Did the SEB or Doug Gill ever come up with ANYTHING on this? They refuse to answer my inquiries. (Imagine that, Im a paying member and get nothing for a response on a legitimate question that STILL hasnt been answered in a fastrack or yearly rule revision)
SM is such an open class for modifications, that any differences or advantages a JDM or foreign spec vehicle may have had become next to nothing. Heres what I sent the SEB and Doug a few times with no response:
"Im sure this has been covered before, but truthfully, the rules are extremely cloudy on this actual subject. Let me try and make it more clear to you if I can:
Nowhere in the vehicle classification section (p.22) does it say the vehicle must be originally sold in the united states. The sections that do say that are stock classes (the example I sent in the previous email) and SP classes. It does not have this provision in the SM rules.
Also, the exclusion of "JDM-spec" cars is only under the SM rules (p100, 16.C.1.b). Thus by determining how the rest of the rules work, that should bump any of the SM excluded cars to SM2, respectively. As it says in the rules:
16.C.2.a-c:
"2. STREET MOD 2 (SM2):
a) All two seat cars, including the types of cars listed above
in 16.C.1.b, which are not excluded below.
b) All SM eligible sedans/coupes excluded from SM for
failure to meet weight requirements.
c) Excluded Vehicles: Lotus (all except Elise, Exige, Esprit),
two seat cars not eligible for the Street Prepared category."
So, this part of the rules says all cars excluded from SM (section 16.C.1.b), and that meet SM2 standards are eligible for use in SM2. Being that there is no provision in the SM/SM2 catagory specifically limiting foreign vehicles, I believe this makes a foreign car eligible.
And to me, this seems reasonable. Given the amount of modifications usually seen on SM cars, the differences between a "USDM" car and "JDM" car are all but null and void. They are so far from "stock" or "factory" that many of the US cars will outperform a foreign car. As per the "Eligible Vehicles" on (p.22), as long as the car passes a safety inspection, comply's with the rules, It should be legal for competition, correct? "
I just want some sort of actual clarification on the subject. It doesnt seem to have any answer on these forums, in the rulebook, or anywhere else.