AS, AT, or SS? Street tire classing question

[jcollier]

I've registered a "new" car for the 5/15 event and can't quite figure out which class this car will be in.
The rulebook PDF says that an '04 Porsche 996 will be in A-Stock. As I'll be on street tires though, does anyone know if that changes my classing?
Going out to Annie this week for new numbers/letters and wanna get it right.
Thanks in advance for any feedback.

J.J. Collier

[tronic]

You can run in AS on street tires.

Or you can run our local AT index-street tire class, but you'd have to run AS at any National event.

[jcollier]

Thanks, Kelly.
It was a bit confusing cause I ran my '79 Porsche in B Stock and had never heard of the Street Tire index.
Guess I'll run AS and be okay.

[Goku]

If your car is AStock legal then AS is your class. If you run in AT you are still index by AS index you just get to run with other guys on street tires that are also in a Stock class. Personally I would run in AT. There are always a lot of people in AT and even tho they are driving different cars they can still give you good advice on how to set your tires and help you with other general questions. If you run in AS it will probably only be you in the class. Which isn't a bad thing really but its more fun if you have people in your same class to help you out. Just note if you pick AT make sure your numbers say xx AT. xx being whatever number you pick.

[Goku]

Thanks, Kelly.
It was a bit confusing cause I ran my '79 Porsche in B Stock and had never heard of the Street Tire index.
Guess I'll run AS and be okay.

There is no street tire index for AT. all AT does is combine stock classes into one group. Each car is still index via its correct stock class index. Its strictly a local class. Its just to make it funner for those that don't have or want to run r comps in Stock class.

[Van]

And if you do run AT now and decide AS later on for whatever reason, then you might want to get Annie to make you AT and AS letters. Or AT and a couple same size S's. Oh and make sure you pick a number that isn't already taken by someone else (for both classes ideally).

Van

[PEZi303]

And if you do run AT now and decide AS later on for whatever reason, then you might want to get Annie to make you AT and AS letters. Or AT and a couple same size S's. Oh and make sure you pick a number that isn't already taken by someone else (for both classes ideally).

Van
this

[bocosolo]

This is probably an old topic, but why isn't there a street tire index for stock classes? ST tires are pretty good now. Give the edge to R-comp drivers, but give stock class drivers on ST type tires a chance. It would lower cost, create competition, and attract more people, IMO...

[PEZi303]

This is probably an old topic, but why isn't there a street tire index for stock classes? ST tires are pretty good now. Give the edge to R-comp drivers, but give stock class drivers on ST type tires a chance. It would lower cost, create competition, and attract more people, IMO...
Well, there are no street tire classes at the national level. So my guess is that we don't really see a need for having a lowered index for those in stock classes who run street tires when they won't find the accommodation at the national level either.

I have heard other regions have lowered PAX's for those who run on street tires, but all that does is bump up your points a bit (which yes, I realize for some people points a HUGE deal.) The thing is, the people who are REALLY into points are the same people who compete on the national level, where race tires are needed to do well.

So I guess what I'm saying is, you need race tires on the national level. If you want to go to nationals, you need to be decent enough at pointing locally. To point high locally, you need race tires.

[bocosolo]

I'm not suggesting anybody will win nationals on street tires. But how many people go to nationals? I am suggesting that more people will come out if they don't automatically have the deck stacked against them without R-comps in the stock classes. AT is a weird class because you get a pretty tough index and you have little idea how your competitors are performing. In stock class you can't touch a rear sway bar or increase camber very much yet you need race rubber. ST allows all those mods but runs on street tires. Makes no sense to me. Anyhow if it was such a great idea I'm sure it would have more support which it doesn't ... Sorry for the threadjack!

[cojsl]

I am suggesting that more people will come out if they don't automatically have the deck stacked against them without R-comps in the stock classes.

You make some good points. Variants of the "why are r-comps allowed in stock class" question get raised pretty regularly here- and on probably every solo forum there is. To your question of having a different index for street tires- first, calculating PAX is a nationwide project, that isn't done by us. How would the PAX be determined, and what "street tire" would it be calculated for? Someone running the best ST "street tire" tire has a huge advantage (nearly as fast as R-comps) over someone running "three year old old all seasons" defeating the point of a different PAX for them in the first place. For all their drawbacks, r-comps have some great advantages- wide variety of sizes (all?? the fast ST tire lines won't have all the fitments needed, try finding a 14" Miata tire in many of them) and only needing to pick between a couple r-comps to be competitive vs. the ongoing "5 new tires this year, time to buy more and test" with ST tires.