What does ITA/ITS look like in 3-5yrs?

[Xian]

Seems to me that ITA will still have plenty of "good years" ahead of it. Over time, the existing cars classed will rust away and parts will get more difficult to find. At the same time we have fewer and fewer new cars with power levels that make them ITA material... it seems that most of the new cars will go directly to S or R. I would imagine over time, these will be the classes to be in. If I stick with racing over the long term, I can see my next move being to ITR in maybe 5-7 years. This should allow me to get into the class once it's gained some popularity and car counts while still has a good "life" ahead of it.

All of the above assumes that if IT does become "national" it doesn't get all goobered up in the process.

Christian

 

[seckerich]

One often overlooked reason for the popularity of IT is the ability to share a car. Enduros offer 2 drivers the chance to get plenty of track time and cut expenses in half. Very few other cars where that works. IT will become more attractive to more drivers as the economy gets tighter.

 

[JeffYoung]

One rule change we do need to definitely consider is to ban all guys named Eckerich from Improved Touring racing due to too much power and driver potential, not to mention too clean of a car.

 

[seckerich]

One rule change we do need to definitely consider is to ban all guys named Eckerich from Improved Touring racing due to too much power and driver potential, not to mention too clean of a car.

Now thats just wrong. I will have a car at VIR for Goblins Go so your year off is over!! I appreciate the compliment but the cars just make me look good.

 

[Ron Earp]

Now thats just wrong. I will have a car at VIR for Goblins Go so your year off is over!! I appreciate the compliment but the cars just make me look good.

You might have to step it up a bit. The TR8 just got a brand new shiny paint job! So did the Z, although it wasn't of the same quality and thus didn't help as much. Still, I'd like to think we improved (slightly) the look of ITS in the SE, at least from 50 feet that is....

 

[jimmyc]

there are still a few cars that should/could be in ITA or ITB.

The 02-04/5 Honda civic SI (EP3)2.0l with 150hp and 140ft/tq (with craptastic strurt suspension

the 01-07 Acura RSX (base model) 2.0l 150hp and 140ft/tq (with the same craptastic strut suspension and same motor)

07-08 Honda Fit (1.5l 109hp and 105ft/tq strut front suspension and solid beam rear)

2008 Toyota yaris (106hp and 106ft/tq no idea on the suspension)

06-07 Honda Civic EX/LX/DX (1.8l 140hp 128ft/tq craptastic strut suspension *note we built one of these and with the head design (single exhaust port coming out of the head) and this with a .20 over build only made 127hp and something like 115ft/tq this was with a custom header stock header made 119hp)

I think the cars for ITA/B are still out there and still being produced.

The Fit, Civic Si, RSX, Civic EX/LX/DX all have a pretty decent aftermarket too.

 

[IPRESS]

I'm sure you know what a standard bell curve looks like, which would indicate there will be a fairly steady # of ITC cars over a long period of time....but still slowly declining. I think ITA is probably just on either side of the peak, ITS climbing, and ITR still in the "2 std dev from the mean" category. ITR will have the longest useful life given it's stage of the cycle, but is still big $ to enter.

i think the ITB resurgance can be directly related to the realignment....and at risk of being insulting.....because SOME people thought ITB was ripe for the picking, though the overwhelming driver behind the resurgance was the realignment.

the resurgance of IT as a whole is primarily driven by the realignment, and i don't think ITB is any different.

Stop it with ITB, you couldn't beat Albin in a SWC car!
You are a budget racer at heart. You have experience with the miata. Mazda has the best support that I know of for the budget racer. Find you a cheap 1.8 and build you up a real "A" car. You will out drive me and be in good sahape to beat those crossover guys. The "S" car sounds like a neat thing to try, but in the long run I think the "S" miata would be at a bigger disadvantage in MW then maybe some other places. Might be good at Hallett, but not sure at the other spots. Besides the "S" fields are up and down at the different venues. "A" is pretty stable and probably going to grow as SM becomes more and more "cut throat National". (We are talking MIDDIV, I can't say for other areas.) Another thing to consider when talking "A" versus "S" miata is cost to build. Maybe they are close, but I would think NB in "A" would be cheaper to get to the top with over the NA in "S".
It is all about the racing, and busting chops of the MidDiv Mafia buddies you have is probably your highest goal!

 

[tnord]

yeah, i am a budget racer....but for what i had in my SM i could've built an ITA car that would've finished at least top 10 at the ARRC. IT is a budget class for now, until it goes national, at which point i want to make sure i still have a car capable of being competitive.

i really think the ITS can be competitive, but if someone really wanted to build an all-out BMW, it would have an advantage at either RA. it's the same with ITA though, right now the car can do well at the ARRC, but it doesn't have the motor to keep up with the Honda down the straight.

Mazda does have the best support out there, which is why an ITS or ITA miata are still my top options. i think that's a good point about "A" continuing to grow because of the miata converts, but that's not something I can root for as if it happens, that means SM is dying.

bottom line, i agree, it is all about the racing. and right now, i can be competitive with a miata in either class...it's the future i worry about.

 

[JoshS]

You probably get a 35% power increase percentage v. 25% for the Solistice, plus 100 lbs for torque and maybe 100 more for suspension (aren't E-46s A-arm all around?)

Hardly. Basically the same as an E36, just slightly improved geometry.

 

[Weaver7]

This sounds about right. I think the main thing slowing the transition is that everything about an R car is relatively expensive, starting with the donor.

This season, I'm wrapping up my seventh and last year in an ITS RX-7. Next year it's an ITS Miata. 4 years down the road or so, I expect it'll be an ITR RX-8.

Steve Ulfelder
Flatout Motorsports
05 ITS

Steve just curious but why are you getting out of the RX-7??

Bill Weaver #63
ITS RX-7

 

[seckerich]

The Miata has a slightly better power to weight ration than the RX7. Lighter weight, low roll center, and big tires. It is one of the overlooked cars in the class.

 

[DavidM]

The Miata has a slightly better power to weight ration than the RX7. Lighter weight, low roll center, and big tires. It is one of the overlooked cars in the class.

Don't know about overlooked. MVS peddles his pretty damn well. I was kinda surprised that Reppert was able to beat him at Barber.

David

 

[ulfelder]

Steve just curious but why are you getting out of the RX-7??

Bill Weaver #63
ITS RX-7

Bill, a few reasons:

• When we launched Flatout we were rotary specialists. We still work on a bunch of RX-7s, but the joint is crawling with Miatas. When in Rome ...
• On a similar note, it makes sense for us owners to anticipate Mazda trends, then develop cars to show customers and prospects what can be done. The obvious example is Bettencourt's ITA Miata. I'm following in his footsteps.
• My shell is 22 years old, and the newest second-gen RX-7s are 17 years old. A lot of progress has been made since then on FI, chassis stiffness, engine computers, etc. etc. And as you know, the sheer age makes parts harder to find and causes hard-to-diagnose electrical gremlins.

Having said all this, the old RX may get another season (if I don't ball it up at the NARRCoffs). Recent events on Wall Street make the prospect of building a car from the ground up somewhat unappealing!

Steve Ulfelder
05 ITS
Flatout Motorsports

 

[VinnyV81]

Well I am new to things, but I hope that the IT class will remain around for a while. I do have a question though to ask.

Why is it that second gen RX-7's can only run in ITS? I mean looking around at the competition for when I got to start club racing, it's gonna be hard to compete with alot of guys in ITS. It would be nice if I could start off in something like ITA which is A. less costly and B. better for someone with little experience(like myself).

Just some thoughts for everyone...

-Vincent.