Mike Zamarocy

At a National event, a guy got protested for non factory headlights! And guess what, he got DQ'd! And don't be surprised to find someone under your car with a measuring tape checking your track and wheel widths.

At a normal inter-club event, it usually is low key and frinedly, but get into the regional/national/PRO Solo events, and you are getting involved with folks running for serious points.

Now Steve, its not just living for AutoX anymore. At the Nationals and PRO Solo events, there is MONEY and MFGR PR at stake. So its not like they have no life. And take a look at TC Kline. Shauna got her road racing ride with him because he LIKES to grab good AutoX drivers and take them real racing.

Mike Zamarocy

Just think what they thought when a beatup old pumpkin colored roller skate (my 69 Lotus Europa S2) with 100K miles and skinny Uniroyal Rallye 180 tires, and a (blue) smoking exhaust took FTD OVERALL at Utica???? HA ha ha! One of the pony cars in full race that I beat, went on to the IMSA series - yet I beat him

But sure, there is Rick Ruth, Claire Ball, Bill Hurt, John Glenn, Ted Jhuern, and a few others I have forgotten (SORRY to them!!!!) that are hard core, but they are still good people! Rick at times, though, is HARD to understand. But once ya get to know him, he really is cool. I really miss those folks!!!!!

robfox

I'll try to jog your memory...Rick claims his best EVER in the Pinto is 55 something. Good FS cars seem to be running 58 or 59. FTD for cars with doors at the last one was a high 56, though. Track is degrading.

-Rob

robfox

A friend of mine on the local SoloII board told me to contact someone...I think the name was Bob Duncan??? at the SCCA about this issue. I'm a VW/Audi guy, and I understand new ones aren't too popular with the autocross crowd, but I'd like to see fair classing just the same. It might encourage new participants (since they are scared away by the classing now).

The fact is that VW Beetle 1.8Ts along with Golf VR6s have been put in DSP. Appropriate, since there is a catch all for 4 cyl turbos and 6 cly NA engines under 3L. This would mean that Jetta 1.8Ts and Passat 1.8Ts are in DSP. So, an A4 FWD 1.8T or V6 would be in DSP, but a quattro gets caught by the "quattro NOC" for CSP. I think one would be hard pressed to find the quattro advantage on an autocross (+250 lbs) with low-powered cars like these two. That irks me.

Then, the S4 seems like a natural, as you said, for ESP, but alas it has the dreaded AWD. Remove the darn NOC and start classing individual newer Audis. Things would fall into place.

And the last issue is "chipping." I really DO understand why it was prohibited to alter boost or be thrown into SM (used to be STU). Once upon a time you could up the boost to whatever you wanted, leaving driving skill out of the competitive equation. With the 1.8T/2.7T, no one understands that chipping is not a "sky is the limit" modification. Tuners are careful not to exceed certain boundries. The SP rules clearly prohibit FURTHER turbo modifications, and with absolutely STOCK turbos and plumbing, chips just aren't THAT threatening to the competition.

I kept looking for a loophole. The rules for street prepared read: "Alternate computer control modules may be used whenever an equivalent change to the conventional system is allowed...direct turbocharger boost control by alternate computer control is not." I wanted to put forth that the chip doesn't really directly control boost. But this wouldn't hold water.

Oh, well. If you didn't read my whole HUGE novel on the subject, that's OK. I just really don't find too many people who can sympathize with my frustrations. Venting session complete.

-Rob

Mike Zamarocy

It has been a sort of hidden undertone that SCCA hates TURBOS! And they seem to go out of their way to make turbo owner's lives miserable. They SAY it isn't so, but we know better than that!

Now, as for the chipping issue, . . . I think if ONE chip is allowed in SP, then they ALL should be! After all, what a chip does today in a N/A car for instance, is about the SAME stuff I used to do to a TR Spitfire! Adjust the timing (anyone REMEMBER what a timming light was??? ) and rejet the SU carbs! And on my old Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo, all you had to do is loosen a nut on a rod, readjust it, tighten the nut, and you just raised your boost!

And in that vane of thought, MAYBE a chip SHOULD really be allowed in STOCK classes, as what I said, it really only TUNES your car just like you would have done to a PRE-ECU car with a timming light and screwdriver!

And if you really want to SCREAM, . . . . I still think that if they disallow chips (for the reasons above), then they should also disallow R tires in STOCK classes. Though DOT approved, they certainly are NOT what you'd be able to drive on the street (at least for very long)!

Mike Zamarocy

Nope, I don't remember it, and ALL my stuff, INCLUDING that trophy, were stolen when the moving company lost their truck 3 years ago

But, you could ask Rick if he has any archives of old race results. It should be there somewhere. I think it was around the 76, 77, or 78 season and was a Tri-State event. As a matter of fact, . . . if he DOES have it, could you get a photo-copy and send me it???? I'd DIE to get it to see it again!

Thanks!