STREET TOURING Class : Consider moving from Local TIRE CLASS to an ST Class

[GreyLens]

Based on Ricky's comments last night about the rules changes for 2012 I thought I'd throw this out for you to think about.  The local "Tire Class" runs a lot of different classes of cars against each other and was set up for driver's who want to stay with street tires.  But, you have the varying levels of modifications of Street Prepared, Stock, Modified, etc, of all the different cars running in a single class. Certainly an interesting class.  But, the purpose of the local tire class may be, arguably, OBE'd.  The end results for those in our local "Tire Class" all comes out in the wash anyway via the raw scores and/or PAX scores depending on how you view it.  But, if those who run in Tire Class ran in their respective SCCA Street Touring classes, even those in still stock configuration, it would broaden the direct competition in each of those ST classes and place you on more even competition ground.

The Street Touring classes were designed to address two big issues: Tires and Modifications.

Tires:  If you want to run on street tires then the ST classes take care of that.

Modifications:  The ST classes allow a fair number of normally popular modifications that are popular for the street rod community.  If you don't have those level of mods you might be inclined to go to our local Tire Class to be on more even ground. But, of course, now you run against an even broader array of allowed mods and extremes in power to weight ratios, etc.  At least in the ST classes you're closer to a given technology base and weight class than in our local Tire Class.

It also sets you up to build points for the annual awards in a SCCA recognized class.  It might add to the fun??  I think there is a good argument that the need for the local Tire Class is no longer as strong as it used to be.  Though we're not an SCCA club, we do try to follow SCCA rules closely, maybe we should consider supporting their class structure more aggressively.

Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out.  When all is said and done...autocross in any form is the best fun around!!

[RavynX]

The problem with Street Touring (ST) classes is that they limit the locals from modifying their cars to their taste and are blockaded in a certain ruleset for modifying their cars.  You usually cannot modify body panels (body kits) or do any motor modifications (only bolt-ons) so that's why our ST_ local classes are limited.  I think the people that filter into the local Tire PAX are the ones in Street Prepared and Stock classes that don't want to run r-compound tires.

[GreyLens]

The problem with Street Touring (ST) classes is that they limit the locals from modifying their cars to their taste and are blockaded in a certain ruleset for modifying their cars.  You usually cannot modify body panels (body kits) or do any motor modifications (only bolt-ons) so that's why our ST_ local classes are limited.  I think the people that filter into the local Tire PAX are the ones in Street Prepared and Stock classes that don't want to run r-compound tires.

You're right.  I see the logic of going to Tire Class if your at the Street Prepared Classes or higher (regarding number of mods). 

I guess I'm really speaking to the Stock class folks who don't want to run with r-comp tires.  It makes sense to me for them to consider running in their Street Touring Class where they would run on street tires and the number of mods they would run against are considerably less than they're likely to run against in the local Tire Class with SP, Prepared, Modified cars.