[scottherbert]

Biggest challenge now is finding a 'reasonable' wheel manufacturer. The one that seemed to be a reasonable selection (with steel wheels) now says he estimates the weight of the wheel to be about 45 lbs -- WAY TOO HEAVY. So that choice is out the window. I'm back looking at Panasport to get some custom wheels made, back to higher prices, but probably in the 16-20 lb range.

About DS vs DSP. Two of the national-level guys (BMWs) race here and one national-leve Acura ITR. When I check results from our events, events where we all race on the same courses, I find myself about 2 seconds slower than the national-level Acura ITR in DS and usually about 0.2 -- 1.0 second slower than the BMW 325is (plural) who race against me in class (DS -- I can, and do, beat everybody else). Checking further, I find I'm about 1.0 seconds faster than the 8-9 DSP cars who race in class (DSP) and about 2 seconds slower than the national-level DSP BMWs. If I'm already 1.0 seconds faster than the 'typical' DSP car locally and within 2 seconds of the national competitors on the same course -- and I'm still a stock DS car, I figure I can do the mods under discussion and be very competitive in DSP -- at least there's hope. There's absolutely no chance of winning in DS! (Note that SCCA is discussing moving the ITRs up to BS and moving the Redlines/Cobalets down to GS -- looks like everyone knows the problems.)

Bottom line: I think I'm being out-hardwared in DS and I'm not willing to wait another year or two for SCCA to 'fix' the classing problems. But I think I can mod the Redline enough to get much closer in DSP. If I can even 'scare' the BMWs, it would be worth it! They're way too smug...

You're right about STX. So long as the WRXs keep playing in STX -- with stock tires -- you'll never be fast enough (4wd vs fwd).

BTW, if you check into the GM websites, you'll find that the Cobalt SS setup to Time Attack uses custom Enkei 17" x 10" wheels with a 19mm pos offset (Enkei is really expensive and I don't think anyone but GM has the clout to get more custom wheels built).

Scott