Well... did anyobody read the latest tech bulletin? Ford GT was classed in ASP. IMO that means one of two things:
1) The JCW truly does place it in the supercar category, or
2) someone made a mistake in classing the JCW in the first place...

Why isn't the JCW classed into something a bit more reasonable like CSP?

 

I am often confused by the SP classes. My husband's EVO would run in AS if stock but runs in ESP in the SP class. But the Corvettes that run in AS go to ASP? Then our friend has an M Roadster that runs in BS if stock and ASP in SP class. I think someone got drunk and decided to throw darts to determine who goes into what SP class

 

I wouldn't mind running something in the stock category, say DS or even CS. The car could be a bit more competitive in those classes.
Ah. well... I'll just have to make myself content watching the taillights of Corvettes, Porsche's and the like during the Pro-Solo's....

 

Don't try to reconcile a car's stock classing with it's SP classing - because they are not related in any way. Some cars gain a whole lot of speed over their stock form when given the "SP Treatment", other's don't gain so much. For example, a stock class Miata is much faster than a stock class CRX, however, they both run in CSP and they are both very competitive in that class.

 

Yeah, but my husband's Evo can still beat a Corvette, and can definitely beat the M Roadster when in SP. But I dare say that a SP 'Vette and all those other cars will kill a JCW MINI in SP (depending on the course as the MINI is more nimble than a 'Vette in really tight courses). The groupings of cars in SP just don't really make much sense

 

Ya, the JCW Mini will never be competitive in SP, and this is by design, as far as I can tell. The SCCA is leary of dealer installed packages, because there is not nearly as much control over them as factory options. In other words, it opens up the possibility of cheating and getting away with it. Historically, the JCW would not have been allowed in any SP class at all. So the SCCA, in their own sort of way, has actually done JCW owners a favor by bending their own long standing tradition.

Basically, if you want to be competitive in a Mini in SCCA autocross, *don't* get a JCW package!

As far as your husband's car beating ASP Vettes, that is not exactly the case - your husbands driving is better than the ASP Vette drivers he's running against. The fastest EVO at nationals was about 5 seconds slower than the ASP Vette's winning time. I don't know if they ran under the same conditions or not, but at any rate, the EVO's didn't even beat the pony cars in ESP, and the pony cars sure aren't going to beat the ASP Vettes. Unless I am totally missing something, which wouldn't be the first time

Heck, at our local events, I've beaten plenty of EVO's in my HS Mini - but no body is going to beleive that a Mini Cooper is faster than an EVO

 

you are exactly right...

 

Agreed. The car does not meet the traditional requirements for SP classing in the first place. When they bent the rules a little bit to give it a place to play in SP they surely weren't gonna put it in a situation where it could be competitve and cause a controversy.

The one that still puzzles me is the Renault R5 turbo in DSP; a car that was never even officially imported to the US. It would seem (on paper) to be a competitive car in the class.

 

In a round about way this was already said, but I'll say it again:

1) Don't ever use what your husband does locally to judge National classing, it doesn't mean squat since local events are purely dependant on driver. A top National driver in a Yugo can beat someone in a Vette...
Also, an A Stock Vette doesn't even go to ASP, it goes to BSP...

2) Think about the modifications that are done to create the JCW. Now study the Street Prepared rules. Things that were done to the JCW are not even legal for SP. So, to find someplace to put a "stock" car, they tend to use the highest SP class.

Personally, I think the car would be great for DSP, but I completely understand their process.

Brian

 

Yeah, but an S Stock Vette does! That's even worse
I'm over it though, I figure I'll end up running in SM with all of our friends. I know I won't win, but oh well :smile:

 

Put some Azenis on it and run STU.

 

That's what I'm seriously considering...

 

I ran last year in ASP in my JCW, not much local competition in the class though so I ended up getting asp points and rookie driver of the year for our region. I am running in the SEDIV races this year our region is hosting the first on this month 19th & 20th, there is a vette, a porshe boxter, and a mazdaspeed Miata already registered so we will see how my driving is in a few weeks. I am running front camber plates, rear camber bar, rear adjustable sway bar F&R braces and just ordered a set of koni sports with springs for $622 delivered from AJUSA.

Anyone running the Koni springs? I couldnt turn them down for 25 bucks more than the shocks alone.

 

Well after the first day of SEDIV racing... the JCW Mini is in 3rd & 4th place with me getting beat by my co-driver due to a cone I am going against the same Porshe and Corvette from last year,
The Porshe ran a 40.89 +2, a 42.65, and a 41.59,
The Mazdaspeed Miata ran 44.66 + 3, 44.201 +2, and a 42.85
The Co-driver ran 44.89, 44.29 + 1, and a 43.25 first time in FWD he usually runs a 350 z in BSP and gets beat by me

I ran 43.993, 43.40, and a 42.402 +1,

The Vette ran 44.885 + 2, 44.05, and a 42.89 + 1,

BTW... Mark Chiles ran a 39.331 in G-stock he wasnt able to clean up any other runs, his co-driver ran a 40.6? to take 1st & 2nd places for the day. (says the car feels a little strange with the LSD) pulling to the left or right slightly as traction changes.

I just need to get into the groove quicker, I cant seem to get going until the 3rd run and then usually have my quickest run on the 4th run which leaves me hurting in divisional events where you only get 3 runs at a course, I push just as hard on all of the runs and just adjust where I get out of shape to fine tune but it seems to take too many runs for this to be effective. I started doing this to warm the tires up quicker but even with a co-driver it still took 3 runs each to get the rear tires over 90 degrees. I guess I need to change the game plan any suggestions?