Like the topic says...

 

Can be to some degree (I guess the question is what would you consider competitive), not sure how much they have been developed beyond whtat Seck and Dubinski are running:

http://www.sedivracing.org/ECR/02Results/Kershaw08.htm (recent endurance rain race Tegs are 1st and 3rd)

http://www.sedivracing.org/SARRC/02p...ew/ITSITAI.htm

http://www.sedivracing.org/ECR/02points/its.html (Endurance Series, Tegs 3rd and 5th)

Personally, I'd love to run one in ITS except the up front cost of getting it there. I do think that the 3 series BMWs or the 2nd gen RX-7s are the car to have but then again, someone could give a good argument for a 240-ZX (or a non-VTEC Prelude for that matter).



[Modified by phat-S, 11:06 PM 10/6/2002]

 

Both the Integra and the Prelude get saddled with too much weight to be truly competitive. There are some fast ones in the southeast, but come time for the ARRC they are lucky to see top 5.

On a regional level, I guess alot depends on what runs in your region. Around these parts you have to deal with the likes of the Speedsource RX7s (about $40K each for the top ones from what I've been told) and some extremely fast BMWs (One recently ran a high 51 at CMP, which is just plain sick).
Yeah, we have ITS cars around here turning laps as fast as SVWC Touring cars. Doesn't bode well for guys like me who have to get 2 or 3 weekends out of a set of tires and can't afford $4000 shocks and a Motec brain.
Oh yeah, the drivers around here are stupid fast too. Many are pros (Tom Fowler, Sylvain Tremblay, etc.) getting extra seat time/fun.

ITS is not in my near future. ITC maybe... someday.

 

I guess the question for me is what could a 40-50K ITS GS-R could do against the Bimerworld 3's and Speedsource RX-7s.

 

At 2690lbs... it'd likely lose (taking the driver factor out).
180 whp and 130wtq would be EXCELLENT from a GSR in ITS trim. The 325s and RX-7s are well over 200whp and have a good bit more torque.

Now... if you want to build a $40K GSR and pray for rain...

 

There was a thread on IT.com some months back on the RX-7s and 170ish was accepted at the wheels from my memory. I think 180 whp would get a protest (but it is lighter by 10 lbs. @ 2680) - I'll try find the post. Their advantage I'd think would be in the bigger brakes but I am not sure - might have better aerodynamics as well (I'd think so).

The 3 series is @ 2850 IIRC but yes, I think they are well over 200 whp (not sure on that but thought they were decently over and I-6 have mondo torque no?).

I'm just saying that these (Bimerworld and Speedsource) are shops putting alot of development into these cars (I would think) and I wasn't sure if anyone has done likewise for the GS-Rs. If so and you could buy a race-ready GS-R at that same price point, I'd like to see how well it fared.

Here was the link I was thinking of: http://forums.improvedtouring.com/it...ML/000217.html

I guess my statement about 180 getting a protest was off - I thought I remembered them giving the 187 number grief but I hadn't read it in months.


[Modified by phat-S, 12:49 AM 10/7/2002]

 

This guy is pretty competetive...
http://www.soloracer.com/scottseck.html

 

I'll **** twice and eat it if a GS-R ever wins ITS at the ARRC*.

*at it's current weight.

 

Both Adam and I know Scott, and he's damned good. Got an ARRC ITC trophy to prove it.
But I'm with Matt. No way he'll top 5 that car at the ARRC unless they take at least 100lbs off it (which ain't gonna happen). Fowler struggles to get his Prelude in the top 5 around here.
I'll leave the turd munching to Matt.

As many of us know, what these shop publish as their whp and what they actually have are often very dissimilar. I have been told by someone who would know that the top Speedsource cars are over 200whp. Yes, they also have better brakes than either the GSR or Prelude.
Not that far fetched considering Greg Summerlin's 160K mile (never been rebuilt) RX7 is seeing 162 at the ground with just an open intake and 3" exhaust (I saw the dyno sheet and have driven the car... it's true).
There's ALOT of horsepower in those 13b motors.

 

Although the GSR is set with a very high weight for ITS, a properly built GSR can be made to run with the Speedsource RX-7s and the Bimmerworld BMWs.

A direct example of this is the already quoted run by Paul Dubinsky in his GSR in the recent Kershaw ITS Enduro.

Within the Honda-Challenge, Alex Ratcliffe has done a great job winning races in his GSR against Type Rs with 30+ more horsepower

Our team's fastest race lap 2:17.162 at Watkins Glen in our GSR was under the current ITS record there.

No matter what, an inexpensive RX-7 will not be as fast as a $40,000 RX-7, which relates back to an inexpensive GSR having a difficult time with a $40,000 RX-7

 

As I mentioned above, I don't disagree that a GSR can do well in some regions. I'm talking in terms of head to head with the best ITS cars and drivers in the country (the ARRC). I don't think the GSR stands a chance at it's current weight.
Again, it carries about the same weight as the RX7 with less HP and smaller brakes.

Same goes for the first gen CRX Si classified in ITA. In some regions the car does very well and wins championships. Around my region the 2nd gen CRXs are just plain dominant. No way a 1st gen stands a remote chance in hell of winning a championship. The ARRC... fuggetaboutit.