Sam Strano

The car isn't ideal in either STX or STU. ESP or F-stock (which will be dying) are the best places. RTR isn't great either. Someone might be doing well locally in RTR in one, but that's for reasons other than the car being great. Simply put the lower the tire grip, the more emphasis is on lighter weight and/or the ability to get what power you have to the ground. Mustangs are heavier than anything else in either class, with more power than anything else in either class, and without AWD (and some of those come very close on torque).

As for the other stuff and who quit.... That's not exactly how it happened. They did something that wasn't ever legal and then complained about it later, and did some pretty nasty things to a number of people in the interim. Anyway that was in ESP and not ST.

I've had my issues with some things the Solo Events Board is doing too, and I've not been quiet about it, but I didn't take my ball and go home, or attack anyone personally.

Also I use 18x10.5's all around. And the best ESP finishes for S197's in ESP have been on that size wheel. *IF* SCCA manages to kill Super Stock, next year "SSR", my plan is to come back to ESP, which I've won the National Championship in 3 times before, with an S197 Mustang. I can't imagine what else would be more fun to me. I have a pretty much full prep FR-S for STX, but it's not really my thing, it's my daily beater.

jsimmonstx

I'll be running in SM on street tires (540 tread wear). Pray for me.

Sam Strano

Ooof. 540? Continental DWS?

jsimmonstx

Michelin Pilot Sports

I didn't want to spend money on wider wheels/comp tires until I was sure I was gonna like doing this (of course, I *am* gonna like doing this, but I have to at least present the semblance of fiscal caution where SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) is concerned ).

Wheels will cost at least $650 (if I get decidedly heavy wheels), and tires almost twice that (unless I manage to catch a sale/closeout).

jsimmonstx

Video of yesterday's antics:

Boaisy

Sunday cruise :P.

Uncoolron

I'm thinking of doing autocross with SCCA next year but I get lost from the sea of information in the rule book. Can someone point me to the right chapter in the book and direction on what class my 2013 GT should be competitive?

I've done few local non-competitive autocross that don't follow SCCA rules, just a basic index for each car by Gross Vehicle Weight, WHP, and tire compound.

TIA

jsimmonstx

It's not really a matter of where your car is competitive unless you want to compete on a national level. If you're only going to be doing regional stuff, all
you have to do is not mod your car beyond what the class rules dictate.

Essentially, your car, as it comes from the factory, will run in F Stock. To stay in FStock, you can make a few mods to the suspension (replacing sway bars and shocks), and tires to something that's got more grip (within class restrictions), but not wider than the restrictions stated within the class.

The one thing to remember about class rules is that if it doesn't expressly say that you *can* change something, then you *can't* change it.

Putting on wider tires may push you into the next higher class.

Putting an aluminum driveshaft, a bumpsteer kit, or rear LCA relocation brackets on your car pushes you directly to SM (you skip ST and SP - ask me how I know). Many Mustangs run in ST class.

So, list the mods you've done to your car, and then the mods you want to do to your car, and find out where your car falls (and will fall with intended mods).

I built my car to the point where I felt it handled well, and then decided I wanted to autocross. The mods I made forced me into SM class. On the one hand, there's no way in hell I'll place first in my class because it's populated with little foreign cars. On the other hand, it opens the door for other mods that I was considering anyway (rear seat delete, front splitter, racing seats).

In the end, the best way to be competitive within your class is to get seat time. Learn the car, learn proper technique, and you'll improve to the point where you'll want to move to a different class that allows more significant changes to your car. Don't do it like I did it unless you're merely out to have fun with your car.

Uncoolron

^^^Cool, thanks for the pointers. Now I just have to find the rule book.

J95SNAKE

I agree the Mustang is not best suited in either STX or STU considering the AWD vehicles associated with both classes. It is better suited in STX than STU though. Locally we are competitive and the tire cost is kept under check. I just feel the logic behind the move is faulty and the recommendation should be abandoned.