RX-8 vs 93 & up RX-7
 

Not sure if this has been talked about already, somewhat a neweb question, but why is it that most of the GT series uses the RX-8 chassis vs the FD?

I apologize if this has been discussed.

its been over five years since its availability for purchase in the US.. or production..

Yup, pretty sure Pettit needed a special exception (as did the team running the 928) to run the FD in SpeedGT a few years back, because it wasn't a "late model" anymore.

Most GT series are also tube frame car with nothing to do with the car they look like. Otherwise, even if you're using the unibody, it's a lot easier to carry sponsor ship, get parts, and many rulesets only allow for relatively current model cars to run...

Because It's a newer car... FD is an old chassis...

Hasn't anything to do with which one is better. Only newer and available...

in grand am they don't use the rx8 chassis, http://www.rileytech.com/

Sorry i didnt' mean chassis I meant body type..

I see, it would be nice if there was a team that used the FD chassis.

I know that there is a company that does sell the FD chassis already tube framed.

If it's a tube frame, or partial tube frame, I wouldn't consider it an FD chassis any more...

If you look in SCCA GT series, there have been several FD bodied tube chassis, running with either 12A or 13B PP motors (depending on class). I believe they were produced by Sevens Only (??) Racing, who also ran a spec series. Beyond the body shape, the cars have very little in common with the production vehicle.

The RX8s you saw run at Daytona also bear also bear little resemblance to their production counterparts, unless you happen to find a 20B PP powered RX-8 with a modified Porsche transaxel.

-b

It has to be a current production car (as of when the series starts):

http://admin.grand-am.com/assets/Spo...lesforweb1.pdf

no it doesnt.. as ive stated earlier.. its eligible up until five years post end of production..

Marketing. Mazda doesn't sell RX7's they sell RX8's. The fact that the one on TV has a 3 Rotor engine isn't all that relevent. They want the RX8 name plate in the public eye.

If someone wanted to build an FD and race in GrandAm they could...but why would they. I can't imagine that Mazda would provide any assistance for an effort to run a car that it no longer sells.

Which was 2002. However, the rules do state (using the word "ordinarily"):

Eligible cars will ordinarily be those described in manufacturer’s catalogs, produced at a minimum rate of 500 units per year, and available for purchase through normal dealer outlets 30 days or more prior to competing in an event.

Case in point: there is a reason that all those Pontiacs run by the top tier teams in past seasons suddenly turned into Cameros for 2010. ;)

Also, one thing to be aware of in this discussion is that there are several "GT" series out there and they all have different rule sets. Rolex GT is definitely different from SCCA GT (or ALMS GT for that matter).

As a final (and complete) aside, one other place that the RX-8 can currently run is in SCCA ITR. IMHO this would be a really fun car to develop, although probably a little expensive to maintain when compared to the FC in ITS.

Oops, wrong rule book:

"Approved Models - GRAND-AM has developed these specifications for competition automobiles that will participate in the category titled "GT". Cars must have been in production for road use or meet homologation criteria, and have been/or be for sale to the public in a regular dealer offering. Approved models, unless otherwise stated are to be current production models or those no older than three years after the end of production. GRAND-AM may approve additional models upon request."

http://admin.grand-am.com/assets/GTrulesforweb2.pdf

Exactly. Factory racing is for one purpose alone -- to show the public how good your products are and get them to buy them. Even if the rules let them run a factory RX-7 in the series, they wouldn't. They sell RX-8s and RX-8 parts. The FD is ancient history.

Production 'till 2002 yes but since we are talking of a US race series 1995 would be the end of production of US models.