Memorial Weekend at CMP?

Actuall, not to quibble with you, but S cars have gone 39 at RA before, and I think the A track record is 42 or so.

Bottom line is, and I think we agree, SCCA's present classifications system doesn't really give you a "good" place to race. That I totally agree with but for your specific car -- a Cobra R -- hard to know how to fix it. There just aren't enough cars like that for an easy fix.

An ITR V8 Mustang on the other hand....well, if that goes through, you may end up racing in one of the largest classes we have.

I think you would find that its more track specific. My Cobra R would not get caught up with R and S cars at Road Atlanta where the HP comes into play more than at a place like CMP.

We run 1:39 with my co driver and 1:42/1:43 with me at Road Atlanta. Grid up at Barber and the amount of cornering and lack of straight away brings the V8 cars right back to the lighter R and S cars.

I will also tell you that its Katie bar the door for me at Road Atlanta or VIR when I am out there with NASCAR Cup stock cars in the same run group. Street stock(my Cobra R is a T1 car and so its street legal) on the race track with 10 800hp NASCAR Cup cars and another several tube frame Trans AM cars. Thats just stupid. The closing rate is scary.
 
The '95 R/Steeda Q351 T1 car is currently before the CRB to be classed in AS. They have classed current T2 Mustangs for AS. I am sure they are torn between the T1 status and the fact that a 1998 T1 car is no longer in the same league as a current T1 car. It also makes requires a little more consideration as the car was the ONLY T1 Mustang at that time.

If the CRB classes my car at AS and gives me a national class to run, I would still ask why these 300 something HP DOT shod Mustangs are sharing a run group with tube from race cars on slicks.

As long as NASA American Iron cars are ITO legal and I can run the ARRC enduro I will participate enough to keep current for that race alone.

If the runoffs move to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I will need a national class car and might well go the Honda S2000 route. But I am a Mustang writer with a mustang road race track audience. I need to continue to champion that part of the hobby.
 
Rob, it's the big bore/small bore distinction. Historically, in the SEDiv, Big Bore cars (GT1/A/ITO/ITE/SPO/etc.) (basically all the V8s) ran togheter regardless of suspension, tires, etc. Small bore cars -- ITS/R/A/7 run together, although with some of the motors in R (and my motor for that matter) that distinction probably is't as relevant as it used to be.

Other divisions put S in with AS and other cars.

Not saying either is right, it just "is."
 
Since it was an oversight in the supps that ITO remained in 2 groups after editing(love computer files) lets just see how registration goes. If you end up as the only ITO car I will see how the groups shake out. No promises, so plan on group 6 just in case. I still dont know why we let that darn english V8 on the track.:p
 
Since it was an oversight in the supps that ITO remained in 2 groups after editing(love computer files) lets just see how registration goes. If you end up as the only ITO car I will see how the groups shake out. No promises, so plan on group 6 just in case. I still dont know why we let that darn english V8 on the track.:p

Too late... There's already two cars entered in "ITO" not counting Mr. Bodle. A Cobra and a Camaro. These are Big Bore cars, period. If someone wants to go fast there are a pair of Speed World Challege Vipers, a Grand Am GS Pontiac GTO, an ALMS Porsche RSR, and a few Z06 Vettes for sale in Sports Car.

Road Atlanta did the IT community as well as the owners of these cars a disservice when they created ITU/ITO. These cars already have a place to race. They are not IT cars.

Rob, what series was your car built for?
 
Road Atlanta did the IT community as well as the owners of these cars a disservice when they created ITU/ITO. These cars already have a place to race. They are not IT cars.

Rob, what series was your car built for?

Was ITO/ITU started in Atlanta? What problem were they trying to solve?
 
