2004-2006 Pontiac GTO class?

Post by **chaos4NH** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:45 pm

Carl, that is because both you and Nate are looking at data for the 2004 GTO. The car owned by the original author is listed as a 2005, so I assume that is the car he is interested in. If not, my mistake. Here is the link for the car in question, a 2005/2006:

http://www.internetautoguide.com/new-ca ... index.html

Scooter70 · Post by **Scooter70** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:34 am

chaos4NH wrote:Carl, that is because both you and Nate are looking at data for the 2004 GTO. The car owned by the original author is listed as a 2005, so I assume that is the car he is interested in. If not, my mistake. Here is the link for the car in question, a 2005/2006:

http://www.internetautoguide.com/new-ca ... index.html

Yes, my car is an '05. I put the relevant data for both the '04 and '05/6 in the first post, so there shouldn't have been any dickering on the stats. Yes, the car has a 400hp LS2. It's also close to 4000# with me in it and it's only on a 245 wide tire. (Actually, my Toyo RA1s are only 235s.)

I think we can all agree that no matter where the car gets classed, someone's not going to be happy. There's such a wide spread of performance that there's no way that everyone can be competitive. I'm only running one event this year, seeing that I live in Detroit, so I'm really just discussing this for any future GTO owners who might join COM. (Though it looks like I'll be the first one to even run a TT in the 3 years of production, so it might be a moot point. Either way, it's worth some discussion.

Dan - If you check the "SS Reclassifications" post, you'll see that only the '03/4 Slo-bras are SSU and the '99-01s are SSGT. (I work at Ford and hang out with a bunch of Mustang-lovers so I know all about these cars.) If you want to relate the COM SS classes to SCCA Touring classes, the '03 Cobra runs T1, though the only guy to try to run one nationally failed miserably 2 years ago. The GTO is T2 and was competitive with one making the Runoffs but he really didn't have much for the Subies and Evos at Hartland Park. I guess it comes down to whether we want to GTO to be a fast SSGT car or a slow SSU car.

As an aside, why aren't the '05+ Mustangs listed anywhere? Dan stated a few posts earlier that it's SSA though my father ran his '07 Mustang GT in SSGT at NHIS last fall.

-Matt

rajito · Post by **rajito** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:43 am

Scooter70 wrote:Dan - If you check the "SS Reclassifications" post, you'll see that only the '03/4 Slo-bras are SSU and the '99-01s are SSGT.

Hahaha! Slo-bras!!! Dan, you'll never hear the end of this

Raj (Slo-baru)

nateh · Post by **nateh** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:45 am

It may be that some of the Mustangs should be moved down a class - but not this year. We had a long period of discussion and revision prior to concluding the changes for 2007, and that period is over now. I would suggest that folks watch what happens this year, and then propose rule change(s) for 2008.

Scooter70 · Post by **Scooter70** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:31 am

nateh wrote: It may be that some of the Mustangs should be moved down a class - but not this year. We had a long period of discussion and revision prior to concluding the changes for 2007, and that period is over now. I would suggest that folks watch what happens this year, and then propose rule change(s) for 2008.

Unfortunately for me, I am just getting back into COM so I wasn't really around when the initial discussions regarding classifications were happening last fall. That's why I am bringing it up now.

nateh wrote:Unfortunately, the GTO question didn't get asked until after the 2007 rulebook was finalized. (Should be published soon, I trust!) The stewards discussed it and concluded that a stock GTO will be placed in SSGT.

See you in April!

SSGT / ST1 it is. Thanks Nate.

Dan - Will you be at The Glen?

kfoote · Post by **kfoote** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 11:32 am

From the specs, it seems to me like the easy answer is to put the 2004 GTO in SSGT and the 05-06 GTO in SSU. I'm pretty sure that the GTO that runs in T2 that was at the Runoffs was an '04 car.

Scooter70 · Post by **Scooter70** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:01 pm

Nope. Chris Brannon runs an '05.

