Panoz eligibility and Mod factor discussion

[Tansar_Motorsports]

Hi All,

Background:  Amateur driver, professional engineer.
                        Obsessed with finding a "real race car" (tube frame chassis, fiberglass body, purpose built, easy to work on, easy to fix when it wrecks, etc) to make the jump from HPDE to W2W/TT

On paper, the Panoz GTS/GTWC/GTRA seem like a viable option, so I did an unreasonable amount of research....

Current ST rules:
Panoz GTRA = -0.2 (may have additional Aero mods) (No longer ST4 approved)
Panoz GTS = -0.3 (may have additional Aero mods)
Panoz GTWC = -0.2 (may have additional Aero mods)

 

First question:  Why was ST4 eligibility removed from the GTRA?  And why was it only given to the GTRA to begin with, considering how similar all of these cars are (besides engine, which is open in ST)? With a more boring (inexpensive) modular ford crate motor in the 250 avg hp range, any of these cars could hit 12:1 for ST4 (stock weight with fat driver = approx 3000 lb)

Second, from my research, the differences in the above mod factors don't make much sense.
Model Changes:
GTRA --> GTWC :  Stronger frame tubing (safety), new motor and trans (open), new shocks (open)
GTWC --> GTS : Plastic body panels instead of fiberglass (open, and no benefit), new motor and trans (open), upgraded cooling and electronics (no performance gain).

Body shape, chassis design, suspension geometry, etc all remain the same for each model.  If you put the GTS engine and shocks in the GTRA or GTWC, they should all turn the same lap times.

Proposal:  All 3 should have the same mod factor, otherwise, buying a GTWC and upgrading it is a more dominant strategy than buying a GTS.  Since these cars don;t have a history of dominating in any ST class, -0.2 seems reasonable for all three. 

[JRAD]

Interesting question.

I also have some questions about Panoz GTWC in TT3 - 2

Is the -0.2 factor only with the 4.6 DOHC engine it came with.   Or can it be replaced with any engine as long as it meets the 10:1  or  8:1  power to weight formula ? 

 

[Tansar_Motorsports]

JRAD,

For ST or TT classes, engine is open.

So It can have any engine you want.

[CRallo]

This number is less than the adder that most tube frame cars get stuck with... Seems like a gift if I understand it correctly.

[Tansar_Motorsports]

I agree that the 0.2 mod factor is reasonable.  I was just pointing out why it doesn't make sense for these different models to have different mod factors, based on the design differences between them.

And I was hoping for an explanation from Greg on why ST4/TT4 eligibility was deleted.