Spy Shots NJMP

[Purple Frog]

Just this morning at NJMP (Lightning) Philadelphi Motorsports was seen testing their new Honda powered FB car. Jonathon Scarallo, a pro driver in the F2KCS, was doing the piloting.

[WorldSpeed]

nice looking racecar!

[dd46637]

Honda power. Now thats a departure from the norm.

[Beartrax]

Jonathon Scarallo, a pro driver in the F2KCS, was doing the piloting.

(RE: first photo "a paddock 46") Is he Italian?

[Purple Frog]

What cha talkin' about, use guys don't talk with a your hands?

[JScarallo]

Ginny at heart, dark skin, nig nose, accent, and talk with my hands.... goin straight to the jersey shore from the track tomorrow to get my fist pump goin, do the blow out on my hair, and wearin a white beater and of course I will be spraying some bronzer as well to give me a nice orange tan


In all seriousness Sal Donato has built a beautfiul car and I am very grateful for the opportunity he has given to do the initial testing and development of the car. It is a Honda powered car as noted and its the only 1 of its kind. 2 other FB's were here today and had there usual motor problems that you usually find in this class EXCEPT When you drive a Philly Motorsports DB-X. This moter has 3,000 miles on it and runs like a top, never ever gets hot, we honestly sometimes have to do stuff to it just to get up to temp!

The car itself is a very good car. We first took it to Summit Point 3 weeks ago and were flirting with the track record set in November 09. We were obviously there in July and it was mid 90's and on old tires. Today we broke our hearts and put a sticker set of tires on the car and shattered the track record by almost 2 seconds!!!

2 other cars have been sold and are being built and the interest in this car is growing dramatically everytime it hits the track, very fast, and very reliable. Turn around time is very, quick and the cost is quit economical for this class. You can google Philly Motorsports to get more information and all of there contact information is there as well.

Stay tuned, in-car videos are coming soon of the track record lap and other highlights from the weekend.

~JS

[Mike B]

2 other FB's were here today and had there usual motor problems that you usually find in this class EXCEPT When you drive a Philly Motorsports DB-X. S

Not sure what you mean by that but if you've been paying attention to the class, you'd know that most engine reliability problems have long been solved. Any current problems are usually self-inflicted..

You can google Philly Motorsports to get more information and all of there contact information is there as well.

or you could just go directly to their website:
http://phillymotorsports.com/

I'm really hoping that Sal is successful in getting this car to the Runoffs!

[JScarallo]

Thanks for the link, the hope and plan is to have it at the Runoffs in 2011. Everything came togther just a bit to late to get to the runoffs this year sadly as much as we would like to.

[Firman West Cars]

Good news. congrats. hope to see you on track in 2011

[RussMcB]

Glad to see this car out. Another great addition to the class.

<snip> This moter has 3,000 miles on it

Just curious. Are those racing miles, or mostly street?

When you get a chance, tell us about the engine. Are you thinking it's more reliable because of the manufacturer (Honda vs. Suzuki), or because of things like the dry sump or oil pan?

[Ivinsea]

most engine reliability problems have long been solved. Any current problems are usually self-inflicted.

Ain't that the truth....

[JScarallo]

We found some more speed again on Sunday with some aero tweaks and some alignment changes as well.

Here is the track record lap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSQTBDJCt7E

Its not a perfect lap it was very difficult to get in a rhythm because of traffic but its certainly not a bad lap.

Enjoy!

[marshall9]

We found some more speed again on Sunday with some aero tweaks and some alignment changes as well.

Here is the track record lap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSQTBDJCt7E

Its not a perfect lap it was very difficult to get in a rhythm because of traffic but its certainly not a bad lap.

Enjoy!

I see what ya mean about the traffic

Nice car and nice lap though, congrats !

[Dragnmorad]

I was there this weekend. That thing was a bullet on wheels. He was lapping the field.

[DonArm]

Well the word is out.

Excellent job Sal, glad you got the issues figured out.
Sal and I had discussions about the Honda engine last year, I'm currently working on a Honda powered Citation with Steve Lathrop and a few other people.
Again congrats on the achievement Sal !!!

[FrankRizzo]

In the immortal words of the honorable William J. Le Petomane "What'll it cost man, what'll it cost?"

