I like running fronts on the rear, but if we could all agree on a tire and it would bring more people out...I'd switch back.Originally Posted by jgrooms
I like running fronts on the rear, but if we could all agree on a tire and it would bring more people out...I'd switch back.
Currently Without Car
I think we can all agree to let Brad run fronts on the rear, as long as he runs rears on the front. Whaddya say?
But seriously folks, IMHO, Formula cars just don't look right without wider tires on the rear.
Steve
Steve Barkley
1969 Palliser-Winkelmann WDF1 FF1600
Steve Beeler, where are you? The EWC format worked out really well. I think it would be difficult to get a good turnout just focusing on CenDiv tracks. Up here we know how tough it is to lure people all the way to Brainerd, but speaking of that mark down Labor Day weekend for our double Regional. To boost car counts might have to put Great Lakes in the mix. I could use an excuse to go back to Grattan or even MidOhio even though Mansfield from here is like the dark side of the moon.
Spec tire? All for it as $1000 a set really cuts into the racing budget. Suppose front/rear would be best although F-1 tires now look almost the same. Would really need a test somewhere to try to set up my car for skinnies and haven't seen too many DB-1s running that way.
Skinny's
Another down side to running the skinnys is the gear ratio change...It would cost a pretty penny to purchase a bunch of gears....That would be a deciding factor for me
A Spec tire does not work for those with a budget far less then a new set of tires and rely on take-offs from a "national" driver to get them through a season.
Here's an idea, maybe combine forces with other small displacement formula groups like FV, F500, F600, Formula First and work with the regions to have all cars on track during practice and qualifying and run two separate races consisting of FF, CFF, and F600 and a second race with FV, and Formula First and F500. Allow F500 guys to run F600 (in F500 trim and no divisional championship points but for series points) doubling the number of races and boosting the number of entries and base the starting position for both races on the qualifying time. The additional cost for a F500 racer to do so would be up to each region. Maybe one combined series championship based on points and tie breakers (number of wins, percentage of points based on participation in a particular class rewarding drivers that had to beat 40 cars vs. only 4 cars).
Maybe Apexspeed as a title sponsor (what do you think Doug - a special donation paypal account to help promote formula car racing?). The Sat. night parties would be bigger and better. Award door prizes to those who: tow the longest distance, eat peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches the entire weekend, most young kids (including babies) as your pit crew, most understanding wife, camp at the track, the guy with no pit crew, the most dry rotted trailer tires, the guy with no rain tires, best spray can paint job, most spectacular repair job (engine, crash damage, tow vehicle, pit cart, etc.) during the weekend to motivate those to fix the car and race the next day vs. loading the trailer, and anything else that would make the budget racer excited about participating in the series. Funny, I think I would qualify for all the awards mentioned above and I know many of you following this Cen-div thread would also give me a run for the money based on your racing budget or should I say the lack of one.
Been a fun ride in FF these last 6-7yrs but this is what we are going to do now. My kid has already taken the wheel from me and wants to drive.............. Lance is coming down to test fit the mondiale so hopefully another car will be out on track in the future.
Andrew
Last edited by thunderracing91; 03.26.17 at 2:03 PM.
You're gonna needa smaller seat!
We'll miss you Andrew, but best wishes, and remember, turn right to go left!
Hope you enjoy it, but I'm sure you'll grow to miss the 4+ hour tows! NOT
Steve
Steve Barkley
1969 Palliser-Winkelmann WDF1 FF1600
Andrew! Did you buy that bad boy?? Can't wait to see the in-car video from that monster!
Lance
Yup picked it up Monday. You can sit in this car too saturday!
Can I drive it up and down the street?
Lance
Spectacular weather, for a change; somewhat green track after late Saturday rain; event run like clockwork (thanks to all staff and workers); and, I was told, a great race upfront.
1. Rubenzer
2. Hazelton
3. Bartz
4. Wheatcroft
5. Midgely
Once we rubbered in the track, Scott and Reid got into high 12s, with Jeff and me in low 14s. I started third but Jeff made a stellar pass early and then kicked my butt the rest of the race.
Where was everybody else? We had a blast but it gets lonesome sometimes!
How many cars total Allen?
That was it, five.
There are four FF's registered for next weekend at Grattan out of just 38 cars overall.
I really thought that race would have brought at least 10 cars....................
I thought ten minimum.
Are you running circle track yet?
Road America
I really wanted to run at Rd America this year, haven't been since the 40th. The only SCCA Regional weekend was a schedule conflict for me so I'm running my first Midwest Council race there Aug 11-12. All non-production-based race cars in one run group (22 cars), with two FFs and four CFFs as of right now. I'm not crazy about running that eclectic a mix of cars, but they combined the same cars at the Firecracker last month and that worked out ok on a track half as long. I guess I'll get lapped half as often! Maybe I'll see some of ya'll there.
Chuck Smith
Tiga FFA-81
Indianapolis, IN
Oh yeah! Raced last weekend for the first time. Helluva rush to say the least. When we raced in SCCA my buddies and I felt like the rednecks at the track. Now at the dirt track we feel like city folk with red neck behavior. Ehhhhhhh........its hard to explain, ya just gotta be there to appreciate the full dirt track experience. Hahaha.
That is so cool. I grew up watching dirt track in Pennsylvania and New Jersey - some guy named Andretti ran midgets IIRC. We miss you on the asphalt, so you have to keep us updated - with pix if you have some!
Grattan entries are "up to" 49. Still just 4 FF's.
Thanks Allen for the blackhawk info
We are planning to do the RA double regional see'ya on the grid..JV
Good to hear that!
