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So, I wrote a letter.

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 8:14 am
by Wheelman_13
I haven't been able to make many events this year even being back in town (miss you guys/gals), so I put my idle time to use and wrote a "letter" to SCCA asking for the "Vintage" NSX to be included in STR. Allegedly this will be in an upcoming Fastrack for comment/discussion. So just in case anyone sees that....yeah, it was me, lol.

Quick logic:
  • Purpose: It needs a "home" in between stock/street and fricken ASP
  • It would likely not change the competitive landscape of the class vs. S2KCR etc.
  • It fits within the existing displacement/tire width rules outlines for the class
  • PWR/WGT ratio is comparable (in some cases unfavorably) to existing field of cars
  • There exists a pseudo open-top version (Targa) with the "spirit" of the class. (although I'm arguing for full inclusion ala 350Z, where coupe is included as well as drop-top).
Maybe I'll actually bother with a national event if this goes through, lol :lol:

Re: So, I wrote a letter.

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 1:57 pm
by thrdeye
I don't think the car would upset anything, but usually rare(ish) and expensive (ish) cars are somewhat intentionally left out or buried on the off chance some one put a good one together and dominated.



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Re: So, I wrote a letter.

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 11:45 pm
by Wheelman_13
thrdeye wrote: Thu Aug 31, 2017 1:57 pm I don't think the car would upset anything, but usually rare(ish) and expensive (ish) cars are somewhat intentionally left out or buried on the off chance some one put a good one together and dominated.
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1) sshhhhh, that was my plan :pirate:

2) I thought about that and spared a few bullets/sentences to emphasizing it being a relatively low risk change in that just not that many people are going to try to build one, and even then they'd have a hard time still with the existing class alpha cars.

Eh, we'll see I suppose.

Re: So, I wrote a letter.

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2017 2:29 pm
by JohnSmith
I think it has about as much of a chance as a more modern 911 has of being included in STR or STU. I'm not saying it isn't appropriate to put it in the class, but historically these types of cars generally aren't let in where they might be competitive. Best of luck with it.

My 996 experience eventually led to buying a miata in an uncompetitive class and then to a c6 z06. Big v8s are the best thing ever. It's proof their classing system eventually does the right thing by nudging people into vettes.

Re: So, I wrote a letter.

Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2017 10:13 am
by Wheelman_13
End of the story:
#22205 Please find the [vintage NSX a class between stock and ASP, rec STR]
The STAC would like to thank you for your input but does not recommend classing this car in the ST category. Regions are allowed to class cars as they see fit for local/regional competition.

I'm always torn on the regional thing. If I ran open STR locally, I might compete against someone trying to get their car set up for Nats for "real" STR and win or lose could impact his/her efforts. Similarly, if there's even a hypothetical chance the car is some class ringer, I wouldn't want to ask to run PSTR because frankly I have too much respect for the amount of effort it takes to be competitive in our bizarrely-talent-stacked region.

I suppose step one is to actually start making events regularly again, step 2 is probably swapping back to street tires and go keep STM honest, and step three defaults to continuing to enjoy not driving to Nebraska and back?

Re: So, I wrote a letter.

Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2017 9:10 am
by steverife
There are just so few of these that have been regularly autocrossed at a national level. Vivek Goel ran one in the old AS, and IIRC, had mild success. On a macro level, it makes a ton of sense to exclude these. On a micro level, it sucks.

I will say that, while I'm not sure if it has been proposed, the idea for a CAM-like class for imports seems to be getting bounced around more often these days.

Re: So, I wrote a letter.

Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2017 8:28 pm
by timray
Funny you mention a cam like class for imports Steve! I've had talks with a few folks up here about trying that as a regional class.

Re: So, I wrote a letter.

Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:24 pm
by dewittpayne
A CAM like class would be a bit more restrictive than STM. Sean's Sawzall special wouldn't qualify, but a lot of others would. The main things would be that you couldn't gut the interior, no wings and the car would have to be licensed and insured.

Re: So, I wrote a letter.

Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 12:26 am
by Wheelman_13
dewittpayne wrote: Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:24 pm A CAM like class would be a bit more restrictive than STM. Sean's Sawzall special wouldn't qualify, but a lot of others would. The main things would be that you couldn't gut the interior, no wings and the car would have to be licensed and insured.
Yeah, reading the CAM rules if you removed "domestic" and added "import" and (critically for me) allowed mid-engine/rear-drive cars (all two of them, lol MR2 & NSX) it would at least add an option. InB4 MR cars are excluded :P

Re: So, I wrote a letter.

Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 6:52 am
by TedV
So our local STM except "still recognizable as original car and has carpet and 2 front seats."

Re: So, I wrote a letter.

Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 7:04 am
by steverife
CAM has some weights and wheelbase/drivetrain stuff.

Personally, I'd love to see some full tilt street tire SSM/SM type builds on some imports....and I definitely want to see mid-engine/rear-engine cars allowed, since that is what I seem to like now.