Jay Mitchell wrote:
>If that were really the case, the builder of the made a terrible
>mistake. There's NO WAY an IT-legal car will be competitive in its SP
>class against cars that have been fully prepped using the "real" SP
>rules. IT-legal cars have several prominent disadvantages:
>rules-specified minimum weights, specific (and fairly wimpy) limits on
>wheel widths and diameters, much stricter induction rules, and minimum
>ride heights. Why would it bother anyone to compete in SP against a car
>prepped to the IT rules?
>Jay
One advantage that an IT car has is that it can use any final drive ratio,
but this still isn't likely to offset all the other disadvantages. The
gutted interior weight savings is usually offset by the weight of the cage,
although the cage can add considerable chassis stiffness, so I'd say that
the gutting and cage installation is another advantage.
I had an ITS RX7 that I always wanted to try in CSP just to see how it would
do, but I sold it before I had the chance to autox it. It weighed about
2500 lbs. (rules say 2680 with driver) and had about 200hp (dynoed at 175 at
the wheels). Fully adjustable suspension, all delrin bushings, etc. My top
choices for a dual-purpose IT and SP car would be an ITS 2nd gen. RX7, an
ITA CRX Si, or an ITA RX3.
I sold the ITS car and my A-stock MR2T and bought a used '99 Miata with the
intent of using it for both SSB road racing and BS autox. But I've
discovered that it's a pretty fun street car, so I don't want to bolt on a
hardtop and put a cage in it and screw it up as a street car. Plus, we only
have one or two SSB cars that show up for regionals, so I'd be running with
the ITA group who would just love banging fenders with a new shiny Miata.
So I'm still undecided about what to do for a road racing car next season.
I might just rent one a couple of times next year and concetrate on autox.
Brad (I miss the MR2T) Burns
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