macr88

funny

S2k-Takara

This is a funny conversation to me because, I always think that's what's wrong with scca solo...

example

Will use AS S2000, since I have a good idea of the rules.

Guy comes out with a s2000 with a CAI, but otherwise stock, and try's to run in AS.

Guy with moton shocks, $1k front sway bar and R-comps protests, and says "that's not legal in this class"

Guy with CAI was most likely not going to be able to compete any way, but now he gets bumped up to a higher class.

This hasn't happened to me, but I know it could happen.

s2kennmark

randy, i know what you mean but there is also a difference between going for serious competition than doing it as a weekend passtime.

i dont think the guy with Rcomps, motons or penske (i use penske just because ) will protest the guy with CAI ... i dont call it a protest but maybe an advice, telling the guy that if you wanna be competitive, go with the mods under the rules that will make you faster, CAI wont.

and like i said, if you are going for serious competition and not just for fun, then you can do so much stuff to be competitive by just maxing out the limit of the rules. A CAI will not make the car perform well at a solo competition.

Orthonormal

Isn't that going to be more or less true in any club with any sort of formal rules?

A person is just going to have to figure out their own balance between customizing their car just the way they want it, and being in a class where they can compete equally within the rules.

Stock is somewhat about keeping costs down. Yeah, tires are expensive. For everyone. Shocks can be expensive, but you can get almost as good performance out of Koni yellows or Bilsteins that have been revalved as you get out of the expensive custom shocks. The main advantage you get with the expensive shocks is a more pleasant daily driving experience. Shocks were originally allowed because aftermarket shocks could be a lot cheaper than factory replacements. Penskes and Motons are allowed because there is really no way to write a rule that prevents someone from buying those, but allows cheap off the shelf non-OE replacements.

Something like an intake or header has lousy bang for the buck in autocross. But it does have some advantage, so if it were allowed then everyone would have to pay for this mod with poor value. It's also not a consumable. Most of the items allowed in Stock are consumable items (shocks, brake pads, even mufflers -- you'll have to have someone who has lived outside of California explain that one to you ). Front swaybars are the notable exception. That was more of a safety item for roly-poly cars from the 60s and 70s.

There was a guy who showed up at a UFO event and ran A Stock in a car that was obviously lowered and had non stock sized aftermarket wheels. I didn't say anything because I figured he's just there to have fun , not to compete against me. If he gets serious enough to want to know the rules of the class, he can ask.

Now if he was campaigning for a season championship, I'd probably see if he knew his car was misclassified and encourage him to choose a more appropriate class.

Orthonormal

The guy with the intake could just swap back to stock if he wants to run in A Stock. On the one hand, it doesn't seem like that big a deal that he has it. On the other hand, it doesn't seem like that big a deal to take it off.

Besides, if he's not on R compounds the folks on R compounds aren't likely to try to get him booted. Other competitors on street tires, on the other hand, may care.

arrrmand

jadebellyt: were you the silver ap2?

ken: yeah, i was one of 4 people that drove rebecca's car first time doing anything more than daily driving w/ an awd car, and i gotta say...it's a lot less challenging than our cars to keep straight. honestly, i felt like my driving skills in the S were a lot more dulled down, as i can just mash the throttle and not have to countersteer dramatically. in the end, i think i either beat gil or got extremely close 0.0x sec away from him on my clean run vs. his run w/ 2+ cones. all in all, it was fun, but i definitely fun, but would take the S 9/10 times despite the challenge to run faster times w/ more drama.

2159ClassicRed

Well quoted John .................autocrossing is a complicated sport, sometimes there are protests that shows the true blood of your competitiors IMO.........

jadebellyt

I was in the gpw ap2 in run group 5. I was the one pulling H-stock times and making S drivers look bad. I'm working on it though I'll be sure to look for you next time to hopefully get some tips.

Voodoo_S2K

I've gotten tired of waiting around all day to do 3 minutes of driving. My last two times I was there, there were huge delays. Maybe I'll come out from time to time. Maybe I'll get interested again at some point.

arrrmand

agreed on the huge delays...of course i'm not involved in the activities, but one would think that getting the computers up and running for registration would be routine by now (we used physical time cards last week).

it also confuses me why it starts over an hour late almost every single time. kind of makes the point of a schedule defunct.

regardless, i still have fun and feel there's plenty to improve.