Just wondering if there has ever been any discussion in having a Chump Car type class in closed wheel 1 or 2 to help get some new racers into the sport without having to spend a lot of $$ other than the required safety equipment

We went down to Portland in 2009 to do the inaugural 24hr Chumpcar race in a white Honda Civic with a few other club members. You could tell who had been in a race car before apart from those who hadn't. It seemed a little hectic from the sidelines, being thrown in a big mixing pot of varying talent... Most cars there would have fallen under IP3 rules. I think at this point with this club IP3 is the best bang for your buck tin top class due to the fact that it's pretty cheap to prep a car and that it's the best subscribed class in its run group. That being said Spec Miata is right up there... Not sure how much it is to prepare one of them, but I assume it's a little more expensive than IP3. I know there are a few old Chumpcars kicking around that could turn class eligible with a little TLC, just need people that want to race!

While I hope that comment about FWD cars being impotent is slightly inaccurate I can tell you that there are some significant preparation rules that don't quite mix with present CACC rules for IP preparation. CC doesn't want any glass left in the car which kind saddles any true IP car owner with the decision to remove all requisite glass and then find a way to reinstall once back at a CACC event. The premise of a $500 Chump Car also penalizes an IP car with adjustable shocks to either remove them or take the $75 per corner penalty which adds up to $300 for all 4 corners of your race car. If you have a 88-91 Civic CRX with a D16 non VTEC motor that car is valued at $200 and if you wanted to stay at the $500 value for your car and not get penalty laps awarded for being over $500 you would have to remove any other component that CC deems a performance modification, all the way down to aftermarket motor mounts. While I hardily support CC and both CACC IP rules the two are different enough that I doubt you will see my Chump Car (ex 91 CRX ice racer) come to Mission and pass any CACC tech inspection and be allowed on the track. I can add a cam to my Chump Car and still stay within the $500 CC limit, whereas that is not allowed in IP. I guess it depends on how much work one wants to do to convert a car back and forth between class rules as to whether or not you will see much cross over between that style of race car. Would IPE pick up a Chump Car modified beyond typical IP modifications ?

I forgot about the glass. They allowed lexan back after banning it a few years ago. Not quite sure if they're still sticking to the $500 value, as they are allowing engine swaps for additional points, which apparently has favored the v8 crowd. A lot of fwd cars were hit with higher initial values a few years back at the same time, so thats why the impotent comment. When it rains still differnt story though.
Last I heard they either were or are trying out different classes because of that. WRL does that.
I know one guy who has run his CC jetta at Mission for novice, and being that its a well prepped car , I'll ask and see what he was told at tech. He didn't mention anything.