AutoX classes

[theenico]

So it appears the Sonic is now on the stock class exclusion list due to rollover risk. Looks like STC will be the only avenue. Booooo to the SCCA

I'm on it. Letter 6585 was mine. The actual SSF is 1.34 which is within the spec of section 3.1. The lead development engineer for the North American Sonic and myself both spoke to the SCCA today. It should be resolved by the time the season starts.

Trust me. I about shrit myself when I read the Feburary Fastrack.

 

[Danny5]

Just got this on my local SCCA website:

Danny,

We just received word from the national office that the Chevy Sonic is not allowed to participate in SCCA events due to the rollover rating. Feel free to come out and weigh it if you like, but we can not allow it to run in the actual event or the SCCA will pull our sanction.

I'm sorry, but thought I would let you know since we just got the word this morning.

I will send you an email as well.

 

[theenico]

If you're serious about autocrossing, tell your RE to call the SCCA national office and talk to Doug Gill. He's the technical director and a very nice guy at that. He is well aware of the situation. Long story short, the Sonic will be off the exclusion list in one of the next Fastracks.


Re-Edit:
I just went to the SCCA website. The Feb. Fastrack is still the most current. That's the one that has the Sonic on the exclusion list. The official 2012 Solo rules have not been published yet. Give it a few weeks. It will be resolved. Unfortunately, you live in a state where motorsports can pretty much happen year round.

 

[Watchdoc]

Our first event is next weekend so it looks like I'll be missing it. I wish the SCCA would get this ironed out sooner rather than later.

 

[theenico]

I understand. I've been checking the SCCA website daily for the March Fastrack to come out.

When I check my latest letter (7234) it shows that it is pending review by the Stock commitee.

Either way, my previous posts still stand. The car will be approved. It's the wait for it to be "official" that's killing me.

 

[SonicChris]

What exactly are the determining factors that put the Sonic as a roll over danger?

 

[theenico]

What exactly are the determining factors that put the Sonic as a roll over danger?

That's the point. The Sonic is not a rollover danger. For cars that don't have published rollover rating at the time of classification review, the SCCA uses a rudimentary equation that is just based on track width vs overall vehicle height. Since the Sonic's track width is a quarter inch narrower than the vehicle is tall, it didn't pass the rule of thumb.

The Sonic does now have a published rollover rating that is within the safety criteria of the SCCA Solo rules.

rollover rating: http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Sho...-Newer+Vehicles/Vehicle-Detail?vehicleId=6506

(Scroll towards the bottom of the page and click the rollover rating tab)

 

[SonicChris]

First off, the SCCA's formula for Roll Over danger is idiotic. It doesn't take into count ride height, suspension stiffness or center of gravity. Personally I don't agree with the SCCA on many of there rules and classifications. I when I put my ORP on my Focus, it put me in a class with modified STi's and Evo's. Seriously? It's a shame they have become the end all for grass roots road course and auto-x racing.

 

[LS1notFOUND]

Rollover risk? Honestly looking at the Sonic it appears more stable than a lot of other cars in this segment and I thought it has a wider wheel base than the Aveo, wheels appear more pushed out anyway. Good to know it should be officially able to go soon.

opps: http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/t1796/
ran in HS, only 3 cars in the class and I lost to a Focus that had some suspension work down from what the owner said, but "legal" stuff.

Either way, good showing for sonic.

 

[AustinK]

any word from the SCCA about the sonic?

 

[SonicChris]

I'm not sure about the SCCA, but i've talked to a few local.auto-x clubs that are non scca and they're going to allow me to run the Sonic.

 

[AustinK]

I'm not sure about the SCCA, but i've talked to a few local.auto-x clubs that are non scca and they're going to allow me to run the Sonic.

thanks for getting back... ill see if there are other autocross events around here hopefully they will let me run as well...

 

[SonicChris]

thanks for getting back... ill see if there are other autocross events around here hopefully they will let me run as well...

Check with some of your local sports car clubs. They often run non-SCCA auto-x events. I'm going to be running with Sports Car Club of Maine or the Corvette Club of New England.

 

[AustinK]

Check with some of your local sports car clubs. They often run non-SCCA auto-x events. I'm going to be running with Sports Car Club of Maine or the Corvette Club of New England.

good idea... thanks for the help!

 

[Screamer4]

I think it's funny that the Fiat 500 Abarth is also on the SCCA stock no-fly list, despite it's racy intentions... and unlike the Sonic it has no hope of getting a pass.

 

[AxelRipper]

I'm amazed it hasn't gone through yet. Auto-x season is heating up I do believe. Oh well, I'll just stick in FSAE for now.

I'd rally-x it (those guys allow anything!) but it is far too new.

 

[AustinK]

I'd rally-x it (those guys allow anything!) but it is far too new.

i want to rally-x as well i think that would be really fun

 

[PeteSkids]

In this months fast track news bulletin it looks like the SCCA has allowed the 1.8L, but not the 1.4T. Unless I'm understanding this wrong.

Here's the link to the pdf.

http://www.scca.com/assets/12-fastrack-may-solo.pdf

 

[theenico]

In this months fast track news bulletin it looks like the SCCA has allowed the 1.8L, but not the 1.4T. Unless I'm understanding this wrong.

Here's the link to the pdf.

http://www.scca.com/assets/12-fastrack-may-solo.pdf

Kind of. Neither engine has been classed in the Stock category. The 1.8 has been classed in the Prepared category (EP specifically). Prepared is for gutted vehicles on slicks with built engines and fully prepped suspensions.

On a side note, I have been running SCCA events in H-Stock (HS) anyway. No one has given me any grief yet.

And yes, I have written yet another letter to the SCCA kindly asking them to remove their craniums from their posteriers.


Edit:

I went back and double checked page 167 of the Solo rulebook. The Sonic is not on the official excluded list. This is from the may revision of the SCCA solo rulebook which over-rides the Feburary Fastrack.

What does this mean? It means that at the regional level you're good to go, but you still can't run a divisional or national solo.

 

[AxelRipper]

I missed out on an opportunity to beat up on some Abarths yesterday at an AROC autocross. Had a car from work for the weekend instead so I wound up running that instead of the FSAE car we had brought. Maybe one of these times they'll wind up head to head. The fastest one there (tight course compared to SCCA) was about as fast as a well sorted ACR Neon, pulling 47 second times.

Also, same course a Malibu Eco will run 52's with a Dart and the stock 500s.