aabatteries

I've got a lot on my mind for what I want to do on track next year, one of the options includes building my 2005 for NASA TT in the Great Lakes region. Tentatively, I'm eyeing TTC provided they keep the class for 2018 but if they dump it in favor of TT5 that's where I'd be looking to end up. With that said, let's pick TTC for now. Before I put a build sheet together, I've got some general questions that I hope can be answered.

Do I need a front splitter and rear wing to be competitive?
Can I be competitive on a fast street tire like the RE-71R or Sur4G? If not, do I need to run something like R7's or could a lesser tire like RR's perform well enough?
Do I need to go aftermarket with suspension to be competitive? If so, how much money is needed to put together a setup that's better than stock?
Does running a 4 point roll bar help in the performance department? I'd like to pick one up for obvious reasons, but doesn't hurt if it provides more than safety.

To clarify "competitive" it seems that the current top dog in the class is running about 2 seconds above track records (majority set by S2000's) in a Boxster on Hoosiers (can't see which ones in the Facebook pics) with no aero bits, and I'd like to have a car that's capable of running with that car even if I'm not up to snuff at first.

InsaneSp

Everything I've seen suggests that PTC/TTC are going to become ST5/TT5. If we assume the ST4/TT4 rules largely carry to ST5/TT5 with the only material adjustment being power to weight, I'll say that whatever aero is allowed will prove worthwhile. Unless you max out the adjusted power:weight on a street tire, a DOT-legal R compound tire will be the way to go. Wouldn't be surprised if non-DOT and A-compound tires are prohibited. Suspension is a "free mod" from a classing perspective so might as well take advantage, though if budget is tight you can always defer this until you see how competitive you are in that class. A 4 point bar isn't going to do much in terms of performance other than add weight but I wouldn't track a s2000 without one.

We'll see how much the above changes once the 2018 rules are published.

JHo

Greg at NASA has confirmed TTC/PTC is going away. The choice will be TT4 or TT5 next year. Rules will be posted (hopefully) by Nov 29 (per Greg). Realistically if you don't have a built motor and full prep you will fall into TT5 based on the proposed dyno rules (from 4 to 6 points), but the final rules haven't been released.

As far as tires, they are hinting at some balance formula between the tires for TT5. If they don't do it, purple crack (aka Hoosier) will be the way to go.

Really, until the rules are posted any direction is just opinion based on speculation.

aabatteries

Glad to know there's already a decision on transition to xT5. Guess I'll be waiting till those rules roll out to put together a build sheet and get thoughts on it.

Hopefully there is some sort of balance for tires. In a perfect world it'd be nice to be able to run a 200TW tire and still be competitive, allowing you to run the same tire across multiple organizations without being grossly outclassed on mods outside of tires.

King Tut

No you don't need a front splitter to be competitive.
Yes you do need a rear wing to be competitive.
Yes you can compete on an RE71R, but you will lose every time to the driver on a 225 Hoosier R7 provided they know what they are doing.
Every competitive NASA TTC car is on an aftermarket suspension. That is one of the better places to spend your points. Multiple very fast drivers are simply on the Ohlins DVFs revalved for stiffer spring rates. I would think you could get those for around $2k shipped these days.
The roll bar technically hurts you in the performance department but that can more than be made up for by the additional safety and not moving around in the seat when you follow it up with a proper race seat and 6 point harnesses.

The TTC formula and the TT5 formula will be very similar:

Dyno reclass making as much or as little power as you want using what ever parts or tuning you want
Wing
Coilovers
17x10s and 225 Hoosier R7s

If you have those items you will compete. Other points in TTC are generally spent on a front splitter, Stoptech front BBK, and sway bars.

King Tut

Contingencies are key to most of us that run competitively in NASA TT. That means the only tires you want to run are Hoosier A7/R7 or Maxxis RC1/VR1.

t-o_double_d

Todd's simple steps to compete in NASA TTC/TT5/TT4

1. sell your car
2. buy my car
3. go drive and win

aabatteries

Thanks for all that insight! But, 225 on a 17x10?

Obviously sticker R7 are going to be better sticker RC-1. Does the RC-1 ever come close to the R7 with more cycles? Does RC-1 have any chance at being competitive or is it a total wash?

As much as I would love to keep it stupid simple, my bank account has other ideas

t-o_double_d

yes for the 225 hoosier r7 on 17 x 10... those indiana folks up at hoosier have funny math and their 225 is more like a 245 or 255...

rc1 wear like iron, and have an awesome contingency. they will never hold a candle to a hoosier though. hoosiers are great for 1st 4-5 heat cycles then they start to drop off. after 30 i render them useless and a fresh set of rc1s might be able to keep up

King Tut

This is just solid math. I'd do it.