Wheel Width and Classification Help

Coming down from Chattanooga for some training later this month and while I'm here I wanted to run the TMS event on the 26th. Registration is complete, and I classified myself in CS, which is where I run in Chattanooga, but...

No one in C Stock locally (we get an occasional Georgia transplant) has regional or national aspirations, so we're fairly loose about such things as cold air intakes that just make more noise, wheel sizes vs. stock, etc. as long as no one goes overboard.

That may not be the case here, and I'm running 16x7.5 wheels, which quite obviously, aren't stock by SCCA regs. I don't mind running CSP at all as I'm just here for the fun, sun, and times so I can keep my MazdaSpeed membership, but I'd like to be as little problem as possible at registration what with half the world showing up, already.

So. Can I run the 16x7.5s in CS or would you prefer I take 'em over to CSP. Needless to say, I'll be on street tires.

Opinions? Thanks in advance.

Bob Boyer

Running street tire CSP (TCSP) is probably the safest way to make friends and influence people while you're here. We're not overly picky, but you never know who might be...

Sounds like a plan.

Tell me more about T/SP. Is it a local solution to folks not wanting to lay out the bucks for slicks in stock classes (now there's an investment...) or does it address other concerns as well?

What's the basic concept? From what little you've said, it sounds like something I might want to suggest to our region for next year, if we ever come up with a site and get to go racing again.

Bob Boyer

The street tire class is a PAX class - everyone running on street tires is competing against everyone else, but times are multiplied by an index.

CS - .811
CSP - .837
SS - .836
etc.

So, if you run 50 seconds, your indexed time is 41.85. If a CS competitor runs 51.7 seconds, his indexed time is 41.93, etc.

Depending upon who shows up, you may have a run for your money, but it's the most "appropriate" class to choose given the options.

Ahhh..

We pretty much just post raw times up here, so PAX classes don't exist.

CSP it is, and I'll try to pick someone's brain while I'm visiting to see how we can get a little more sophisticated up here with class structures.

The street tire PAX numbers make sense to me; I'd rather put that $720 per year that go into Hoosiers on some parts that will last the lifetime of the car.

Bob Boyer

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Robert Boyer

CSP it is, and I'll try to pick someone's brain while I'm visiting to see how we can get a little more sophisticated up here with class structures.

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Don't ya mean TCSP! :wink:

http://autocross.com/texasregion/2004texasregionsup.pdf

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tailchaser

Running street tire CSP (TCSP) is probably the safest way to make friends and influence people while you're here. We're not overly picky, but you never know who might be...

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Bob, although we do have a few local C Stock drivers with National aspirations (or delusions, depending on who we're talking about :P ), we're also a pretty relaxed crowd. I don't think you'd run into any problems in C Stock. In addition, our entire C Stock class are consistently on R compounds (from the front runners to the back markers), so I don't know that you'll be threatening anyone anyway. :wink:

Still, running in our Regional indexed "Street Tire" class will probably be more fun, since everyone else will be on street tires as well. Like TC suggested, the proper class lettering would be "TCSP", for "Tire class, C Street Prepared PAX index".

FWIW, Miatas have typically been sweeping the trophy spots in Tire Class this season as well. :mrgreen:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Robert Boyer

What's the basic concept? From what little you've said, it sounds like something I might want to suggest to our region for next year, if we ever come up with a site and get to go racing again.

Bob Boyer

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Even with the multitude of Nationally recognized Street Tire classes (STS, STX, STU, STS2), our Regional Street Tire indexed class has been very popular for the last couple of years. It's a great way for anyone to enjoy racing on street tires, regardless of what prep level or type of car they have. In addition, since times are based on PAX indexes for all of the other Nationally available classes, it gives those with aspirations of running at a higher level a place to play Regionally on street tires with a car built to whatever class rules, which lets them save the R compounds for stuff like Divisionals, Tours, etc.

Yeah, I keep hoping for a national ST class that will recognize the newer Miatas with LSDs...but since I've got no regional/national delusions, this sounds like a good solution.

See ya there!

Bob Boyer

Or not.

I'm not in Dallas this week. I've had an opportunity come up to try for a job here in Chattanooga that's gonna pay more than managing a startup car repair and accessories shop for my friend. So, I stayed behind to try to get this other job.

So, looks like I'm going to run in Nashville on Sunday and let the better half wipe out our bank account at Opry Mills.

Hope to see you folks in the future. And thanks for the explanations.

Bob Boyer

Sorry to hear that we won't meet you, Robert, but it sounds like a better deal for you. Best of luck, and I hope the wife doesn't clean you out completely this weekend. :wink: