Lots of Street class moves in this month's Fastrack

[PedalFaster]

http://cdn.growassets.net/user_files/scca/downloads/000/018/370/16-fastrack-November-Solo.pdf?1477062058

These have been out for member comment for a while, but are now formally recommended to the BoD:

Move from Exclusion list to SS
Nissan
GTR (excluding Nismo, track edition) (2012-2017)

Move from AS to BS
Porsche
Boxster (Non S) (2009-2012)
Cayman (Non S) (2009-2012)
Boxster S (2005-2008)
Cayman S (2005-2008)

Move from BS to CS
Porsche
Boxster (all) (986 Chassis) (1997-2004)

Move from CS to DS
BMW
M3 (E36 chassis) (1995-1999)
Scion
FRS (w/o TRD suspension components)(2013-2016)
Subaru
BRZ (2013-2016)

Move from BS to FS
Cadillac
ATS (3.6 V6)

Move from FS to DS
BMW
128i (2008-2013)
228i (F22) (2014-2016)
328 (F30/F31/F34, including diesel) (2012-2016)
3-Series (E46, non-M3) (1999-2006)
3-Series (E90/E92/E93) (Non-M3, Non-Turbo) (2006-2012) 428i (F32/F33/F36) (2014-2016)
Cadillac
ATS (2.0 Turbo) (2012-2016)
CTS (non-V, non-VSport) (2003-2016)
Chevrolet
Camaro V6 (2010-2015)
Chrysler
300 V6 (2011-2016)
Crossfire (non SRT)
Dodge
Challenger V6 (2011-2016)
Charger V6 (2011-2016)
Ford
Mustang V6 (2011-2016)
Mustang EcoBoost (2015-2016)
Hyundai
Genesis Coupe (4-cyl turbo) (2013-2016)
Genesis Coupe (V6) (2010-2012)
Infiniti
G35 Sedan (2003-2009)
G35 Coupe (2003-2007)
Lexus
IS300 (2001-2005) IS250/350 (2006-2016) GS350 (2005-2016)
Mercedes-Benz
C-Class 6-Cyl (non-AMG) (2001-2016)
CLK V6 (1998-2009)

Move from FS to GS
BMW
5-Series 6-Cyl non-M5 (E28, E34, E39) (1985-2003)
6-Series 6-Cyl Non-M6 (E24) (1985-1989)
Chrysler
300 V6 (2004-2010)
Dodge
Challenger V6 (2008-2010) Charger V6 (2006-2010) Magnum V6 (2005-2008)
Ford
Thunderbird (V8 and V6 supercharged) (1989-1997)
Jaguar
X-Type 3.0 (2002-2008)
S-Type V6 (2000-2008)
Mercury
Cougar (V8 and V6 supercharged) (1989-1997)

Move from GS to HS
Hyundai
Veloster Turbo (exc Rally Edition) (2012-2016)

[Reijo]

Yes. lots of classing changes that affect locals ...

Also this is a good fix for SP:

#19923 Reliability improvement
The SPAC has recommended the following rule change package:
Add new 15.10.DD as follows:
“15.10.DD
Drivetrain components may be replaced with aftermarket components in order to improve durability and
reliability. Any replaced components are subject to the following restrictions:
1. Replacement components may not be lighter than the original component.
2. Replacement components must install without modification to the mating part.
3. Replacement components may not differ from the original beyond improved strength, alternate
manufacturing techniques, or replacement with larger components.
4. Components around or connected to the replaced component may not be relocated or modified unless
permitted elsewhere in section 15.
5. Internal engine components such as pistons, connecting rods, or valve train components may not be
replaced under this rule.
6. Heat treatment may be used to increase the durability of an original part and the resulting part will be
considered a replaced component.
7. Metal components may not be replaced with non-metal components. However a non-metal component
may be replaced with a metal component.
8. Replaced components may serve no purpose other than to increase durability and reliability.
SCCA Fastrack News November 2016 Page 13
This allowance is intended to improve durability without improving performance. Components are not to be
replaced to allow for increased power or larger tires but to replace common component failures. For example,
axle shafts or CV joints are often broken on launch. Under this rule these may be replaced with larger
components or components made of stronger materials to avoid these breakages. Alternatively a vehicle may
not replace a turbocharger with a larger or stronger part as this would increase the performance potential of
the vehicle.”
Add new 15.8.L as follows:
“15.8.L
Suspension components may be replaced with aftermarket components in order to improve durability and
reliability. Any replaced components are subject to the following restrictions:
1. Replacement components may not be lighter than the original component.
2. Replacement components must install without modification to the mating part.
3. Replacement components may not differ from the original beyond improved strength, alternate
manufacturing techniques, or replacement with larger components.
4. Components around or connected to the replaced component may not be relocated or modified unless
permitted elsewhere in section 15.
5. Heat treatment may be used to increase the durability of an original part and the resulting part will be
considered a replaced component.
6. Metal components may not be replaced with non-metal components. However a non-metal component
may be replaced with a metal component so long as this does not violate other rules. For example the
bushing metal content rule still applies.
7. Replaced components may not alter the suspension geometry unless otherwise permitted in section 15.
Replacement hubs may relocate the wheel mating surface to widen the track width but may not relocate the
wheel mating surface to narrow the track width.
8. Replaced components may serve no purpose other than to increase durability and reliability.
This allowance is intended to improve durability without improving performance. Components are not to be
replaced to allow for increased power or larger tires but to replace common component failures. For example,
hubs often become wear items that require frequent replacement to avoid failure. Hubs may be replaced with
larger, stronger hubs to reduce the chance of failure and increase the life of the component.”
Add new 15.2.S as follows:
“15.2.S
Suspension and drivetrain mounting, including subframes, locations may be reinforced in order to improve
durability and reliability. Any modifications are subject to the following restrictions:
1. Material may only be added, not removed.
2. Mounting locations may not be moved in any direction.
3. The method of attachment to other components may not be changed.
4. Any added material may not inhibit any motion that would otherwise be uninhibited.
5. Any modification must remain in the area of the attachment point to be reinforced. This does not allow for
braces or cross connection between otherwise unconnected locations.
6. Modifications may serve no purpose other than to increase durability and reliability.
This allowance is intended to improve durability without improving performance. Modifications are not to be
made to allow for increased power or larger tires but to fix or prevent common failures of the vehicle structure
or subframes. This rule is intended to permit modifications to prevent common failures such as suspension
mounting location tear-outs or cracking shock towers/subframes.”

[zero10]

When I saw a big list of street class revisions I got excited - hoping they would finally remove the cheater car from HS but they didn't touch it
I'll go back to my corner to pout.

(I'm talking about the Fiesta ST in case it isn't obvious)

[Reijo]

That is one of the bad things about "street" or stock class cars ... technology moves on.  In some ways it is cheap but on the other hand to keep up sometimes it means buying the latest and greatest car so it might not be the cheapest in that sense ...

[PedalFaster]

Moving the Fiesta was never on the table, and is almost definitely never going to happen.

Note also that the HS national championship has never been won in a Fiesta -- a Mini's won every year since 2008.

[MurrayPeterson]

I wonder how many people will be removing their TRD springs from their FRS?  Seems like a pretty good place for the FRS.

[Wayne Dyck]

I wonder how many people will be removing their TRD springs from their FRS?  Seems like a pretty good place for the FRS.

      DS pax is bound to move noticeably as well.

[E6Cueman]

I wonder how many people will be removing their TRD springs from their FRS?  Seems like a pretty good place for the FRS.

I'm sad, but the split is not unexpected. I don't plan on going "backwards", but the serious folk south of the border are already swapping parts.

I think the Ecoboost Mustang should be a strong contender in D... and I think the WRX will continue to be as well.
 

[Terry Johns]

I definitely feel leaving both the NC & ND Miata in CS is crazy. NC needs moving to DS.

[PedalFaster]

Remember that cars aren't and shouldn't be automatically moved down if they're not the fastest car in the class. MX-5s came in second in CS at Nationals in both 2014 and 2015. The ND Miata has definitely raised the bar in CS, but the NC is among the best of the rest; moving it down really couldn't be justified without moving every other car in CS down as well.

The Twins, on the other hand, never proved quite as fast as the NC without the TRD kit, yet are much, much more popular. Given that, while I wrote a letter opposing moving them to DS, I understand the rationale.

[NickST]

When I saw a big list of street class revisions I got excited - hoping they would finally remove the cheater car from HS but they didn't touch it
I'll go back to my corner to pout.

(I'm talking about the Fiesta ST in case it isn't obvious)

 

[zero10]

Moving the Fiesta was never on the table, and is almost definitely never going to happen.

Note also that the HS national championship has never been won in a Fiesta -- a Mini's won every year since 2008.

Are you basing the almost definitely never going to happen on the fact that the Fiesta ST has never won a national championship or on other reasons?

Also, are you arguing that the Mini SHOULD be moving classes?

[PedalFaster]

Due to a sick infant I got a total of two or three hours of sleep last night in 45 minute chunks, so apologies if this is incoherent.

Are you basing the almost definitely never going to happen on the fact that the Fiesta ST has never won a national championship or on other reasons?

Both.

Classes rarely get slower. Outside of the transition from Stock to Street I can only think of one recent instance of this happening, when the 370Z was moved from CS to BS last year. Before that, the last time I can recall a top-of-class car being moved up was when the Mini Cooper S was moved from GS to DS in 2008. Instead, newer, faster cars come out and get classed, and older cars either get obsoleted or moved down a class. HS is in a unique position in the hierarchy in that there's no lower class to push cars to, so once a car's outmatched in HS, its days of being competitive in Street are done.

When cars are moved up a class, it's done to give a popular or attractive car or set of cars a place to thrive, but by their very nature HS cars are inherently unattractive. This is borne out by the fact that HS has historically consistently been one of the least populated classes. The Fiesta has actually proven to be fairly popular, and it makes up the vast majority of HS fields at major events. There's nothing else in the class that could be expected to fill fields to the same extent if the Fiesta was moved out. Be careful what you wish for -- when the transition to Street was first proposed, the SEB and SAC actually tried to eliminate HS. In a hypothetical scenario where the Fiesta was moved out and class participation collapsed, I imagine killing HS altogether would come back on the table.

On top of that is the fact that national-level results don't show the Fiesta to be an overdog in the class -- as we noted earlier, there has yet to be an HS national championship won in a Fiesta.

Ultimately, with a finite number of classes, cars aren't guaranteed a competitive place to play. That goes double in HS since it's the bottom of the totem pole.