2014 Street Classes

General discussions about Solo

Moderator: Mike Simanyi

Mike Yanase
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Re: 2014 Street Classes

Post by Mike Yanase »

Mark DeShon wrote:
George Schilling wrote: ... as the old saying goes, you can't please everyone.
... And we chose to not please you.

Point 1: You can't spend your whole racing career running from Jeff Stuart. :twisted:
Point 2: http://www.forums.solo2.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=7528" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; WYSIWYG :evil:
Point 3: Maybe you can start an NB Miata class where you all agree to only run 400 TW all seasons. It worked before. }:)

Mark D.
i run towards jeff stuart!!!!
hi jeff! LOL
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Mike Simanyi
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Re: 2014 Street Classes

Post by Mike Simanyi »

Hey everyone - be nice. Ed is a valuable contributor to our region at many (most?) events. He's just asking some questions.

Ed, I know you like the easy comparison of you vs other cars in your class piloted by other drivers with your approximate skills, but putting drivers into highly competitive classes is a real opportunity for them to measure themselves against a variety of drivers, monitor their personal improvement, ask for driving instruction, and know that they've *earned* their event and year-end trophies.

In general, people want to work hard for their results and know it was a great effort that moved them toward their goals. It brings self-respect and satisfaction. Competition drives improvement.

The idea behind the three indexed Street classes was to get away from the mismatch created by RTA, RTF and RTR. In RTR, the relative performance shift biased results massively in favor of small, low-powered cars. That's because the indexes really weren't well developed. Today, we have specific Street indexes... that are still not really well developed, but at least have some serious effort by the guy behind the indexes, Rick Ruth. Next year's indexes should be even better.

With S1, S2 and S3, we saw an opportunity to group like cars together. Heavy, powerful cars generally are in S1. Nimble, lighter cars generally comprise S2. And FWD and/or economy cars are in S3.

As others have written, if we get through the first half of the year and members find they don't like the groups and competition, we're happy to listen to requests and make changes that our members prefer. Particularly if there are a solid number of competitors in a specific class - I'd say 5 or more - it wouldn't take much persuasion to convince your E-board that class should stand alone for trophies.

Mike
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Ed Holley
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Re: 2014 Street Classes

Post by Ed Holley »

Anthony Porta wrote:Ed. I have always had my mazdaspeed. Which by most accounts is not a competitive car in any form (although I have yet to see one in fp). That being said I have found that I can compete in several kinds of classes. Bsp, cst and now spc. I still have faith I can make it competitive nationally. Yes it may take years more, but I won't know unless I try. I believe you can make your car a winner too.
Hi Anthony! Great drive on Sunday. Wow!
Regarding your post, although I totally appreciate and agree with your comment, the thread was never about me OR my car being competitive. Those things will come in time. Particularly since we only just this past week purchased our 2001 NB. We were very happy with our results on Sunday considering neither of us had driven this car until then. Particularly, since it has neither the benefit of shocks or alignment.

The reason for the thread is about having a class of "like" cars to compete against; namely E Street where a "stock" Miata belongs. As of this past Sunday, there are at least 5 or 6 cars ready to run E Street right now. They don't like being grouped, so they run time only. Most are NB Miatas. At least one is a NA driven by some crazy Sanchez dude.

I know there are more exotic classes, where the Big Dogs prefer to play, but for a lot of reasons, there are also those that prefer "stock" class, myself and my wife included.

BTW, I cannot tell you how close we came to purchasing a 2004 Mazdaspeed. But, in the end, there were too many issues to deal with to have ANY Mazdaspeed run competitively in E Street; all of which would have likely been illegal.
2012 ES Regional Champion
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Steve Ekstrand
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Re: 2014 Street Classes

Post by Steve Ekstrand »

Can't we end this by just giving Ed his own class?

Call it Special Ed?
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Ed Holley
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Re: 2014 Street Classes

Post by Ed Holley »

Mike Simanyi wrote:...putting drivers into highly competitive classes is a real opportunity for them to measure themselves against a variety of drivers, monitor their personal improvement, ask for driving instruction, and know that they've *earned* their event and year-end trophies.

In general, people want to work hard for their results and know it was a great effort that moved them toward their goals. It brings self-respect and satisfaction. Competition drives improvement.

As others have written, if we get through the first half of the year and members find they don't like the groups and competition, we're happy to listen to requests and make changes that our members prefer. Particularly if there are a solid number of competitors in a specific class - I'd say 5 or more - it wouldn't take much persuasion to convince your E-board that class should stand alone for trophies.

Mike
Mike, I could not agree with you more. Thanks for weighing in.
As for me, if nothing else I've been consistent in my motorsports life. When I road raced back in the day, I drove Formula Ford...the original FF. That was because the cars were essentially all the same mechanically, and fairly equal when it came to aero (sort of ;) ). If I were road racing today, and could afford it (not), I'd be in Spec Miata. Why? Not because I'm so in love with Miatas, but because for the most part, the cars are reasonably taken out of the equation. For me, particularly at my advanced age ( :thumbup: ), it's all about the driver. I don't want to worry about whether the guy next to me is in another completely different class than I am, or whether anybody is cheating. I just want to know, within reason, that the CARS are fairly equal, and that at the end of the day it was the driver that made the difference. I realize that is elusive even in the best of situations, but I'm always going to be in favor of trying.
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Adam Tarnoff
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Re: 2014 Street Classes

Post by Adam Tarnoff »

Steve Ekstrand wrote:Can't we end this by just giving Ed his own class?

Call it Special Ed?

Special Ed class? I'm switching classes!
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