Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Autocross and Open Track GS re-classifications

Heyas,

Got the April edition of FastTrack, and noticed that the SVT Focus and the Nissan Sentra SE-R were re-classed to GS.

I happened to get a ride last year in the new SVT Focus, and found it to be very good in the corners.

Wondering if anyone felt it tt be a real competitor in GS?...

It will depend on the gearing I think. The 6-speed might make an extra gearchange up and down if second gear doesn't make 60 mph. Otherwise, narrow track, short wheelbase, sorted suspension from the factory and good power sound like a nice stock class autocross car. I know it would be fun to try one. I have driven a stock Focus ZX3 on a autocross and I will say it would be tippy in a novice's hands. The lowered suspension on the SVT version will be a great improvement.
I also noticed in Fastrack that slotted/crossdrilled rotors of stock size will are being considered for approval in Street Prepared. That way I won't have to run my n/a Miata in SM2.

Respectfully,
Andy Hohl

I have the 2001 D stock national champion in my region. His car was reclassified to G stock. It is a Honda CRX. At the last event he place close to the F mod cars and was an incredible driver. Watch out for G stock CRXs.

A H stock focus did well, about 1/2 sec faster than me, but to think that the 323GTX and the CRX, and the Acheiva and others are in the class. I think the SVT Focus could compete locally but not nationally.

One thing to consider is that often times when new cars come out to the Autocross events they don't really show there true potential. The reason is that MOST people who have the new cars are not experienced at autocross, or they haven't had enough seat time in the new car to know what it is capable of. The problem is that by late this season or next season you will really start to see what they can do. I guess a case in point it that last year I came up against three WRX's at different times during the season. I lost to one WRX and that was by .1 seconds. This season if they hadn't reclassed the cars they would be killing me.

They tried to protest that CRX guy but he was legal. HoosierContour, I take it that you are from Indiana...not that you are running Hoosier autocross tires. I've seen CSP CRXs run, too, and that is an awesome sight. Darn things have lots of plastic in the body.

I think the SVT guy mentioned about the reclassed cars but said the Spec V was still in D Stock. Is that what Fastrack says? How much faster was the SVT Focus than your car, The Mark? Was he on autocross tires?

Yeah, FastTrack re-classes both the Focus SVT and the SE-R spec V to GS.

The SVT Focus was the one that showed up the the season finale in Detroit. He was from Road & Track, and did a write-up about the event. He was running street tires, but he also ran the course about 25 times. The guy just crossed the finish line and queued up in the paddock right away. Did that for 2 full heats, iirc. His times weren't posted, but the fastest I saw was about .5 seconds quicker than my time.

In my defense, I was fighting crazy oversteer in 2 corners, and never got that under wraps. Plus, I was the only GS on race tires, so I was not 'competing' per say. I gave rides to todras, Stazi, and a couple Focus guys I know, so I always had a passenger (but sometimes that helps balance the car, so... :rolleyes: )

Short story... It was fast in the corners. I felt like it could have driven it a bit more agressively, but it was a prototype, so maybe he was being sweet. On race tires, with equal runs, equal drivers, I'd say the focus wins out.

If 200 hp from a 2.5 liter V-6 scared me, I'm really petrified at the thought of grenading engines in a NA 2 liter with 170 hp. The tipsy thing scares me as well. I could never get one as a substitute for the Contour, but as a second car for my daughter??? I just think it is too much to spend for a third car, I won't be that crazy about. If they had trouble selling SVT Contours, I think it will be doubly hard with the Focus. No reflection on SVT....they gotta work with what they got. I just drool at the thought of what the Contour could have been if SVT had made a 3 liter engine!!! I'm not so keen on the Spec V anymore, either, after reading about its shortfalls. I doubt they will move the Neon ACR back to D Stock, because the CRX and Celica seem plenty dominant.

From GRM:

It's a fast, fun car that's easy to drive, but...

too much roll (tall body), and understeer, but...

easily correctable with a few suspension mods.

Remember guys, it's not the car...it's the driver. Got my a$$ kicked by an H-stock Tempo, no, I mean a veteran racer in an H-stock Tempo.