Maybe we'll get a decent turnout, I know of at least one other FF coming but not yet registered.
I'l see you both there! Should be a fun weekend! Hopefully a lot of tracktime too!
I'll be running with you guys with my F5 car, so it'll be a bit closer to the front than with the Eagle at RA.
Jacques N. Dresang
Kettle Moraine Preservation & Restoration
1977 All American Racers Eagle DGF #005
1972 Elden Mk10B AM73-49 - #140/1
What a great race over at Grattan. Bob Perona, who didn't run qualifying and hadn't been to Grattan in quite a while, ran down Russell Ruedisueli catching him on the last lap, passing in the jump. In the process, Russell turned a 19.9 while Perona, in a Piper, missed the track record by a tenth with a 19.7. Fantastic race, that guy Perona can really drive a FF.
Unfortunately for me, I got to watch from T10, something amiss with the car from the start - and then no power on lap 4. In three days, between weather, an ill-timed slide onto the grass during Q2, and my race woes, I got a full 16 laps - less than 1 session. Bang for the buck.
Midwest Council at Rd America
Three FFs and seven CFFs at this event last weekend, along with lovely cool weather.
Chuck Smith
Chuck,
I want to thank you for giving Midwestern Council a try last weekend. I posted the CFF results in the MC section on this forum... You should check it out.
It could have very easily been 10 CFFs, had three of our guys had their cars ready. Spread the word, Royal Rumble 5, next year at RA!
Jack Bartelt
Lola T540 CFF
Allen?
Allen?
Me Allen?
If so, I'm here, at RA for the Kettle Moraine. 10 FF's. Jamie Stiehr won today, I had a really fun race, running with Bill Cobb (F5, had a close race with him also at Blackhawk this year), finishing 2nd in FF and 2nd overall. Steve Barkley had his fastest lap at RA in qualifying but looped it on lap 1 (I think) in Canada Corner during the race. Got to see John Vlasis on the podium and also Jacques Dressang in his F5. Hot and busy on the track, with FVs and FSTs.
Or was it Wes Allen . . . ?
Do you have results for the 10 car field at RA?
Ugh, well, yes, but not with me.
Tomorrow, I promise . . .
Allen?
It was you Allen W. Wes Allen would be Wes?
Allen, you are always so kind, thorough, and unbiased in your race reports. Having 10 FF's in the Elkhart race is terrific and I wish I could have fit it in to the schedule.
Thanks for the update.
John
Got yer rain tires ready Allen? Looks like rain for sunday.........
Thanks John.
Wish you could have been here too. Jamie was flying . . .
I will have the grid sheet with me later today to do a proper update.
Andrew, we might get lucky . . . according to the morning weather report, and weather reports are NEVER wrong . . .How is the new gig going?
If this doesn't prove that the Internet is better than real life, I don't know what will. This is a real time update from the paddock. Oh my gosh.
Saturday results
Top five
Stiehr 2:25.4 flying!
Wheatcroft 2:27.2
Vlasis 2:30.0
Lecuyer 2:30.6
Barkley 2:31.1 (2:29.2 in qualifying)
Then Johnson, Mackey, Fritz, Stark and Bartz (6 laps, clutch again I heard, not sure)
We may dodge the rain. Weather.com says it is raining but it isn't.
Hope the rain stays away until after the race..Good luck everyone!
No report from me on the Sunday race as it rained, light and hard off and on, steadily from when we went out for qualifying until noon, at least - I decided not to risk the car in the wet given that I am planning to do the runoffs but a repair bill would mean no go. I took off about noon and drove through a downpour extending from where I-43 and 57 meet all the way to Illinois.
So the qualifying was weird: we sat on the grid for 5+ minutes after we should have gone out with rain drops beginning to fall, very light at first, for what seemed like the time it took grid workers to make a sign to let us know that the rain drops on our visors were from rain. The track didn't look wet but when the FF in front of me spun in T8 on the out lap, I decided to play it safe and chugged around to the pits.
Next up for me is the runoffs. I can't wait. I wish they were starting today . . .
Cen-Div FF
Allen:
Was that 4:00 a.m. post before or after the team meeting?
Cindy
LOL
During!
Allen:
Was that 4:00 a.m. post before or after the team meeting?
Cindy
In rainy and overall dismal conditions, here were the results from yesterday's 12-lap's of rain and nastiness:
1. #70 James Stiehr
2. #48 John Vlasis - 1:21.021
3. #10 Steve Barkley - 2:49.261
4. #15 Ethan Mackey - 2:52.791
5. #27 Raymond Lecuyer - 1 Lap
6. #90 Walter Stark - 3 Laps
7. #30 Jeff Fritz - DNF
DNS #9 Allen Wheatcroft
DNS #33 Jeff Bartz
DNS #38 Dan Johnson
They started the FF and FST cars together in the first group and the FV and F5 cars together in group two. It was a fun race for me in the F5, as I hadn't been in the rain since 2006, and only then in a Miata. I caught up to Ethan and Steve, who were having their own race for third in FF, while I was a few miles ahead of the other F5 competitor. After trying a few times to get by both, I let Ethan back by, as I couldn't keep him behind on the straights. Hope I didn't screw up your race at all!
Cheers,
jacques 'FF5' dresang
Jacques N. Dresang
Kettle Moraine Preservation & Restoration
1977 All American Racers Eagle DGF #005
1972 Elden Mk10B AM73-49 - #140/1
Thanks, Jacques. I've been thinking all day I gave Dresang one too many S's in an earlier post, and indeed I did.
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