Car Classification
The following are the 29 classes that compete in SCCA Club Racing National events. In some cases, the cars in the Club Racing classes have a sister series within the professional ranks, allowing many drivers to easily move to professional status from the competitive background of Club Racing. Indeed, many of America's best racecar drivers today, such as Sam Hornish Jr., Buddy Lazier, Boris Said, Scott Sharp, Al Unser Jr. and Jimmy Vasser participated in some class within SCCA's Club Racing programs.
SHOWROOM STOCK
With its roots from the early 1970s, Showroom Stock features late-model mass-produced street cars like those bought right off the showroom floor. Aside from a bolt-in roll cage and safety equipment, there are very few modifications allowed to the cars. If the car is older than 12 years, it can’t compete. Classed by performance potential into two classes: Showroom Stock B (SSB) and Showroom Stock C (SSC).
Each class has over 30 different cars eligible to compete within that class. SSB is made up of entries like the Acura RSX-S, BMW Z-4, Honda Civic, Mazda MX-5 and Pontiac Solstice. SSC is the slower, but no less exciting Showroom Stock class and includes cars such as the Chevy Cobalt , Honda Civic Si, and Mazda3.
Many of the drivers in Showroom Stock move up to compete in the SCCA Pro Racing Speed World Challenge® Championships.
PRODUCTION
Series produced cars, which are allowed a range of performance modifications while retaining their original design, structure and drive layout. There is no age limit, such as Showroom Stock, so Production includes many cars as old as 50 years and as new as current body styles. The four performance potential based classes include: E Production (EP), F Production (FP) and H Production (HP).
EP is the fastest of the Production classes with HP running the slowest in the category. Several cars in the Production classes can be run in more than one class, just by changing the engine between races. The ease of engine changes allows many Production drivers to enter more than one class at the Runoffs each year. Cars included in Production classes come from a diverse group ranging from the MG Midget, Turner, Fiat X1/9, Alfa Romeo Spyder, Austin Healey Sprite, and Lotus Super 7 to the BMW 325, Mazda Miata, RX-7, Nissan 240, Honda Civic, Suzuki Swift GTI and Toyota MR-2.
SUPER TOURING
The newest category of SCCA racing, Super Touring features late-model production-based vehicles with a series of modifications to their drivelines and bodywork. The intent of the rules allows World Challenge cars to compete in Club Racing with minimal modifications as well as new cars to be built to the same spec as well. Forced induction may be added to some models and engine swaps are permitted. No model years older than 1990 will be permitted. The STO (World Challenge GT based) target performance is 450hp. The STU (World Challenge Touring Car based) target performace is 250 hp. The competitiveness of any given car is not guaranteed.
GRAND TOURING
GT cars are purpose-built, highly modified “silhouette” replicas of series-produced sports sedans. GT cars are permitted tube-frame chassis with performance being equalized by allowing cars with smaller engines to compete at a lighter weight. GT-1 cars are the fastest of the category, and are the closest to the SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am® Series. Several of the current front running cars in GT-1 are last year's Trans-Am cars, and many of these GT-1 drivers compete in select Trans-Am events throughout the season. GT-2, GT-3 and GT Lite cars get progressively lighter and less powerful. Cars include Toyota Celicas, Mazda RX-7s, Nissan 200SX, Honda Civics and Austin Mini Coopers, just to name a few.
FORMULA
The eight formula classes are all single-seat, open wheel racecars. They are built to detailed specifications for weight, size and engine displacement. There are incredible power to weight ratios in each class. The classes in order of fastest to slowest are: Formula Atlantic (FA), Formula 1000 (FB), Formula SCCA (FE), Formula Continental (FC), Formula Mazda (FM), Formula Ford (FF), Formula 500 (F500) and Formula Vee (FV).
Many of the winged FA and FC cars, along with several of the non-winged FF cars are produced by some of the same companies that make Indy cars such as Lola, Van Diemen and Reynard. FA cars have motors that generate as much as 240hp. Motorcycle engines are the basis for the F1000 class where displacement is limited to 1000cc. The FC runs a stock 2-liter engine with about 150hp while the FF 1600 motors make around 120hp. FM utilizes a sealed Mazda rotary engine. FV includes many home-built cars, as well as cars built by proven manufacturers, and is one of the most competitive and popular classes in SCCA. FV entries all run 1200cc stock VW engines. F500s run small displacement, two-stroke engines like snowmobiles, and are one of the least expensive classes to run in SCCA.
SPORTS RACING
There are four classes of purpose-built road racing cars with full fiberglass bodies. Underneath, these cars are pure racing machines. The power plants in these cars vary from home-built "pieces and parts" engines to sealed identical motors.
The C Sports Racing (CSR) and D Sports Racing (DSR) classes feature a variety of chassis including home-built, innovative designs and manufacturer produced cars. These classes evolved from the old modified category in the 1960s. Sports 2000 (S2) are open-cockpit, rear engine cars using a standard Ford 2000cc single overhead camshaft engine. The Spec Racer Ford (SRF) is a one-design, single seat car utilizing a sealed Ford engine. It is SCCA's largest class and continues to provide cost effective racing for over 800 competitors. By limiting the modifications and preparation costs, this class emphasizes driver ability over spending.
SEDAN
American Sedan (AS), comprised of Chevrolet Camaros, Pontiac Firebirds and Ford Mustangs, are production-based chassis with modified suspensions and brakes. Engines are carbureted 302 and 305 CID V-8s that have been balanced and blueprinted.
TOURING CATEGORY
In response to the ever increasing performance of today's street cars and to expand participation by various manufacturers, SCCA has developed a category for those high performance cars which because of their performance potential, required some changes to their wheel/tires and suspension components. Touring 1 (T1) features the Dodge Viper, Chevrolet Corvette ZO6, Porsche 911 and Ferrari 360. Front runners in Touring 2 (T2) include the Subaru WRX STI, Nissan 350z and the Ford Mustang GT; while Touring 3 (T3) is comprised with the likes of the Subaru WRX, Mazdaspeed Miata, Mini Cooper S (John Cooper Works Package) and the Chevrolet Cobalt SS. The latest addition to the Touring category is ST (ST) made up of cars such as the Chevrolet C6 Z06, Dodge Viper SRT-10, and the Ford GT.
SPEC MIATA
Close competition in similarly-prepared cars is the norm for the Spec Miata (SM) class. First and second generation Mazda Miatas have been fitted with all the usual safety equipment and a specific suspension package to keep the field level. Spec Miata is the largest and fastest growing class in SCCA Club Racing.
REGIONAL ONLY CLASSES
The next handful of classes are Regional Only classes and do not count toward National Points for the SCCA National Championship Runoffs.
IMPROVED TOURING
While maintaining the stock look and much of the stock interior as well as running on street/DOT tires, the Improved Touring (IT) categoryis broken down into five seperate classes based on performance. Improved Touring R (ITR) cars are the fastest, followed by ITS, ITA, ITB, ITC. IT provides an inexpensive means to get into racing.
FORMULA S
The Formula S (FS) class allows those open wheeled cars meeting safety regulations but not found in an existing class.
A SPORTS RACING
A Sports Racing (ASR) is a "catch-all" class that allows those with sports racer type of cars and non classed engines compete as long as the car meets all of the safety standards set by SCCA's GCR.