4 past national champions entered SS, who you've never beaten, but in ASP you see that only local drivers, who you always beat, are in ASP along with Lehman (who you know you can beat because Hector can't make it this weekend).  Your choice is to stay in SS and take your lumps, or move to ASP and guarantee a trophy and maybe even $650 worth of tires.  Some car owners even split their classes with their drivers (ASP-Hector and SM2-Lehman ) to win tires in multiple classes.  You can now see why they do it.

Perhaps the next car you buy should be a good stock class car and prep it to the max.  Improve your driving so you get really good and then you have the option of bumping up when you think it may be a good idea to win a few tires.  Tires become the expensive part of this sport when you get to the higher levels so anytime you can snag a tire or two, especially in cars where the tires cost $1300 a set, it's a win.

Unfortunately a lot of new autox'rs get hooked after they've put some go-fast parts on their car and find themselves in a class like ASP or SM2 by default, not by choice.  This is why these two classes are often easy for an experienced autox'r to bump to to get some tires.  The majority of the drivers don't have the experience to be fast.  Just look at results at some tour events and you'll see that many SS drivers are faster than many of the ASP and SM2 cars.

Right now, drive as much as you can with what you brought, don't spend too much on improving the car...concentrate on improving the driver, and have fun.  Good luck.

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Ted

2004 Z16/Z06 SS

What I should do is round up a few spouses of autocrossers to fill out my wife's class.  We'll pay for their entry fees and potentially bring home $650 in tires!  Technically, any non-Lotus, street car would suffice.  If you can't beat them, join them!

Cherry picking classes for contingency is a fact of life at National events.  The reality is that people want to win the trophy and money/tires, and they aren't necessarily committed to a class.  You are right that it can detract from the spirit of the  competition,  but if you put yourself in their shoes you can't really blame them.   They put  alot of  time and money into going to an event, they are just maximizing their return.  However, that kind of maneuver is only short term, as at other National events or if they run the ProSolo series, eventually they will run up against insurmountable odds in car/driver prep. 

 In your case, I'd just blow it off and work on getting yourself and your car faster so you don't have to worry about these cherry picking incursions.    There's nothing better than ruining the cherrypicker's plan by beating them.  Not only did they run out of normal class, now they don't get anything from it either.  And don't worry, the rest of your REAL SM2 competitors will do our best to help advise you on how to get faster.  Keep coming out!

-Andy M.
 

Thanks, Andy!  Love your car!

Here's an idea that no one has considered...maybe the owner of that current SS car is "testing the waters" in SM2 to consider the possibility of further modifications next season.

Also, you ought to consider the person instead of just the "two tour events" in which you refer.  The car owner in question has been auto-xing before many of the current National Champions had their driver's license.  He has built a street prepared car (a BSP C3) vette and helped built a certain flat black DP car that is close to my heart. He has been one of the fastest single driver SS cars at Nationals for the last couple of years...this is no small feat in Topeka in September.  He is, and has been, a dedicated and involved member of his local region.     

Consider the man as well as the action.

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Greg M.
148 DP Miata
Supported by:
AtTrack Graphics/Skull Motorsports/Karol and the kids!

I don't know the fellow who ran SM2 in a SS car----and MHO----nothing at all wrong with that.  In fact if SM2 were not to make a class at a Pro or less that 3---(i.e. Hoosier contigency)----I think the other SM2 competitors would love him or her.

 Hell, Andy and Erik are practically drooling all over themselves to get more entrants in the class, not to mention the positive comments toward fellow competitors like Mr. R. Noll posted.

 And finally I will the person in question has a cool sounding name, as it rhymes, and this fellow also has a quite unusual first name----pretty neat.  As my first name is very boring, but I try and make up for this fact by coming up classy and interesting "team name" for my autoxing endevours

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Trying to get faster

JCN, dont forget in the unlikely event that SM2 is no longer a national class, it doesnt mean that your local club cant keep using the class. so you wont have to get a mini after all!!!!

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Hector San Nicolas

my last name says i'm a saint,
but putting up with lehman will get me sainthood

See?  If I had run SM2 instead of SS at the Finger Lakes Pro I would have picked up a trophy and a tire and felt much better about my performance, instead of finishing 4th in SS and winning nothing despite running faster than every other stock car out there except for the 3 SS cars in front of me.  But darn, these are fun cars to drive!

Have fun.

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Ted

2004 Z16/Z06 SS

So why didn't you ?

 Yes you need to drive fast.

But you also need to learn how to win.

 

PS---the real secret is that any idiot can autocross, and the fastest among us are still morons.  I also am a moron, so why can't I beat the other idiot in grid next to me ?

Answer:  I can, because he, she, or it, is just another idiot doing this stupid sport-----

PSS---next time at event--take a good look around----it looks like the state mental institution just let all of its residents out for an afternoon field trip

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Trying to get faster

TedDBere:

See?  If I had run SM2 instead of SS at the Finger Lakes Pro I would have picked up a trophy and a tire and felt much better about my performance, instead of finishing 4th in SS...

 

or you can try and hide your competitors race tires in hopes that they will not find them... oh wait, that didn't work for you. yeah, you shoulda ran SM2.... ');" title="Super Angry - ">

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Hi! I'm Rodney. "Hi Rodney!" I'm addicted to Solo....

Rodney:

TedDBere:

See?  If I had run SM2 instead of SS at the Finger Lakes Pro I would have picked up a trophy and a tire and felt much better about my performance, instead of finishing 4th in SS...

 

or you can try and hide your competitors race tires in hopes that they will not find them... oh wait, that didn't work for you. yeah, you shoulda ran SM2.... " href="BLOCKED SCRIPTinsertSmiley('');" mce_href="BLOCKED SCRIPTinsertSmiley('');">

I hear your competitors have tried that with you but you bring too many tires to hide:

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Ted

2004 Z16/Z06 SS

See, what I said about soloists looking like idiots, really is true.

 

PS---Funny picture.  Couldn't resist.  I look as goofy and probably goofier without even trying

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Trying to get faster

David Lehman:

I look as goofy and probably goofier without even trying

 

this past weekend i said to someone "you look like lehman with those glasses....". suffice to say, i had to apologize afterword. 

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Hi! I'm Rodney. "Hi Rodney!" I'm addicted to Solo....

LMAO 

TedDBere:

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Polo Green 95 LT1 6-spd Chevy Corvette
Upgrading as stuff wears out and/or breaks
Autocross / Road / Drag in whatever class they decide to stick me in this week!
2000 CCM Group IIG Autocross Champ
Member: NCCC, NCM, SCCA, NHRA, CART

JCN:

What I should do is round up a few spouses of autocrossers to fill out my wife's class.  We'll pay for their entry fees and potentially bring home $650 in tires!  Technically, any non-Lotus, street car would suffice.  If you can't beat them, join them!

 

That's not a new idea.

*cough*MineralWellsDS*cough* 

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Dan Pedroza
CS 72/172
2008 Nationals CS first loser

Quick question.  I have a friend who has replaced the REAR fenders with a wide-body kit.  I know front fender replacement is legal in SM2 and flaring and cutting are legal.  But replacement of rear fenders?

Does it bump you out of class?

I also saw the SM2 rule that the Wing can't be wider than the doors, but I've seen SM cars with wings that hang out to the fenders... I ordered a wing and wanted the one that was 1/2 inch wider than the doors... but trying to stay legal and ordered a smaller one.