DanDarcy · Post by **DanDarcy** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 5:47 pm

Hi Matt: Welcome back to COM, I'm not trying to keep you out of my class as I am not sure if I will be running ST1 or STGT. I have no fear of running with anybody ----except Raj -- he is always spinning in front of you or going four wheel'n in the grass

If you look at "Nate's Law" (the new classes revised ) dated Nov.19,2006 , you will see that all "slo-bras" from 1999 up are SSU plus the Cobra R of 1995 & 2000. The "new" Mustang V/8s come under SSGT as they are listed as 'NOC' not otherwise classified. Doesn't it seem unfair that the a solid axle 300h.p. Mustang is in the same class as a 400 h.p. IRS GTO especially since they weight about the same

As for the Subies for 2007 the STis have gone from SSU down to SSGT. and the regular WRX is SSA.

Matt I love WGI but the event this year is at the end of April plus it falls on my 59th birthday and the end of April is a very busy time for me as I'm am a motorcycle dealer , tractor and equipment dealer, among other things. Of the 3 tracks (LRP, NHIS, &WGI) I have driven ,WGI is by far the best

I will try to make it but I doubt I will. I only have time for about 4 events a year with COM.

AS for Raj -- don't pick on the "Slo-bras" -- at least mine stays on the track not llike your "Slo-baru"

by the way did you get mud tires yet for next years Lime Rock event

Scooter70 · Post by **Scooter70** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:33 am

I submitted my registration for Watkins Glen. See you all there.

Subw00er · Post by **Subw00er** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 7:56 pm

I ran with a friend last year at WGI (PCA event) who has a new GTO. He was pretty impressive in that car, although you may want to look into pads & rotors before you come. His stock rotors were deeply gouged by day two - I'm not sure if this was a pad, soft rotor or crazy driver issue!

See if NAPA has a NON-drilled/slotted rotor set available yet - just get blanks, they're stronger. Thats where I get mine and they are really inexpensive (around $30 a rotor) and work well.

Scooter70 · Post by **Scooter70** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:32 pm

Subw00er wrote:I ran with a friend last year at WGI (PCA event) who has a new GTO. He was pretty impressive in that car, although you may want to look into pads & rotors before you come. His stock rotors were deeply gouged by day two - I'm not sure if this was a pad, soft rotor or crazy driver issue!

See if NAPA has a NON-drilled/slotted rotor set available yet - just get blanks, they're stronger. Thats where I get mine and they are really inexpensive (around $30 a rotor) and work well.

What was he running for pads? Stock? I ran Hawk HP+ pads last year with decent results though I may try Carbotechs this year. Unfortunately, there are no cheap rotors for the GTO. I really wish that I could get the C5 NAPA deal for this car but the volume just isn't there. There were less than 25k '05-'06 cars imported to the US. Chevy makes more Corvettes in a single year, so there are many more C5s on the road than GTOs.

-Matt

BonraS · Post by **BonraS** » Thu May 10, 2007 7:47 pm

My 2 cents for what its worth [2 cents] It would seem that the GTO should be in ST-1 or SSU I think the perfomance of the 6.0 litre would be abit more than most of the cars in SSGT. I had to run my 93 Cobra R in SSU for the first 3 years I had it. Against Corvettes it had no chance of competing. With 245 HP. A GTO with R rated tires should be able to out perform most of the car in SSGT. It should be a ST-1 or SSU
Bill Sarno
Ok I dont want it in my class.

Put it where you want!
Bill Sarno
Mustang Cobra R #65

Scooter70 · Post by **Scooter70** » Sat May 12, 2007 12:08 pm

Bill,
Don't worry. With the weight of the GTO and the available wheel/tire combinations, you don't need to be afraid. That is unless someone spends big bucks on a set of custom wheels that allow them to fit the 275s. Then you can worry. I don't see it happening since production has ended and I was the first one to run one in a time trial.

I know all about being uncompetitive in SSU. We ran the '91 Corvette (also 245hp) against Z06s for a few years.

-Matt

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2004-2006 Pontiac GTO class?

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