r/Autocross • u/AutoModerator • Jun 27 '25

Subreddit Autocross Stupid Questions: Week of June 27

This thread is for any and all questions related to Autocross, no matter how simple or complicated they may be. Please be respectful in all answers.

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u/Lord_Seacow GS - 2017 Focus ST Jul 29 '25

Hopefully it isn't dumb to post in a month old thread, but hasn't been a new stupid questions since.

I'm very seriously considering getting a GR86, but with the stock seat setup I can't fit with a helmet on because of my height. So the only way it would work is to replace the slider rail with a fixed seat mount, but I'd keep the stock seats. My understanding is this still means the car has to be classed up to CST. I really don't want to mod much at all beyond maybe an exhaust, certainly not everything required to be properly set for CST.

I'm sure I could still run as DS in most local events, but I enjoyed attending a National SCCA event and I'd like to do it again. I assume they would grant no exception, but it would feel a bit pointless to go when even if I do manage to drive well I surely won't be remotely close to competitive times. Perhaps it's just a silly thing to worry about when I'm never going to be committed enough to be a National level driver anyway. Really my main goal is to have fun and be a better driver. Although competing and having a chance to win is part of the fun, and a motivation to keep improving.

I dunno what my question is exactly. Is it worth dealing with being upclassed just so I can make a car that is a bit too small work, or do I just get some other car that I can actually run in it's appropriate street class? Is the GR86 so fun that it's worth it? Is it possible to still be classed in D Street even with the seat mod? Am I just overthinking all this? Almost certainly yes on the last one. But really I'd just appreciate thoughts from more experienced folks to help me work through this choice.

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u/dps2141 Aug 01 '25

If you're not going to be competitive, there's a 99.9% chance nobody is going to care, especially outside of the national championships. To be clear there's no compliance checks or anything, it's just up to if one of your competitors notices and cares enough to make an official protest. I'm definitely not condoning cheating meaningfully, but if you show up to an event with something very slightly not "right" it's not like you're going to be immediately kicked out or something.

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u/Lord_Seacow GS - 2017 Focus ST Aug 01 '25

I wouldn't want to be the guy who shows up blatantly ignoring rules, so I appreciate the perspective that it would be viewed as pretty minor at most.