Competitve Race Classes
 

Does anyone have a list or references, and/or your experience as to what classes (NASA/SCCA) that the rx8 can be put into and be competitive at its OE power level with some modest weight reduction?

That's unfortunately what I ventured, I have one more season with my DD racing this year but thinking about 2016 schedule I want a dedicated car, I am actually torn between an rx8 (because I know it inside and out, and love it) and a mazdaspeed MX-5 (not sure if this will fit the spec class, but at the same time I want a diverse class not me racing 20 other cars exactly like mine.

I also want a W2W class, and not TT. My current 8 will not be a contender for this, I will secure another if I go that route.

You question does not provide enough information. Are you asking for track, autox, rally, or tiddlywinks?

W2W Track, might be interested in tiddlywinks if I can compete.

NASA PTD or PTC depending on how light you can get it.

A Mazdaspeed Miata is boosted... you can't compete in spec miata with it, a quick glance at the rules would have told you that. If you want to go that route, you're better off buying a normal NA Miata and boosting it, but if you're looking to do wheel to wheel racing with a boosted car like that, you will run into heat management issues. The cheapest and most fun route (if there are competitors in this class) would probably be to get a NA with 1.8L engine or NB Miata and set it up for PTE, naturally aspirated.

Carbon8, I see you're located in Buffalo, have you considered running in Canada? The RX8 is very competitive in Ontario Time Attack if you run in either GT4, GT3, or GT2. If W2W is what you're after, then CASC regionals could be an option as well since they class with a "breakout" format.

In SCCA you can run it in ITR and EP, plus it may still be eligible for T3, but that's going to fade away, as it's a class for newer cars only. To assess competitiveness and class size and composition, you'll have to look up race results for the clubs that you're contemplating running with.

You want an NB for Spec Miata. Non-Mazdaspeed obviously.

I'd try and aim for TTD/PTD with the RX8. EP is too many mods for my tastes, plus I hear they may have issues getting down to minimum weight within the allowed modifications which can hurt it's chances. ITR would be nice if it was a class that actually had entries in your region... and I really wish Touring didn't have that sunset rule or ended up in a place different than IT or P when cars did age out.

RIWWP that's what dyno reclasses are for...

just a lil' jab for making me write up an autox summary and then realizing it probably wasn't what you were asking for ...

Wow I am really surprised at all the bad info here that would keep someone from raciing a RX8 or even looking into it.

SCCA it can race in crazy classes like GT1 and GT2, EP, ITR (regionally) and in T4 (not T3).

The advice you gave to look up race results is a good tip, let me help you with the first 2 majors national races of the 2015 season at Homestead and Sebring. Oh lookie there.....

Homestead:
http://www.scca.com/events/news.cfm?eid=8400&cid=52240

Sebring: http://www.scca.com/events/news.cfm?eid=8402&cid=52268
You can also click on results and then find T4 qualifying, Saturday and Sunday results for group 2.

Oh, perhaps you also didn't READ the links I posted either.

My edit was just to bold the word READ.

This will be my last post on the topic, again you have no clue what you are typing apparently. I guess you know all about who was racing in those races, how the RX8 did at the June sprints last year, runoffs at Laguna and track records previously held by national champions or it winning races against 7 national championship drivers. Maybe competitive means something else to you.

Sorry I stepped into this thread oh supermod. Glad you have kept dibs on RX8's racing :crazy:. If anyone else reads this and really wants to know the facts, simply PM me.

Can we ever have a thread without someone get "buthurt", not like I asked what group is better SCCA or NASA :lol:

Something about the rx8 is tempting me, you can get one cheap 4-5K, and stripped down and tuned up, you can probably look around 6K for a decent car, I know they break the classes down to wt/hp.

I guess I just don't understand why everyone says get a miata, in terms of power to weight stripped down they are pretty comparable.

Long read, but your not wrong.

Justing resisting the miata urge, but yes if it was a miata I would shoot for an NC.

Dynamically it is a better choice. There are valid reasons why some organizations keep 2 vs 4 seater chassis in different classes. Power to weight is a straight line acceleration only value and there are other factors that affect it even there as well like what the rules allow ... or don't.

Often more power in Miata doesn't pan out in reality as paper would suggest either. The 2004-2005 Mazdaspeed is one example. I've seen plenty of attempts to FI the Miata/MX5 chassis in more modified classes where people thought they'd clean the competitions clock only to give up in frustration ...



.

Sounds to me like you and RIWWP are on two sides or a long divided fence, given your choices I know where you stand, but I do not know that much about your class and setup, STX or DSP? and how compettitive is your car vs whatever else is in that class (if you indulge).

I also know little to nothing about your car, you don't publish much on it just what you do with it.

