TL;DR don't know what I'm doing after seeing TT/ST6 rules
Well, I'm at a loss for what I'm going to do with this car after seeing the "provisional" TT/ST6 rules tonight. There was already known bias in TT/ST5 with the A-Arm rule (front or rear) taking a -0.7 modification factor. That will be now increasing to -0.8 so even more of a hurt for tons of cars minus BMWs (aka where the known bias comes in). I was like fine a little bias whatever. Hopefully that'll change. I'll still just run TT/ST6. Welp now my car is prohibited to run in TT/ST6.
The provisional rules state: "ST6 models must have 168 (one-hundred sixty-eight) or less factory rated engine horsepower and an engine displacement less than 2.5L (unless specifically approved by the National ST Director). (Note: BMW 325 E30 models are specifically eligible, and the 2006+ Mazda MX-5 is specifically not eligible). ". My 2012 Miata has 167 bhp from the factory. So, now even in a WEIGHT to POWER class they are prohibiting cars based on fucking power which in my mind is so asinine I don't even know where to begin. The new TT/ST6 rules are 17:1 which is fine whatever you didn't choose 16:1. 16:1 would have made sense because all classes starting from TT/ST1-5 go +2:1 weight to power. TT5 is 14:1, TT4 is 12:1, TT3 is 10:1, etc. The fact that disappoints me the most is banning cars based on factory HP in a weight to power class. This is the only class I see in TT that has this. I don't get the rule or ban here at all since the classes are purely weight to power based. If they want to prevent de-tuning cars or whatever than explicitly say that and tell them ballast or added weight has to be added to compensate.
If someone can logically explain why the TT/ST6 rules are banning cars based on factory hp in a weight to power class I'm gladly all ears.
I'm pretty jaded and very discouraged at the moment. I put so much money in this car thinking I'd be having fun and being competitive in a class that I can't even run now. I was for sure very excited about this car and was enjoying it so much. Makes me want to just get my TT license in August and stop running events for a year+. Find something else to do and purchase a different car again. I accepted the small bias but I believe it's gone too far now that I have even thought of not running NASA events in general because of it.
"Why are you complaining, just go buy a competitive car". You aren't wrong, but not everyone has the luxury of that kind of money and stress of building yet another fucking car along with the time. I could easily just do that but then I'm out at least a year saving up for a car. I'd be dying on the inside to not be able to drive. Or I could just not be competitive in TT/ST5 against RX8s, S2000s, BRZs, etc and deal with losing. No one wants to be that guy out there in the back of the pack not even being able to race side by side with their competition and similar speed cars. I wouldn't mind not podium-ing if I was actually able to stay with my competition.
If I went 2.5 swap in TT/ST5 I'd be still be underpowered by 20+hp but gain 30 torque. That still won't help me in the straight but will help me maybe pull from corners and block in traffic is all I could hope for with this car.
Anyone have thoughts or suggestions on what to do?
As you can tell I wanted to be able to have fun and be side by side my competition if I was going wheel to wheel racing. I wanted to be able to tinker with the car aka not spec class. I also currently don't think I really want to do TT/ST until the National director and board are purged out of their positions.
My initial thoughts are a) keep this and go knee deep into TT5 with either a 2.5 swap or ported head, intake manifold, etc. on the current 2.0 and just get frustrated or b) sell, save, and buy a S2000 or BRZ/FRS/86 or the stupidset idea of them all c) supercharge, full aero, flares, low weight, and 245 hoosiers in TT4. HPDE4 won't satisfy my craving for racing/competition I have in my mind currently
Well, I'm at a loss for what I'm going to do with this car after seeing the "provisional" TT/ST6 rules tonight. There was already known bias in TT/ST5 with the A-Arm rule (front or rear) taking a -0.7 modification factor. That will be now increasing to -0.8 so even more of a hurt for tons of cars minus BMWs (aka where the known bias comes in). I was like fine a little bias whatever. Hopefully that'll change. I'll still just run TT/ST6. Welp now my car is prohibited to run in TT/ST6.
The provisional rules state: "ST6 models must have 168 (one-hundred sixty-eight) or less factory rated engine horsepower and an engine displacement less than 2.5L (unless specifically approved by the National ST Director). (Note: BMW 325 E30 models are specifically eligible, and the 2006+ Mazda MX-5 is specifically not eligible). ". My 2012 Miata has 167 bhp from the factory. So, now even in a WEIGHT to POWER class they are prohibiting cars based on fucking power which in my mind is so asinine I don't even know where to begin. The new TT/ST6 rules are 17:1 which is fine whatever you didn't choose 16:1. 16:1 would have made sense because all classes starting from TT/ST1-5 go +2:1 weight to power. TT5 is 14:1, TT4 is 12:1, TT3 is 10:1, etc. The fact that disappoints me the most is banning cars based on factory HP in a weight to power class. This is the only class I see in TT that has this. I don't get the rule or ban here at all since the classes are purely weight to power based. If they want to prevent de-tuning cars or whatever than explicitly say that and tell them ballast or added weight has to be added to compensate.
If someone can logically explain why the TT/ST6 rules are banning cars based on factory hp in a weight to power class I'm gladly all ears.
I'm pretty jaded and very discouraged at the moment. I put so much money in this car thinking I'd be having fun and being competitive in a class that I can't even run now. I was for sure very excited about this car and was enjoying it so much. Makes me want to just get my TT license in August and stop running events for a year+. Find something else to do and purchase a different car again. I accepted the small bias but I believe it's gone too far now that I have even thought of not running NASA events in general because of it.
"Why are you complaining, just go buy a competitive car". You aren't wrong, but not everyone has the luxury of that kind of money and stress of building yet another fucking car along with the time. I could easily just do that but then I'm out at least a year saving up for a car. I'd be dying on the inside to not be able to drive. Or I could just not be competitive in TT/ST5 against RX8s, S2000s, BRZs, etc and deal with losing. No one wants to be that guy out there in the back of the pack not even being able to race side by side with their competition and similar speed cars. I wouldn't mind not podium-ing if I was actually able to stay with my competition.
If I went 2.5 swap in TT/ST5 I'd be still be underpowered by 20+hp but gain 30 torque. That still won't help me in the straight but will help me maybe pull from corners and block in traffic is all I could hope for with this car.
Anyone have thoughts or suggestions on what to do?
As you can tell I wanted to be able to have fun and be side by side my competition if I was going wheel to wheel racing. I wanted to be able to tinker with the car aka not spec class. I also currently don't think I really want to do TT/ST until the National director and board are purged out of their positions.
My initial thoughts are a) keep this and go knee deep into TT5 with either a 2.5 swap or ported head, intake manifold, etc. on the current 2.0 and just get frustrated or b) sell, save, and buy a S2000 or BRZ/FRS/86 or the stupidset idea of them all c) supercharge, full aero, flares, low weight, and 245 hoosiers in TT4. HPDE4 won't satisfy my craving for racing/competition I have in my mind currently