I am looking through the driver roster and see four drivers in the southeast and northeast. Is Honda challenge losing popularity to the Performance touring class? Or has it just not caught on? What are you guys seeing? Classes growing, declining, stagnating?

 

OH yeah, whats up with H2 looks like there are only a handful of cars?

 

Northeast has not been a very popular region so far. It's been fairly steady with the low numbers it has at the moment. A lot of the people that would normally run with that region tend to go to other regions with more competitors like Ohio or MA!

Southeast and the east coast in particular has seen a decline in the last year or so, but will hopefully seen some improvement in the coming year or 2.

Mid west, Socal, and Norcal continue to grow!
I don't think HC is dying, just going through a transition.

If your not aware, there is a new rule set for the H2 class in 2007. You will most likely see this class become very popular over the next 2 seasons as it begins to populate!

 

i was doing the profiles on the site. People had to send there stuff in to get it put up. I would see 4 or 5 names per class that weren't on the online roster. I stopped doing it awhile ago and don't know if the webmaster has since uploaded any new ones.

I race and I am not on it

 

H2 has never been a very popular class. The new rules issued this year which allow stock-engined motor swaps in H2 ought to change that over the next season or two. I am switching to H2, as are a few others, but that might not help the grids in your neck of the woods. Performance touring is not a very attractive alternative to HC. That class or group of classes is more for cars that are not as well classed as the Hondas are in HC

As for the overall numbers/popularity trends in HC, I'm afraid you are looking at the some of the worst regions in the country for trend analysis. Call it the chicken or call it the egg, but there have been some membership issues in those regions that have caused entry numbers to drop a little. The Spec Tire rule (which is popular in the West), poor local leadership (seemingly a thing of the past), personality conflicts, and problems with authority have all added to the situation "out there". We see no such shrinkage out West. The series is stronger than ever, nationally. But it may take a while longer for the Eastern regions to get back to where they were in their heyday.

I think its the best series in the country for racing a Honda. And its getting better all the time.


Modified by thawley at 8:02 AM 1/9/2007

 

I was kinda looking at a H2 car, but there is no one to run against down here. I was thinking some sort of SOHC and super lightwieght, but, it would depend on class popularity.

I also need a car to take to the SC CA road race school. I really don't want some dude in an IT Rabbit killing my SPO car. I figure once I spend some time behind the wheel I can rent it out. But who knows what the future will bring.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thawley &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The Spec Tire rule (which is popular in the West), poor local leadership, personality conflicts, and problems with authority have all added to the situation "out there".
</TD></TR></TABLE>


edit- Took this to private forums...

Modified by JohnW at 9:40 AM 1/9/2007


Modified by JohnW at 8:06 AM 1/11/2007

 

As I said, could be the chicken, could be the egg.

 

I hope it's not dying, I hope to have my car done by mid season.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Simon Tibbett &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I hope to have my car done by mid season.</TD></TR></TABLE>

2012?

 

Calm down guys, I didn't come here to start a fight, I want to get my intel right before I move in a direction that might not be what it was a few years ago.

What's wrong with a Spec Tire, works for the Miata boys.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by turboteener &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Calm down guys, I didn't come here to start a fight, I want to get my intel right before I move in a direction that might not be what it was a few years ago.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Participation numbers seem to be growing pretty good on the west coast, but they're down on the east coast, especially in the SE region. Racing is no fun if you dont have anyone to race against.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by turboteener &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What's wrong with a Spec Tire, works for the Miata boys. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Hondas arent miatas. There's a bunch of different chassis and tire sizes, and the H5 guys kinda get hosed on size choices.

And it only works when all the cars are the same where the competition isnt big. Look at the front running SM's with most SCCA regions - they are running tires that last one weekend at most (shaved past the wear bars) and $7000 engines.

The grass is always greener, right?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by turboteener &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Calm down guys, I didn't come here to start a fight, I want to get my intel right before I move in a direction that might not be what it was a few years ago.</TD></TR></TABLE>
You might think about just renting a car for your license school and going to a few more races before you commit to anything. Plus, there are always good deals on used racecars to be had if you have the patience to wait. Most everyone here agrees that buying a used race car is a much better (and cheaper!) alternative to building one.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What's wrong with a Spec Tire, works for the Miata boys. </TD></TR></TABLE>
This is a really heated topic. Just do a search for "spec tires" and you'll be reading opinions and pro/con arguments for days.

Personally, I like the spec tire thing. But RJ is correct: the H5 cars got kinda hosed...

 

I owna race shop, it doesn't make good sense for me to buy a car. I can use it as a marketing/R&D vehicle so the accountants are happy and then I can use it as a rental for times when my SPO is up and running.

But I do understand where you are coming from.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by turboteener &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I owna race shop, it doesn't make good sense for me to buy a car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You'll still spend less $$ buying over building, but I see where you're going with that.

You might want to look into racing IT with a honda with the SE region SCCA - lots of choices in every class and a lot of good cars for sale - lots of competition as well.

 

there will be at least one car in H3-5 at the road atlanta events this year, unless I can convince them both to swap to H4 with me. And none of us are on the national driver roster.

 

the driver roster is not up to date, it is missing lots of drivers. Don't go by the numbers on the roster. HC has way more cars than the roster lets on.

 

RJ what do you mean 2012?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Simon Tibbett &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">RJ what do you mean 2012?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think he was teasing you!

Meaning you'd have it running by mid season 2012!

 

RJ, I really can't stand IT racing, I have many customers that run it though. I like the build and tweak of race cars, maybe even more than the track time. I am building a twin turbo 914 to run in Super Production, just because I love the car and an EP 914-6 because I like to work on cars.

I want an HC car because I know Hondas and it has more lattitude than the IT rules. Plus I would like to have a car running in the NASA series as well. You know diversification and all. Plus I need on track time to keep my meager skills up until I finish my other cars (in 2012).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by turboteener &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I want an HC car because I know Hondas and it has more lattitude than the IT rules.</TD></TR></TABLE>


H1 is the real "builder" class. And now (finally) H2 is not far behind. If you are building a car for the long run and like some build freedom, H2 will not be a bad way to go.

Check out the New Rules in section 5.1... Gives me a boner just thinking about it

 

I was looking at H1 and almost said expletive lets do it, but I restrained myself. I already have one super bombad *** race car in the works now, can't afford to never have any cars.

I like the direction of the new rules.

 

Is Honda challenge losing popularity?


For root cause of the above statement see below link:

http://www.nasaproracing.com

 

where in AL are you? if you're in northern AL, Mid-Ohio and Putnam might be close enough to come play with us in the Midwest..

 

I am in North AL. Mid Ohio is close to 8 hours if I remember from my trup a couple of years ago. I have a dozen tracks in this area within 8 hours. I think I am just going to build a car and see where I can go with it.