[JScarallo]

I am not involved with that at all I am just brought in to drive. To get more information about cost and about the car it self you can go to www.phillymotorsports.com and on the site is also all the contact information.

[FrankRizzo]

Yeah, no info on the webpage, figured someone here might know.

[SCOTTY81]

Sal ,You got one fast and talented kid in that car.
Jonathan , cool video bud.....

Jonathan , if you get a chance shoot me an e-mail , I want your feed back on our diff,

]

[JScarallo]

Thanks Scotty, I will call you tomorrow

[stigwhiteCF24]

Great to see a new FB car, great to see it tested at a great track like Lightning at NJMP, and kudos to all involved --- very exciting. Keep up the great work!

Now, let me put the lap time into perspective --- don't declare victory yet. As we all know, lap records can only be set in a race, but more importantly, the FB Lightning lap record is held by a rank amateur (me!) who is 47 years old and fat, driving Jeremy Hill's original Photon which was built in 1992 and is like a late 1980's FC, and which was powered (at the time the record was set) by a bone stock junkyard 2001 GSXR-1000 engine making 145hp.

If Jeremy were to run the track with his new Photon, or if Glen Cooper or the likes ran it, I would be astonished if the lap times didn't drop below 1:02. As a point of comparison, both of those guys dropped into the 1:49's at Watkins Glen when the best I could do was 1:57 with the car in the same configuration used to set 'the record' at Lightning.

So I would expect 1:04's --- and much more --- from a proper FB properly driven.

Great start for this new effort, don't get me wrong, but you need to set the bar much better than my time to be at the pointy end of the field.

[Wren]

Is there a mylaps for this event?

[RussMcB]

What is the new FB lap record?

[stigwhiteCF24]

The SCCA FB lap record for the Lightning Circuit is 1:06.8 which I set in July 2009. As I stated in the earlier post, there is a LOT of room for a proper FB car to beat that. Due to weather, beating that lap record did not happen in the subsequent 2 SCCA race weekends on the Lightning track. The next opportunity to reset the SCCA FB lap record will be in the October Jersey Road Racing Classic. Let's get a big field of FB cars out for that great late-season event which offers tons of track time, and have some fun with this! I hope to see you all at Lightning for the next SCCA event there. We also have a regional on the NJMP Thunderbolt circuit August 20-22, where my lap record is ripe to be broken. They're 2 great tracks at NJMP and the NJ SCCA Regions run very good events, so please do come and join in! Best, Tom

[JScarallo]

i deffinitly think there was more time in the car and me. I could have easily gone another 4-5 tenths quicker if I had another clear lap after this one, but it was impossible to get into a rhythm. And it also doesnt count until you do it. We had cars on track literally 25 seconds slower then us and a total of 35 cars on track. But it was a good weekend to go to for us because even with traffic we are still able to test different spring rate, alignment changes, wing changes etc.

If anybody else is going to go to those NJMP regional please start a thread or something that will be good to know.

Here is a little promo/music video I made for Sal from our weekend.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/user/JSMotorsports22

[blackbmwk1200r]

We had cars on track literally 25 seconds slower then us and a total of 35 cars on track.

I don't doubt that Jonathon will be able to turn faster laps in this car. Very fast car with great driver. I'm not sure however that the above is a complete depiction of the circumstances impacting his fastest lap times at NJMP this past weekend, nor, more importantly, the circumstances around which the faster classes at FRCCA are generally expected to race.

Yes, there were practice sessions where all formula car classes were on the track at the same time and the above identified disparity in lap times during those sessions may in fact be accurate. However the timed and race sessions that Jonathon ran in both days included only FB's, FC's, F/PA's and a couple of Brabhams (not sure of class). During these sessions Jonathon started at the front of 17-18 cars and by my estimate the biggest disparity should have been somewhere in the 14-15 second range.

Sid Smith

[philly1000]

Hi to all here at ApexSpeed

I wanted to stay away but I fell I sould say something


First thanks to everyone who helped make my effort possible

Second thanks to everyone here who had positive things to say


Now the facts: I have been testing my car for the past year, and your right 1:04.2 time at Lightning isn't as fast as a FB should go, we know that and we know were there is more, but in poker you don't show your hand until the chips are in,and in racing (they tell me) SLOW ENOUGH TO WIN.
The truth is the record was a 1:06.7 now it 's a 1:04.2 next week it may be faster. Maybe by us or someone else. that said I'm sure that there is alot of record that can be broken and people think that it should be faster

My car ran great this weekend and it rolled into the trailer in one piece (thanks Johnathan) now if we go to Mid Ohio , Watkins Glen, or other tracks and there are other FB's there we will make every effort to try to bet them and if there aren't any there will make every effort to try to bet there record.

