Spending money on STR stuff doesn't make the car slower (well, unless you're doing it wrong). Yes, spending $1200-1300 on a set of Hoosiers makes your car faster for the money than spending it on STR parts, however after 50 runs you have to spend that $1200-1300 again on a new set. So BS people spend the thousands of dollars on expendables, whereas STR spends the money on tuning the car, with a much much smaller tire budget.

Yes, BS is faster, particularly compared to PAX since the STR pax is one of the ones that is not based on numbers right now, it's solely based on how fast someone thinks the class might theoretically be. And it will get faster - last year was STR's first year, and it's not even a real class yet.

I ran in stock for a long time, I'm much happier in STR. Your experience may vary.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I mentioned this in the other autocross thread for SOVA/Richmond and my car is a daily driver/street car first and then a autocross car second. On my last s2000 I had coilovers and non-staggered with 255s and that's exactly what I plan on doing with this one.

I think for me STR is the way to go. I don't have the money nor want to spend the money on a second set of wheels and hoosiers. I'm very content running on street tires. Considering half the parts I'll buy are already geared towards a STR car that ought to be what I try to run.

I didn't know how PAX compared from STR to B-stock so I figured if there was a large enough difference it might change me from finishing 40th in PAX to 30th. It seems like it won't really matter though as they are so close. That and the car will only be stock for another month or so.

 

I'm comparing apples to apples (autocross to autocross), STR is slower than BS. Yes, the car will perform better than stock if properly prepped for STR, no doubt. However, it will still be slower than a BS car (2-2.5 secs raw time). I'm also making a comparison based on national level performance, going regional or localing just muddies the water. When you look at the money spent to prepare a national level STR car, $1200 a year for tires seems like chump change, especially when you consider some use shaved tires. Top s2k drivers have spent $10k+ prepping cars only to abandon the idea and the class after making a go of it. Its hard work and expensive, nationally. I prefer stock because its a more level playing field as well. Who knows where things will end up with PAX and the class in general.

If I was only concerned with being competetive locally I'd probably have done a few things to my car already, I certainly think it could use a little "low".

I have run my cars in HS, STS, DSP, AS/BS and SM since I've started autocrossing. I have been very successful in each class but stock class has led to more gratification. In SM I was very fast, but I was expected to be; and my competition was only limited by the size of my competitons wallet. I had well over $50k into my SM car, so it better be fast. Stock class rules really level the playing field, and I know when I go to events I'm going driver for driver.

Alright, I think I've gotten off topic. Steve, you're better off in STR.

 

Agreed, the cost of BSP is . Starting with an inferior platform doesn't help, though. Street prepared is easier on hoo's than stock categories, but aside from that it is very expensive. In my opinion, it is cheaper to run a national B-stock car than STR. It's probably close. You cannot discount the awesome hoo contingency if you are at winning level (car prep and driver).

 

That's a LOT of money for autocross.

It's fun and all, but damn.

 

$$$ is why I F125 it up for the srs bsns events and leave the s2k stock (lowercase) as a rainy/lazy day car. I certainly don't feel like prepping it for STR (and I wouldn't bother even looking at PAX for a car that's not fully prepped or close) until someone else with more money, time, and skills figures out how to beat the NCs...if ever (more weight, same tire, not hopeful). That said, I ran STR at the last couple events with nothing but a k&n filter and stock-sized starspecs, and the car is capable of running mid pack locally. For me, that's plenty good enough to have fun.

 

Keep in mind, that the $10k these people spent on their cars, they got a lot of that back through selling parts for close to what they paid for them. Also, the S2000 has shown it can do well in STR. There are people that believe in the long run it won't be the most competitive car. They're likely right. But, personally I think it's unlikely that it won't at least be good enough to trophy, and it'll probably continue being good enough to win especially on national style courses.

Are you really only using one set of hoosiers a year? For me (not in an s2k) it was more like 2 sets a year, and I feel I could have been much more competitive if I bought them more often. That adds up fast.

Also, I don't think the 2-2.5 seconds is entirely fair. Firstly that gap will narrow as STR gets their setups figured out. Secondly, you're talking about some absolutely amazing drivers in BS, as evidenced by how they raw time far higher PAX classes on a regular basis.

Overall I think that both BS and STR are great classes, and both have good reasons to run in them. Anyway I agree enough off topic.

 

Aaron.

As for BS vs. STR, I'm thinking of building a STX 328i slowly. Just a dream right now though.

 

I think I could have taken FTD at CDC on Sat.....another dagger for being scared off by potential rain

 

Washed the car (poorly) and tossed on the hoos....ready for tomorrow. Love being 1mi from an event. Get to sleep in an extra 30-40mins.