So, how different are the rules, I've read them, but not recently. I assume you can do more to the car in Production?
Seems to me the major benefit is that in Production you can qualify and go to the Runoffs, while with Improved Touring you cannot. Other than that, they seem pretty similar. Am I missing something?
production cars have way bigger allowances in engine, trans, suspension, slicks and body mods...$$$$
I could be wrong here, and won't be offended if people correct me. Scca Prod cars cannot be too old...and they kinda age into being IT cars...sorta.
To Streetwiseguy, yeah, you're wrong. 
. Prod cars can see huge mods, it would make no sense to try to turn one back into an IT. Only cars older than 6 yrs are eligibe for IT, not sure of an age rule for Prod, but most of what is out there is at least as old as an average IT field.
IT is far more limited prep, intended to be low cost. All original body panels and windows. cannot move stock suspension points, cannot tie the cage to the suspension, etc. etc. Very limited engine mods - must run stock cams, only .5 pt bump in compression. Must run stock trans, but can change final drive ratio. Stock brakes, etc. Cannot relocate components for weight.
Prod allows much more, and is therefore a much bigger endeavor to try to stay at the pointy end of the field. But they are more of a purpose built race car - you can do more to fix what needs fixing, and if you really enjoy the design and fab work, may be more your thing.
I race IT, and feel there is still plenty of development for my limited time, skills and dollars!
Streetwiseguy wrote: I could be wrong here, and won't be offended if people correct me. Scca Prod cars cannot be too old...and they kinda age into being IT cars...sorta.
I don't think cars like this are going to age into IT specs.
You are thinking of showroom stock and touring classes.
tr8todd wrote: You are thinking of showroom stock and touring classes.
Yep.
That's pretty much what I figured. I guess it has been a while since I read the IT rules, while I pretty recently read the Production (Limited Prep) rules.
Improved Touring is probably the better bet for me, I just like the idea of potentially doing the Runoffs. In reality, the chances of me qualifying within a year or two of starting road racing is probably far-fetched.
Improved Touring probably makes more sense, as I'd likely only be competing in the SARRC, and the ARRC by GRM would be nearby (Road Atlanta).
there's no national championship for IT (runoffs)... never has been, and odds are never will be ... it's regional/divisional only
IT or a regional AS would be perfect for me, take 'er out once or twice a month and get my rocks off. 
If you want to go National racing, but at a more limited prep than Prod., look into Super-Touring. They are along the lines (similar, not same) of a Street Prepared solo2 car, but with cages/safety.
SM (Spec Miata), also a National class, can run in STL.
oldsaw wrote:Streetwiseguy wrote: I could be wrong here, and won't be offended if people correct me. Scca Prod cars cannot be too old...and they kinda age into being IT cars...sorta.I don't think cars like this are going to age into IT specs.
Am I the only one that wants to put tags on that and commute to work in it?
What I'm kinda thinking of now is to get the FP car, then convert it to ITA. If I'm really doing well in a year, I can build a fancy engine and go back to FP.
What do I need to check to see if there's something irreversible, or major difficult to change back? I think a big thing would be relocating suspension components, but since it was a limited prep build, maybe I'm alright?
In reply to LainfordExpress:
What you need to check are the rules and the prospective car. Are we still talking about the limited-prep CRX?
First, has anything been done to the car that can't be reverse engineered to IT rules? Seems like that would be a game changer right there.
Can you find and/or afford all the parts necessary to put the car back to IT specs? Even second gen CRX parts are getting a bit hard to find.
It's hard to tell if your desire is to just go w2w racing or if you have a chubby to race in Nationals and go to the Run-Offs. You already know you have to earn an invitation to the national championship. Racing in the SE division just makes that possibility more expensive and remote; the division has a lot of talented and well-funded competitors.
OTOH, regardless of class, there is certainly no shame in regional racing. And, there's always the ARRC which is THE major event for regional racers, has pretty large fields (i.e., competition), is held at a track just a few hours away AND is hosted by GRM.
oldsaw - Yeah, I was talking about the CRX. It already has all the glass taken out, so that'd have to go back in. I didn't realize there was quite that much different, I thought it was mostly just more engine and better shocks.
Regarding Run-Offs... umm, I'm not sure. It's kinda one of those things "I'd like to do someday" but I in know what consider that I'm going to be chasing championships. More likely a one or two times going there and finishing in the bottom third just to say that I've done it. My initial thoughts were along those lines... find a class with relatively low participation that I could sneak into Run-Offs qualification. Then I started reading about SARRC and the ARRC and I thought... why bother?
I think I'd be better served by an IT car, but the lure of E/F Production or Spec Miata is that they can do it all, SARRC, ARRC, National, Majors, Run-Offs. Spec Miatas have just gotten stupid expensive, thought it seems for someone like me that will be happy being bottom third, you can get clean ready-to-race examples for ~$8,000. I assume these are way down on power to their cheaty brethren, but I'm not going to be fast enough for it to matter right away anyway.
There are some really interesting (at least to me) options in IT... ITR Integra Type R (get it... ITR ITR, ahaha, I kill me), ITS '99 Civic Si, various all other kinds of Hondas/Acuras or Miatas, ITA B13 Sentra SE-R. This is starting to look like a winner.
What car/class combo do you guys like in Improved Touring. I'm partial to Hondas (my employer) and Miatas (because Miatas). I like the idea of golfs, sentras, 240SX, some other stuff, but I just keep coming back to Hondas/Acuras and Miatas.
Would recommend a Honda CRX in ITA class, for the best value in speed, dependability and cost.
Though, damn, something like this is really, really tempting.
ITB or Vintage? Both? Yes, please.
A 1.8L NA car in ITA is pretty hard to beat. And you could even run it in E Prod. or GTL if you wanted to do some National races.
In case you didn't get the memo, the answer is Miata...
If you're just getting your feet wet, seat-time is the main thing.
A decent, but not front-running Spec-Miata can be bought fairly reasonably, and gives you the option of running events with both SCCA and NASA.
A Spec-Miata can also be easily converted to an ITA car, so with SCCA, you could run both classes on the same weekend.
If you end up being good enough, and have enough $$$, one car can get you to the NASA Championships, the AARC, and maybe the Runoffs.
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