OT - '99+ Miatas Approved for SM, [i][b]effective 3/1/05!
lateapex911
Super Moderator
This is the one troubling aspect of the club...
On one hand I am really bouyed by the thought that they did something proactive, and actually went out and tested! Wow!
And getting current model cars in the mix isn't a terrible thing either.
On the other hand, I do worry about the methods and the timing of it all. This isn't the first time things like this have been "fastracked" so to speak.
I also wonder when the SM fad will wane...
It is a great class, BUT...the car counts are SO high (here in the NE, we are in danger of having too many to fit on the track at Lime Rock..not there quite yet, but....), that I wonder when the guy who always finishes 30th or 35th is going to get fed up. I suspect we might see a leveling off, but who knows!
One thing is for sure, it should make a great race at the Runoffs in 06.
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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]
On one hand I am really bouyed by the thought that they did something proactive, and actually went out and tested! Wow!
And getting current model cars in the mix isn't a terrible thing either.
On the other hand, I do worry about the methods and the timing of it all. This isn't the first time things like this have been "fastracked" so to speak.
I also wonder when the SM fad will wane...
It is a great class, BUT...the car counts are SO high (here in the NE, we are in danger of having too many to fit on the track at Lime Rock..not there quite yet, but....), that I wonder when the guy who always finishes 30th or 35th is going to get fed up. I suspect we might see a leveling off, but who knows!
One thing is for sure, it should make a great race at the Runoffs in 06.
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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]
Bill Miller
New member
Can you say 'hypocrit'?
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MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI (sold) | MARRS #25 HProd Rabbit
SCCA 279608
dave parker
New member
Class? You want class? There was nothing on the application for this site about class.
Obviously if you are looking for class you are in the wrong place. Perhaps this place is more upscale and classy www.rennlist.com. Make sure you take the Grey Poupon with you.
Since it says right on the front door of this site "Improved Touring" why are we talking about spec miata? Isn't there a site just for spec miata.
I am like a teacher during the summer break.
NO CLASS!!!
cheers
dave parker
wdcr ITC#97
Agreed but they're well-heeled and extremely vocal jerkoffs which exascerbates the problem.
I don't dislike SMs as a whole - Given the money, I'd probably race one myself. While SM has revitalized SCCA and has provided visibility to the Club that it hasn't had for decades. My fear is that with the swelling of SM ranks and the pressures that it puts on the Club (both real and perceived) could result in a detriment to the Club in the long run.
Right now I'm curious to hear how other regions are handling the influx of SM and SSM entrants. The DC Region race classes (except for wings and things) are quite full. With even a 5% increase in SM entrants, we're faced with the possibility of turning away entrants (and their lovely entry fee money). While we don't want to turn away anyone, SCCA Club Races do have an entrant limit and perhaps it's time that we simply enforce it - at the same time this flies in the face of "Everyone gets to race". Sigh...
I think it's a little misleading to try and equate those two very different things.
Cars get dropped into classes all the time. Adding the 99+ cars to SM has been on the front discussion burners for over a year, there was adequate notice in FasTrack, and a call for member input. Anybody who was paying attention knew it was coming, and it doesn't suprize/shock/scandalize/me.
Adding a newer model of a Spec-class car, that has been heavily handicapped with weight and intake, is a very stretched comparison with the work necessary to 're-org' IT.
Apples and giraffes, dude.
Locally, SM tells us that it's our salvation. Personally I think it's bringing in new blood which is a good thing and it certainly has swelled the ranks of Club Racing but at a yet undertermined cost. So yes, I would say that I have a serious bone in my body. I get much more serious when SM tells me that I should stay home so they can run more SMs.
Andy Bettencourt
Super Moderator
My thoughts on this are simple:
Each Region has to take a long hard look at run-groups. They need to combine where they can in order to maximize entries. Wings and Things need to be put under a microscpoe. Combine where safe but EVERY CLASS has to know that it will get shuffled should subscription drop - business is business.
When everything is maximized, then you have to get creative. The bottom X amount of qualifiers run in a consolation race in a less subscribed run group for no points...whatever your solution may be, try and get everyone on the track.
Another interesting thing to do for SM is to introduce SSM in your Region should it not be there already. It allows more flexibility in terms of shuffling cars amongst the days groups. We have about a 50-50 split here in NER and should the TOTAL of the 2 groups get too large, they can be split.
