Search:

If you're looking for a serious system to help you go faster, have a look at the ApexSpeed sponsor - CDS. CDS is one of the only US-manufactured data systems currently available, and the owners are...

To make the point a bit clearer with an example, the top FE trap speed was 5 mph slower than the top F500 trap speed, even though FE has significantly more horsepower and turned faster total...

Well, that's one way to look at it.

Another way to look at it is that the F5/6 top speed at Daytona was faster than an awful lot of cars that cost a LOT more to operate. Maybe I'm missing the...

This is worth repeating. The Runoffs FV race was good enough to have sold tickets to outside spectators. Congratulations to Michael Varacins on a well-deserved win - and to the rest of the...

Cost!

Let's think about the lowest-cost possible approach, with someone buying a "junker" old car at $5K that barely runs - but can be made legal. For a new entrant who has yet to turn a wheel on...

True, but do they have the track dates? You're not going to run F4 or any other winged open-wheeler at Pat's Acres, nor very many other local kart venues.

Do they have the safety experience? ...

You left out Formula Renault (Fran-Am).

Really? Every Majors race I've been in this year has had 11 or more FEs. As of today, FE is the third-largest formula car class in participation, behind FV and FF.
...

Lap time comparisons depend on the track; the FE engine has a lot more torque, so it pulls VERY strongly off tight corners in comparison.

Car counts are very region-specific. For example, last...

I just noticed this - interesting comment. How would you propose changing to get the cars more centered into the "sweet spot"?

:confused:

I'm not sure I understand. I guess I never found the wheelbase to be the limiting factor, either. I sit very flat - a lay-down position - and I never had any trouble fitting in the...

Scary? Not compared to a kart! In fact, I think it's a more natural progression from a kart than any of the other OW classes; if you can hang onto a shifter or TaG at full-tilt, you can wheel a...

Really? Have you ever tried out a Red Devil? My old F500 had a MUCH larger, wider cockpit than my current FE has. It may have been an oddball, but I don't think that the cockpit sizes in F500 are...

Anything at the lower price points is going to require some work, so don't be surprised by a fairly high maintenance cost and effort level for the first year or so as you learn the details of...

No kidding! I saw and heard a number of these at the Sprints this weekend - that is a VERY attractive package, and they sound just incredible. Everyone I spoke with commented that they really like...

Nice report! Sounds like you had a much better time than the last time I ran F500 at Summit......:meatball:

Are you redlining when you hit your top speed, or is it aero-limited?

Compare to the price of a Corvette or Porsche 911, then and now. Seriously.

Will this still be the case under next year's changes that eliminate nationals in favor of Majors? IMO, Barber would be a great venue for hosting a Major, and is a lot closer for people in MWDiv,...

Good point - I hadn't made that connection. Why is that the only date available? Is there no other group that would want to trade for Labor Day weekend?



This is because the drivers are the...

Speaking only for myself:

I'm a CenDiv driver, but my office is in Leeds, AL (yeah, it's a brutal commute from Milwaukee). I would love to run at Barber, but I'm not going to drag the car down...

Well said.

Dean, we've raced together enough that you should know that's not what I'm saying. In fact, I tend to err on the side of giving more space than necessary. I did that on the start at BHF earlier...

OK - on second viewing, this makes sense.


1) Your car clearly moved to the right, and did so slowly (which makes the ruling unclear). Since I haven't seen Denny's in-car video I can't tell how...

I'm not so sure that the last part is clear. The FM was off-line going into T7 and WAY slow. He wasn't holding the proper (traditional, at least) racing line through that corner to begin with; he...

I witnessed a number of PUY from that race (and I think we have the video). None of it made any difference to a specific race, but there was some seriously poor judgement on display.

Another random thought - you might try contacting the chief of tech for the Gateway weekend. Let him know your situation ahead of time, and he's likely to be more helpful. He may tell you the...

I would strongly suggest finding the nearest tech inspector to your home. Call him/her and see if he/she would be willing to do an annual and issue a logbook before you go to the track. You...

No, it merely says that those components are not required to be covered.

No. The tops of the wheel are always open, and many (most?) F500/600s have narrow noses. The "sportscar nose" is an option, not a requirement.



The F600 isn't snowmobile powered. It uses a...

Particularly in the OPs area, FE is a good choice. Plenty of competition and some good CSR support nearby. Both GLDiv and CenDiv have active FE groups, and the car is easy to maintain and pretty...

Final results are posted. I'm guessing that not everyone will be happy with the final outcomes.....

...and in fairness, it shouldn't be. That said, it certainly seemed to be an issue that merits some attention.

Heck, even a track map that shows the flag stations would be helpful....I still am...

Guys, do we really want to add one more added-cost item to a car build? This may seem like no big deal to guys in FA/FB/FC/FE, but when you start thinking about SM, FV, F500, CF, ITx, and all the...

I disagree. If there is a call for a local yellow, the starter should/will not throw the green.

The GCR says yes, and the rule is clear. The problem only comes in when the other stations are late dropping the double-yellow flags. Dropping them early is not a problem, because racing does not...

I'll take exception to that.

I don't believe I committed a PUY, but I have two that happened to me on video. (Did not and will not protest, as one was immaterial and I got the other position...

This is a key question, regardless of the other alleged PUYs.

Shouldn't the double yellows be dropped at ALL stations at the same time as the green is waved?

Yes. I posted a link in the "COTA News?" thread in the general forum. That said, I'd love to see any other views...

http://youtu.be/CtJMMm_eGLI

The two cars in front of the 94 dropped anchor...

That's not what the GCR says, though. The rules say that racing begins when the green flies. In reverse, you cannot begin racing just because the yellows are dropped. Bottom line is that the rules...

I'll chime in with a few observations:

1) It's a brand-new track that none of us have ever driven. We've not had very many laps, so we really aren't all 100% comfortable. Personally, I would...

So how do you handle it when your team calls out "Green, green green", but there is still a yellow at the flag station? As noted above, I have this on video when someone goes by me.

I'm confused....

True. I have video of one PUY. I got the position back when we went green, but..... just not worth the hassle of protesting.

I have only seen flags at three locations and the starter stand. I know where one station is in the esses, but haven't seen any flags there. I think the stations must be outside our sight lines.

True. Also, the first session had two red-flag periods, and the second had one red-flag and an early checker. Not many laps yet......:(

I don't know about FF, but I had a 2001 Red Devil F500 that had a one-piece body, except for the very front of the nose section.

Yes, it was a PITA....until I figured out the "easy way" to pull...

The problem with that approach was cost. When you add shocks/springs, CV joints, etc. for a fully independent suspension, the net cost for a track-ready car goes WAY up, as does the weight. There...

You could put a maximum limit on the ratio of length to width of any streamlined member.

I don't think Hoosier called this a safety issue - they're just talking about graining, which is a performance issue.


The other option would be for everyone running Hoosiers to pull into the...

I just got an e-mail from the registrar stating that it will be open at 3:01 CST on Monday - 4 hours later.

:meatball:

The link had been in place on the SWDiv site for some time, so there were a bunch of people trying it right at noon. It apparently went live, and someone then posted that link....then the chain...