Spec Class Discussion Thread

Having seen the Spec class in the rules' write up section and now in the promotional video I was just wondering what everyone else's thoughts were on it. I like the idea but im a bit nervous about it watering down ST. Also for the ST guys that plan on coming back, will you be running ST or the Spec Miata? And finally maybe if people have questions Pred could answer them here as well?

I'm running the Miata. I ran it tonight with a couple other drivers and the car is awesome. Great job pred. I like it.

Dr PiiHB wrote:

I'm running the Miata. I ran it tonight with a couple other drivers and the car is awesome. Great job pred. I like it.

DITTO...mine is going to pe painted like a caddy though....

ohhhh Q&A....pred why is sainted such a sally?
lets see if he can answer this

ROSCOEpCOTRAIN wrote:

ohhhh Q&A....pred why is sainted such a sally?
lets see if he can answer this

i can answer that one. i was raised by my mother lol. just kidding.

ROSCOEpCOTRAIN wrote:

Dr PiiHB wrote:

I'm running the Miata. I ran it tonight with a couple other drivers and the car is awesome. Great job pred. I like it.

DITTO...mine is going to pe painted like a caddy though....

Roscoe, does this mean you're running the miata?

The fact that this spec class will run along side of the ST class is not exactly right. the SPEC class should run only against the SPEC class and not race against ST as well. That's like taking the Playboy MX-5 Cup and having it race against the BTCC

Matthnt wrote:

The fact that this spec class will run along side of the ST class is not exactly right. the SPEC class should run only against the SPEC class and not race against ST as well. That's like taking the Playboy MX-5 Cup and having it race against the BTCC

yeah thats my thoughts exactly. I kind of really liked the whole 16 touring cars in a room. it was intense.

It makes sense to separate them just to keep the great st lobbies. I also like the idea of having them mixed together. In real racing spec cars share a track with each other and in some cases with touring cars. Brings in some realism

I like the idea of seperating ST and Spec. I think spec should be only spec to keep the racing close and not have higher PIed ST cars interfering. Plus im assuming alot of people will leave ST for spec so ST will be a lot smaller than it is right now. I would say keep them seperate and have people be able to run in spec, st and Gt/gs. The problem i see with that is when would we run spec since alot of early sunday is spent qualifiying for most people and unless we moved the end of qual to a earlier time there wouldnt be enough time to qual and run all 3 classes on the same day

SVT No Brakes wrote:

I like the idea of seperating ST and Spec. I think spec should be only spec to keep the racing close and not have higher PIed ST cars interfering. Plus im assuming alot of people will leave ST for spec so ST will be a lot smaller than it is right now. I would say keep them seperate and have people be able to run in spec, st and Gt/gs. The problem i see with that is when would we run spec since alot of early sunday is spent qualifiying for most people and unless we moved the end of qual to a earlier time there wouldnt be enough time to qual and run all 3 classes on the same day

What you said makes sense. But instead of running them separate at different times why not run them separate at the same time. That way we can still use Sunday to qualify. Then race st and spec at the same time and that way both full fields will be in one lobby. This would keep the racing close in both classes and keep the larger lobbies of st that people so dearly love.

That would work and be a good way to keep the Spec class seperate. the problem i see with that is for the people like me who would race in both classes but cant because they are run at the same time, so the fields will still be smaller.

Either way they will run at the same time. Not enough time, like you said before, for three races and qualifying.

Dr PiiHB wrote:

It makes sense to separate them just to keep the great st lobbies. I also like the idea of having them mixed together. In real racing spec cars share a track with each other and in some cases with touring cars. Brings in some realism

Yeah, I ran them together just like the Spec Porsche does in ALMS as in other series. The second reason is that the New Spec class sits squarely in the middle of ST anyway with its 530 PI. So it will fit nicely into the close competitive racing we have seen in ST.

unless final qual happens at say midnight between sat/sun and then sunday is just for racing. say 2pm for spec 5pm St 8pm gs/gt (eastern) or make the spec race on sat. pred will probably keep it multi class though and ill just pick whichever class has the most people signed up but if they race together both classes will interfer with the other a good bit since the pi is so close. qualifying is bunched together.

message from pred

Yes it will run Multi-class with the ST class. Qualifying etc will not be separate from ST. However points will be calculated as a stand alone class. I will clarify a bit more after this season concludes.


so you could qual first in Spec but still start 5th overall because of the ST cars i believed

Yes, ST and Spec will qualify just as any other class qualifies. Only difference is ST and SPEC will start start in the same room but in class specific group.

Admin/PredatorUSMC wrote:

Yes, ST and Spec will qualify just as any other class qualifies. Only difference is ST and SPEC will start start in the same room but in class specific group.

no matter how you do that, that would kind of suck. if you started spec behind ST then spec guys would be held up by slower ST and qualifying wouldn't make much of a difference since it'd be taken away as soon as the fields meet. but when starting at the same time, it would suck too because it would mix the field and have racers not racing against who they're intended to and be separated from who they're trying to beat. personally i love spec classes for obvious reasons, i don't know if i'll go into it though because ST is fun.

