Help with SCCA class

[ColdShotxx]

Looking to get help on classing in SCCA. I'm new to the sport, I've been out twice now just running as non specific novice and having a lot of fun and will be registering and getting more serious.
Currently I have Eibach Pro-kit springs installed and running American Muscle 19x8.5 wheels with Pirelli Pzero Nero AS 245/45-19.

With this current setup, what is the best class?

I'd like to get a proper summer tire and wheel setup and use current as my winter setup. What recommendations for maintaining a competitive class?

It seems the choices are D Street, E Street Prepared, or Street Touring Pony?

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[kz]

Looking to get help on classing in SCCA. I'm new to the sport, I've been out twice now just running as non specific novice and having a lot of fun and will be registering and getting more serious.
Currently I have Eibach Pro-kit springs installed and running American Muscle 19x8.5 wheels with Pirelli Pzero Nero AS 245/45-19.

With this current setup, what is the best class?

I'd like to get a proper summer tire and wheel setup and use current as my winter setup. What recommendations for maintaining a competitive class?

It seems the choices are D Street, E Street Prepared, or Street Touring Pony?

D Street is out of question because you have springs, STP is your best chance although your car will be _very_ underprepared for that class, same case with ESP - where everybody is on super-wide Hoosiers.
If you truly want to be somewhat competetive (likely difficult in V6), D Street is your best chance but you have to re-install stock springs and make sure your new wheels have the width as original ones (and don't do any other mods that would make you inelligible - shit like CAI, tunes and so on).

https://www.scca.com/pages/solo-cars-and-rules
This is good start for category allowances : https://www.scca.com/downloads/19200-2017-01-18-quick-reference-of-category-allowances/download

 

[ColdShotxx]

Thanks for the help, as i was reading I thought the same that I wasn't setup very well.

Regarding D Street, or any other rule that reads original equipment, how is it interpreted for different trims and option packages as being OE? Meaning, getting GT performance package wheel on a V6?
And how about PP rear wheels on all for?

 

[NightmareMoon]

In Street class, You cant run parts from a different option package unless you totally convert to that package and run all the parts, so no PP wheels on a non PP car unless your car could have come with wheels in thise widths from the factory. You can't mix and match a frankenstein build with parts from different options packages.

They dont care about wheel design, only width (must match) and offset (within +-7mm). Diameter can change +-1" from what came stock. The width part rules out using PP rear wheels on the front of any mustang.

 

[kz]

Thanks for the help, as i was reading I thought the same that I wasn't setup very well.

Regarding D Street, or any other rule that reads original equipment, how is it interpreted for different trims and option packages as being OE? Meaning, getting GT performance package wheel on a V6?
And how about PP rear wheels on all for?

You can only run what you could get on your car, should you choose to do so - in simple words - but packages need to be converted to in its entirety.

Since you have V6, GT PP conversion is a no-no (it would have to be entire package anyway - as NigthmareMoon wrote - which is impossible to do so) and you could only do that if you had a non-PP GT. Unfortunately V6 - from what I remember - did not have too many options available.

CAM-C is another class that allows for pretty much everything as long as you're on a street (TW200 min) tire.

 

[wildcatgoal]

Honestly, before you shoe-horn yourself into SCCA classes, why not do some just "open" or "less restricted" AutoX events to build up skill. I feel like I see a number of people jump face first into SCCA / NASA sanctioned events and get their butts whipped and lose the interest as a consequence. The class rules are really quite restrictive and honestly STILL don't yield actual similarly competitive/capable cars up against each other. Like a Miata and a Mustang ending up in the same class just because they don't have any aero or suspension modifications? Just seems a little misguided to me.

If you are "allowed" get yourself some AutoX brake pads. The brakes on the V6 aren't much to write home about.

 

[DickR]

Honestly, before you shoe-horn yourself into SCCA classes, why not do some just "open" or "less restricted" AutoX events to build up skill. I feel like I see a number of people jump face first into SCCA / NASA sanctioned events and get their butts whipped and lose the interest as a consequence. The class rules are really quite restrictive and honestly STILL don't yield actual similarly competitive/capable cars up against each other. Like a Miata and a Mustang ending up in the same class just because they don't have any aero or suspension modifications? Just seems a little misguided to me.

If you are "allowed" get yourself some AutoX brake pads. The brakes on the V6 aren't much to write home about.

SCCA classes are "generally" decided based on what active SCCA member autocrossers ask for. I say "generally" because there are obviously a lot of conflicting requests and many of the rules go back many decades.

