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http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/301532.aspx

does this mean we get the Cooper S back into SSC? Pontiac/Z4/Si go to T3? and SSB  is eliminated?

I don't know the answer to your questions but I do know this...It sure feels like this is going to be quite a mess for all involved in the short term.

Following up to your classification questions, where does the MX-5 go?  I could conceivably see it going into T3 with the MSR package and/or SSC without the MSR package + a restrictor.  Keep in mind that the MX-5 is classed with the MSR option "permitted" and that's in whole or in part.  It's not a "required" option at this time. 

Overall, I would have thought would have been easier to start the consolidation with the classes with worst participation (i.e. GP and GT-3).  Why dissolve SSB with it's decent participation? 

I guess we'll all have to wait and see what shakes out.  About half of the classes are impacted in one way or another.

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Steve Taake
SSC #5
SWDiv SCCA

On the bright side, at least SSB/C and T3 will get some of the uncertainty out of the way this year while the other classes have to wait and see.

And, maybe the folks that want the 99-05 Miata in SSC will get that chance now.  Add a restrictor and there you go... 

I can only hope.  Who knows???

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Steve Taake
SSC #5
SWDiv SCCA

yea I could see 99-05 Miata and Cooper S having a nice match up in SSC, my Civic will soon age out but there are a LOT of Mazda 3s that will need help in order for them to keep up with those guys.... IMO

All this to accomodate a bio-fuels and Hydrogen class? Should be a heck of an explosion in turn one! But at least your french fries will be hot! Who put Al Gore on the comp board?

Brad

Big Carbon Footprint Racing

 

 

It cracks me up to think the club is going to create classes that are environmentally friendly. I can't think of any endeavor so at odds as racing and being "eco" friendly.

I can see it now... I wonder who the first competitor will be that gets busted for having more than .003% potato residue in his biodiesel? Those fuels samples are going to do wonders for ramping up the sale of track food.

At least 1 Mazda 3 won't be playing this game. 

I can't afford to add a bunch of junk or waste an entire season of money waiting for slow changes to former SSB cars combined with SSC that rule the roost.

Already said, why not let chips fall where they are and take classes with poor participation?

Also what is the facination of 21 classes?  I can see it now, more SCCA spec or enterprise classes :(

Watch how quick NASA opens its arms now..

If our leaders think participation is not up to snuff now, they haven't seen anything yet.  Their announcement just squashed all new investment for a couple of years until things shake out.  Without going into all the details, I can see reasons to consolidate the classes but what they should have done is made all the changes and formal plans in advance of announcing their intentions.  Now everyone's plans and developments efforts are frozen until things shake out and who knows how long that will be.

It seems our leadership is making an honest effort to listen to the membership but the results just aren't quite in order.  Take the Runoffs as another example.  Clearly, we're not privy to all of the details but I'm unclear on why we selected Road America for the runnoffs.  I appreciate the efforts to "upgrade" the event and I'm genuinely excited about that track but it's an obvious conflict with the Sprints.     

I'm frustrated but I'm hanging in there...although it may be on a reduced schedule. 

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Steve Taake
SSC #5
SWDiv SCCA

All joking aside boys, we as a group, need to find out just where they intend to put what. I for one, will not run C next year if they toss the Mini back in with us. I have no problems with the older Miatas, as I think they would be a decent car in C. But exactly what cars in B now would fit in C? I can't think of any, can any of you? And I am just like Tim, I don't want to spend a year begging the board to slow cars down so we don't get hosed. Just my 2 cents.......JM

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Joe McClughan
McClughan Racing Enterprises

Jmac36:

All joking aside boys, we as a group, need to find out just where they intend to put what. I for one, will not run C next year if they toss the Mini back in with us. I have no problems with the older Miatas, as I think they would be a decent car in C. But exactly what cars in B now would fit in C? I can't think of any, can any of you? And I am just like Tim, I don't want to spend a year begging the board to slow cars down so we don't get hosed. Just my 2 cents.......JM

 

Jmac:

Still waiting for my package.  I am almost paralyzed at this point without it :)

Tim, have faith, your new care package is sitting here ready to ship! sorry for the delay, it's been a madhouse what with all the testing down at the super secret Mazda 3 proving grounds in South America, and the ultra high cost of fuel. But the new carbon fiber muffler hangers, and sillicon impregnated door hinges have shaved 1.5 seconds on the test track, and should be well worth the wait! Wait till that Toyota tries to run with you at Atlanta now! Don't forget, mums the word. Don't tell a soul!  JM

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Joe McClughan
McClughan Racing Enterprises

SSCRacer:

All this to accomodate a bio-fuels and Hydrogen class? Should be a heck of an explosion in turn one! But at least your french fries will be hot! Who put Al Gore on the comp board?

Brad

Big Carbon Footprint Racing

 

 

 

Does this mean a Veggie oil powered Golf can now be competitive?  Just think, at most tracks you could fill up your car and stomach at the same concession stand!

Or might that class get eliminated 2 fastracs after you build the car?

