Important 2014 changes to Stock class Solo
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:39 am
If you were a Stock class competitor and haven't followed the changes for 2014, make sure you read this post before you head towards the registration trailer this year. Stock class is no longer named "Stock," rather "Street." The Street category is a return to street tires on stock autocross cars, with a few additional allowances outline in the 2014 rules:
SCCA Solo Rules
http://www.scca.com/solo/content.cfm?cid=44517
Also, be aware that some cars were reclassified as part of the change. (For example, almost all of the '99-05 Miata trims were in C-Stock, but are now in E-Street.) Be sure to check the rulebook. The reasoning behind the Street category change is explained here:
Street Category Explained
http://www.solomatters.com/street-catag ... -explained
It's a worthwhile read. For the majority of local entrants, this is a welcome modernization and cost reduction. For some nationally active Stock class competitors, the conversion causes some grumbling. On balance, I think it helps keep the lowest-prep Solo category remain relevant.
If you still have R-compound tires, you are allowed to run them in 2014 as a sunset measure. Whatever your Street class, add a letter "R" to the end. If I wanted to run Hoosiers on my ES Miata, I would put the class letters "ESR" on each side. ESR would be a separate class from ES.
Another transitional measure is that Street requires 140 treadwear tires in 2014. Beginning in 2015, the minimum treadwear will be 200. It's no coincidence: many non-SCCA series such as LeMons, ChumpCar, Optima Ultimate Street Car, and others already require 200TW, and the tire industry has followed. Much of the crop of popular Extreme Summer - BFG Rival, Dunlop ZII, etc. - already meet that minimum.
SCCA Solo Rules
http://www.scca.com/solo/content.cfm?cid=44517
Also, be aware that some cars were reclassified as part of the change. (For example, almost all of the '99-05 Miata trims were in C-Stock, but are now in E-Street.) Be sure to check the rulebook. The reasoning behind the Street category change is explained here:
Street Category Explained
http://www.solomatters.com/street-catag ... -explained
It's a worthwhile read. For the majority of local entrants, this is a welcome modernization and cost reduction. For some nationally active Stock class competitors, the conversion causes some grumbling. On balance, I think it helps keep the lowest-prep Solo category remain relevant.
If you still have R-compound tires, you are allowed to run them in 2014 as a sunset measure. Whatever your Street class, add a letter "R" to the end. If I wanted to run Hoosiers on my ES Miata, I would put the class letters "ESR" on each side. ESR would be a separate class from ES.
Another transitional measure is that Street requires 140 treadwear tires in 2014. Beginning in 2015, the minimum treadwear will be 200. It's no coincidence: many non-SCCA series such as LeMons, ChumpCar, Optima Ultimate Street Car, and others already require 200TW, and the tire industry has followed. Much of the crop of popular Extreme Summer - BFG Rival, Dunlop ZII, etc. - already meet that minimum.