Know Your Car's Class!!!!

[katnip]

Study the pertinent classing rules for the region you are running in. For SCCA there are national rules, and most regions have supplimentals.

http://www.scca.com/documents/Rally%20Rules/2008rulescomplete20071211.pdf

NER has the following for sups.

http://www.ner.org/rally/docs/07NER_SuppRallyXRegs2.pdf

Look at them, only you know what you have done to your car. I get asked at registration all the time, I can generally tell you which class if you tell me your mods. I also have folks get sent back up from tech because they need to be reclassed. But we are also inclined to put people in mod if they have no clue! So you know your class before you get there. Email the registrar or organizer prior to the event for clarification if one of the rules seems unclear to you!

kat

[saturn]

it's not tech's job to tell you what class you should be in

if you have a ton of mods and you say you're in SA... then you run in SA and if you win everyone beats you up :)

[katnip]

that is why I will default the unprepared to modified. they quickly learn to class their car properly, especially if it's not modified:twisted:

[409industries]

Yeah no one likes getting the pants beat off of them because they're running a nearly stock car in modified! Its good to know your class as you will be more evenly matched up with other competitors at least mechanically... :)

[LGT-FST]

:machinegunleft:it's not tech's job to tell you what class you should be in

if you have a ton of mods and you say you're in SA... then you run in SA and if you win everyone beats you up :)
I second that.

[Draco-REX]

People do need to be more familiar with the rules. I was at a Rallycross and a bunch of people there thought you could run no cats in Prepared.

[Jard]

People do need to be more familiar with the rules. I was at a Rallycross and a bunch of people there thought you could run no cats in Prepared.
You can next year. ;)

It's definitely not tech's job to tell you what class, but most organizers are going to have a good idea of where you should be. Be honest and ask questions (preferably before the event) and someone should be more than happy to help you out.

[Draco-REX]

You can next year. ;)
The 2008 SCCA rulebook still states that prepared cars must have one functioning cat if the car originally came with one. Do you already know what changes they are going to make for 2009?

[Jard]

The 2008 SCCA rulebook still states that prepared cars must have one functioning cat if the car originally came with one. Do you already know what changes they are going to make for 2009?
Not officially yet...

Here you go!
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4928

[Draco-REX]

Not officially yet...

Here you go!
http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4928
Ahh! Very interesting... Thanks :)

[Gnome]

so since my car doesnt have stock sized rims, and or intake isnt stock i cant be in the lowest level?

[pomspeed]

Both of those mods bump you out of stock class.

Brent

[Gnome]

sigh, so now that i think of it RS springs and the other stuff would mess me up, would be entirely outmatched at the next level up?

[pomspeed]

Don't worry the car doesn't win the race, the driver does. So go get as much seat time as you can. The key is to learn the difference between having traction and when you don't. Snow and ice make this very easy to understand at low speeds.

[Gnome]

hahaha, i learned that one the hard way, ok i was trying to decide if it would be worth throwing one stock stuff to make the other class... but in retrospect i wont worry about it

[saturn]

best way to learn is in stock with some cheap snow tires

[anaonbd]

By buying my current car, I just went back to stock.

[WAM]

hahaha, i learned that one the hard way, ok i was trying to decide if it would be worth throwing one stock stuff to make the other class... but in retrospect i wont worry about it

Just think how foolish you'd feel if you went to the effort to backdate your car to stock, only to find that stock actually went faster than prepared in the event. It happens. A lot. Like Brent said...it's the driving that counts.

[noisycricket]

Slow cars are actually a ton easier to get good times with... the faster the car, the more you have to worry about braking and setting the chassis instead of just threading through the cones, so it's a lot easier to screw it up.

So start in Modified with any old car, then as you progress as a driver, buy a dedicated rallycross car that works well stock, and leave it stock.

[b4dm4n]

I have a couple questions regarding the interpretation of the rules.

So for stock class, it says:

"1. All Cars must be equipped as from the manufacturer, with only factory installed and port-installed option packages. Options that were only part
of a package must be present with the entire package. Complete option packages may be installed after purchase of the vehicle."

So my question is this, is an SPT Intake (Subaru part) considered an option package? Or is this gonna bump the car into the next class?

Next question is in regards to suspension. It says:

"13. Shocks/dampers may be replaced with OEM or aftermarket replacement units intended for the specific year make and model used. The stock spring must be used as it was on the OEM unit. The spring perch must be factory welded to the damper or use the exact attachment method as OEM. Adjustable dampers are only allowed if the OEM unit was adjustable and must retain the same number of adjustments or fewer as OEM. Remote reservoir shocks are only allowed if they are exact OEM units."

Now I've read in several places people claiming Ohlins FPS fall in this category (doesn't throw you out of stock class) but reading this, especially the part about adjustable dampers, makes me believe that this isn't correct. I still have the stock struts/springs on my car so I'm not too worried but I'm still curious.

Any help with this is greatly appreciated. I'm aiming for stock class next time there is a RallyX here.

[MarkA]

I have a couple questions regarding the interpretation of the rules.

So for stock class, it says:

"1. All Cars must be equipped as from the manufacturer, with only factory installed and port-installed option packages. Options that were only part
of a package must be present with the entire package. Complete option packages may be installed after purchase of the vehicle."

So my question is this, is an SPT Intake (Subaru part) considered an option package? Or is this gonna bump the car into the next class?
.