 

Ian

(who was thinking of buying/building an SSB car.... NEVERMIND) 

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1999 Civic Si SSC

"Well, it does complicate a few matters.  I'm just getting around to having the Z4 fixed from our "incident" with the HPT conrete walls at the Runoffs and I was getting it ready for SSB and the June Sprints. 

Now the question is: should I just skip getting set up for SSB this year and start prepping for T3 and next season.  It will take a lot to make the Z4 competitive in T3, more than what they just granted us---sooooo, where should I go?  Perhaps I should just do a minimum number of races this year to keep my license and start saving the money for T3 prep, which will be just about what I'd have to spend for a serious effort in SSB this year.  No Runoffs, clearly.

I don't mind the switch to T3 too much, provided "they" give us enough to actually compete--ironic that we may actually be close to competitive in SSB this year, finally, and we'll be doing some more scratching to make it again next season!  

Hey, anybody have a set of Motons for the Z4 that they aren't using? "

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Well, I said this a few days ago in the Touring section and repeat it for those who wouldn't touch the touring comments with a---whatever!  It appears that my bodywork is not begun quite yet, so  the Sprints look like a long shot.  I've had a run of good luck there for the last four years--2,1,2,2, (which is what happens when only enough cars for the podium compete) and hate to miss it, but it does help me in one way.  I will just go ahead and start changing over to T3 specs slowly and skip the Runoffs.  That money will pay for part of the several grand that it will take to make the car a bit competitive in T3.

Here we go running up the costs, again!   It looks like I'm going to need a paper route again, Mommy!

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Jack SSB Z4 #09

Jack:

Am a little late to this discussion but I think a lot of people may join you in skipping the RO's due to the sharp uptick in the cost of getting there + getting prepped.  I hope these changes go further to expand the quality of Club Racing and the Participation levels.  Coming on the heels of the RO site change tells me we have an action-oriented BoD - and that can be better than watching things deteriorate further.

For me, I will be joining you in T3 since my decision had been made ahead of the recent class revisions announced in May FasTrack - and got a car already...prolly have my last SSC race at Road Atl.  As for the adjustments we all must make, I hope the CRB realizes the existing 2008 requests need to be addressed rather than freezing the field because of the pending changes.  I had said elsewhere in another post that an extensive re-write of the class structure would need more funding for additional staffing so the research and review can get done while still running the Club's ordinary Technical business.

If it is still open for debate - I'd suggest we'd keep SSC and combine SSB/T3 - but the new direction may not allow for that.  Either way we have time to plan and it looks like they took the advice to do things in stages. I am encouraged.

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PaulG
56 T3

I think you guys need to hold on a little while. The BOD announcement is new to the SS/T committee and the CRB. You guy are jumping to conclusions that we have not even talked about yet. I know with past experiences you guy do not have a lot of confidence that the committee and the CRB will do the right thing, but I believe with the new process we have in place, classifications are a lot more fair. Currently, SSB is our strongest SS/T class with six or seven competitive choices and the car count shows it. I also believe that SSC has four or five competitive choices and would continue to grow with rules stability. PK

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Peter Keane
SCCA CRB

Right now those six or seven competitive choices would be limited to the Solstice and Civic Si. Your other post indicates a willingness to give additional help to the Camaro which is yet another car that consistently finishes in front of the Miatas at the Runoffs. 

How about a little help for the cheap, fun to drive seats? 

 

I think you can add the Mini, Z4, MX5 and with a little help to the F-body and Miata it is a pretty good group. I think that a RSX or Celica could be competitive with some developement. It is a far cry from car of the year. PK

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Peter Keane
SCCA CRB

pkeane:

I think that a RSX or Celica could be competitive with some developement. It is a far cry from car of the year. PK

LOLOLOL

Coming from a CRB member, that is funny, especially when considering the nature of SS cars.

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It's all about Hot Nasty Bad-Ass Speed.

Foglght:

Coming from a CRB member, that is funny, especially when considering the nature of SS cars.

I think the statement makes more sense in the context of where we are today and where SSB is going forward. Essentially SSB was "opened" to be T4 so development does makes sense in that respect. And I agree with the statement that the Z4, Mini S, Civic, and Sol can run fairly close to each other although probably not close to the top T3 guys. I would expect those all go to T3. I would expect the RSX to be developed and move up as well. From the other thread and I'll disagree with Richard and Ross's letter that the Camaro needs more help or should go down only because it was already in SSB with a "kit" and they just got more. The Celica is the only one on the fence in my opinion and I am going to lobby hard to get it down into C without the Diff they just gave us. Prior to the diff, the car was consistently beaten by every year Miata as well as the top 2 or 3 SSC qualifiers. The Toyota computer is sealed and since there are so few out there in general, not just racing, there are no real developed suspension kits for this car or other development to be had. Even with big $$ it would still be lagging behind the Mini, Sol, Z4, and Civic so it would be the same old same old.

The base car without the diff would be a good fit for the new SSC.