Production Car rule change

The entries are down in Production but that does not mean the fun factor is gone. I can race against another class and many of the P-Cars are close in lap times to other classes. For me it isn't about racing myself as much as it is being out there and driving as fast as I can. P-Cars are inexpensive to run and a good way to be out there and not spend much money. That should be a big attraction to people who want to get started but don't have a lot of green-backs. They can improve the car and move up a class, much like I have another much stronger, prepped engine if I wanted to race EIP or GIP (if it's still possible).
 
For me it isn't about racing myself as much as it is being out there and driving as fast as I can.

Thank you Kyle, you just supported my point.

Mine, as Kyle just stated, has to do with "OEM Stock is OEM Stock, and Aftermarket/fabricated Improved is Improved.

So should Alphabet-Production classes be OEM Stock?

NO!!!

OEM stock has a class, it's called Showroom Stock. Production isn't about OEM Stock and thinking it so would be misleading one's self. How can you think Production is OEM Stock when it allows adjustable shocks, modified ECU's, urethane bushings, adj swaybars, non-DOT legal slicks etc. Also several cars come from the factory, OEM Stock, with turbos or supercharges and we don't allow them in Production. How does that fit within your reasoning?

To use the polar opposite of "change" to make my point, keeping things TOO spec or restricted can make things cost a fortune... Spec Miata ring a bell? (or even PRO3). I know there's some proper Spec Miata engines that are $12-15k but yet they're suppose to be essentially "OEM STOCK"... So how did this help keep cost down?

I think the debate should continue but not for me. I've heard from many people for many years who think the no-header rule is ridiculous, yet I feel like I'm yelling at the rain. Since I don't run in Prod, I'm not gonna carry this torch any more.
 
Are there tuned headers for every make? Huge difference in HP potential between them. Coated, ceramic etc etc. Where does that stop?

I cam run HIP and HP with my car now. With headers I'd be a bit faster but not enough to be competitive. With headers I could run ITX in GP2, but there is no real weight to HP limit or competitive advantage from one car to another.

My 2cents, leave it alone for a while. Production has the potential to come back.
 
My $0.02 . . .

I'm certainly no longer in my 20's - in fact approaching my 60th in a couple - but its time to move on. We need to look at the Production class changes as a whole: headers, wider tires and dropping a class (J Prod) and adopt them. This is the reality of modern automobiles. And its not as if Production is "stock" anyway, nor necessarily cheap to build (ask me how I know).

One other thought, the Conference encourages racers to run in two race groups. From my racing experience, you'll be reasonably competetive in one class (e.g., Production) but totally outclassed in the second class. To encourage greater participation for Production drivers, we either need to run double weekends so the driver can focus on a single class or allow the proposed upgrades so a Production driver can be reasonably competetive in a second Group.

Of course if you really want my $0.02, we may want to look at the Production Touring classes in NASA - but that is a different post . . .

Walt Wendolowski
 
OEM manifold for 2001 Integra $239
OBX Header for 2001 Integra- $155

In allot of cases, the aftermarket for go fast parts has brought the price down to below what you can buy a quality oem piece for, so the cost reason is becoming less and less important.
 
In 1993, John Brewer and I went to the runoffs @ Sears Point. John was running in Conference production and I was running in ITB. The Tech steward wanted to know why we were running in Conference production with headers. I told him that we were sharing the car and that John just wanted to race. The steward gave us a waiver and made the coment " I never understood the reasoning behind Conference that allowed porting but not headers." I agree with the steward. It takes a great amount ot time to do a correct porting job not to mention skill. Time and skill cost money if you have someone else do the job. Headers also cost money. Tires cost money. we are now running on tires that are as good as slicks were in the 60's and cost a lot more than street tires. Allowing headers will allow IT cars to run in conference classes thus improving car count. I don't see any down side to that. G
 
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