I dunno how popular GX will be, what with ALMS and Grand AM combining forces for the following season.

It sounds like it will be a more expensive version of the Continental ST class.

Do you know this for certain? If so, do you know what teams are going to run them?

Don't know for certain but there's this:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19624

Yeah, found that right before seeing this post. I think it would be a better fit in Continental ST. They mention running a supercharger to make it able to run with the Mustangs and Camaros but the rules do not allow that unless the car comes from the factory with one. Maybe NASCAR is going to start bending the rules next year before the two series combine in 2014? Guess we wait and see what develops.

I take it you mean GS? That's the class with the Mustangs and Camaros.

I don't really agree. The FT86 isn't one of those cars. It's not a fire breathing V8 or a high revving 6. It's not a horsepower car by nature so to me it's an inappropriate fit in GS. The stock version of this car is closer to a Civic Si or a Kia Forte Koup. Running this car in ST is sort of a natural home and it would be good for it because ST is often dominated by the FWD cars and it would be good to seem some FWD/RWD dicing in ST.

I personally think ST is more exciting class of cars to watch race but unfortunately GS gets most of the TV time.

No, the article says it will run in the Pirelli Challenge in the GTS class with the Mustangs and Camaros and it will possibly be allowed a supercharger to do so. But those rules do not allow a supercharger unless it came from the factory with one. That is what I was talking about. I think that is a bad fit.

I agree completely that the cars should run in ST with the Civics, Forte, BMW 1 series, Ford Focus, Mazda 3, etc. The Miata is gone so the series could use a new RWD to fill the void.

I do not know how Grand Am and ALMS will work out the 2014 merger with the showroom stock style race classes but with some of the combined GS and ST fields already being 80 cars strong I would expect a lot more races where they run separately next year to reduce the carnage. They each ran the final at Lime Rock in their own race and it seemed to work well. Once the series combines and they work out which tire company will sponsor the series the fields should be huge.

You're right. I was confusing continental with pirelli.

Many of you did a wonderful job explaining the pros and cons. I have finally gotten to a comfortable place in my life(despite the economy and rough times others are having) and I have been wanting to finally get into racing with a car with alot of aftermarket support. I have a car in storage that I have to design and fabricate everything for which is already my project. However I figured I would start out small and work my way up in the FR-S to perhaps get into the spec class. The reason I bring this up is I like fair competition. It separates the men from the boys. It depends on the skill of the driver more(IMHO) and what the team actually understands about cars and that chassis/engine in particular.

I am a CNC machinist/programmer, designer/fabricator, and ASE mechanic so I have a unique advantage to lower some costs.

I don't know about you guys but i am super looking forward to watching the AUSSIE v8 supercars in the american series next year. Now that is racing!!! However I heard SPEED channel is going defunct soon, so I have to get velocity channel.