Another Car is Born....finally...

[jsteeb]

More like resurrected... The bodywork of the "SamAdams JS01 FST Wolverine" is on hold...

But the Lynx makes a pretty good looking FST I think....




See you guys at Nelson...

Thanks to my Dad, Greg Rice and Rob St. Clair....and everybody else who has helped me along the way..... Keith Averill, Jim, Bill, Woody, Mr. Carr, Robert, etc, etc...

[lawyerbob]

Wow - very nice!

And if you ever decide to let go of the name Sam Adams - let me know - I'll take it!

Hope to see you at Nelson - trying to work that one out.

[kea]

Jason,
I'm happy to see that you made it out with your new ride.
Hope Dad did too!

[Jim Nash]

Looks great Jason! It also looks like you have had it on track already. How did it go?

Jim

[jsteeb]

[FONT=Monaco]Bob…sorry I never replied to your initial inquiries regarding my Adams (yours is looking great by the way)! To get my Lynx done on-time, I’ve been in permanent flog mode since about March 1st. I haven’t spent a lot of time online – other than a quick post on APEX, or emailing questions to my FST buddies! My other car will hit the track someday….just not this summer. The scope of that project changed, when the main hoop needed to be replaced. At that point I decided to build an totally new car around the Adams rear clip. The frame is done, but building bodywork from scratch has proved to be a…….longer process than I thought. I still make some progress on it, but for now it’s time to race the Lynx.[/FONT]

[FONT=Monaco]Keith….Dad made it too. We both had some teething issues, but that’s why we wanted to get to the driver’s school to shake both cars down. Thanks again for the help and the parts.[/FONT]

[FONT=Monaco]Mr. Nash…I ran the driver’s school at Waterford Hills this past weekend (I’m sure you know Waterford). For the most part the car ran flawlessly. Temps and PSI’s were all pretty good. And in true FST fashion, the steering and brakes felt great all weekend (the brakes were so good I snapped a trailing arm mount (which I made too thin for FV or FST…oops.)) Honestly…if not for the trailing arm problem (which a Vee guy, Chuck McCormick, helped me fix) and a tiny problem with an axle nut, which Greg Rice helped me resolve, all I did the entire weekend was adjust the valves, check the oil, and set tire PSI! Hahahahaha! I love this car! All in all, the weekend was spectacular, and I can’t wait to get back out there….[/FONT]

[FONT=Monaco]It was so nice being on that side of the wall for a change. [/FONT]

[lawyerbob]

[FONT=Monaco]but building bodywork from scratch has proved to be a…….longer process than I thought. [/FONT]

Once we are satisfied with the car overall, building a buck and designing a whole new body for the Adams FST car is our likely next project. Unless I win the lottery, give the Adams FST to someone else (smaller than me! ) and buy me a new Evolution (or maybe a Jacer - man that's a pretty car!)

But since the lottry isn't forthcoming - I need to comtinue to lose weight - that Adams is a SMALL car!

[rgu]

Jason, Bob
One fact is evident, this year we have a potential of seven new cars running in the series or the year end ARRC. Six of these cars are conversion cars. Only one or two fall in the purpose built category. I’m positive that the future of the class lies in conversion cars as a greater percentage of the market than their purpose built alternatives.
So while it’s still fresh in your minds let us (including the fence sitters) know what the approximate costs were and what pitfalls new converters might encounter.
Good work guys

[lawyerbob]

So while it’s still fresh in your minds let us (including the fence sitters) know what the approximate costs were and what pitfalls new converters might encounter.
Good work guys

Ok first - I'm a terrible record keeper - I'm sure SRacing has a better idea of how much I spend than I do! Seems like Jim was sending me something everyday for a while there!.

