Should I change classes in the Abarth? (Since STX might go to STH anyway)

I read the Fastrack article that they might be berkeleying with ST classes again, and dropping STF and dispersing people to various classes including a new STH that would be essentially all turbo and hot hatches. PDF - got to page 29

I already feel outgunned in STX, and I started looking at other possible choices. I'm definitely out of H Street, so I have these options:

STX / STH - stay where I am

DSP - Street Prepared

EP - E Prepared?

SMF - Street Mod Front

Stuff I've done... unichip, Go Pedal box, just went to KW Variant 1 coilovers a few months ago when they were offered for $699 shipped, rear torsion bar, Eurocompulsion CAI, short shift adapter, removed rear seat. Any advice? (Although I'm still in it for having fun with my car on a weekend, vs a plastic trophy or shot glass. But it would be nice to be competitively classed.)

First you need to ask how streetable you want the car. And then ask how competitive you want to be.

If you are ready to never, ever, drive in on the road- EP all the way. A competitive prepared car is not street legal.

A really competitive SP car is also verging on the edge of ever wanting to use it on the street.

I don't know what it would take to be competitive in STX, STH, or SMF, but I'd water that the ST classes are nicer to live with on a regular basis- and you already know how that feels.

So what does it take to be competitive in ST classes you can choose? As you do point out that a trophy isn't as important as taking the car out on a weekend.

The #1 goal of the car is daily driver in non-winter weather, so there's that.

In reply to Jerry:

To me, that says ST.

It's very possible to daily drive a SP car, but it's far from pleasant if you want to be near the top end of the class.

Since you Stock is not an option, then the next step that's not similar to SP would be it.

I guess the question is with what's already done, would I have been competitive in the other classes. And the answer seems to be no. Guess I'm buying a pair of magnetic "H"'s next year.

To be competitive in STH, I think you will need to reinstall rear seats and buy a diff.

Well... that was interesting...

For a dual purpose street car, the main difference I see between the new STH and Street Prepared is the latter allows R-Comps and doesn't have wheel restrictions. I've often considered building a SP car mainly for that reason - tires become more or an "easy button" - you just get the biggest set of A7's you can practically fit on the car with a set of dedicated wheels and be "done."

Ian F wrote: Well... that was interesting... For a dual purpose street car, the main difference I see between the new STH and Street Prepared is the latter allows R-Comps and doesn't have wheel restrictions. I've often considered building a SP car mainly for that reason - tires become more or an "easy button" - you just get the biggest set of A7's you can practically fit on the car with a set of dedicated wheels and be "done."

I have to claim that I have no idea the ST rules, at all. Which one of them is closest to stock, which one is closes to SP.

It's been a long time that I looked at those rules, and our council of clubs did our own path for the street tire classes. So we generally ignored the SCCA rules for them. (same for the SM classes)

Anyway, I'm not a fan of driving on super stiff tires, or super control over comfort shocks. And hate the drone of more open exhaust when driving a commute.

But the key question always is- what is the comfort requirement outside of racing?

There are other things in SP - like you can change the throttle body and intake manifold. They allow more chassis bracing, and they're going to introduce some rules to allow better reliability, namely upgraded hubs and solid bushings.

DSP - because if three-wheeling is good, then two-wheeling will be more better.

(and you will get the Fiat on two wheels, if not the roof - surprised you haven't already)

In reply to bludroptop:

Been on 3 a few times, I do not believe I have achieved 2 as of yet.