The whole NASA threat is chicken-crap. If your Region is doing what is best for each class WHILE looking at the economics and fun-factor from the proverbial 10,000 foot view, it will all work out.
AB
EDIT: PLEASE everyone sign there name...it makes me wonder.
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Andy Bettencourt
New England Region, R188967
www.flatout-motorsports.com
[This message has been edited by Andy Bettencourt (edited February 24, 2005).]
Excuse me for being ignorant, or out of the loop, but, what is SSM? I'm still trying to get used to SMT. Seems like too much alphabet soup. That would mean that there are 4 classes that Miatas can run in, SM, SMT, ITA, and SSM. Geez I'm confused, its starting to look like the class structure for Solo II.
--Bill
--Bill
The DC Region is the unfortunate benefactor of SSM - the biggest concern here is that the well-heeled SM pilots (of which we have many) fully intend on running BOTH SM and SSM!! While other regions may find this as a benefit, this is an added curse for us as we now have TWO CLASSES that will potentially fill to capacity.
I found the NASA threat rather amusing since IMHO NASA is all about "getting the money" and nothing about "being safe".
Matthew - ITA Drivers Representative, DC Region
racer14itc
New member
You forgot ITS (the 1.8's). That's 5 classes available to Miatas.
MC
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Mark Coffin
#14 GP BSI Racing/Action Digital/Airborn Coatings/Krispy Kreme VW Scirocco
http://pages.prodigy.net/Scirocco14gp
planet6racing
New member
And SSB. So, 6 classes.
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Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com
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Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com
Holy Spec Me Otters Batman, 6 classes,Wow! Maybe its time to change the name to SMCCA, Spec Miata Car Club of America. My original question still remains, what is SSM, spec spec miata?
--Bill
P.S. Planet Six Bill- I have stored up a bunch of boxes of Scott towels for you so you can dry your hands at Blackhawk. Because of this added expense to my race budget, I am now going from Hoosiers to the more economical Kumhos. See you at the Farm
--Bill
P.S. Planet Six Bill- I have stored up a bunch of boxes of Scott towels for you so you can dry your hands at Blackhawk. Because of this added expense to my race budget, I am now going from Hoosiers to the more economical Kumhos. See you at the Farm
Andy Bettencourt
Super Moderator
SSM is a class born in the NeDiv when the National ruleset came out. It is more conservative and more stable.
Go to the Competition corner of the NER site (www.ner.org), then to Club Racing and click on Miata rules..
If you have too many drivers in your SM/SSM gouping and some of those are the same drivers, then the Region shouldn't allow the duplicates until everyone else is accomodated. Everyone should get a chance to race ONCE before ANYONE gets a chance to race TWICE in one day.
AB
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Andy Bettencourt
New England Region, R188967
www.flatout-motorsports.com
Go to the Competition corner of the NER site (www.ner.org), then to Club Racing and click on Miata rules..
If you have too many drivers in your SM/SSM gouping and some of those are the same drivers, then the Region shouldn't allow the duplicates until everyone else is accomodated. Everyone should get a chance to race ONCE before ANYONE gets a chance to race TWICE in one day.
AB
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Andy Bettencourt
New England Region, R188967
www.flatout-motorsports.com
Andy Bettencourt
Super Moderator
Don't worry about all the classes. Half of them are Regional only. SSM doesn't exist everywhere, neither does SMT. Spec Miata is one class in the rulebook...each Region is free to do what they want to accomodate their drivers needs.
ITA and ITS have always had Miata's in them. CRX's are in 3 IT classes...who cares?
AB
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Andy Bettencourt
New England Region, R188967
www.flatout-motorsports.com
ITA and ITS have always had Miata's in them. CRX's are in 3 IT classes...who cares?
AB
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Andy Bettencourt
New England Region, R188967
www.flatout-motorsports.com
That's why I think my next move will be to build an "A" Sports Racer, or maybe some SPO monstrosity so bizzare that I end up in my own class. Hey, I could finish first and last! I could dominate the podium! My driving certainly won't get me there. Where's that supercharger?
This could start a trend. It lends a whole new meaning to "IT": Improved Turbine.