Racer - Winter 2013

In SCCA Club Racing, the variety of categories means you’ll almost certainly find what you’re looking for, and within those categories are often multiple classes. Here’s a brief breakdown. But, as always, check the General Competition Rules & Specification (GCR) – on www.scca.com/clubracing under “cars and rules” – for more details.

Improved Touring

Improved Touring is an excellent entry point into amateur road racing, boasting incredibly fierce competition. The classes consist of lightly modified road cars – basically suspension, wheels, tires and external engine components such as intake and exhaust – that are at least five years old.

Touring & B-Spec

Touring has classes allowing very few modifications to the stock production-based car, while others allow for suspension modifications and – in T1 – even wings.

From Corvettes to Civics, Touring is an exciting category. Wrapped into Touring is B-Spec, which sees near-stock Honda Fits battle Mazda 2s, Fiat 500s, and the like.

Super Touring

With two classes, the Super Touring
category fits many cars, and has a very
open rule set. Fastest is STU, slowest is
STL, with all allowing motor swaps and
big aero to make these cars perform.

American Sedan

American Sedan (AS) is a class based on American pony cars such as Camaros, Firebirds, and Mustangs. They put on a show every time they hit the track.

Production

With heavily modified, lower-powered cars on racing slicks, the Production category has historically been the home of small British roadsters such as the MGB, Triumph Spitfire and Austin-Healey Sprite. More recently, it’s welcomed a variety of other cars, including the likes of the Miata and Civic.

Grand Touring

Better known as GT, these cars are serious
race machinery. GT cars are either heavily
modified production cars or, more
commonly, tubeframe, purpose-built
racecars with composite bodies designed
to look like their road car counterparts.

Formula

Want to race a Formula 1 car or IndyCar? SCCA has something to scratch that itch – and possibly prepare you for later success. Whether it’s the small Formula 500, the ultra-competitive Formula Vee, the iconic Formula F or Formula Atlantics, there’s an open-wheel car for every budget.

Sports Racing

Looking like smaller Le Mans prototypes, Sports Racing cars are similar to their formula car counterparts – they are purpose-built and light, nimble and fast.

Spec Classes

Among SCCA’s most popular classes are the ones with spec rules, where car differences are removed from the equation. Includes Spec Miata, Formula Mazda, Formula Enterprises, Spec Racer Ford.

Other Regional Classes

Many SCCA regions and divisions create their own Club Racing classes, often in response to the popularity of the car in a given area. Classes such as Spec RX- 7, special Improved Touring classes and Super Production have popped up.

l PART 2 IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF RACER

PICKING A CLASS

Super Touring combines downforce allowances with the freedom of motor builds and engine swaps. This category has gained incredible popularity in a short amount of time.

(LEFT) Formula Atlantic is one step away from driving a professional open-wheel racecar. This class has been the stepping stone to professional racing for a number of competitors. (BELO W) The Touring category pits a variety of minimally modified performance cars against each other. The limited rule set challenges drivers and engineers to maximize performance.