Z4 Autocrossers Unite!!

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Fellow Z4 Autocrossers:

There is a supplemental class being developed for the 2010 Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). The class is called the Street Touring R Class and will be great because it will permit us to be competitive without the need to purchase expensive R-Compound tires.

The proposed supplemental class will include many cars from the SCCA "A-Stock" class such as the Honda S2000 and Porsche Boxster, but is EXCLUDING the 3.0L BMW Z4. It will, however, permit the Z4 2.5i which is not even remotely close to being competitive in this class.

They are receiving comments about the new supplemental classing so please copy the letter I have written and email the SCCA to express your disapproval and suggestions with the proposed classing. There are so few Z4 drivers at SCCA that it will be incumbent on each of us to voice our opinions!!

Send Letter to: seb@scca.com

Recommended Letter:

Good Afternoon SCCA,

With regard to the new Street Touring Class for 2010, I want to first say Thank You for including this supplemental class: many of us have been participating in A-Stock on non-competition tires at an obvious disadvantage because of financial and/or tire transportation constraints.

Having said that, I wanted to bring your attention to a vehicle that meets the performance criteria perfectly, yet is currently excluded from the class. That vehicle is the BMW Z4 3.0i. While I understand the 2.8L restriction, please notice that some vehicles that meet the displacement restriction e.g. Lotus vehicles have been excluded because their performance does not fall in line with the rest.

When you look at the Honda S2000, which is some 200 lbs lighter than the Z4 3.0, puts out 15 HP more, AND has a limited slip differential as where the Z4 does not, it shows that displacement should not be the sole determinant to classing. Between the Z4 3.0 and the Lotus, we have already found two opposite exceptions. It is a similar case when comparing the Z4 3.0 with the Porsche Boxster, which, like the S2000 has also been allowed.

What I am hoping you will realize is despite the fact that the Z4 has a higher displacement, it still falls in the desired performance category as the other more potent vehicles that have less displacement. Moreover, you have made and allowance for the 185hp 2.5L BMW Z4 which is arguably not even remotely competitive as it weighs essentially the same as the 3.0i and makes nearly 70 hp less than its Boxster and S2000 competitors with the same open differential of the 3.0.

I understand your constraints above all.. there are so many vehicles and circumstances, but hope that I have pointed out some overlooked points regarding the 3.0L BMW Z4. The car is fairly rare on the solo scene, so I understand how it may have been overlooked but hope you will revisit it.

Just as you have made a special exclusion for the Lotus cars because their performance is too high despite otherwise meeting the parameters of this class, I hope you see that the 3.0L Z4's performance is in line with it's competitors despite its displacement and should be given a similar special inclusion.

Thank You for your attention to this matter.
Thank You for developing this new solo class.

Sincerely,

[your name here]
[contact info here]


more information: http://www.scca.com/newsarticle.aspx?hub=3&news=3629

[ZStig]

sent

[ZStig]

they're asking for my scca number. which I don't have :/