New RallyCross Class - Classic American Muscle (CAM)

[ojannen]

This feels like the perfect class for a mk2 Ford Escort with 1000lbs of ballast.

In seriousness, why not split the RWD classes by weight. 3000lbs for stock/prepared and maybe 2500 for mod seems like a reasonable starting point. Otherwise, you start with a 500lb disadvantage to the miatas in almost every car.

[zblorenc]

I remember the same conversation when EVOs were crushing AWD classes. We can't adjust the class rules simply because there is a car out there that's dominant. Didn't happen in AWD and it won't happen in RWD.

[ojannen]

I think the RWD classes have a problem where all the cars are either NB miatas or 25+ years old. The AWD and FWD classes have two competitive groups of cars: older, lightweight, low hp cars and newer, heavyweight, high hp cars. I don't see that divide for RWD. Light weight rules the class and there just isn't anything new that weights under 2500lbs. Except for miatas.

Now that I am thinking about it, I totally forgot about the NC MX-5 with the MS-R package. I am off to craigslist. What is the best way to cheat the seat a little lower so I can fit under the hard top without slouching?

[Pete]

I think the RWD classes have a problem where all the cars are either NB miatas or 25+ years old.

That is because the Miata is the only decent reardrive car made in the last 25+ years that is small enough to be rallycross-friendly. Automakers aren't making Chevettes and Escorts and such anymore. Even the front drive cars are huge, a new Fit or Fiesta is a dinosaur compared to my GTI.

Yes, there's the BR-Z and the Genesis Coupe, but they both are heavy and wide as a bus. I do keep having lingering thoughts about E46 BMWs (which are even heavier), but they pass over time, like most temporary illnesses

[Pete]

I
The age of the car doesn't matter, but the solid rear axle does. IRS helps out massively in RallyCross (and most forms of racing). The solid axle is an equalizing factor.

How so?

Drive a 200hp IRS car and drive my 270hp solid axle RX-7 and tell me which one is better at putting power down...

[ojannen]

That is because the Miata is the only decent reardrive car made in the last 25+ years that is small enough to be rallycross-friendly. Automakers aren't making Chevettes and Escorts and such anymore. Even the front drive cars are huge, a new Fit or Fiesta is a dinosaur compared to my GTI.

Should the rules be updated to fit modern sized cars into rallycross? It could be divided by weight, number of seats, or make. It doesn't help locally where we don't have enough cars for 3 RWD classes. Maybe it would give more variety to regional and national events.

Look at C Prepared in autocross. They spend a lot of money to drive slower than lower prepped miatas. Is it a bad thing that they exist?

[Pete]

A course that is tight enough to restrict speeds to acceptably safe levels is going to greatly benefit a smaller car. And if the courses get opened up, well, I've driven a 5.0 Miata (maybe 400hp) and it was interesting, Like driving a turbo Miata but a lot more controllable, and a lot more power...

I thought the whole point of the "Open" class proposal is to give a place for stage rally cars to play where they won't get beat up on by Miatas and Civics.

[sureshot007]

CAM is popular because those guys love the looks of their car more than the performance. That idea would never fly in RX.

Splitting classes by power/weight instead of drive wheels is interesting though. "Light" would be under a size/weight/power, and "Heavy" would be all the rest.

[sureshot007]

I thought the whole point of the "Open" class proposal is to give a place for stage rally cars to play where they won't get beat up on by Miatas and Civics.

Except that a lot of stage cars (including mine) aren't eligible for the class.

[Pete]

Except that a lot of stage cars (including mine) aren't eligible for the class.

I am curious - is it the engine requirement? Or something else that I missed that could exclude a stage car?

[sureshot007]

I am curious - is it the engine requirement? Or something else that I missed that could exclude a stage car?

It's the engine for me. There are plenty of guys out there running a non 4 cylinder engine. It's ok, though, as it's legal to run all logbooked cars in Modified anyway, so we really didn't need another class for us.