2019 rules release. Limited looks wild!

Limited is going to be one hell of a challenge.

The problem makes sense when you consider G forces and how easy it is for oil to climb up the outside cylinder bank during cornering. Not quite a 45 degree angle but not 90 degrees like an inline 4. The head/valve cover fills with oil as the G forces backfill the drain holes and the pushrods pump more oil into the head.

Aside from the problems the LS faces I also wondered about weight distribution. Inline engines keep weight close to center as possible. The V8's hang an awful lot on the edges up high. Not idea! Most focus on gross weight differences but here lies the real weakness IMHO.

Back to regularly scheduled GTA discussion.

For the enthusiastic but uninformed casual observers, what were the most significant changes?

They're allowing nitrous, lol.

Kinda related... the Super Lap Battle website is up with new content!

Super Lap Battle USA |

And sequential transmissions, and 60TW tires, not 40 or 80, 60.

...and "No part of the top of the tire or wheel may protrude past the widest point of the wheel arch/fender/quarter panel or flare when viewed from above."

Pretty much all changes to mirror WTAC Open class for global reference/competition and the new SuperLapBattle event in CotA being internationally marketed.

I'd say the combination of drivetrains.

Right, changes for Limited class:

- There is no segregation by drivetrain layout. AWD, RWD and FWD are all in the same pot (just like WTAC).

- Sequential transmissions are allowed, with restrictions saying no paddle shift and no "automation" which at first glance miiiiight be interpreted as no load cell-based ignition cut. (facilitating cross-over with WTAC Open class)

- Treadwear limit is now 60, down from 80. This does not help the Miata at all. There were no 15" 80tw tires to use, there are no 15" 60tw tires to use. So the competition gets faster.

- NOS is allowed on naturally aspirated cars under 3850cc

- Engine relocation allowed up to 2"

Ultimately the largest challenge comes from the combination of item 1 above (so add GTRs, Evos, etc. to the list of cars that can come to the party) with the fact that SLB is moving to a F1 GP track with mahooosive straights, and the potential for WTAC Open class cars to come over, and the top cars in each class over there are on an entirely different level than anything in the US.

2019 will be a barometer year for GTA, I'm rather curious about this myself.
When you realize that no north American build has ever gone under 1:27 at SMSP and the game is being played in the 1:19-1:21 range, you know that there's a lot of work to do and a lot of money that will be needed to pour into builds to make it to the pointy end of things.
Are the US teams ready to put up or not?
If GTA has the pull power to bring international competitors to COTA, the days of half assed builds winning anything are going to be over sooner than later, I'd give it until 2021 at best.

Lfx is a 3.6 :nxsmile:

Indeed. Even without international competitors, with all drivetrains aggregated I think we can be sure there will be no more "soft" classes.

Doesn't seem like anyone is really excited about this change as even at larger tire sizes it only opens to door to one or two new options that may or may not be "better" than what was allowed last year. At first I thought it was another WTAC change, but with GTA requiring tires be available in the US through US distributors I'm still a little confused...

I can't wait until a spec tire is ironed out.

FWIW, we are going to step away from GTA for a year or two. Concentrating instead on many product development projects that have been otherwise languishing. Vegas being finished as an S1, as originally planned. OGK tub will likely be slapped together as street legal roadster with a 2.0L N/A motor mid 2019.

COTA will require raising the game a level or two, as Moti and Ryan have observed. A lot more power, active/ semi-active aero in any of the classes. The trend will be towards bigger cars with bigger tires as the scales will tip more towards power vs drag over pure downforce and mechanical grip. Butter smooth, grippy, super wide COTA is an entirely different animal than bumpy, low grip, narrow and relatively low speed Buttonwillow. Both of which are also well removed from the demands of SMP. Just the length of the lap at COTA will require new levels of driver discipline and cooling from the car. Cars that could just barely hang on for one lap of SMP or BRP, will grenade long before the final sector at COTA.

Unlike drifting, which tire manufactures will blindly heave big bucks and development into, Time Attack is an afterthought. Other than the brief flurry from Hankook with their Ventus TD a few years ago, there are still very few tires to choose from, particularly for the smaller cars like early Civics and Miatas.
What would Ryans car do on a hypothetical 275/35/15 Ventus TD?

I wouldn't say that COTA is buttersmooth nowadays (well, maybe compared to the classic "local" track :P), but it's definitely not Miata territory...

17/18 are getting pretty lumpy and cause some oversteer even at poverty HP. At the speeds actual fast cars are turning I'm sure there's much pucker factor.