2013 Car Classes

[Dtangard]

As the car sits now I am at 52.7 on Nitto/RA1s and 56.7 on SM6s. I am not planning on running A6s next year. Derek, with the lap times you were running on day 1 at NHMS4 this year you should want to be running in T50

I'm definitely leaning towards T50 but T40 is appealing because I don't have to spend any $$$. Who else is going to be in T50?

Derek,
I'm in T40 with RA1/NTO1 or SM6, but I am assuming 128 hp and 114 tq for the 1.8l, and -4 for weight. I might dyno lower and get to -5 on weight if I leave the soft top in. Don't think it will bring me down to T30 though.

Paul G.

Paul, it would be good to compete with you next year!

[Brendan]

SPC for me.

[paultg]

Paul, it would be good to compete with you next year!

Totally. If I had to guess on fellow T40 cars from ST4:
RobR (escortracer)
Miatasteve
MarkS
Chuck(he might be T50 if his car isn't heavy)

But I'm not really sure. If any of the above want to runs A's then maybe bump to T50. I probably forgot someone. It's going to be a fun/interesting year for sure. I hope the list above works out so I have some folks to try to catch!

[paultg]

Now that I think about it this class change would have been a lot less work if they had just moved black miatas with red hardtops or former black/red with a wrap to their own class!

[dinoracer]

I'm at about the same numbers as Troy. No Hoosier wets in this year's budget unfortunately. Still pondering some tweaks to make, but I'll stay in T50.

Paul, you can rattle can your roof black and we'll let you in the club ...

[DanDarcy]

I have a question on TIRES, My car comes standard with Yokohama 048s and has an 8.3 subjective penalty added to its points . So when I go to Hoosier A6s I should only add 5 points instead of the 8 points since the 048s are a 3 point add and included in the 8.3 subjective points added to my car, is that correct ?
Car is stock Lotus Elise with the touring package and sport package.

[RyanC]

Looks like the Clamshell might fall into T70 if I used the classification tool right; since I did a motor swap, and have a dyno sheet from the recent retune @ DSG, I can use the actual whp and wtq values instead of listing the actual mods, and get to my 64.1 points of engine modification assessment. Sweet.

[Chrispy]

I have a question on TIRES, My car comes standard with Yokohama 048s and has an 8.3 subjective penalty added to its points . So when I go to Hoosier A6s I should only add 5 points instead of the 8 points since the 048s are a 3 point add and included in the 8.3 subjective points added to my car, is that correct ?
Car is stock Lotus Elise with the touring package and sport package.

No. Tire points are absolute and are even OEM tires are assessed points according to width and compound.

So for A6's you will take 9 points (8 + 1 point Hoohoo width penalty) and then +/- width points depending on chosen tire size and car base class. If your class reference width tire is 245 and you run 225 then you will get -2 points there.

[DanDarcy]

Hi Chris,
The tires that come standard on the Elise are A048s therefore there would be no added Tire Compound Modification Assessment as there is no tire compound modification. This is why the Elise has such a high subjective point additive (8.3) while a fine handling car like the Miata NA-NB has only a 1.7 subjective point additive. The elise also uses narrow tires, 195 front and 225 rear. Elises are not the great track car that most people think they are. Several magazines have done track day car comparisons and the Elisee has never had great track times. It only has 138 ft-lbs of torque. How many have you every seen at Com and how many have ever turned great times ? I never have. So my car starts at 73 points -5 for overweight, -4 for underwidth tires, than add 3 points for R6s and I have a solid T60 car. I can even run A6s and H2Os and still stay in T60. If you feel I should add the full 6 points for R6s, then the subjective assessment should be lowered, then you can add for the 048s or R6s.

[Chrispy]

Hi Dan,

The handling assessment is not supposed to be taking OEM tire compound into consideration, but rather weight distribution, overall weight, center of gravity, stock suspension performance, drive-train layout and aerodynamic performance. So from the calculation perspective it doesn't matter if the OEM tire is 1000 UTQG or 60 UTQG, it is assessing only what is attached to the car for purposes of competition.

If you feel the handling assessment for the Elise is unjust, then you can certainly make your appeal to the chief scrutineer. If you can probably help your case by submitting "comparables", i.e. similar performing vehicles than have lower assessment numbers.

[breakaway500]

"The handling assessment is not supposed to be taking OEM tire compound into consideration, but rather weight distribution, overall weight, center of gravity, stock suspension performance, drive-train layout and aerodynamic performance."
So..given the above statement,can anyone tell my WHY a 2005 ZX4 Ford Focus, 2677lbs,with 150hp is given 39.1 points in T30,while an NB Miata weighing 2447lbs with 140hp is given 38.6 points also in T30? Even if Mario Andretti were driving the Focus,it does not stand a snowballs chance in Hell of beating a well driven NB!
A stock NB Miata on hockey pucks will still be faster than a stock ZX4 Focus on gumbos!

For that matter,why is the SVT Focus classed the same as a plain Jane 2005-up Focus? An SVT Focus will absolutely destroy a stock ZX3/ZX4 etc Focus.
Who is actually classing these cars,and based on...what?
Yes..I know..stop raining on our parade..but these are potentially going to be the rules for next year...so shouldn't the base performance table be more accurate rather than having to appeal/whine to the Chief Scrutineer for a decision?

[Chrispy]

The base formula is spelled out in the rule book, but in general it is a scaled power/weight plus the subjective handling assessment (negative or positive).

The plain-jane ZX4 (S/SE) Focus gets 28.1 points, it would be in T20 except there isn't such a class.
The ST Focus scores more points over the base primarily due to it's 11% extra HP and 15% more torque, but is also given a handling assessment of 0 vs the -1.7 of the base. I'm not sure why the 2004 SVT got a lower handling assessment vs the 2005 ST, but given the mammoth task of classifying all the cars most of the handling assessments were borrowed from our Canadian cousin who have already done the assessment work over the last several years. We expect that corrections will need to be made, and I believe Tom is working on a plan on what the review process will be.

[breakaway500]

2005-2007 Focus ZX4 has 39.1 points...and the ST Focus has nothing "extra" that a similar ZX4 has,except all ST Focuses have manual transmissions,a "snazzy" interior,a painted grille, and folding/heated rear view mirrors. Even with the benefit of thse folding mirrors,I can't ever see the ST being anywhere close to an NA/NB 1.8L normally aspirated Miata... (For the record,I own both an ST Focus and a normally aspirated 1.8L MIata,so I do have a pretty good idea of their potentials)

[naschmitz]

it would be in T20 except there isn't such a class.

LOL!

[WillM]

it would be in T20 except there isn't such a class.

LOL!

It's funny because it's true!

Likewise, I will be in T470.