Mrsideways

Show up in a stock car drive harder. We got darn close to the win at Autobahn in street RWD in a overheating 350z that was a knife at a gunfight. Essentially lower spings on stock shocks and a diff and a sweet gear box from OS that a bouncing understeering, heavy, underpowered car didn't take any advantage of.

People See all these HIGHLY modified cars in RTA and think they are fast. To put things in perspective. The FASTEST car at sebring this past weekend Rado's 1200hp thing and Turn in Concepts STi (which is no slouch and that's a quick time for that car, and yes Tony can drive!) was still slower then what Andrew qualified at in a T1 NON-Z06 stock Corvette C6 a couple years back for the SCCA National Race. You don't need a big fast car... just drive hard.

** edit ** I thought I remembered Andrew Aquilante's Time being in the 2:15's but I just looked it up and it was a 2:16.9 so close to what those cars ran, still inspiring...

dan_uk

my car has gone round CMP quicker than the RTA street RWD cars did in 09 thats with springs/swaybar and a VAFC.. the way its setup now it'd do a 1.49 in the heat I'm sure and thats not even halfway prepped for that class

jimtway1

No he's right. An S2000 cannot compete in Enthusiast class without some investment. A stock 370Z will beat a stock S2000 everytime given the same driver.

Mrsideways

Then out drive whoever shows up. Whatever happened to the pride of winning in the underdog?

Driven

RTA is checkbook racing. and my checkbook isn't very impressive.

and I get the pride of winning in the underdog... hell, last time RTA ran SMMP, I took 3rd in my AP2 with less than $1000 in mods (eibach springs on stock shocks, 225/255 dunlops, and ghetto DIY exhaust), 2nd place had full coilovers, 255s, and some other stuff, 1st place had something like $5000+ invested (370z driven by paul dentice).

I've been tossing around the idea of running a '88 Civic sedan in FWD Modified (due to r-compounds). I have less than $2000 invested (including car costs) and would love to see where it would place next to the cars with $25K+ invested.

RTA has become like drag racing. whoever has the most money in their car usually wins.

Nikolas@Redline

We're working on a date at Portland International Raceway in the summer of 2011.. ;-)

Nikolas@Redline

Unfortunately that's pretty much how all of racing is.. except for maybe 24hours of Lemons...

top level National SCCA, even Auto X... takes bucks.. even "Stock" classes..

Karting? You want to win, you're dumping BANK into the kart, engine, tires, practice, etc..

Being competitive in Enthusiast Class is about as inexpensive as it comes, unless you're comparing TA to something like a handicapped race series, where you can run a 100% stock vehicle and by way of a weighted system, you stand a chance of doing well, assuming you have the driving talent.

Time Attack, not just RTA, is about modifying cars.. it's what the sport was created for, as a way to showcase aftermarket parts and tuners in Japan.

We realize it is not for everyone, and we're okay with that.

GT Motoring

but appearently nothing in the east i hear.....

h2racer

In general, the fastest cars (time wise) don't travel east, as it is too much $$$.

And any one who puts RTA in the "just about who can spend the most money", solely by itself doesn't pay much attention to NASA SCCA club/national/autoX, Grand-Am, etc.


Racing at any level will always be easier/give the upper hand to a person with more $$$$. Doesn't mean they win all the time they they will have an easier time/an advantage.


The car i crew for (n1 S2k) has done VERY well with an EXTREMELY limited budget, hardly any HP (for a unlimited car). It has amazing handling (which is still rather on the low end budget wise), sticky tires, a great driver, and is well put together.

Driven

The upper classes makes sense where guys have $50K+ invested in their cars. It's why it's called "unlimited"

Stock/Enthusiast shouldn't be that crazy. the 3.5" rule seems like it's trying to keep it honest, along with the street tires and no engine swaps... but a guy can run a completely built engine, massive brakes, etc?

But, I digress... I guess that's why there's S2KC, NASA time trials, and other venues where it's more driver skill than car mods that determines the winner...


and yes, I'm still going to be running cause I'm a glutton for punishment. I took 3rd by only 2 tenths... I want 2nd place (it'll be hard to be a shop-backed 370z, don't have the budget that they do nor the power).