rd7839 wrote:


My general impression is that this is largely true. SP1 is carved into the 944Cup ruleset just barely but to be truely competative, you have to be an SP2 prepped car to have a chance at anything in 944Cup. From my one race and talking with the few guys that do both, a good SP1 car driven by a good driver can be as fast as an okay SP2 car driven by an okay driver. When we ditched the RA1s and got RRs, the gap between SP1 and SP2 closed, but there is still a gap.

944Cup is now reorganzing as an official part of PCA for the 2016 season. They will have three classes in their championship: SP1, SP2, and SP3. The old cup only had 2 classes which largely left the SP1 cars out as they were competative in either classing.

cbuzzetti wrote:


It would almost be easier to spec a chip...

cbuzzetti wrote:


I wonder how many different types/brands of wheels were represented in this spec race?

timingscoring.drivenasa.com/NASA_Champio...ted%20by%20Mazda.pdf

FDJeremy wrote:


I know in my region and I'm sure this holds true for most everywhere else, if you put that part on your car nobody would care. Some cars just shift bad and if that would make a guy show up and have a good time then go for it. I think you could build one for cheaper but if not that's not an unreasonable price. I think it would only be an issue at Nationals and what I love about this class and group of people is that if you stated your case, and your car seems to be a reasonable build, nothing else over the top or expensive you would probably get a pass. I know it wouldn't bother me.

So the question then is if nobody would mind then why not allow it as a rule? To me the answer is that it becomes a cumulative effect. Little rule changes every year add up, sometimes hardly perceptible that just snowball and soon enough the build costs are out of reach. Changes taht seem reasonable and small combine with all the other small changes and even public school math will show that they equal a big change. Today's 944 is a lot different than it was just a few years ago. Is that good or bad? A little of both I say. The plastic windshield I was against(big surprise!) but after getting a rock in to the glass one I JUST replaced convinced me. A little searching and I found NASCAR castoffs for $25 each, some still with tearoffs! With shipping I got 4 of them, 2 of which are good enough for less than another glass windshield. I also get the cache of looking out the same windshield Jeff Gordon did at Texas Motor Speedway in 2009!

I believe that if we make too many changes somebody with the time and wherewithal will build a car to the max of the rules like they see in spec pinata(miata). There a bunch of $50,000 miata's out there and I can tell you for a fact that it engenders a lot of resentment among the have not's. We don't want that.

This class was started with the idea that a 944 could be bought dirt cheap and with minimal prep could be competitive. The thought was a junkyard motor could as easily win as a "built" motor. Those days are gone and getting smaller in the rear view mirror.

The sticking point with that 44only shifter is the length of the shifting arm. If they make it stock length or if the bolt diameter is the same as stock you could swap the factory arm on to their piece and you're golden. Maybe shoot them an email and see if that's possible.

Ron

I agree, stick with the approved 944Only part for the shifter and add a specified linkage. This resolves why the original request for the rule change was made. Remember it was to protect the engine from missed shifts thus reducing potential costs, not improve performance.

I am still against the wheels as I don't think they add to the car and just add a lot of cost. Hey, I am running an 88 where my only option is the heavier phonies. Right now I am at the back of the pack so would happily take every legal help i can get but not to the detriment of the class overall.

Right now we are struggling for people in NorCal, we need to find ways to attract people and I am not sure pushing up costs (to be competitive) is the way to do that.

BTW, It has always been my experience that shorter throws on a shifter are NOT a good thing. I've owned a lot of VW's and they have a similar shifting setup. With those the shift rod was attached in the tunnel and those tabs would break off so you'd have to cut windows in the tunnel to weld them up plus the shifter also has a plastic ball cup that needed replacing. Even after all that they were never good so a new Hrst shifter went on. What would happen though is you'd lose feel in the shifter and since your shifting faster you had less time to let it find it's place. Ther's nothing worse than power shifting you 2332cc dual 48ida webered 200hp motor from 2nd to 1st! I still have nightmares about the sound of a porsche 912 rod coming apart and shooting out the top of the case!

For us it's usually downshifting that gives us the trouble. I have the most issues with 5th to 4th. At Thunderhill going into turn 1 it's a quick touch of the brakes, heel toe and down to 4th. I've missed it a few times but I can feel it while it's happening and just stop what I'm doing and get it right. I have that time and feel because of the long throws and the detents Porsche built into the gearbox. I don't have any trouble with the third gear shift because that has the best spring pressure and I can feel it. If I had a short throw I might not feel it as well plus it's much quicker.

And also food for thought, I've never missed that 5th to 4th during practice or qualifying when I'm on my fastest laps. It's ALWAYS when somebody is right on my bumper. So maybe it's not the car at all.