Rules and a "cheat sheet" available here:

https://www.scca.com/pages/solo-cars-and-rules Scroll down to the "cheat sheet" link

That said, with Pony Cars that are modified the best option is probably to run in CAM and simply get used to the sport, see if you like it at all, compare your times to other similarly or even less prepared similar cars and then decide what to do in regard to what car to run and how seriously to be in regard to preparation. My first few autocrosses were in my new 69 Mustang. Neither it or I were competitive. Got serious a few years later after buying a new 74 Datsun 260. Did well. Escalated to a Lotus Europa and a Formula Ford for autocross only and did well. Now I'm an old has been autocrossing a Mustang again and being off the pace in my old age.

 

[ColdShotxx]

You can only run what you could get on your car, should you choose to do so - in simple words - but packages need to be converted to in its entirety.

Since you have V6, GT PP conversion is a no-no (it would have to be entire package anyway - as NigthmareMoon wrote - which is impossible to do so) and you could only do that if you had a non-PP GT. Unfortunately V6 - from what I remember - did not have too many options available.

CAM-C is another class that allows for pretty much everything as long as you're on a street (TW200 min) tire.

Interesting, so if I had a base ecoboost and put on PPtakeoff wheels and tires I would have to run in STP, but an ecoboost PP could run in DS?

 

[kz]

Interesting, so if I had a base ecoboost and put on PPtakeoff wheels and tires I would have to run in STP, but an ecoboost PP could run in DS?

Exactly. Unless you would install everything that is different about PP Ecoboost with the wheels vs. non-PP one (which I think should be easier than with GT since Ecoboost's PP is much lighter in content than GTs but still includes brakes, suspensions pieces and things like gauges in the center of the dash and probably more).

 

[ColdShotxx]

Gosh, except the base Ecoboost also had the 20" foundry wheels, so I guess with my previous example, a base ecoboost could have a 9" wide wheel in DS, so a PP wheel could then be used, right? It is within a 1" diameter and same width......

I can see how people can get sucked into the governance of the sport and how there could be some gaming involved. I'm going to take the above advice and not worry too much on scoring and probably just stick to the STP class. Probably hold off on performance tires as well, as my wheels arent doing me any good.

 

[Static_LV]

The front PP wheel could be used. The rear could not because they are 9.5" wide. Yeah it gets into all kinds of craziness when you start mixing packages and update/backdate in stock classes.

 

[Gearz]

For the first year or so, focus on driving and having fun with the sport. Run your car in whatever class it goes in and don't worry about the times other than trying to improve your own. If you get hooked and start getting good at it but are stuck in a tough class due to mods, that's the time to start thinking about buying or modding your car to a target class. That takes time and in the mean time, look into co-driving with someone who already has a car that is competitive in a class. Spend a season sharing tire and beer expenses and you'll pick up experience in a good setup while figuring out what car/class you want to try for yourself. Then, after a few years in your now well-setup car pay it back and let a promising novice try your car. You'll learn just as much as they do.

 

[qtrracer]

At the regional/local level, you are unlikely to be protested unless your skills exceed the more experienced drivers. While the springs are not DS legal, run that class anyway. The point is at your level, driving skill is more important than car set-up. Seat time is how you develop driving skill. It, rather than car set-up is most important. If you actually get to the point where you are winning every event using illegal parts, deal with it then. Have fun and develop your skills in the mean time. Just don't get carried away with non-legal add-ons. It is important to win - not at any cost; but in my experience winning generates more interest and eventually, YOU want to win legally.

 

[Grintch]

Honestly, before you shoe-horn yourself into SCCA classes, why not do some just "open" or "less restricted" AutoX events to build up skill. I feel like I see a number of people jump face first into SCCA / NASA sanctioned events and get their butts whipped and lose the interest as a consequence. The class rules are really quite restrictive and honestly STILL don't yield actual similarly competitive/capable cars up against each other. Like a Miata and a Mustang ending up in the same class just because they don't have any aero or suspension modifications? Just seems a little misguided to me.

If you are "allowed" get yourself some AutoX brake pads. The brakes on the V6 aren't much to write home about.

Because 90% of the autocrosses in the US use the SCCA rules.

And the more parts you buy without paying attention to the rules, the more screwed you will be when you want to get serious.

But there is no rule that says you have to win to have fun, and if you don't care about winning then the class is irrelevant.

 

[kz]

At the regional/local level, you are unlikely to be protested unless your skills exceed the more experienced drivers. While the springs are not DS legal, run that class anyway. The point is at your level, driving skill is more important than car set-up. Seat time is how you develop driving skill. It, rather than car set-up is most important. If you actually get to the point where you are winning every event using illegal parts, deal with it then. Have fun and develop your skills in the mean time. Just don't get carried away with non-legal add-ons. It is important to win - not at any cost; but in my experience winning generates more interest and eventually, YOU want to win legally.

In think it's a horrible advice, but that's just me. Encourages wrong behavior and there are people at the local level that treat that competitively, there fast b but they're never go to a national event.
If he is not supposed to worry, why not choose the right class ? Beyond street, being able to build the car becomes increasingly important and it's not just the driving skill.

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