C66 Racing

My car has just come back from what has worked out to about a semi-annual trip to Phoenix Performance, this time driven by a class change in the SCCA from T1 to T2.

For those that haven't paid close attention to the SCCA class structure, the SCCA club racing amateur classes and series will undergo a major revision for 2013. They have combined six classes into four which in general I am a fan of (bigger class participation numbers) but as a result, my car is being moved down from T1 to T2 (and T1 became a much more heavily modded, thus expensive class previously the STO cars). To keep the C5 equal with the Mustangs, Camaros, 370Zs etc that remain in T2, the C5 takes a performance penalty for this move, namely an increase in weight of 120# and removal of headers (back to stock manifold), and adding a restrictor plate in the intake. Not sure how competitive the car will be in T2, but we’ll see.

The 2nd major change is that the previous amateur class ranking, Regional and National, is being phased out. Again I am in favor of this. Regional was intended to be local, and National was intended to be national, but over the decades they had blended together and there was no real difference. With multitudes of regional and national events on any given weekend, the participation numbers (per event) were trending down. 2013 is a transition year. National club races will exist for 2013 but will be gone in 2014. National races were run in one of the SCCA’s nine Divisions. I raced in Midwest in Memphis, Pacnorwest in Seattle and now in the Northeast. The 2nd year I ran full time (2004), I was the Midwest Division National T1 Class Champion. Haven’t run a full schedule since then mostly due to my "day" job schedule.

In 2012, I raced only in Regional events as this kept travel costs down and I could run used tires all year long. I was the 2012 Mid-Atlantic Road Racing Series (MARRS) local class champion (which only had four entrants so not saying much).

In place of National events, the SCCA has divided the country into four conferences and for 2013 added a top tier amateur class called the U.S. Major Tour. There will only be six weekends for the Major Tour in the entire Eastern Conference so the participation numbers should go way up. Each weekend will be a double race (Sat and Sun). Out of the 12 races (over six weekends), only the top eight will count for points. So by running four weekends (VIR, Summit Point, NJMP, Watkins Glen), I will at least get eight races in for points.

Info on the Major Tour can be found here:
SCCA Majors Tour

Not sure my schedule/budget (both daughters in college in 2013) will support running all these double weekends as it is more than I’ve done since 2004, but intend to give it a go.

Work done on my car by Phoenix to get it ready for the 2013 season and the transition from T1 to T2:
- Replaced headers with stock manifold (which also required changing the center section - no cats, due to the difference in length)
- Added 63 mm restrictor to intake
- Added ballast to make 3300# (was 3180# last year in T1)
- Tuned to new restrictor, exhaust
- Race Alignment/corner weight with new weight
- Added new 6-pt belts (they time out every few years by SCCA rules)
- Added Lifeline 4 liter fire system (needed weight anyway)
- Replaced rear tie rods
- Replaced front sway bar bushings
- Replaced front a-arm bushings

Separately, I'll change rotors, pads, fluids, filters.

Joe - thanks to you and your team for prepping my car for 2013.

fatbillybob

Converting from T1 to T2 makes the most sense to me too for my car's prep level and driver skill level. I'm in the process right now with car on lift. I'm working on ballast. I think I'll add a whole separate second fire system because I need ballast. I think I'll divide them engine and gas tank. Upping my coolsuit volume too. See you in T2!

redtopz

Good luck to you guys in 2013! T2 could be a fun class although hopefully for your sake nobody shows up in a C6 which is losing 50 lbs while you are gaining 120. While I personally am not happy with the changes to T1, I can see why they are reducing classes. Phasing out national/regional distinctions and introducing the Major Tour also sounds like a good idea, but I can't figure out why the West Coast tour has no events in my Region which has arguably the best tracks (Laguna Seca, Sonoma, and Thunderhill)! Is it something personal?

jfaphoenix32

Thank you Brad for the kind words...

Red top z, The LS3 c6 ends up weighing 3450 with a 52 mm restrictor... The restrictor h lowers the rear wheel hp significantly on the LS3... We will have to see how it works out.

davidfarmer

Thanks for the simple write-up on the changes at SCCA. Sounds like many options for Vette racers now. When I started (20 years ago), Vettes weren't legal anywhere except for GT1, driving even novice Vette lovers into Pro racing!

BuckeyeZ06

I really like the direction SCCA Club racing is headed; the Majors idea is a good one.

My gut tells me, with 2012-era STO cars eligible for GT2, that 2013-era T1 won't "make it."

fatbillybob

The other cool thing about SCCA T2 is that surprise surprise you can directly cross class right to NASA ST3 non-aero with no modifications and be right at 9.0hp/lb. The T2/ST3 cross classing is way closer than the old T1/ST2. The cost of converting a T1 car to T2 is a restrictor plate, tune, alignment, corner balance, and lead.

CP Thunder

Brad........what made you decide to dump the headers? Why not just run the smaller restrictor?

clubracer6

Nice write up Subdriver and nice to see some press for T2! Also curious as to why you ditched the headers?? What reseach did you do to make that call?

One way or another going the T2 route too and think it will be a really good class and fun racing.

We are putting some numbers together to see what it would take to convert our C6 back to more of a stock car. It's a monumental task but will be our best option of the car doesn't sell soon.

jasonberkeley

Brad-

Any chance you would be willing to share what the restricted rwhp number was?

I assume you tested with headers and smaller restrictor vs. oem manifolds with larger restrictor and the oem's with karger restriuctor made more power?

redtopz

Well since the oem manifolds were designed to flow with no restrictor, they should be more than adequate with a 2.5" restrictor. Running a smaller restrictor with long tubes seems counter-intuitive to me since you will be flowing less air making the headers less critical. I would also be interested in seeing the dyno results, but my guess is the larger restrictor with stock manifolds would make more power (probably around 360 whp) with a flat power curve.

Joe, is the 3450 lbs with the big grandsport wheels or 315's like the C5?

sperkins

Unlimted rule pw/wt class vs Spec rules class.

C66 Racing

Appreciate all the replies above.

For the several that asked about why I went back to the stock manifold (and it was painful taking those nice headers off and putting the stock manifold back on - fortunately I had kept them and the center section that went with them) - I'll defer to Joe Aquilante on how much he wants to share including the dyno numbers. The decision was made in consultation with Joe and he recommended the stock manifold and 63 mm restrictor over the headers and 55 mm restrictor. Joe hasn't let me down yet.

Olitho

Having done both there is a lot desireable about "spec" rules if the sanctioning body is not all screwed up in its member relations. The "spec" rules are actually my preference. I think it makes for better racing.

CP Thunder

I still have the manifolds but our center section went East somewhere.......wonder if its still hanging about..........Hmmmm...........

fatbillybob

From what I know about engines everything should be balanced like a system. OEM plus bigger restrictor makes sense but no one knows if t2 is going to work and it may not matter if you have suboptimal setup bit super small fields. Also, if t2 turns out to be an early bust you can pull the small restrictor on your header car and move to a new club quickly. Changing out headers etc. Is such a pain.

sperkins

I agree Oli. We had some great racing in our previous points based class and it wasn't a spending fest. Now it's an open wallet competition.

C66 Racing

Most of what I've done to my car isn't undoable, so this year will be a wait and see year for me. At a minimum, I'll do enough races to keep my license active and my options open. I'll probably go watch a few races for the guys in the NE that opted out of SCCA to see how their season works out.

Headers are a pain, but I can do it - tune is always what I get uncomfortable with after I mess with airflow in or out.

Recognize that T2 might not have big fields, but I'm hoping that the Major's will help drive field strength up. We'll see.

L98Terror

Where did you get the 63mm restrictor?

jfaphoenix32

Phoenix performance makes and sells them...

610-482-0141 $85.00 plus shipping.