Improved Touring
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Improved Touring is a category of classifications for cars in amateur road racing defined by the Sports Car Club of America. The class is used by other sactioning bodies with compatible rules, such as the International Conference of Sports Car Clubs.
The classifications within the Improved Touring group define cars that will run together competitively in a road race. While cars in different classifications may be on the track simultaneously, the only positioning that matters is between cars of the same classification.
The rules for the class include the General Competition Rules (GCR), a section of the SCCA rulebook that defines the basic setup and preparation for cars in any class of SCCA racing. Improved Touring cars are also subject to the rules in the Improved Touring Category Section (ITCS) of the rulebook, which define the specific classes and provide the class-specific rules.
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[edit] GCR Rules
The rules from the GCR applying to Improved Touring cars mostly involve safety and basic setup. The GCR specifies the construction, fabrication, and material used in installing a roll-cage, for example. It also explains the rules of the road during racing events, including the flags and right of way rules for passing manoeuvers.
Improved Touring is intended to regulate costs by providing a set of rules which limit modification for the cars while keeping the cars safe for competition. To this end, the cars are production-based models built after 1964 with a reasonable amount of limited modifications. The cars are run as-built by the manufacturer, except for modifciations specifically allowed by the GCR or the ITCS.
The Improved Touring category is broken into four classes based on the performance potential of the car. Those classes are Improved Touring A (ITA), Improved Touring B (ITB), Improved Touring C (ITC), and Improved Touring S (ITS). New for 2007, the Improved Touring R (ITR) will be added for former T2, T3, and other cars with a performance level too high for the current classes (like the 1997-1999 Porsche Boxster, 1989-1996 Nissan 300Z, Honda S2000, V6 Chevrolet Camaro and a variety of BMWs).
These basic rules make Improved Touring a popular class, since familiar and modern cars race together in groups which maximize the chances for a close finish.
[edit] Improved Touring Rules
This section is not an exahustive set of rules; it is intended to give the reader an idea of the preparation level of the cars in this class.
The ITCS specifies that cars may remove almost all of their interor components, as a safe race car has few flammable features inside and drivers do not want to worry about projectiles from inside their own car during a race.
For most cars, air induction to the point where the air meets either the carburetor or mass air flow sensor is unrestricted by the rules, so cars may be prepared with improved air intakes. Exhaust systems are also unrestricted so exhaust systems including headers may be modified. Cars may have to remain under a maximum noise level, so mufflers might be improved or tuned but generally won't be removed. The car can not have a new hole to bring in fresh air for combustion or brake cooling, but ducting may be added to take air from an existing hole in the car's facia.
Stock brake calipers and rotors must be used, but pad material is unrestricted.
No internal engine modficaitions are allowed short of rebuilding to factory "blue print" specifications, though the car's ECU may be modified as long as all modifications occur within the stock ECU box and mounting hardware.
DOT approved tires are required, so full race tires may not be used. There are however some very high quality "DOT" tires available that may only last 100 miles if used on the street. Lightweight racing wheels may be used, but they can't be larger than the stock size unless granted an exception by the rules.
While the ITA, ITB, ITC, and ITS classes allow different model cars in competition, the classes all use the same basic rules. The cars are grouped into the different classes based on their potential for performance. A sampling of popular cars and model years in each class include:
- ITA: Honda CR-X (1989-1991), Mazda RX-7 (12A engine, 1979-1985), Acura Integra (1.6 liter engine, 1986-1989)
- ITB: BMW 318 (1984-1986)
- ITC: Honda CR-X (1.5 liter engine, 1984-1987)
- ITS: BMW 325 (E36 body, 1992-1998), Mazda RX-7 (13B engine, 1984-1991), Datsun 240Z (1970-1973)
Effective November 1, 2006 the new ITR class will be added. These cars have a higher performance potential than the current top class ITS. Some of the cars being added are the Ford Mustang, Mazda RX8 and the Honda S2000.
[edit] References
- General Competition Rules and Specifications, 2004, Sports Car Club of America.
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- The current edition of this book is downloadable from the SCCA website at this page.
