15 replies to this topic

[Jim Drago]

While many are left confused by the decision of the joint panel.  It will not be all bad. The sun will still come up tomorrow. We will still have the best class in racing.  This would not have been my decision, but it is the decision none the less. In my experience, I can not see this decision being reversed as it is backed by both sanctioning bodies and Mazda.  IMO, the more time we spend looking back, the less time we will have to look ahead. We (East Street)are moving forward with these rules today and do you really want to give us a few months head start while you guys debate all of the "what should we do scenarios" that will all eventually lead you back to stock heads anyway?   

 

My plans and the plan for all under our tent ( and will advise all engine/ car customers to do the same) is bolt on stock cylinder heads 100% compliant to the new rule. While not official, I feel confident the valve angles and min thickness rules will remain unchanged from what is currently in the GCR.  So we are doing a by the book valve job, installing all new valves and hardware and decking for maximum legal compression. NOTHING ELSE!  I encourage all the front runners to do the same join us at Homestead and Sebring with stock heads and lets get this ship back on course. If we lead this, others will follow. The longer we drag this out with weight penalties and choice of which combination is better at which track etc, the worse our racing will be because of it. If we get this done before the January races we will maintain the past quality of races we have all enjoyed and the reason we all love this class so much.  

 

I know many are concerned about disparity between the stock heads. Truthfully NONE of us know for sure if we will be any worse off than we are now. ALL of us if running pro engines have had plunge cuts since before 2006. They were in most pro motors since the SS days. So "stock" heads is new to all of us whop had been running pro Motors.  With time we will have an answer, but I suspect this will be better than most fear at this point. The guys at the front will continue to be at the front regardless of the rules. At this point, I feel obligated to prove that and I will.   

 

I can tell you with 100% certainty that the following cars will be running with no weight penalties regardless of the rules effective 1/1/15. I encourage any other front runner to add your names to this thread below. If we can take some of the uncertainty out of this, this will be a bump in the road.. If we let this change drag out all year, it could do permanent damage.   

 

Drago

Stearns

Berry

Bickham

Buras

Lamb

Cahall

 

 

Any negative or sky is falling stuff needs to go in the other thread. This is a thread about moving forward, not looking back. 

[James York]

Jim,

 

I applaud you for accepting the change and getting on with it.  It's probably the least stressful and healthy choice.

 

I can be a bit more hard headed I guess.  I would be ok with the proposed rules other than these main points:

 

1)  This rule change negatively impacts the majority of racers (in my opinion since we don't know real number of impacted heads), not just those taking liberties around the plunge cut

 

2)  This rule retrograde to "stock" heads will likely create chaos.  Not from people trying to intentionally cheat, but for those 100's of racers who don't use the forums, don't know where their car or engine came from, or who are otherwise mistaken thinking they have a "stock" legal head but do not.  They will run with an unfair advantage against their peers.  Will they be caught?  Not likely in the middle of the pack we have seen lack of tech and/or protest history in our class.  Or if they are caught and sent packing with no head and say f'ck the SCCA.

 

The reversal of rule will be one of the largest costs driven by the club and I think will unintentionally create an entire class of SM cheaters who don't even know it.  That's just not good in my book.

 

Maybe I shouldn't think so much... 

[Parity]

Jim,

 

That's a nice sentiment and I'm sure heads will be available for the "front" runners but what about the rest of us? Planet Miata was sold out of heads yesterday. Do you have enough inventory to cover the rest of us? What would two heads (for two cars) cost me right now?

[James York]

I should add to my post, that whatever the rule, like Jim, my car will be run 100% compliant with no weight penalties in 2015.

[AJ Roderick]

Both my 99 and the new car being built will be 100% compliant for 2015 with no weight penalties as well

[RussMcB]

What is a ball park estimate for the cost to change from "Pro Motor" specs to 2015 100% compliant with no weight penalties?

[James York]

What is a ball park estimate for the cost to change from "Pro Motor" specs to 2015 100% compliant with no weight penalties?

 

Whatever your builder charges you for a new head plus any installation if applicable.  And since you have no core since they are shot with the rule change, (unless you can source one from salvage), be prepared for that upcharge too.

[HoneyBadger - BrianW]

I'm currently giving very serious consideration to moving to SM5. If there were enough of us willing to make the move I think it might take off. I do think that sealed motors for that class is a requirement give what is currently going on.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

I'm currently giving very serious consideration to moving to SM5. If there were enough of us willing to make the move I think it might take off. I do think that sealed motors for that class is a requirement give what is currently going on.

 

Do you think maybe that was the intent of this whole thing...

[HoneyBadger - BrianW]

Do you think maybe that was the intent of this whole thing...

LOL. A couple of us definitely have discussed that possibility. I think that's giving them more credit than they appear to have earned.

[Tyler Dahl]

Mazda doesn't show any 99 heads in stock. So what is the cost of a head for the new rules ready to go?

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Tyler i have one for you... 3k just for you

[Jim Drago]

Hesitant to post prices here as that was not the intention, but asked twice.  Our prices are the same as they have always been I believe most others are in line with this as well.  

[Jim Drago]

 

 

 

 

I know many are concerned about disparity between the stock heads. Truthfully NONE of us know for sure if we will be any worse off than we are now. ALL of us if running pro engines have had plunge cuts since before 2006(yes years before they were legal) in most cases. Whether they were "legal" or not, they were in most pro motors since the SS days. So "stock" heads is new to all of us.  With time we will have an answer, but I suspect this will be better than most fear at this point. The guys at the front will continue to be at the front regardless of the rules. At this point, I feel obligated to prove that and I will.   

 

 

 

 

 In an effort to point out what has been going on and moving forward... A few have taken this and run with it.  I did not build our first SM engine or head until late 2010. Anything before that, I was a customer just like most of rest of you. I ran Sunbelts most of that time and once we started doing our own engines it became apparent that "all" the pro engines had plunge cuts prior to 2010 when we wrote the engine rules. So yes, by definition.. I ran non compliant as did EVERY other customer who purchased an engine from a Pro builder.  By the time we started doing engines, the plunge cut was in the rule.

[38bfast]

The plus is if you put on a stock head now you will have a good core if the rules is overturned.

[john mueller]

I'll be running with plunge cut weight.  My head has three events on it...  Gotta give me time to blow the thing up.