Prepared for that. It is at best "dealer installed".



Now I've read in several places people claiming Ohlins FPS fall in this category (doesn't throw you out of stock class) but reading this, especially the part about adjustable dampers, makes me believe that this isn't correct. I still have the stock struts/springs on my car so I'm not too worried but I'm still curious.

Any help with this is greatly appreciated. I'm aiming for stock class next time there is a RallyX here.

If the car didn't come with adjustable dampers, you cannot, as the rule states, add them.

FWIW, the biggest mod you can do to a car in OR (since I see your location is PDX) is to find the best mud tires in your size. The biggest sipes, deepest grooves and so on. Even if it's not raining at an ORG event, they will make sure it is still a slime pit...;)

[b4dm4n]

Alright, thanks for the clarification. At least the SPT intake is incredibly easy to install/uninstall. I'll probably swap it out a week before, reset the ECU and let it learn the old air box. I'll miss the loud turbo sounds though :(

Yeah I'll be gettin a new set of tires here soon. Just after watching the last ORG event, my old tires are definitely not going to cut it.

[saturn]

but there are cars that come shipped to the dealer with SPT parts installed... how is that not a stock class car?

I raced my car in stock with pink springs and a K&N filter and no one ever complained. there are people who run with mods that give bigger advantages and call it "stock"... with what little advantage you get from SPT parts, I would think no one would care until you get to nationals.

funniest thing is tires... they give you way more of an advantage than a short shifter and no cars come stock with the tires that some people run at events ;)

[b4dm4n]

I guess I'll go ahead and give it a shot with the SPT intake. Its not exactly what most call a performance mod but if they bump me to the next class oh well. I'm not there to win per-say, more or less to have fun. Would be a pretty sweet feeling to actually place well though.

Tires are my next purchase... and here I was thinking I was saving for a dualsport bike. Ha! Middle of nowhere camping trips/trail riding orrrrrr stuff for the subie... Decisions decisions :-(

[MarkA]

but there are cars that come shipped to the dealer with SPT parts installed... how is that not a stock class car?



Short shifter, pedal covers, misc SPT&STi items. Someone who works at a dealer can clarify but I'm 99% sure that Subaru's are not and did not have SPT intakes installed at either the factory or port. Even if you go the current list of parts you can order a new WRX with today, there is no intake, therefore, it would be a dealer add-on: http://www.subaru.com/vehicles/impreza-wrx/limited/accessories-options.html For SCCA rules, the car is considered "done" once it's on the manufacturers' car carrier and you can only add anything that they would have up to that point.

Allowing dealer-installed parts to be "stock" opens up a can of worms. For example, I went to dealer once that sold new cars with a dealer-installed Accessport option right off the lot, yet ECU flashes are clearly not "stock".

Your K&N filter is legal because it is, I presume, a drop-in one.

Anyway, you are correct that it is all semantics and nobody will probably care unless you're at a National. :D In fact, I was at the SCCA National Challenge in Utah last weekend and a Subaru was moved from SA to PA for the intake.

[sammyk]

Hi, I have a qustion and hope that I am in the right discussion thread, I am kinda new with this forum thing!

Here it goes, I have never rally-x or anything like that! Few weeks ago I bought 97 Impreza Brighton and it already came with engine swaped to 2.2, racing seats, 4-point harness, removed air bags, removed ac, everything else is stock, I took the rest of the interior out since it was already half **s loose! Begining of April there is rally-x in Michigan that I plant to attend not with my car but just to help out and meet the people and see how it all works and I will ask the same questions there but where would my car fall in and how bad did I screw myself with getting this car and having no experience?

I thank you for all imputs and feel free to yell at me if I am posting this in a wrong place!

Thank you!

[MarkA]

Hi, I have a qustion and hope that I am in the right discussion thread, I am kinda new with this forum thing!

Here it goes, I have never rally-x or anything like that! Few weeks ago I bought 97 Impreza Brighton and it already came with engine swaped to 2.2, racing seats, 4-point harness, removed air bags, removed ac, everything else is stock, I took the rest of the interior out since it was already half **s loose! Begining of April there is rally-x in Michigan that I plant to attend not with my car but just to help out and meet the people and see how it all works and I will ask the same questions there but where would my car fall in and how bad did I screw myself with getting this car and having no experience?

I thank you for all imputs and feel free to yell at me if I am posting this in a wrong place!

Thank you!

You're in the right place and you're also in M4. You're not that screwed because half the entries in M4 typically have three times more power than the driver has skill so if you can keep your momentum up, i.e. keep the car as straight as possible, you could surprise some people. Just remember to have fun and it's a lot more fun to race than watch so don't put off entering when you head out in April.

[sammyk]

You're in the right place and you're also in M4. You're not that screwed because half the entries in M4 typically have three times more power than the driver has skill so if you can keep your momentum up, i.e. keep the car as straight as possible, you could surprise some people. Just remember to have fun and it's a lot more fun to race than watch so don't put off entering when you head out in April.

Sweet! Thanks a ton that makes me feel a lot better, I am on Detroit SCCA forum figuring out what I need to do and bring for the first one and how do I help!

Again thanks for taking the time and answering my questions!:mrgreen:

[LGT-FST]

what he said. Get there and help and race. Hopefully I will be there in May, see ya then. LOR