As a longtime ITC racer and now GProd racer, I'd like to make some observations:
1. I think anyone who has a unusual IT car (i.e. one not otherwise classified in prod already) w/ a valid logbook that asks for classification in production should get it. The only reason I put in the caveat about the logbook is to prevent the "poseurs" and the rules-racers. If you aren't even going to race a certain "unusal" car in IT, why should it be classified in production? There are certain well known exceptions such as the ITS BMW 325is that may be too fast for prod, even with the limited prep rules. But all other cars, especially ITA, ITB, and ITC cars should have a place in prod.
2. If you prep an IT car to the limit of the rules, including all optional prep, then there are only THREE LITTLE THINGS stopping you from going to prod (assuming it's already classified):
* remove the passenger door glass.
* remove the headlights (and replace with flat panels if they are exposed)
* remove side marker/turn signal lights and replace with flat panels.
If you already have a prepped door, and the headlights/side marker panels ready made and easily affixed then you could switch from IT mode to prod mode in less than 30 minutes. You may have to add ballast to make the prod minimum weight as sometimes it's more than the IT weight.
My feeling is that if these THREE or FOUR LITTLE THINGS are stopping you from going to prod with your IT car, then well...
3. Nationals. I suspect some of this discussion about being able to run IT cars in production is so they could run in nationals. I realize this is a very touchy subject but I'm in my second season of racing nationals after 5 years in the SARRC wars. I read a lot of people here saying "oh, yeah, I'd run nationals if I could". Well, let me point out that very few tracks hold more than one and at most two national races during the year. This would mean that if you wanted to attend the Runoffs, you'd have to travel a ways for one or two races to accumulate points. If you're only looking for a way to add a couple of more races to your yearly schedule, why bother with the hassle with going to production?
I think this would be a major stumbling block for many IT racers, as they are used to racing 4,5,6 or more times a year at the same track (Road Atlanta, Summit Point, to give a couple of examples). In the NEDIV, there's only ONE national race at Summit during the year, so if you're going to race NEDIV nationals you'd have to travel. This is going to increase your racing budget.
4. Money. The folks who run nationals are serious. You see the fast guys on sticker tires every weekend. These guys bring their A-game every weekend, and if you want to compete you're going to have to bring yours too. Otherwise you're going get dusted. As an example, Scott Giles set a new lap record at VIR in ITC @2:27.4 a couple of weeks ago. That same car (88-91 Civic H
is also in GP as a limited prep car. The lap record in GP is 2:17.0! So the best ITC car ever at VIR is a full ten seconds off the lap record. Where are you going to find those 10 seconds? It's one thing to build a top-notch IT motor with OEM parts. It's another to build a prod motor, starting with a camshaft program, spending money on lightweight pistons, cranks, rods, clutches/pressure plates, having new gears made, etc., etc. Lexan windows can help but cost $$$, slicks are more expensive to run than DOT tires.
Just some things to think about. I made the switch to GP and love everything about prod. The car drives more like a real racecar, it stops like one, the cornering speeds are unbelievable, and rolling off the grid on the pace lap at the RUNOFFS for the first time will send tingles down your spine and make your hair stand on end...
MC
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Mark Coffin
#14 GP BSI Racing/Airborn Coatings/The Shop VW
Scirocco
Zephyr Race Coaching and Consulting
http://pages.prodigy.net/scirocco14gp
[This message has been edited by racer14itc (edited March 30, 2004).]
