Hello All,

I have a quick question about classing my car in SCCA Solo. I am 6'6" and I have a GT
model. I want to replace the roof panel with either a stock hardtop roof, or the Mazdatrix CF panel (cheaper as I don't have to paint it). From what I've read so far that modification would push me into Street Modified which seems to be a very hard class to race an NA RX8 in. It seems if I go with the stock roof I'll have to swap all the GT accessories on my car to match the Base/Sport model. Am I reading the rules correctly or is there a slower class I'd be able to race my car in with just the swapped roof panel?

Sorry If this is a newb question, I just read pages of rules on the SCCA website and my head hurts now.

Thanks,
Matt

 

Sounds like it would be easiest to just buy a non sunroof car, personally... that or deal with having a sunroof.

Otherwise I believe street mod it is unless you do a full package conversion, to my knowledge.

 

I was hoping not to have to buy another car, but after reading the rules again and again today its seems to be the only way to stay out of Street mod. Thank you.

 

My guess is that you are correct about SM though you may end up in Prepared.

Honestly, unless you expect to consistently win, just talk to the event chair and everybody else in your class and ask them if it's cool if you run in their class with that mod. I have a S2 transmission and Sohn adapter in my S1 and my competitors know it and don't mind. I told them to come talk to me before they protest and if I can't convince them to roll with it, I'll DSQ myself.

Even if you remove the roof for clearance, I'd bet that you'll still be at a performance disadvantage due to the extra weight from all of the other extras in the GT.

Another possibility might be to install a racing seat nice and low (instead of modifying the roof). This would put you in STX and give you a reason to do more mods like coilovers, exhaust, high-flow cat, tune, cooling system, etc (as if we need a reason).

 

This is good to know, I already have most of the other STX mods, so that may be a better option. I'll email my SCCA regions contact and see what they think. Really I just want to start autocrossing again to get my driving skill up to par to do some track days. I have not read too much on classes for HDPE events so I should probably do that as eventually I'd like to evolve to mostly doing those.

I'll be slowly building a full GT class track car as I have a PP 20B to throw in an 8, so If I had to get another shell to run for Auto-x that would be fine as GT class would allow me to modify the roof as I need to.

 

I'm surprised that you can't get the seat low enough... With the right seat and/or ballast that would keep you in STX.

 

To be honest all I've done in the seat department is mod the stock power seat to go as low as possible. I pulled out the seat and sat on the floor with a helmet and I have a have a good driving position, if sitting on the floor. I don't think It would be the same once I have the extra inch or two for the bottom of a seat/mounts. I'm pretty tall in the Torso so that is where I have the issue. A good tall person seat is about $1000 and so is replacing the roof so I felt the roof was more of a guarantee to have a better driving position than the seat.

 

If you're just autocrossing for fun and don't plan to be super competitive in it, and you're going to do the roof thing anyway for your track stuff, then just run in SM. It doesn't change the course or how you drive it, you just might have different people around you in grid. And honestly, at a local level, most of those people will be in a similar situation as you. It really doesn't matter what class is taped onto the door when you're new to autocross, and you'll pick up the same skills either way.

If you want to seriously pursue autocross and go to national events and win things, then you're probably best off getting a different car.

 

I think this is what I might do. It is mostly for fun, though it would be nice to be competitive in my class. It'll just give me excuses to build the car more :D. Then I can save the money from buying a 2nd 8 and put those funds into making this one better.

Thanks everyone for your input.

 

I had being autoxing RX8's for few years now. Other cars before.

Like it was mentioned before, unless you plan to be at a national tour or nationals, you should not stress about that.

Most places people are very relaxed about the non performance rule sets. In addition in Atlanta there is a lot of skilled drivers , so winning to the point that people will feel unconfortable right out of the box will require a lot of talent on a rockie year.

I would advice to go and talk to your competitors the day of the event. Most people in scca are very easy about this.