Cost cutting part supply... Your action requested
Formula F is experiencing a resurgence. Getting more cars to the track improves the product for the racers and increases entries for the SCCA and its various clubs. In order to continue the re-growth of Formula F, racers need access to quality parts, at affordable costs, and that do not change the balance of competition. Currently Formula F has many restrictions with regard to authorized parts for Kent and Cortina powered cars. These same parts can be built by others parties that have shown an interest in producing parts for this market segment. The result of more competition among parts suppliers is reduced costs to racers making it possible for them to race rather than forego events in order to afford the maintenance costs or avoiding racing all together as too expensive.
Please help the Formula F community and the racing community in general by informing the SCCA of your desire to purchase affordable, readily available parts from any supplier, including SCCA sponsor Summit Racing, so long as they meet the performance characteristics that are acceptable within the class. Please inform the SCCA that you would like to have approved pistons, rings, and wrist pins from JE Pistons for which, JE has provided engineered drawings and samples demonstrating that they are equivalent to the currently approved CP piston. JE is planning to provide a full set of four pistons with necessary rings, and wrist pins, for under $500 comparing very favorably to the cost of the currently authorized piston, rings, and wrist pins at over $885. In addition, please inform the SCCA that you are interested in an alternative valve manufactured by Manley and of the same dimensions as that listed in section 12.f of the Formula Continental/F preparation rules. Once again, the Manley valves will represent significant savings at approximately $175 for a complete set of intake and exhaust valves compared to $250 for the currently authorized valves.
Between the two items, a given rebuild will save the racer approximately $500 which is most if not all of the entry fee for an SCCA race weekend. This is a significant cost reduction that deserves your support.
As racers we know that competition is good. Not only on the track, but in providing parts at better prices with no competitive difference. Reduction in operating costs means more income to spend on actual races benefitting both the racer and the SCCA alike.
Your help will ensure that racers have a readily available supply, from any distributor, at competitive prices, while ensuring that the balance of competition is unchanged and helping to keep cars on the track rather than in the garage.
Here is what I am asking you to do:
E-mail directly to the Competition Review Board. Doing so is simple. Just follow these steps:
- Go to https://www.crbscca.com/
- Enter your name, email, phone number, and member number within the form
- Select “Club Racing Board” from the “send letter to” drop-down
- Select “Formul/Sports Racing” from the “Category” drop-down
- Select “FF” from the “Class” drop-down
- In the Title box type, “New FF parts approval requested”
- Copy and paste the message below into the request field:
Dear CRB,
I am an SCCA member and wish to express my support for an alternative piston, rings, and wrist pin as well as valves for Formula F. It is my understanding that JE has presented a piston, ring, and wrist pin package that is equivalent to the current piston and therefore of no competitive advantage. I also understand that Manley has available for purchase valves with dimensions consistent with current GCR regulations which would represent no competitive advantage. Acceptance of these alternative parts is in the best interest of SCCA members and should be approved.
Thank you,
Your Name and Member number
- Click submit Request at the bottom of the page
- Please PM me or respond to this thread that you have sent your letter. I have been working with a number of entities, including JE pistons and the SCCA. Knowing that you have submitted your request will help me track this through the process.
Thank you for helping Formula F!
Eric Little
11) The vintage ranks can feel free to not adopt such a rule
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Eric Little
Roland,
I am going to assume that the final statement with regard to providing "misinformation" is directed at me. I could be wrong and if you are accusing Todd, Daryl, Joe, Craig, Bob, or Rick, then please let me know.
Assuming it is me, I ask that you identify the "misinformation" you believe me to have provided. I do not believe I have, so if you believe I did, I would like to be given the opportunity to address the allegation. In sum, I have provided the following information:
1) JE has presented a piston to the SCCA that is the equivalent of the currently approved CP piston (to be validated by SCCA)
2) Manley has available valves that meet the dimensions for Kent FF valves specified in the GCR
3) The combination of these items based on information from JE and Manley will retail for approximately $500 less than the currently mandated single supplier parts
4) That this represents (clearly in the opinion of the writer) a significant cost savings that is approximately the cost of an SCCA race weekend entry
5) Competition among parts suppliers is a benefit to racers
6) A request to SCCA members to write the CRB to indicate their support with notification to me that such has been done
7) The parts do not and were not intended to provide a performance advantage (again, to be validated by the SCCA)
8) The SCCA is evaluating the request and asked for evidence that demand for the products exists
9) The SCCA has a process to evaluate the equivalency of various parts
10) If the SCCA can make the Honda and Kent motors equal competitors (as a number of racers appear to believe) I do not think it impossible to evaluate the performance differential of two pistons or valves.
11) The vintage ranks can feel free to not adopt such a rules change if they and/or their membership do not want it
I would very much appreciate understanding which of these items I have "misinformed" the community about. If it is something else I wrote that is not in this list, please let me know what it is and how it has "misinformed"
While you may have a preferred method of proving the relative performance, JE has submitted the piston to the SCCA and the SCCA will determine the validation necessary. That said, logically, a piston with all of the same dimensions will perform the same as the currently approved piston. While rampant speculation may be an entertaining source of conversation, the facts are in front of the SCCA for a decision. The issue at odds here was simply an effort to have members express an interest in a non-performance enhancing alternative part at a lower cost. And so far, the response has been very good. Thanks to all of those that have sent their letter to the CRB. Please keep them coming.
Eric Little
Eric,
By dismissing the "vintage guys" you miss a vital point.
The majority of Ford engined Formula F's now run in vintage. The major series around the US get 35 to 40 cars as a norm per meeting. Its where the majority of Fords went to race after the SCCA Formula F debacle. The front running Vintage Fords (and many of the midpack) run current engines. At one point we had different series running to different engine rules - and the builders building to current regs anyways, so many "vintage" engines were "illegal". The various series have now sorted that out and most of the series around the US use current SCCA Ford regs. The engine builders are not going to build and certify engines to several different engine rules.
So any change in rules actually affects vintage racers more than any other group - they are the majority of the engine builders customers. From your throwaway comment about vintage I might surmise you are operating on the "vintage are old ladies" level of knowledge. I must inform you that running at the front in any of the vintage series requires the same dedication and skill set that was required when FF was in its heyday. Competition is fierce, the cars well set up and similar in performance and a good number of very fast drivers running at top SCCA level. If one guy gets another 2hp that will make all the difference in passing in the draft.
So in fact its the vintage guys who will be most affected by your proposal. I make no comment about your proposal's merits, its above my pay grade, but know your target market.
BB