I drove an ASP Evo at the Devens Match Tour. STU is dead to me.

or , take your pick.

-Bryan

 

Until I get better shocks/struts, I will not give up on B-Street yet...

 

AFAIK the SEB and STAC wanted to see the potential of the new STU cars this year (350Z, C5 and pony cars), and then will reevaluate the tire size handicap for AWD. The goal was to increase STU class participation with new cars, while not causing existing AWD cars to drop out.

SCCA member requests were reason why the 350z was allowed 285 tires, and subsequently moved from STR to STU. So we just need to request elimination of the tire handicap for AWD in STU, or maybe for all ST classes. It would simplify the rules for new members. Also could also help the once popular WRX to make a comeback in STX.

 

I think the WRX in STX is limited by wheel size, not by tire size.

 

You have an X. You should have done that already

And keep in mind the Z is the first car (that I know of) that has been both:
* driven and prepped by someone really good, and
* can fit 285s

There were some efforts with E46 M3s but nothing ever really stuck. So in a way we are in uncharted territory here. This is the first time we've seen how big the gap is between a full prep boost buggie, and a full-ish prep RWD car with 285s. And if you ignore Pro launches, it very much looks like we don't have parity right now.

I would be interested in seeing what people think about this.

The Evo X / GR can fit 285s with ST* legal mods, right?

How about the 8/9 and GD STi? Marshall said here that it was possible to get them on an Evo.

I see three decent options to reestablish parity:
* Remove the AWD restrictions - This would mean 285s in STU - I see this as unlikely due to wanting to protect STX, which is not broken at all right now. But, it could really bring out the newer boost buggies who would now be in a much better place in terms of tire to weight.
* Partial takeback - 2WD cars go down to 265s - they get to keep their 18's, though and just stretch the tire a little more - no one has to sell wheels.
* More tire for AWD but keep them different - AWD 265, 2WD 285. The part about this that would suck is that anyone with a boost buggie who is on 17's would have to sell their wheels and get 18s because there really aren't any 265-17 tires (I think maybe Dunlop used to make them?). This might be the best balance though.

There's opening up diffs, too, but that has the same problem as removing the AWD restrictions, in that it might affect STX.

Personally I really don't want to see ST* allow explicit boost mods.

 

Especially after losing E85 allowances. Thatll make for some expensive events trying to keep up on pump racegas.

 

Increased boost would probably require more E85 than the stock fuel system could deliver anyway, so I don't know if E85 would actually help much in that scenario. Pump race gas would allow for more boost headroom on stock injectors.

But I agree that I'd rather not see open boost in STU. I'm afraid of blowing my motor up enough as is.

 

285's will fit, but they'll be pinched on 9.5" wheels. I've since learned that not all tires work well when you pinch them down so I wouldn't assume that 285's on an stu evo are going to automatically make everything better. Possible, but not guaranteed.

 

I think the max you'd be able to go with the STU body modification limitations is a 285 on a 10", and that *might* work w/o being too pinched. It'd be better than a 9.5" though.

 

from the book:

Tires shall have a section width up to and including the following:
STF, STC, STS, STR (AWD) – 225 mm
STX (AWD), STU (AWD) – 245 mm
STR (2WD) – 255 mm
STX (2WD) – 265 mm
STU (2WD) – 285 mm

Any wheels are allowed with widths up to the following (OE wheels exceeding
these maximums are not permitted):
STF, STC, STS, STR (AWD) – 7.5”
STX (AWD) – 8.0”
STX (2WD), STR (2WD) – 9.0”
STU – unlimited

 

Heck with it, I'm off to SM.

 

I don't see 265s closing the gap to the Z, and we haven't seen a STU C5 yet. If you look at back several national events this year, a C5 in stock AS trim would have already placed very high in STU.

265s would be incremental, and may not help all that much, since it's a taller tire than the 245/40. 285/30s are the same short height as 245/40-17s, allowing the Evos to stay on boost.

AWDs on 285s on pinched wheel widths will never get as much contact patch as the Z or C5 using 11"+ wheels. The Evo would need to run 340mm front tires to match the front grip (tire / wt ratio) of the Z. Plus Nats is on concrete, where the 2wds can put power down.

Stock class Evos and STis have run 275/40-17s with stock fenders. I know a 285 fitment may sound scary to some, with new rims, precise alignments and may not fit all cars. BUT, asking for an easier to fit tire is not going to slow down the 350Z and C5. If we don't ask for 285s now, how many more years will it take STAC to increase the tire size again. I suspect regional level STU drivers would be fine on 255/40-17s, without needing new wheels, but for those at Nats, it's not going to be enough. So why not ask for 285s now?

 

Don't do it!!!

 

^^ Its an awfully slippery slope in SM. Just don't come with an empty wallet

 

I'm pretty sure just thinking about SM costs money.