$2019 Gastropods - come join us.

I think it's better to keep it simple for gastropods. Remember it's supposed to be something to attract newcomers. And economical. To that end four 300 treadwear tires seems the way to go. A great equalizer among the group. Anybody who's worried about gaining an extra half second on the drag strip in a Miata with 200,000 miles on it Maybe needs to think about moving up in class.

SVreX said:

Another tire question...

The Gpods also have to compete in the bigger event. 

What if a Gpod showed up with 2 sets of tires?  Same rules as the bigger event- only  4 “free” tires. 

Obviously, they’d have to run the 300tw tires for the Gpod class. Are we OK with them running a 2nd set for the overall?

I am.  Changing tires is part of racing.

Of course, the scoring is gonna get a little tricky.  The CAM class is gonna have the same problem.  But I think it could be solved with a big window sticker that said “Gpod”, and a volunteer checking at the start.

Thoughts?

 

Do you really want 2 trophies that bad?

Let's take it to the extreme. 4 300 treadwear Tires for gpod. 4 Hoosiers 4 the open class autocross. A set of drag radials for the strip. Woo. 10 Tires 4 shot at 2 trophies. Might as well make it an even 12 set tire event and get some skinnies for the front drag racing open

minivan_racer said:

How about "no slicks" and allowing DRs for the driven wheels only, 6 tires max for the event.  As for the "driven part" simply saying DOT equipment required should be adequate, and we could always go out for tacos in our cars together to prove they are streetable. Also, how do I FMV a 1989 Plymouth Sundance turbo with a bad automatic?  The car was free but it wasn't advertised so I can't claim it as such.

Scrap value? I'm going with scrap value. 

Four tires. If you want to compete for the snail, just those four tires. 

No matter what tires you bring, still come hang out, get the shirt, cheer with us. Source a set of drag tires and look at the scores at the end of the autocross and decide if you want to go for the snail or quicker drag passes. Nobody will mind if you want to go fast and we'll sit in the stands and cheer you on. 

For this year, for the snail, four tires. 

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

Nope. I have no desire for 2 trophies. Couldn’t care less  

I want to encourage kids. Nothing would encourage and teach them more than slapping on a decent set of tires and letting them see the full potential of their own car with a pro driver behind the wheel, even if they are competing in a different class. 

I’d bring a 2nd set just to see them all get excited when the car posted it’s best time.

But if the class isn’t going to allow it, I will play by the rules, as I always have.

I think we need to listen to the 1 newbie who has chimed in, and stop arguing about tires.  We are chasing people away.

AAZCD said:

I'm fairly new to GRM and have only done one autocross for fun and a few trips to Hallett with my Boxsters for DE. I plan to run a car in $2019 because I think it will be fun to build a car to the $20xx Challenge spec and to participate in the GRM community. I have been exposed to competitive driving enough to know that tires matter, but seeing how focused everyone is here on tires, Tires, TIRES, is somehow turning me off to the whole thing. Makes me wonder if I'm missing the point of this $2000 build-a-racecar thing or if you Dorks, have lost perspective. I don't know the history and barely know the rules.

...Just an outsider's perspective. I've got to mow the lawn now before the rain starts again.

You're not missing the point- it's just that a lot of us like to get really, REALLY into hypothetical discussions about this stuff, especially right after the event.  It feels a lot more relaxed in person than it looks in text, because it's much easier to tell that it's just a bunch of nerds trying to boil things down to a formula.

In reply to SVreX :

My snarky two Trophy comment was meant in jest. I just think back about 2016 and the RX8 you brought. I would guess it would fall in the gastropod budget. All I saw was you and your son having a ball with a simple but clean build. I didn't see a bunch of stressing over autocross tires and drag tires Etc. Just saw y'all having fun

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:

AAZCD said:

I'm fairly new to GRM and have only done one autocross for fun and a few trips to Hallett with my Boxsters for DE. I plan to run a car in $2019 because I think it will be fun to build a car to the $20xx Challenge spec and to participate in the GRM community. I have been exposed to competitive driving enough to know that tires matter, but seeing how focused everyone is here on tires, Tires, TIRES, is somehow turning me off to the whole thing. Makes me wonder if I'm missing the point of this $2000 build-a-racecar thing or if you Dorks, have lost perspective. I don't know the history and barely know the rules.

...Just an outsider's perspective. I've got to mow the lawn now before the rain starts again.

