From my possible trip to Nats, I went with 295/35/18 RE-71RS. I was afraid the 25.1" diameter would be too small and affect the TC/SC electronics.
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Autocross- SCCA EV-X Class vs. SS
- Thread starter RacerChris
- Start date
You’ll have no issue with a 25.1, ran this as a 255/35/18 for around 35k hard hard miles.
Latest fastrack has a proposal to move the Model 3 into AS and the MY to BS.. Write your letters to the board!
Lindenwood
Active Member
I’m seeing lower PAX than SS or EV. Or, is the issue how this move might limit common mods?
SK360
Member
Almost like what they should have done in 2019 but I was told AS was a "corvette class" and was untouchable.
superflyrolla
Member
Interesting. I like that the Y would be classified a little differently.
FWIW, I also had no issues on 295/30R18 for autocross. It's really hard to get a jack under the car with those small tires though.
FWIW, I also had no issues on 295/30R18 for autocross. It's really hard to get a jack under the car with those small tires though.
Yep, either way it's a welcomed change. I recently picked up a 23' M3P as a fun all around daily and occasional autox/hpde car. But with this news, I'm intrigued to come out of my autox haitus and fully commit to an AS build.. Gonna be much different than my last car, ES 99' Sport Miata.
I think this SS->AS proposal is gonna generate even more hate letters to the SEB, and end up failing.
It's ridiculous that they are still lumping together RWD and AWD Teslas.
SK360
Member
I wouldn't waste time with a street class build on a Tesla JMO. It's pretty dreadful without camber and better springs/bearings. 3 Performance won't be able to be competitive in AS much like it couldn't compete in SS
This is so clearly the SCCA trying to make it look like they are being reasonable while also making sure EV's still aren't competitive. A 4,500 lb CUV against Supras and Mustangs?
BS is clearly where a stock M3P should be. The fact that they are willing to split the 3/Y, but not the P / AWD/ RWD is silly, and the placement of "Tesla" in BS is just making it look like they are making some motion without any chance of real competition by putting the only actual quick Tesla in AS.
I've run MYP's back to back against M3P's at AutoX and they're an easy 5% slower due to the higher CG and higher mass. You'll never make one competitive in BS given the M3P can only basically tie a well driven BS car on nationals style courses.
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A car to take to large Nationals-style events? Sure, don't bother.
Locally, if most events are on tight lots, it could be a viable competitor. Throw some endurance grade 200tw tires and those should last a couple of seasons.
While I agree, in AS it would be an underdog, it's still better than SS where it's completely obliterated. I wrote my letter to put it into BS instead of AS. If enough vette guys complain about it potentially moving into AS, we may see it go to BS after all.
I don't see it as a waste of time. Every car has potential and I'd like to see where I could get an M3P to. I have some experience
in this realm.
SK360
Member
I just don't think the performance gap between SS and AS is significant enough to celebrate a change. Checking some national event results from the last year there are plenty of times that AS cars raw timed all of SS. A fully prepped AS C6 Z06 is pretty OP. I think even a BS build if it was there would be a waste of time but just my opinion of course. Everyone is going to change the world until they fall in line with the rest of us
SK360
Member
By 0.070 and no one has come close to raw timing BS again at nationals in a Model 3. Certain courses can certainly benefit the Tesla, if I recall Marcus stopped running the Tesla because he found it quite dull. I honestly hated running my car in street class trim. granted I didn't have shocks but camber and other parts really made this car a lot more fun.
This seems very similar to conversations we all had 3+ years ago
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By 0.070 seconds, or 0.05%. And it was driven by Marcus, another multi time national champion. And this was before the Supra became the dominant BS car, which is exactly what Marcus went and ran after he convinced the SCCA that the M3P was an SS car despite himself only running it fast enough to even trophy in SS in 2019 if he had ran it here.
In 2019, AS ran 129.553 vs BS's 132.545. BS top time would have been 14th place in AS.
It's buried in AS, and likely not even super competitive in BS today now that BS is a bit faster with the M2's and Supras showing up.
Everyone is so pessimistic! We can theorize all we want, but at the end of the day, it's not always pen to paper on how a car performs on course. When I started in ES when street category first came about, I was told the Miata would never compete against the likes of the MR2 Spyder. The Miata was camber limited, couldn't power out as well as the Spyder, terrible at Pro's, etc. Years into the class, I trophied/won multiple national events. Then finally won ES in 17' at Nats and won the Pro champ for the season. Now, I know we're talking apples and oranges here, but I'm hopeful! And, I can talk Bartek(if you know, you know) to drive with me
Now, the talk is there's going to be a big reorder of SS and AS, if that happens, all this talk is moot! But hey, I'm optimistic. Either way, nothings better than just being out there racing.
Now, the talk is there's going to be a big reorder of SS and AS, if that happens, all this talk is moot! But hey, I'm optimistic. Either way, nothings better than just being out there racing.
There's also a real shortsightedness to the SCCA here.
Show up to nationals in a $300K tow rig, towing a $300K SS Porsche. A Porsche that they are going to make 2,000 of, and that you need to have a "relationship" with your dealer to get, and carries a $50K markup. Nobody blinks an eye.
In that case, SCCA will be very careful to consider the exact specs of that car, and make sure it's classified correctly. Can't have that Lava Orange GT3RS competing with a Oyster Blue GT4!
Same if you show up in a limited edition, unobtanium Civic Si. Gotta get that classed just right.
Meanwhile, show up in the most popular car being made on the planet right now that costs <$50K you can actually buy, and represents the very future every automaker says they are headed towards with their next gen cars? Meh, they're all the same, throw them all in AS where they can never win.
It's a really dumb move if the SCCA wants to keep Autocross as the entry level, "affordable" sport where drivers are supposed to matter most. Good way to alienate the next generation participants in your sport.
Show up to nationals in a $300K tow rig, towing a $300K SS Porsche. A Porsche that they are going to make 2,000 of, and that you need to have a "relationship" with your dealer to get, and carries a $50K markup. Nobody blinks an eye.
In that case, SCCA will be very careful to consider the exact specs of that car, and make sure it's classified correctly. Can't have that Lava Orange GT3RS competing with a Oyster Blue GT4!
Same if you show up in a limited edition, unobtanium Civic Si. Gotta get that classed just right.
Meanwhile, show up in the most popular car being made on the planet right now that costs <$50K you can actually buy, and represents the very future every automaker says they are headed towards with their next gen cars? Meh, they're all the same, throw them all in AS where they can never win.
It's a really dumb move if the SCCA wants to keep Autocross as the entry level, "affordable" sport where drivers are supposed to matter most. Good way to alienate the next generation participants in your sport.
LOL! YES! This exactly!
I remember when street Category first came around and the justification of making it cheaper and more accessible to ppl.. well well... Got my Miata, F150, Trailer, and multiple sets of tires w/unubtanium ssr wheels. And then spending a whole lot of buying and testing the different brands of tires and sizes and such.. Yeah! Much cheaper than the old Stock classes. I wasn't on the expensive end that you painted out, but it still adds up.
The M3P has been running AutoX with track mode since mid 2018. It's been 5 years on the chassis, and the best it has even done with real competition is a tie for 1st in BS. It's run thousands of AutoX events, and the only places it dominates is in the rain, or very short courses that take advantage of low speed acceleration.
If you really believe the M3P is an AS or SS car, and just hasn't had the right driver yet, go for it. We'll cheer you on, while also not being surprised that you didn't beat a GT3, NSX, Z06 C8, or whatever, no matter your driver skill. I mean, all you need to do is run about 2 seconds faster on a 60 second course.
