Topic: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

I received this proposal from Chris Kouba and thought I would post it here for discussion:

LMP class:

I originally intended to write up some sort of class structure for the inclusion of the modern LMP cars with and without roofs, so they would fit into something similar to the GT class.  But I started getting drawn into a "Sportscar Decades" type of class, to allow all manners of hardware from similar eras to run on the track together.  There are a few cars out there which would be cool to run more but that don't have roofs.  Class rules would be copied from GT with the exception of not requiring a roof.  Eligible cars would be from each decade, starting with the 70's.  If it ran in IMSA, SCCA, FIA, Camel GT, etc... classes, it's good to go in the appropriate decade bucket.

If the decades aren't an appropriate bucket, we could look at pre-ground effects (1970-1980), ground effects (1981-1993), and LMP-era (1994-present).  We can adjust as necessary.

This gets us a place to run the 908/3's, the 917/30's, 936's, Matra's, Audi R8's, BMW LMR's, Peugeot LMP's etc... with other era-appropriate cars (both open and closed roof).  This is effectively our GT class broken into era buckets with the roof restriction removed.


Sportscar Era classes:
Pre-Ground Effect (PGE) Era - Full-fendered sportscars from 1970 through 1980 which ran in FIA, IMSA, or SCCA sanctioned events.  Any motors (22k limit), tires, driveline configuration, or chassis material may be used.  Bodies must be injection molded or resin cast and not vacuum molded.  Thunderslot brand RTR cars are NOT eligible for this class, but their driveline components (wheels, axles, gears, tires) and guide assembly may be used for tuning. 

Ground Effect Era (GFX) - Full fendered sportscars from 1981 through 1993 which ran in FIA, IMSA, or SCCA sanctioned events.  Any motors (22k limit), tires, driveline configuration, or chassis material may be used.  Bodies must be injection molded or resin cast and not vacuum molded.  Thunderslot brand RTR cars are NOT eligible for this class, but their driveline components (wheels, axles, gears, tires) and guide assembly may be used for tuning. 

LMP Era (LMP) - Full fendered sportscars from 1994 through current  which ran in FIA, IMSA, or SCCA sanctioned events.  Any motors (22k limit), tires, driveline configuration, or chassis material may be used.  Bodies must be injection molded or resin cast and not vacuum molded.  Thunderslot brand RTR cars are NOT eligible for this class, but their driveline components (wheels, axles, gears, tires) and guide assembly may be used for tuning. 




A straight up LMP (only) class would also be similar rules, FIA/IMSA/GT cars from 1994 onward, although I'd remove the motor restriction.  Try this on for size:

Any full-fendered car competing in IMSA- or FIA-based classes is legal for this class. Any motors, tires, running gear, driveline configuration, or chassis material may be used. Thunderslot brand RTR cars are NOT eligible for this class, but their driveline components (wheels, axles, gears, tires) and guide assembly may be used for tuning.


Thoughts?

2 (edited by ckouba March 11, 2018 6:58 pm)

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

When we talked about this at our Feb discussion, there seemed to be enough interest in dividing out the classes so that era-similar cars would run together.  I put together the above dissertation as a starting point to further that discussion, yet there is no further discussion.  To drive this to conclustion then, I will ask a question directly.

Is there no discussion because the proposal above perfectly suits the objectives of the concerned parties at the meeting and everyone else is on board with what is outlined above and wants to incorporate the new classes, or does nobody really care and I am trying to solve a problem which doesn't exist?

I would still like to create an opportunity to have the open-topped, full-fendered cars compete legitimately.  They currently do not have this option except for a small sub-set in Can Am.

Chris

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

I'm good with the proposal.

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

I have one change I was thinking of- extend the PGE cars back to 1968 to pick up where Classics Div 1 leaves off.

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

Personally, I'm open to anything, I just like to race slot cars. There are others with strong feelings about what we run and how we do it. Let them voice their opinion, I'm just here for the fun. I'll race Strombecker and Eldon if you want to.

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

Hmmmmmm..........Strombecker and Eldon...............I have some of those............somewhere............I think................

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

I think you have a few of everything.  Somewhere...  ;-)

"Big Smooth"

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

LMP...  got a few - probably.  Nothing new so I'm sure I'll be following around behind the newer models.  And nothing new there either.

"Big Smooth"

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

sounds good to me.

The secondnidator

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

Further discussion with Bill today, we may use the proposal above to actually phase out the big bucket GT class to break it down as above.  In other words, if there is no further discussion or objection, the three classes above will replace the current "anything goes" starting grid of the GT class to set it up with the era-compatible grids the three buckets above provide.

If we run them for a few cycles and determine they're not quite where we need them to be, we can change up the dividing lines on the dates to make the fields more appropriate.

And again, if this is solving a problem we really don't have, I am not too proud to can the whole thing.  After going through this exercise, I would like to give it a shot though.

Chris

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

Would we also continue the GT class? Otherwise our MKl GT40s (1966-67) have no place to play.

12 (edited by ckouba March 13, 2018 6:13 am)

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

I moved the date back in post #4 to '68 to pick up where Classics D1 stopped, and the Mk I's ran through 1969 in FIA classes (won the '68 and '69 Le Mans), so they're covered.  Mk II's and IV's were illegal after 67 due to displacement restrictions, so if we pull the start date in to 1966, we can let the Mk II's and IV's play.

...so let's make the date 1966.

CK

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

Are Moslers considered LMP cars?

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

They were late 90's, early 2k's, so yes, they'd be lumped in the LMP bucket.  Technically, in the day, they ran in the GT class but for our purposes, we are labeling them as LMP.

15 (edited by docdoom March 13, 2018 8:39 am)

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

I WOULD say yes. But I believe that car car ran in the gt1 class. Need to goggle it to be sure.

The secondnidator

Re: Odd Thursday Night Class Proposal - March '18

Talking about running.had anybody heard from Al? I think he was in that evacuation area from that junk yard fire

The secondnidator