Seriously - I started with a pretty good car, but there were some issues (like a totalled nose from last season). I did some horse trading, and paid some cash out, and learned to do a lot myself and or with the help of friends. I've got a few former FV parts left for sale, so I'd say my net cost of the conversion, was about $3K give or take. (Honestly, I think it might have actually been closer to $2K when you factor in the stuff I've sold and traded, but I'm sure it wasn't more than $3K) Now, when you consider that for 2010 IF I had stayed in FV I was needing to have the engine freshened (it was solid, but was not at top HP so I was at a disadvantage there), was going to have to invest in a long box, and get new tires, I think I'm honestly not much worse off than I would have been putting the car together as a Vee capable of running National races. And I don't have to worry about swapping trannys or the weight issue (remember - I was 70 pounds HEAVY in FV configuration! I'm going on the scale next weekend, but actually expect I'll have to ADD weight to be legal in FST.

Since I bought my Vee right in the first place, I'm reasonably sure I've now got a car that's worth more than I've got in it. Yay!

My only real issue at the moment - my trailer is 6' wide and the door opening is a little under - I either need a wider trailer or "transport tires" that aren't as wide as the big meaty FST tires.

[csatte02]

Car looks great Jason, I like the way the Caracal C bodyworks looks with those bigger tires! (just need to get the Hoosiers on it) What kind of times were you running?

Maybe you, me, and woody should get a First Waterford weekend in this year?

[Dave Woodmancy]

Jason, congrats on a sucessful "first" weekend.



We should be able to organize a Waterford weekend, and hopefully get 4 cars on track if we can get the Jacer that is in Waterford to come out and play as well.

[jsteeb]

I'd be happy to get a FST weekend together at WHRRI. I'm running in June, July, and probably September. I would think WHRRI would be a place where there would be quite a bit of interest in the FST concept. I mean we are basically the IT class of the formula car groups. My dad is going to run his ITC Plymouth Arrow alongside me the entire summer....it will be interesting to see how the "in garage" and "at the track" work loads compare to each other. If we can get a couple of cars out to WHRRI, we might be able to get some of the fence sitters out on the track (or out of IT). The only problem for getting a series race on the schedule is the muffler rule and the small paddock....but that EWC CFC race a few years ago help boost the numbers of the big bore formula car group...and with the vee fields and F500 fields shrinking....we would basically own the group for a weekend (friday afternoon test day, plus a quali, and 3 races...not a bad weekend for a $150 entry fee).....

Anyway.....pipe dreams...

To answer your lap time question Chris.... I spent most of the weekend in the 16's. Ran a 16.03 Sunday morning with Hoosiers on....burned off a couple of fliers Saturday with the Goodyears. Sunday afternoon I slowed down to practice hitting apexes and turn in points, etc... The track was super green, and the clouds didn't help tire temps very much....I'm still shaking off the rust too. We (FST) should be able to get into the 13's or 14's....the time is there.

Robert...I'll get that together this week. Pretty similar to Bob tho.

[kea]

Sorry the brakes worked so good. Glad you found the limits of the bracket at a place like Waterford though.

[provamo]

jsteeb: please explain

....we would basically own the group for a weekend (friday afternoon test day, plus a quali, and 3 races...not a bad weekend for a $150 entry fee).....

[kea]

Jason,
I think if you get the group numbers together, like we did for the GLC F/C & CFC, it would happen. They already do a Corvette weekend beside the GLC, so I can't see why not.
As I told you before, I think the FST concept is a good one, you just need to get the numbers up, then I'm sure others will want to join the fun.
See you at the track.

[fvkartguy]

But the Lynx makes a pretty good looking FST I think....

Good to know since I'm currently converting my Lynx!

[jsteeb]

Waterford is a small version of the SCCA, but the club owns and operates their own track (in the backyard of the Oakland County Sportsman Club). During their events, WHRRI has started to host "special" events for classes / groups who have managed to pull together a number cars for a race. As Keith eluded to, the Corvette guys do it as well as the GLC FC/FF guys. The special groups usually get an extra feature race, where they are the only cars on the track...sort of like a Saturday night Feature race. There's also an opportunity to have a small car show in the spectator area, etc...etc...

What I meant by "own the group" is simply that the FV/F500 group only averaged 9-10 cars last summer. The 500's were pulling about 5-6 cars per weekend, and the Vees around 3-4. If we showed up with +10 FST's we would dominate the run group.

