2014 Rules Updates

[blindsidefive0]

There are 3 major changes around competition this year:

1) New Super Classes – as you probably already know, via a membership vote with overwhelming support, COMSCC has instated 5 new Super Classes while concurrently eliminating Formula Prepared, Prepared A/B/C, and Street Prepared A/B/C classes.
2) Updates to the Touring rules – most of the book is identical to last year, but there are about 15 changes to competition and/or safety rules (some changes only affect a few members, while others may have a mild-to-moderate impact)
3) Clarification for Time Trial procedures – no major changes here, but the team has worked to clarify some “loopholes” that have likely existed in the rules for the better part of a decade.

You can find the latest rules document and spreadsheet here: http://comscc.org/rules/
Keep in mind that the official rules PDF is the “source of truth” and the spreadsheet is an unofficial tool.

Updates to the rules are listed below

Super Classes - FP/P/SP classes are eliminated, and 5 Super Classes will take their place. See the rules for Super Classes details - abbreviations for classes will be SU, SA, SB, SC, SD

What else changed? Unless it's listed below, it didn't change - these changes are listed in red in the official word document, and the new spreadsheet should account for these changes:

Weight – the way weight is used to calculate base classing has not changed. However, in 2013 modification assessment points for under/over-weight cars was as 1 point for every 30lb under the curb weight or -1 point for every 40lb over the curb weight, up to -5 points (200lb over). In 2014, modification points for weight are 1 point = 1.5% of the vehicles curb weight, up or down, with no limit. So if you have a 3000lb curb weight listed for your car, every 45lb (3000lb x 1.5% = 45lb) below the curb weight = 1 point and every 45lb above the curb weight = -1 points.

Dynos – in 2013 you could get a “dyno reclass”, provide a dyno-sheet, and we would assume an 18% loss or 20% loss for 2wd or 4wd, respectively. In 2014, that has been updated and is now dyno-specific – most commonly, we now assume only 15% loss for DynoJet and 25% for Dyno Dynamics. See the table in the rules for all the specifics.

Tire Width – in 2013, if you changed your tire width from the specific tire width for the base class of your car, you would take 1 point for every 10mm +/- (with a +/- 10mm “fudge factor” that was free). In 2014, there is no fudge factor, and your points for tire width depends on the width of the tire. Changes in tire width for tire widths between 0-235mm are 1 point for every +/-10mm, 235-275 are 1 point for every +/-15mm, and 275+ are 1 point for every 20mm.

Tire Compound – a handful of changes were made to tire compound. The “oversized” tire brand adjustment is gone, and now this advantaged is included in the tire compound assessment. Biggest changes are around street tires (now -2 points) and Hankook tires (going up 1 point for c51 up 2 points for c71)

ABS – if you don’t have ABS, or if you have ABS that is disabled entirely during competition, you now get -1 points (i.e. you get a point back for showing off your braking skillz). Safety note – disable ABS carefully as many modern ABS systems also control brake force proportioning front/back and left/right. For example, yanking your fuse in an old Miata is encouraged (you’ll go faster), but proceed with caution on newer cars – improper brake balance can severely reduce braking performance.

Definition of Factory Trim – not a change, but a clarification: factory (not dealer) options are free assuming they were available for the make/model/year/body style/trim for the market in which the car was sold.

A handful of changes were made to individual modification assessments:
- Non-adjustable shocks (that aren’t OEM equivalent) are now 1 point (they were 0)
- Transmission gear ratio changes were not listed in 2013, they are now included in the 1 point modification for final drive ratio
- Removing or completely gutting your cat is now only 1 point (was 2)
- Non-factory trim or modified driveshaft or half shaft of a different material than OEM (e.g. carbon fiber) are 1 point, otherwise they are free if some material as OEM
- Exhaust porting is now explicitly included in modification assessments for modified or non-Factor Trim exhaust manifolds
- Brake rotors and calipers are now 1 point combined, last year they were 1 point each (2 total combined)

Clarification around window nets – we allow composite windows in lieu of window nets in some circumstances (see rules for details); seriously, unless you have an F430 Challenge car or insane kit car, this doesn’t apply to you

3 vehicles now have adjusted Base Class values:
- E36 M3 – up 2.0 points
- Mazda MazdaSpeed3 – down 1.7 points
- Lotus Elise – down 3.3 points

[Bobc]

FYI if I put a tire that is wider than the class size it takes the calculation negitive so a 315 on a 305 class makes the 9 point H2O's only.5 points
I don't think that is correct...... my guess is it would be 9.5 points...

[blindsidefive0]

Bob - thanks for the info. If anyone else finds something, please post ASAP.

We are working through 2 bugs -
- Tire size (this has been reported a couple times)
- Rounding to the nearest tenth (it should round down, but instead it is rounding either up or down)

Bear with us, and another version of the spreadsheet will be posted shortly.

[n1gzd]

Last year someone created a nice PDF document called "2013-Rules-TouringCarClassificationSheet.pdf" - which was a blank PDF version of the spreadsheet printable worksheet.
It can be printed by someone who does not own excel (the excel version formulas do not update the summary correctly on my computer using alternative software).

thanks,
Rebecca