Cleary I'm on the RX8 side, but the facts are what they are

There's a dedicated DSP thread on where I'm heading, just took a detour in 2014 and missed a season after a 20 year consecutive string of them .... life happens

An RX-8 claimed the pole at the 2014 SCCA National Championship Runoffs, and managed a 3rd place finish. I would call that competitive. Runoffs T4 race: SpeedcastTV

The RX-8 came out strong in T4 last year, reset of number of track records, and got some tire size taken away as a result - it is now limited to a 225, which undoubtedly is the reason it could claim the pole but not have the staying power to win. The RX-8 does lose some weight for 2015, 100lbs, but pics up a restrictor plate, that should make it a little easier on the tires. The plate is not that big of a deal because nearly all of the "high hp" T4 cars also got one, so the class balance should remain the same.

For T4 purposes all RX-8s are considered R3s, so you can use the trans and FD even if you have an S1. You also get the Mazdaspeed springs and swaybars.

They are so cheap now, and with Mazdas support program it seems like a great option. I started kicking around the idea for this season, but something else came up.

Pretty sure everything about your initial statement is false. But its an easy statement to make if you don't follow or understand the classes and level of competition.

You would be hard pressed to find a class the RX-8 is classed in (and a competitive entry has been fielded) that it has not claimed a trophy in the last year. From Solo, to Club Racing, to Pro, if you put in the effort - and can drive - the car can deliver competitive results.

Just missed the podium (after starting last) in WC TC at Mid-Ohio in 2014. http://www.world-challenge.com/image...sults-1-TC.pdf

Unfortunately all you continue to do is show your lack of knowledge of the rules or polices related to anything SCCA. Only manufacturer partners score points in a given class, Mazda does not support TC, or you would see all of the points listed for the two MX-5 wins by Adam Poland. They also don't support TCA, so you don't see points for the three wins Ernie Francis Jr recorded in a MX-5. Mazda only buys into the points fund for TCB.

The RX-8 recoded top five finishes as recent as 2014 in WC, I think that supports my statement.

He has alot of just plain wrong stuff regarding NASA TT & PT stuff as well. Like saying you can get an NC and run all the NC MX5 cup parts for free as the biggest red flag of not understading the ruleset or the term "BTM" which is kind of a key cornerstone of that series/ruleset. There's others, and then there's just the stuff like ASSuming all NASA Regional events are run the exact same way and exact same classes in the same run groups and all that. Then there's Nationals which is another thing quite a bit different. I guess I'm being nit-picky there though.

Can you order the car that is listed (NC MX5 in this example, no separate spec line for the MX5 Cup Car) with no option boxes checked and get part X? If you can't get part X that way, it's a mod, it costs points in most cases (obviously if free mod then...).

Not a shocker there'd be some wrong stuff about SCCA there too.

I'm not seeing a great reason on paper for the NC to be a better choice in D or C over the RX8. Maybe if you were looking for a good Mid-Ohio car the NC could start to get a nod with the lighter base weight paying off in nimbleness, but it would still need to get enough straightline grunt to get up front and defend on straights without blowing all its points on power to the point there's nothing in suspension or tires. Then there's fun building stuff like "Gee, where do you get an affordable hardtop for this thing? And is it OEM shape so I don't take points?". Yeah it has a lower base class (for a reason) but some of those extra points go towards getting on equal footing on tire width with the higher base class cars, and you're at a power disadvantage that's going to be not-fun on any sort of track with longer straights, and you have the same suspension setup so not clawing back much there.

- KB, TT and/or PT Director for 10 seasons, TT and/or PT competitor for 11, wrote the Excel calculator tools, Nationals 2006 2007 2009 and 2014, etc, etc.

If that's what you meant to say then my bad, but it still wasn't clear that's what you meant because I went and re-read and still got the same impression. Shrug.

Nobody that does well with an RX8 runs the base classification anyway. I hear it's not hard at all to get a reclass in the ballpark of 28XXlbs, 2XXrwhp, and TTD no-stars base for an RX8, S1 or S2. Makes all your power parts to get that RWHP number free. That's going to steamroll an NC MX5 unless they get similar help, and even then 170s vs 200s+ I'm taking the 200s+ unless you're talking 170s and 22XX lb range or better. And at something like Road Atlanta, nope still taking the 200s+. HP vs Aero.

Been on the losing end of less hp and less weight one too many times. Shoe on the other foot is better... esp with the Hoosier R7 being the new tire to have (or lower pts and lesser but robust tire that doesn't mind weight also).

On the money. He doesn't have a clue which is why it is unfortunate people would post when they really don't know which then discourages someone from trying, researching more etc.

If you follow the links I posted I think you could say a strong start to 2015 as well :rock: