B-Spec Editorial
#33937 from Aaron McSpadden · No action required · Minutes (2023-05 Fastrack)
Recently there have been concerns raised regarding the Balance of Performance (BoP) amongst the various cars in B-Spec. This
class has grown significantly in the past few years bringing in many new competitors who may not be familiar with its beginning.
When Showroom Stock classes were changed to Touring the CRB determined that there was a continuing need for an entry level
class (with doors). SCCA was later approached by the motorsports manager at Mazda to see if our organization would be interested
in developing a class based on the B Segment class of production cars. SCCA reached out to other manufacturers and determined
that there was sufficient interest to proceed. The first track test was conducted thereafter and, based on those results, various
regulations were implemented specific to each model in an attempt to balance their relative performance. Later, testing
indiscretions were discovered which were deemed to have skewed the results and caused issue with the regulations derived
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therefrom. Involvement of other sanctioning bodies in B-Spec caused further disruption to the regulations before those groups
ultimately jettisoned the class. Participation declined in SCCA, and B-Spec was slated for elimination until such time as devoted
racers stepped in to save the class.
As a result of the efforts put forth by these competitors the class realized a rapid rise in participation and SCCA began to utilize its
data collection program to compile information on the cars across as many tracks as possible. Given the wide diversity of eligible
cars and their designs, driving ability, car preparation/tuning levels, and other variables outside of SCCA’s control, the balance of
performance in this class has been remarkably close.
Last season the Spec Miata Advisory Committee (SMAC) employed a simulation program that utilized information gathered
through SCCA’s data boxes and supervised chassis dyno pulls to refine the BoP between SM eligible cars. The developers of that
program were asked about its usefulness in B-Spec and a presentation was made to the B-Spec Advisory Committee (BSAC) last
year. That was followed by a survey to the B-Spec community about a technology fee and its application. The vast majority of
respondents favored the implementation of such a fee and 51% supported use of the fee for software if it could be demonstrated
to improve the BoP. The simulation program will be more difficult to employ for B-Spec as compared to SM simply because of the
diversity of cars and the lack of required data for all. Over time, and as program specific data would be gathered, one would expect
the results to become infinitely more accurate. Use of such a program would most certainly eliminate the driver element from the
equation and could possibly be used in its infancy to correlate with the existing BoP program. The BSAC, however, decided not to
pursue the simulation program at that time due to various factors. Cost and the difficultly involved in collecting equal data (all the
cars are not available at the same place and time) caused them to believe that implementation of this type of analysis would
negatively impact participation and possibly disturb what the BSAC, as a group, deemed to be a satisfactory BoP.
B-Spec features different chassis, suspension, and powertrain units, all of which are subject to constant refinement and
performance creep within the rules. Maintaining a level BoP amongst these cars is a continuing effort and as such competitors in
this class must anticipate ongoing adjustments in weights, restrictors, and other areas that are available to the BSAC and CRB
manipulate performance. A new BoP is anticipated in the coming weeks and those changes will be monitored and refined as
necessary. The BSAC and CRB appreciate your continued support, and passion for B-Spec and SCCA Road Racing.