Raceboy77 wrote:

Admin/PredatorUSMC wrote:

Yes, ST and Spec will qualify just as any other class qualifies. Only difference is ST and SPEC will start start in the same room but in class specific group.

no matter how you do that, that would kind of suck. if you started spec behind ST then spec guys would be held up by slower ST and qualifying wouldn't make much of a difference since it'd be taken away as soon as the fields meet. but when starting at the same time, it would suck too because it would mix the field and have racers not racing against who they're intended to and be separated from who they're trying to beat. personally i love spec classes for obvious reasons, i don't know if i'll go into it though because ST is fun.

You may want to build a miata raceboy before thinking they will keep up with st. They have similar pi but are built for handling. They have a lot less power than the st cars. Small tracks will be tough but large tracks you will see the difference.

Dr PiiHB wrote:

Raceboy77 wrote:

Admin/PredatorUSMC wrote:

Yes, ST and Spec will qualify just as any other class qualifies. Only difference is ST and SPEC will start start in the same room but in class specific group.

no matter how you do that, that would kind of suck. if you started spec behind ST then spec guys would be held up by slower ST and qualifying wouldn't make much of a difference since it'd be taken away as soon as the fields meet. but when starting at the same time, it would suck too because it would mix the field and have racers not racing against who they're intended to and be separated from who they're trying to beat. personally i love spec classes for obvious reasons, i don't know if i'll go into it though because ST is fun.

You may want to build a miata raceboy before thinking they will keep up with st. They have similar pi but are built for handling. They have a lot less power than the st cars. Small tracks will be tough but large tracks you will see the difference.

DING DING DING YOU figured it out!

Dr PiiHB wrote:

Raceboy77 wrote:

Admin/PredatorUSMC wrote:

Yes, ST and Spec will qualify just as any other class qualifies. Only difference is ST and SPEC will start start in the same room but in class specific group.

no matter how you do that, that would kind of suck. if you started spec behind ST then spec guys would be held up by slower ST and qualifying wouldn't make much of a difference since it'd be taken away as soon as the fields meet. but when starting at the same time, it would suck too because it would mix the field and have racers not racing against who they're intended to and be separated from who they're trying to beat. personally i love spec classes for obvious reasons, i don't know if i'll go into it though because ST is fun.

You may want to build a miata raceboy before thinking they will keep up with st. They have similar pi but are built for handling. They have a lot less power than the st cars. Small tracks will be tough but large tracks you will see the difference.

Well I hope if I run them I'm not held up then wrecked by slow inexperienced ST cars who won't let me by if spec starts behind lol

I don't think it'll be that bad. They are a lot closer matched than gs gt so it should be easier to avoid collisions. Also that drivers are the same from the other classes. By saying that, I mean it will be a pain in the booty because, still, no one understands how multi class works.

i wouldnt be surprised if rb was to beat out all the ST and spec cars in a 530 miata. he had a pure handling build in that 511(?)pi Silvia anyways. if anything he would be faster in that spec than in his st car. i guess i see the unnecessary clutch pi and tranny pi becoming a factor but still i think after a few races youll see that the fastest 3 spec guys will be faster than over half the st field. i guess we will see when we get to the business of qualifying.

SaintedPlacebo4 wrote:

i wouldnt be surprised if rb was to beat out all the ST and spec cars in a 530 miata. he had a pure handling build in that 511(?)pi Silvia anyways. if anything he would be faster in that spec than in his st car. i guess i see the unnecessary clutch pi and tranny pi becoming a factor but still i think after a few races youll see that the fastest 3 spec guys will be faster than over half the st field. i guess we will see when we get to the business of qualifying.

I can see tho happening at road atlanta or another smaller track, but they don't run that fast. They top at about 130 unless you can get a good downhill. St cars are faster than that. At least the ones I've driven are. Plus th lack of torque is noticeable. It would he a good challenge trying to mix it up with st. Especially since most the st cars people go for power over handling. Not everyone, but most.

Dr PiiHB wrote:

SaintedPlacebo4 wrote:

i wouldnt be surprised if rb was to beat out all the ST and spec cars in a 530 miata. he had a pure handling build in that 511(?)pi Silvia anyways. if anything he would be faster in that spec than in his st car. i guess i see the unnecessary clutch pi and tranny pi becoming a factor but still i think after a few races youll see that the fastest 3 spec guys will be faster than over half the st field. i guess we will see when we get to the business of qualifying.

I can see tho happening at road atlanta or another smaller track, but they don't run that fast. They top at about 130 unless you can get a good downhill. St cars are faster than that. At least the ones I've driven are. Plus th lack of torque is noticeable. It would he a good challenge trying to mix it up with st. Especially since most the st cars people go for power over handling. Not everyone, but most.

im thinking leguna would be interesting.

without having driven the spec cars, i can't be 100% sure but i can tell you now that the spec car is probably quite a bit faster than my ST car in almost all aspects. i may not be able to outrun the ST cars in the straights just like it is now, but with the time i'd make up in the corners i'd probably have a better lap time on almost any track.