Came out yesterday. No mention of an update to STR although the 350Z is now classed in FP for Solo2 competition. How light can a 350Z get?

 

I vaguely remember one of the drift car builds on this forum getting theirs down to 2300lbs with a sr20?

 

It's official as of the August 2009 Fastrack:


STREET TOURING
- Per the STAC, the following revised version of the STR proposal is published for member comment (significant changes are shown in italics):
“Street Touring Class R (STR)
Class requirements and restrictions:
- Only those cars listed below are eligible
Eligible vehicles are:
- Honda S2000
- Mazda Miata (except Mazdaspeed)
- Mazda MX5 Miata (’06-‘09)
- Toyota MR2 (non S/C, non-turbo)
- Toyota MR2 Spyder
- BMW Z3 (non-M)
- BMW Z4 (non-M, non-turbo)
- BMW M Coupe & M Roadster (1998 to 2000)
- Mazda RX7 (non-turbo)
- Porsche 924 & 944 (non-turbo)
- Porsche 911 (1984 to 1989 Carrera 3.2)
- Porsche 968
- Pontiac Solstice (non-turbo)
- Saturn Sky (non-turbo)
- Datsun 240Z & 260Z & 280Z & 280ZX (non-turbo)
- Nissan 350Z
Additional class notes include:
- Tire Allowances (add to 14.3):
AWD – 225mm
2WD – 255mm
- Wheel Allowances (add to 14.4):
AWD – 7.5”
2WD – 9”
- Catalytic Converters (add to 14.10.E):
Same as ST, STS allowance.
- Limited Slip Differentials (add to 14.10.K):
Aftermarkets units allowed per STX/STU rules.”
NOTE, per the STAC: Classing for STR will not be formula based, but will utilize a list of eligible vehicles. Cars *not* on this list are not eligible. However, as in all subjective classing, cars may be petitioned by the membership for inclusion and will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

 

Would I lie... :-)

Start building boys. This the best chance the 350Z has for a national championship in Solo2.

 

Looks like I'll have to burn up some 265 tires between now and December.

 

255?

STU already has a 245/275 limit, what was wrong with that?

Why such skinny @$$ tires, and what's with the wheel-width BS?

Some Z's come with bigger tires stock.

This is insane.

 

We have a local STU2 class that allowed 285, I'm worried this will cause that class to be dissolved.

 

All the STU-2 classes I have ran in had the STU 275 limit, but I wouldn't have protested 285's at an event.

255's are a joke. I don't know what they were thinking.

 

STR has nothing to do with STU and its very common to limit cars via tire sizes. Look at World Challenge as a perfect example. This is a starting point and you can expect adjustments down the line as the class matures. Besides, competing on narrower tires will make you a better driver.

 

The entire ST category is a little screwed up right now, no continuity from one class to the next. Some get brakes, some don't, different cat rules, wheel and tire sizes that don't flow from one class to the next.

But in reality ST as a whole is still an infant and has a lot of room to grow and mature.

I would say considering that one month ago the Z was not even going to have the option to play you have already made progress. Also remember as a provisional class the rule change process can happen much more quickly. I would expect by the time STR becomes a national class it could have a slightly different set of rules than what you see now.

Are you guys flooding John with calls for his offset bushings yet?

 

If you are a SCCA member and would like to see this class happen, write your letters to seb@scca.com (you must include your scca member # for your letter to be forwarded on to the SEB).

I sent my letter in support of this proposed class earlier this morning and got my log book # back from Harmer in ~90 minutes!

 

Just sent my letter...

 

I'm glad to see the 350Z added to the STR group. I was wanting a class that sits between BS and BSP. Now I don't have to reset my car to Stock before each season.

I found that I didn't have the firepower to compete in BSP in my region. BSP is the fastest class 'round here. Most days even faster than A Mod.

I've consistently spanked all S2ks and Miatas this season that are running in the Street Tire Class so I think STR will be ripe for the picking in my region.

 

I referenced STU because many of the cars listed for STR come from the same "stock" classes that feed STU. I understand the idea of limiting cars via tire sizes. STU already does it in an attempt to give the RWD cars a fighting chance against the AWD beasts.

The fact that this is a starting point gives me hope, but I would feel a lot better if there were some semblance of logic to the tiny-tire-limit imposed on this infant class. It really makes no sense.

I get plenty of seat-time in cars with small/crappy tires. If autocrossing on skinny tires makes me a better driver, I should be Michael Schumacher by now.

Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate trying to be "positive" about this. But there is something very wrong when "track prep" = less effective handling than daily-driver "street prep".

 

This is a starting point, and my personal hope is that STR develops to match a similar rule set as STX (with 265 width tires).

I personally feel the 350Z has a shot in this class with the right set-up. I'd definitely be careful with rear spring rate selection - choose rates that are not super stiff and would allow you to put the power down with 255 tires.

I hope to own a Z again someday, and this would definitely be the class I'd target with my purchase. Used '03 350Z base's are getting dirt cheap. Add a Quaife or OS Giken LSD along with some good coilovers, then add some competitive tires and she'll be ready to tango!!!!

 

It is my hope also that the tire size limitation grows to 265 ... that would be Ideal for the 350Z IMO. I've been running 265s up to this point in a Street Tire class and hope to continue to do so in STR.

 

Does anyone w/ inside information have a feel for how likely or how close STR and these rules are to becoming official?

 

Just heard about this the other day.....personally I'll stick with Bstock, I like the fact all I have to do is buy tires, but NOT changing tires at an event is really nice

 

Hard to say, but from the discussion on sccaforums, there seems to be a lot of positive comments about the class. The fact that the STAC revised the proposal to include the 350Z in the August Fastrack is a good indication that this proposal is moving along nicely. I personally feel there's a good chance STR will be a supplemental class for the 2010 season. It'll be interesting to see what PAX factor Rick Ruth uses for the class.
Agreed. I'd also rather run a Nismo in stock class than STR.

 

When our B-Stock nemesis, the RX-8, leaves the stock class to compete on street tires they get 275's.

The STU-2 class here in florida uses the 275 limit and it works well. I hope STR picks it up as well.

Right now the only 255's that will perform all come as a 255/40 (17, in my case) These are almost 5% shorter than stock for the rear of the Z and will look hideous.

Right now I have two sets of lightweight wheels, but they both have 9.5" widths on the back. I will probably experiment with this clown-car 255/40-17 setup using the 9.5" wheels on the back. (I doubt any of our local guys will complain about the extra .5")

If I can get the car to dance on the skinny tires, I will then consider a new set of wheels. I would also try to move toward a 245/45-17 setup that is closer to stock diameter.

-Man these are skinny.