You're not missing the point- it's just that a lot of us like to get really, REALLY into hypothetical discussions about this stuff, especially right after the event.  It feels a lot more relaxed in person than it looks in text, because it's much easier to tell that it's just a bunch of nerds trying to boil things down to a formula.

Vmax = F ( W, P, mu, CGx, CGy, CGz, CD, gamma, ... )

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

I know it was in jest. 

But a lot of people seem to have a hard time believing that my primary motivation truly is to help kids. 

Oh i like this.  It fits my current attempt at a $2000 all-in fully-functional daily driver much better than feeling like I need to strip the interior if I am going to bother trying to compete.  I just calculated it today actually...

Edit:  oh man and i can throw out the registration fees?!  Awesome.

Edit edit:  catching up on the whole thread now, my vote would be for one set of tires as well, the set you drove down on.  If you want to run the slow-ass class you can run the slow-ass class.  If you've got a full-interior car that can win the regular challenge with hoosiers, go win the regular challenge!

In reply to RedGT :

Actually for Budget purposes you would back out registration fees, fluids, and tires. So you accountable budget would be around $1,200

In reply to SVreX :

Well I just remember in 2016 seeing the sense of accomplishment your son had in learning to drive a manual and do his first autocross at the same time!

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :

It was also the first time he’d ever been on a dragstrip. 

...and the first time he burned out a (brand new) clutch! 

In reply to AAZCD :

Oh don't let this thread dampen your enthusiasm for the event. There'll be lots of cars on full race rubber going for the overall win. Build your car whatever way you like and come on down. This stuff is aimed at people who want to play but don't see the rationale in building a one-off vehicle. Some people want a secondary use and that can be as a daily driver, or an autocross/track day car, or a drag racer. There's room for everyone. Try it, you'll like it.

In reply to RedGT :

Nice looking E46 for $1000.  Auto or manual?  What's the story behind the low price?  Great score!

In reply to RedGT :

Ooooooo.....that's certainly the class killer at this point. Well bought. 

Auto. 170k. Basic spec 325i.  Listed with my town name but the complete wrong craigslist region.  Check engine lights in an emissions required county (I am still tracking down a lean code for an air leak somewhere).  Wasn't driven for a year.  So much little stuff went wrong DURING the test drive , including the kidney grilles flying out of the hood and over the roof into the wild blue yonder, that I said 'sorry I don't want to waste your time, I would be offering around $1k' and left.  Also the airbag light came on, battery turned out to be dead, hvac blower quit, driver window stopped working. It was a comedy of errors.  20 minutes later he texts me 'the new car is here next week and my wife really wants this gone, if $1k was a real offer we will take it.'

In reply to RedGT :

Have you checked the intake boots (2) for the lean check engine light?  Not sure if thats the intake hose line item on your budget.  

In reply to Flynlow :

Yes, one was obviously trashed with a big hole in it.  Replacement is on now. Problem is, my temporary duct tape fix lasted longer than  the cheap aftermarket new boot fix did so next I am going to grab both boots and coupler from BMW, yes that is the $40 item in the planned column :p

minivan_racer said:

How about "no slicks" and allowing DRs for the driven wheels only, 6 tires max for the event.  As for the "driven part" simply saying DOT equipment required should be adequate, and we could always go out for tacos in our cars together to prove they are streetable. Also, how do I FMV a 1989 Plymouth Sundance turbo with a bad automatic?  The car was free but it wasn't advertised so I can't claim it as such.

If it's the one I think it is it's about scrap value. That thing is rusty and was hard to even get rid of 

In reply to dropstep :

Uh, it probably is since you're from the same area as the car.  Kinda strange that you would know that lol.

minivan_racer said:

In reply to dropstep :

Uh, it probably is since you're from the same area as the car.  Kinda strange that you would know that lol.

I'm really good friends with the guy who owned it from about 02 lol. The rockers are so far gone the door gaps changed when you floored the car near the end of its life.

Dang this idea is good enough for me to stop lurking and actually create an account...

Are we going to have negative points if E36 M3 falls off during the taco bell run? My current plan involves finding something stupid and Korean (seth and pete know, because they told me about it) but likely rattled to within half an inch of its life. I'm thinking how high school me would think, since that appears to be the going theme. I will not however go back to a high school hair cut. Or facial hair. Mostly because I didn't have the latter ans as anyone that has met me can attest to, I'm not real good at the former. Now to see if I can get some no fear stickers. 

The "real high school budget" is a good mentality. It needs to be a functional car. If you spent the money you really spent the money.  Etc.