ITO and ITU were started to give cars from other series a place to play. There are many series with safety rules similar to IT but prepped beyond IT in performance. Many are actually below most ITR cars in performance. Try to find a class a tricked up Subaru can run in without going to GT specs. In the proper group it is a good classing to bring in new drivers and that is always good for the club. They are too fast in most cases to run with IT and get grouped with big bore. They will be at CMP. And those extra $$$$$ everyone always talks about keeps your entry fee from going any higher. Now someone post a VIR update!!:026:
 
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As Steve points out, I originally posed ITO/ITU to the Atlanta Region Board to provide a place within SCCA for "production-based" cars to play other than SPO/SPU. Not only were some of those cars (like the TCC Corvettes or the fuel-injected pony cars, for example) not competitive in SPO, they also are not LEGAL in SPO because they do not have GT/Prod level safety equipment or had fuel injection. And because they have no chance of winning in SPO against the tube-framed monsters that populate that class, they were not willing to make the required changes just to "have a place to get some track time", particularly since they could run NASA, BMWCCA, PCA, or other events just as they are.

Was it about dollars? Damn straight it was! In my attempt to maintain or increase car count I'll consider almost any option to bring more people (and their entry fees) to the race track each weekend. In this case, it was about appealing to a group of existing racers by giving them another opportunity to compete with what they already have. Per the GCR we're allowed to start 67 cars per run group at Road Atlanta, and my goal is to get as close to that as possible for all seven groups that we run. If you want to have the track by yourself, SEDIV has a very strong Track Trials program that does not allow passing during competition runs.

As far as Mr. Bodle's concern about being grouped with the Big Noise cars rather than the Big IT cars, he needs to get used to the idea of racing wherever the ASedans are racing. And right now, except for the Enduros, that will be with the Big Noise cars in Atlanta Region.
 
Just a clarification for the CCPS drivers at CMP. You will get to practice with your proper SARRC group. You have a seperate 20 minute qualifier. Sorry this was not in the supps. :blink: ECR drivers are also welcome to use the Sunday Morning closed wheel hardship if you need extra practice time or need to bed brakes.
 
As far as Mr. Bodle's concern about being grouped with the Big Noise cars rather than the Big IT cars, he needs to get used to the idea of racing wherever the ASedans are racing. And right now, except for the Enduros, that will be with the Big Noise cars in Atlanta Region.

Butch... Thanks for reaffirming what most everyone seems to agree on. I wanted to stay out of this debate but with the relentless lobbying by the extreme minority to place ITO with ITR, ITS, ITA, IT7 I thought it best have my voice heard. This past weekend at VIR confirmed what I was thinking about ITO. The Big Bore group had an impressive 53 cars start the Saturday race. An ITO (American Iron) Mustang finished 9th overall, with a best lap time of 2:05! By contrast, the best ITS lap time was 2:18. I thought the region made the right choice of groups (at least for the ITO cars).

As far as the struggle to keep entries (and dollars) up, I sympathise with the competition directors/race chairs who are challenged with making everything work. Coming on to this forum to interact with the IT community makes a huge difference. Thanks!
 
That was actually an American V8 Supercar Series car. Big difference. Two or three hundred hp difference. If it were not that AV8SS has an agreement with SEDIV for ITO they would be SPO cars. But I see and concede your point. I wouldnt want to be racing with those guys either.
 
Test Day?

What's the deal for Test Day? Just show up and pay? Anybody know the cost? Do they offer half days?

Inquiring minds want to know. ;)
 
Tom,

Good to see you are registered for the CMP race and I look forward to seeing you again....I think the last time was at Nashville last year

Based on past personal experience and recollection, the test day is $225.00 or $190.00 if you register 1 week prior. As far as I know, just show up with money. I don't think they offer half days but it might be worth an enquiry.

Cheers.
 
Thanks to CCR for a great weekend! Nicely done...

Steve,

.... I'll second that........... And the weather was great!!!

.... And I appreciate you giving me some room to regain my composure yesterday..:o

.... You need to let me know if you post that somewhere...... What a ride..:cool:

.... Rickey T.
 
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