Daytona. I saw them check the gear ratios on the winning G car (some fancy tool that bolted to the rear hub while the crank was turned). They also checked compression. He was 100% legal.

They were also pulling ecu data on the newer cars to see if the programming had been modified.

 

Colin, thanks for sharing. Glad to hear there is/was some evasive tech! Who won G down there?

 

Mike Iapaluccio. I believe they also checked his cams, displacement and all the CIS stuff as well (I was not there for that, but I saw the gear ratio check with my own eyes...). The scuts were looking over his car for a loooooong time. They found nothing. Maybe, just maybe, he's actually a better driver than the other guys.

I am amazed at the number of people that seem to always blame cheating for their own lack of performance. When I lose to Ernie, it is because he outdrove me. Period.

 

Yea but since you proposed that my car be moved to B, you must have assumed that the only reason I can run even with the RSCSs with my skills is that my car is way faster than theirs. Otherwise the move makes no sense.

The Scruts had my car for a couple of hours at Daytona. I'm pretty sure they didn't check ratios but they did go over it pretty thoroughly including checking the software.
Jim

 

Intentional cheating in an ameteur series, with no prize money seems silly.

 

Not true! I think that the D and higher classes need to be revisited. As I have stated before, I think the ultra-rare cars need to get booted into their own class ala GTC1. And then some of the slower classes need to get combined (do we really need a separate classes for J, K or GT6?). This would leave C with prepared RSA and 996s, D with 964Ts (rarish, but still 1200 in the US)/Caymans/3.4l 996s/RSAs, and B with X51s and GT3s. B will also likely have to change as 997s, 996tts and 997tts start to show up. It just does not make sense to allow euro only or "1of50" cars to dominate a class.

 

Colin,
So your proposal for fixing the problem of rare European cars dominating a class was to have the only readily available American spec car that could compete with the European cars bumped to a higher class? What am I missing here? (sorry but I gotta give you crap about this one)

I agree it's a problem that all new cars are coming into D,C and B making them pretty diverse. I'd suggest that a D+ be created that includes 3.3 turbos, Caymans, 944T cups, RSAs and 3.4L 996s. C would be 3.6L 996s with the option of adding the X51, MKI GT3s, prepared RSAs, 964 RS, 993 RSCSs, 993TTs, etc. B would stay as it is for now.
Jim

 

I can see both sides of the issue. If the RSCSs, RSs and the like were booted out of C, then the 996 3.6s and prepared RSAs and even prepared 993s could run pretty closely. 996 3.4s should be in D. I don't see why that didn't happen. The precedent has already been set with 3.0 911s (SCs) in G and 3.2 911s (Carreras) in F. They are practically the same car otherwise.

The X51 package could be considered a prepared option which would allow them to run in B against the GT3s, and probably would be faster on the shorter tracks when equipped with big brakes, short gears and motons (2 way+ adjustable shocks should be illegal in stock).

 

The problem with your idea is that the X51 belongs with the RSCSs, MKI GT3, etc. not MKII GT3s. The problem with a prepared X51 in B is that the "big brakes" are the same as what the GT3 already has. A r&p doesn't come close to making up for the GT3s close gears. The GT3 already has a limited slip and a lighter (if not light) flywheel. Bigger wheels don't help. You don't want them any bigger. A big wing is great but when the GT3 has a HP/lbs or 7.4 and the X51 is someting like 8.2 with a chip I'm not sure more drag is the answer. And, the GT3 has a much stiffer C4 chassis.

I'm all for fixing the classes but it's beyond my why anyone things focusing on the X51 is going to do that.
Jim

 

Ok, I'll buy that, but what are you going to do for us RSA and 993 prepared drivers? When we get to a HP track, you guys are gone. And of course that means that every 996 3.6 car without X51 is stuck in the back too.

It seems like in the lower groups E,F,G,H,I,J & K the performance gradations are much finer than you get with the top 3 B,C & D classifications.

 

I hear ya. I do think there should be a new class between D and C where the fast cars in D and the slow cars in C can race. The RSA is tough though. Not that I'm a data nerd but RSAs had 68 race starts in 2006 through Daytona. Non-X51 996s including 3.6Ls had 66 starts. RSAs won 18 races while the 996s only won 6. It's hard to argue that a Prepared RSA should be with the 3.4Ls. Maybe you should switch classes based on the length of the tracks

 

Hey Larry, don't forget to drop the weight of the USA cup by 250 lbs!!!

My proposal for next year's rule changes are to automatically throw out any request that has to do with the specific class in which your car runs

 

No, I feel that the 3.4s should be in D. What I am saying is this: 993 RSCS/996 X51> Prepared RSA> 996/Prepared 993> 996 3.4. I do feel that just moving the 996 X51 up was not the solution. Maybe the X51s should have stayed and a greater advantage (like less weight) given to the prepared RSAs and 993s.

 

I wonder how much better the racing could be if weights were not limited to just curb weight.

Why not just add XXX lbs to the X51 or make the 3.4L cars XXX lbs lighter than 3.6L cars.

Seems to me that trying balance out all these cars, but still stay fixed on "published curb weight" is a losing battle. I am not talking abotu huge weight changes, but enough to balance things a bit. When you need to add/remove too much weight from car change the class.

Really PCA already has lots of classes and I don't know that adding classes will help the on track racing. Seems like what will help are some weight adjustments even things up in the classes and maybe moving a couple cars.

 

I agree. I suppose on the same level with the RSCS and X51 is the MkI GT3, 993TT and soon the 964 RS. The problem with a 993 being prepared into C is similar to an X51 moving into B. There is no way under the Prepared rules that a 993 will ever equal a 993 RSCS. The 993 will always be stuck with a 3.6L and an extra couple hundred pounds. Not to mention all the other differences.

Doing much to the RSA is tough because it has such a winning record it's hard to argue it needs help. It did win more races by far than any other C car this year.
Jim