Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => SCTA Rule Questions => Topic started by: BHR301 on November 22, 2013, 12:11:56 PM
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Question...Under the current SCTA rules, would the Honda Insight run in Modified Sports or Gas Coupe class? :?
Bill
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The 1st gen Insight (1999-2006) would be a GT/Mod Sports since it was only available as a 2 seat vehicle. The current Insight (2008 to present) would be a Coupe/Sedan as it is a 4 seater.
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JR529
Thank you, had me wondering as I looked at one the other day and it had 4 seats but was seeing them running in GT and MS..now I understand. :-D
Thanks Bill
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I wouldn't be so sure about the early Insights still being in GT or MS without first getting an official interpretation from SCTA.
Honda CRX's were two-seaters, too, but they're now specifically excluded from GT/MS in the rulebook.
The 2014 rules read: "If the car was produced and sold with 2 seats on some models and 4 seats (including jump seats) on other models, the car will be classified as a Coupe and Sedan. Examples include Honda CRX, Ford Mustang GT 350's, Porsche, Nissan Z 2+2, etc."
One way to interpret this would be that since the early models had 2 seats, but the later ones had 4, then they'd be considered Coupe/Sedan rather than GT/MS.
On the other hand, the records in the 2010 rulebook list the Hasport Insight (the early type), along with its picture in the GT class description, as holding the record in G/GT. However, the rules didn't read the same way back then. Rather, they read: "GT cars with four seats shall have committee approval to run in this class."
It's my impression that the intent is now to just allow what everybody thinks of as real "sports/GT" cars in the GT/MS classes - and to keep certain other cars (especially aerodynamically slippery ones) out of the sedan/coupe classes. An example would be Keith Copeland's MS Triumph GT-6. Although GT-6's could be had with dealer-installed "Occasional" rear seats, they're obviously more GT/sports car than sedan/coupe. That particular car has made a shambles out of the MS records, but with its tiny frontal area and good aero, it would have been absolutely ridiculous as a sedan/coupe!
So, I'd sure want to get something in writing before I started spending any money!
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Getting and official ruling is always a good idea but the early and late Insights are totally different cars, 2 dr vs 4 dr etc. '57 thunderbird had 2 seats, '58 T bird had 4. Both Thunderbirds. Don't really think there would be confusion here.
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I can give you a little "insight" on the CRXs. In Japan they were available with a rear seat, but not here in the USA: hence the exclusion.