prodracing.com

All I just submitted a request to the CRB to remove the $90,000 MX5 Global Cup car from EP. I have pasted the content below. I suggest all Production racers to say something about stopping sequential transmissions and ABS. This car is already approved for T3 and it should stay there and not in Production.

Tracking Number: #32102

Sam Henry and John Larue,
The professionally built MX5 Global Cup breaks all the production rules:
-Sequential transmissions are prohibited
-5 forward gears
-ABS brakes

This completely breaks the philosophy of production.

Request
Remove MX5 Global Cup car
or allow all cars to have the above performance upgrades.

Also the MX5 Global Cup sequential transmission is only $18,000.

I don't believe the sequential was part of the original classification - pretty sure it's listed as up to 2019, and the new trans did not come along until 2020. Perhaps the listing just didn't get updated, or the sequential isn't allowed. Really hard to tell since ratios are not listed.

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99 HP Toyota Yaris
2005-2008 SCCA Solo National Champion
2017-2018 SCCA Runoffs Champion

Latest FasTrack just bumped inclusion on years out to include current.

I believe it got added because it actually runs on a slick and was protested earlier at a HST round in one of the DOT classes.

A couple years ago we had a bunch at the Sprints. They were mostly backmarkers. Not sure about performance potential relative to a true EP car. That said I bet it shined in the rain this past Sunday.

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#38 EP BMW

So our Touring 3 guys can't read the regs? TCS clearly specifies what tires they're required to run ("BF Goodrich G-Force Slick").

Sequential has been allowed in T3 with +100 pounds.

I'm sure our Touring and Production scrutineers are well-versed in the Global MX-5 Cup regulations.

Regardless, I sincerely doubt this has anything to do with a protest. The way things have been run these last several years, it's all about "who ya know". Find a buddy on the CRB and convince him you want to buy some pro car and "have a place to play" and next thing you know we're adding 80s GTP, 90s World SportsCar, and 00s LMP cars into "Grand Touring X".

GA

-- And if you think i'm being sarcastic on that last point, you might want to check out the January 2021 Fastrack.

Well I have been involved with this situation for the past 3 weeks when I first saw it entered at Sebring and then later Homestead. Emails to the registrar didn't seem to work so I included Rick Harris from National.He assured me that it would be taken care of, but what took place was a decision by the CRB and race committee on 01/07/2022 allowing the car to run production. Up until that point it didn't run practice or qualifying on Friday 01/07/2022 because it was not listed on the spec line for Eprod. Car ran Saturday 01/8/2022 and qualified on pole and easily won.The argument to include the car was that a review of the lap times were similar to Fprod and Eprod. Well if the car is a 2022 how was the analysis made. I work at a race course and I've watched a 2014 with all the upgrades( sequential box etc) testing there on many occasion and with the right driver its a rocket. This hasty decision Overlooked the sequential gearbox which is against the philosophy of production. I remember back in the days of IT when you had to wait years for your car to be eligible to run production.
What has changed ?
Sooo maybe we all request sequential gearboxes and since the horse has already left the barn, I could use coilovers to replace the 49 year old leaf springs I'm required to run.
Paul

ps after testing at Road Atlanta last year the 2022 cup car is 1 second faster than the previous car.

Wow !! We really need to pay attention to the "racing memos" directly from the BOD. Did this bypass the CRB or did they not catch the 21-22 updates ?

_________________
Sam Moore
SCCA competitor since 1983

The 21-22 update was signed on 01/07/2022 and became effective immediately so the car could run Homestead 2nd day of qualifying and race 1.
The car was loaded in the trailer on Sunday before the Ep race.
There was no transparency here.
Paul.

Here is a copy of the email response I got from Rick Harris only after I inquired why the car was allowed to run at Homestead.

Hello Paul,



The Touring Committee and the Production Committee issued Race Memo 22-01 through the CRB to classify the ND2 years to present.



Racing Memo RM 22-01 EP & T3 Mazda Mx-5 ND2 Global Cup Car Classification https://www.scca.com/downloads/60103-rm ... n/download



The track record for EP at Homestead is 1.28.8. The Global Cup car was 5 seconds off of that. Global Cup cars (by default around the country) generally run fast FP times and won’t be a factor in a competitive EP field.



We will keep an eye on this car at Sebring. If you feel it’s missed classified, I would suggest creating a letter in the system with some details so the CRB and committees can review - http://www.clubracingboard.com/



Rick

This car will win on tracks with lots of turns. At Road Atlanta, VIR, or Road America it will not win. The issue is all the prohibited items like the sequential tranny and ABS.

I protested the car on Saturday at Sebring and I was denied. It was recommended by several SOMs to move forward with the protest. I have 10 days to appeal.

Sam Henry and John LaRue are the guys to convince to remove this car. I would like to understand why they even allowed it.

Please let me put a sequential tranny in my EP and I will add 100 lbs.... That is what STU is for.

Classifying a car in a particular class should not be solely on lap times compared to track records. It should be based on does it fit class philosophy. These cars DO NOT meet class philosophy in Prod and in fact DO NOT meet class philosophy in T3. The closest class they fit is STU and even there they should be required to run DOT tires.
We either truly stick to class philosophy and put cars in those classes accordingly and if they cannot be competitive well so be it. The GCR says there is no guarantee of competitiveness of your car. If we won't stick to class philosophy then we strictly go by power to weight ratio.