[Kputz]

It's all about what floats your boat, how deep your desire and pockets Ernie. Everybody would love to run GT, if for no other reason than the noise. But condsider this. American Sedan is a class that is restricted to Camaros, Mustangs, Firebirds and Cougars. It will cost you upwards of $30k to build one, more if you want to run up front. You can buy an old one and have fun for $12-$20k and run mid to back pack. You can build a Spec Miata for about $10k or buy one fully sorted for a few thou more.
The class is new, about 4 years old, but the concept is ancient, ie keep racing competitive, fun and cheap(er). It's been tried before, but rules creep seems to always happen, the jury is out on how long this will last.

To run with the big dogs in AS you will need a $5-7K motor, hardened tranny and rear end and all should be blueprinted. Suspension, custom exhaust, wheels, and the latest go-fast carbuerator or whatever will mean you will be wrenching constantly, and expensively. And tires, you'll need tires, and they'll be Hoosiers, good for about 6 heat cycles at $225+ a pop. You'll need stickers and rains and spares for both and wheels for all. You'll need spare trannies ($2500) and rear ends ($1500) and clutch ($1500), all hardened, and the talent to swap each in under 3 hours, on your back, in the sun.

With the SM you get a car that will need a spare motor (from Mazda at $1400), tranny ($600), clutch ($600) and rear end ($400). You'll rarely have to fix anything on the car aside from break pads and rotors, the things are bulletproof. Everything is "Spec'd" to a degree, so everybody's running the same thing. Tires? The class mandates Toyo RA1's in most Regions, a tire that can be had for under $150 already shaved and will last the entire season. They actually get a bit faster as the cord begins to show.

You still wont be able to run with the guys that are willing to buy 10 motors, a dozen clutches, trannies, exhaust systems, AFB's, injectors by the box, and spend all winter on the dyno with every possible combination to find the one that works best. They'll find another 10-15 HP though, which will compute to 10%+ better than you, and most own speed shops where they can parcel off the parts that aren't able to be matched. Always in racing, it's the pocket book that is the big factor.

Still, you'll be able to run at the front of the pack, depending on talent, in some of the closest racing available, and do it without sacrificing your 401k plan. It's why its big and getting bigger, and until the cheating starts and is allowed to continue, it will be the most popular class in SCCA.

So, you pays your dough and you takes your chances, but dollar for dollar it's about the most sensible way to go racing. Forget about the grumble at idle and the roar down the straight, it's simply the sound of your pocket book groaning. A lot of fast guys in fast classes are comming to SM, (further decreasing my chances at podiums), and to a man agree that there is no better venue to get your required dose of G's.