So a possible schedule/cost could look something like.....
$205 entry fee ($150 was for WHRRI members, sorry about that)
~$50 entry fee for FRIDAY Open Practice
FRIDAY
Gates open around 10 or 11AM Friday morning.
12PM-4PM : Track is open for Open Practice (as much or as little as you want).
SATURDAY
Prac/Qualify, Class Race 1, and Exclusive Feature Race 1
SUNDAY
Class Race 2, Class Race 3, and Exclusive Feature Race 2 (maybe - not sure about the 2nd race)

I think this can be modified based on the desires of the, "special group." But I would need to do some checking with the Waterford officials to see what options we actually have. I have no doubt that we can get at least 1 exclusive race, and 5-6 on track sessions. Plus, the 500's/Vee guys at WHRRI have always been very respectful of each other and their class...split starts, etc...etc...

There are some facility limitations to WHRRI... But they are all pretty easy to overcome. You must run a muffler (it's a city ordinance), I run a, "baffles only," Super Trap. Race engines are only allowed between 10am and 6pm. And the paddock is kind of small, but if there is enough interest, I can do some leg work to see about reserving some paddock space for a "FST Section."

The track itself is 13 turns, 1.5miles. Personally, I think it's a blast. Even in our "slower" formula cars there's not a lot of time to catch your breath. It could be our Monaco!

Anyway...I can do some checking. I know the FST schedule is set this year, but maybe (if there's interest) we could hit WHRRI next year. We can always do a test run this year.....

BTW: Check out www.waterfordhills.com

[kea]

Jason, One thing you forgot to mention. For those who have never been there, spectators can actually see much of the track action, from a couple of "spectator" areas. Thus, if you have friends that come along, but don't have much function during a race, they can go outside the paddock area, have their lunch over on the hill and watch you go around.
There is also an elevated (roof top) spot in the paddock too, but that can crowd up pretty fast.

[provamo]

i did run Waterford Hills in the later part of the previous century during an Alfa Romero owners convention but what caught my interest in this thread was jsteeb's comment on the $150 entry fee.....i guess that is a lot less than what people pay for SCCA events

mind you when i started it cost about $20 in Canada....how, why did entry fees to SCCA club racing get ridiculous?

[lawyerbob]

i did run Waterford Hills in the later part of the previous century during an Alfa Romero owners convention but what caught my interest in this thread was jsteeb's comment on the $150 entry fee.....i guess that is a lot less than what people pay for SCCA events

mind you when i started it cost about $20 in Canada....how, why did entry fees to SCCA club racing get ridiculous?

For What its worth (not meaning to steal the thread) my cousin's son races Sprint Cars locally. He pays $20 a night to race, AND can win $. I suspect paying spectators make the difference, that and sponsors for the tracks. I think we (SCCA) could do a much better job of marketing our program to consumers which would likely defray the operating costs and bring the entry fees back down.

We have a good product and SHOULD be promoting it. (see my post at General Events on the Wisconsin Grand Prix). Everytime I talk to people who I know are race fans and suggest they come to an SCCA race they comment "didn't even know that was going on . . . " I guess it really is the Secret Car Club of America (no idea who actually get's credit for that, but I'll creit Tony Machi, our Region Counsel)

[provamo]

lawyer bob...as a matter of fact the first CASC race i witnessed charged $5 at the gate for what was essentially an amatuer event that was advertised in a two line automotive ad found in the local paper...good cheap spectating fun all day long

someday someone other than the SCCA will get it all together to create affordable racing opportunities..i hope

[lawyerbob]

someday someone other than the SCCA will get it all together to create affordable racing opportunities..i hope

I know we're preaching to the choir, but I'm hoping that the promotion of the Wisconsin Grand Prix will get some butts in the seats and prove that, given the notice, people will come watch amatuer road racing. I mean, there are no less than 5 bull rings around here that are full of spectaters every Friday, Saturday or Sunday night - and it's more than $5-10 a seat!

[Matt King]

If you want to put butts in seats at a car race, you'd better give them some wrecks to watch!