The car did what we wanted it to do this weekend, ran flawless, keeped it's cool and responded to every little change we made to it.

Unfortunately the season is coming to an end and we might not make the runoffs this year but you will see us out the for sure next year.

Thanks again to everyone

SAL
Philadelphia Motorsports
DB-x F1000

[SCOTTY81]

If it is listed in the books as a new track record.......then it is a new track record.
Rain or shine night or day....you did a damn nice drive Jonathan......

[glenn cooper]

Sal, Good on you guys for joining the FThou party.
The car looks like it's railing along just fine in the vid.
We'll see about venturing North after the Runoffs for that little race youse guize'll be puttin' on, should be fun!

[JScarallo]

Let the record show Im from LOng Island not "Jorsay"

[glenn cooper]

Huntington (born) & Hauppauge (High School) here.
(I guess I was really talking about NJMP)...

[dereklola]

Let the record show Im from LOng Island not "Jorsay"

I bought a car once from Long Island - Montauk in fact -
- now I know why it's called Loooooooong Island

[Tom Valet]

Sal and Jonathan,

The car looks great and you have every right to feel proud of the performance of the car at Jersey, especially considering that this was the first time the car was ever raced.

As for the lap record at Lightning, it is a lap record until someone else comes along and proves they can go faster. My son Bill set the FF lap record at Jersey Lightning two years ago in the very first SCCA race held there. He knows there is more time to be found on that track, but two years later he is still waiting for someone to go faster than he did and break the record, but nobody has.

Same for you guys. The record is yours until someone proves otherwise. No explaining necessary. Most likely it will be you guys breaking your own record. Congrats on a great run.

Take care.

Tom

[stigwhiteCF24]

Tom's absolutely right, which is the point I was trying to make. The event this past weekend was NOT an SCCA event. So my lap record --- just like your son's --- still stands until someone beats it in an SCCA race. It is going to happen. I really, really want folks to bring their FB cars out to SCCA races at NJMP because I'm tired of running out their alone with a 'hollow' lap record because there's been no one to race with. Fortunately Ivin and Pete have stepped up and done their driver's school, so now we have three, and I can't wait to see this great new car out there with us too in an SCCA race. Best, Tom

[Wren]

Is there anywhere to see the results from this race? Can someone post a time sheet from the FC grouping?

[LenFC11]

FRCCA does not use AMB transponders. they have their own. maybe john heckman can some how post or send them to you, but i do not believe you can find online

[sc94]

http://frccallc.webs.com/Race%20timi...e%20sheets.pdf



F/C etc. starts on page 10 of the pdf.

Kirk

[roeper72]

all time sheets are on the frcca website

http://frccallc.webs.com/tsandschedules.htm

[Clyde]

StigwhiteCF24; It seems like you feel the Sports Car Club record is the only "Official" lap record; I believe the Formula Car Club of America's lap record is just as important. Too bad you did not attend the race as there were 3 F/B racecars there, yours would have added to the enjoyment BUT Joey was fast, who knowns if it was a "Fast" day as we all know tracks have their quick days and slow days. I feel the point here is that you do not seem to want to recognize the fact that this Honda powered racecar was fast and was over 2 seconds ahead of the Sports Car Club of Americas lap record. Let us give credit were it is due. PERIOD

[RussMcB]

StigwhiteCF24; It seems like you feel the Sports Car Club record is the only "Official" lap record; I believe the Formula Car Club of America's lap record is just as important. Too bad you did not attend the race as there were 3 F/B racecars there, yours would have added to the enjoyment BUT Joey was fast, who knowns if it was a "Fast" day as we all know tracks have their quick days and slow days. I feel the point here is that you do not seem to want to recognize the fact that this Honda powered racecar was fast and was over 2 seconds ahead of the Sports Car Club of Americas lap record. Let us give credit were it is due. PERIOD

I didn't read his posts as negative at all, and they certainly helped add context.

I will admit it is true many of us in SCCA have blinders on and think the amateur road racing world revolves around us :-).