New to FE / buying advice

[tethorp]

I'm a long-time participant in the SEDIV, having raced in ITA for way longer than I care to admit. 5' 10" / 170 so I think car size is fine. Recently done bunch of karting and now moving to wings and things class. Going this weekend to look at http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70466

Anyone know of the car/history? Also, thoughts on running in TX area vs. out of N. GA would be appreciated (i.e. ease of service in different areas).

Thanks in advance

[Keith Carter]

Welcome to the class!

[Marshall Mauney]

I can't speak personally to the support for FE in TX, though I know that there have been some pretty fast guys in that area in the past that have come up to some CenDiv events. If the cars that are in the division are out at the track, you'd have a good group to run with; Jim Kelleher (local CSR) races FE himself, so I'd expect he'd take good care of you.

I can tell you for certain that there is a also pretty good group of FEs in SEDiv, and you'd have good support in both Florida (Prism) and the rest of SEDiv (Comprent).

I don't think you'd go wrong either way.

[mikey]

+1 for Kevin at Comprent

[cmaxwell]

To the best of my knowledge, there are three of us active down here in Texas - Tim Reinke, Scott McQueen and me.

I don't think Jim Kelleher is racing FE any more, and he has told me that he is no longer CSR. Texas does not have a CSR for FE.

Speaking for Tim and myself, Kevin does a very good job of supporting us remotely in terms of parts, advice and special tools, assisted occasionally by Enterprises. If you need something at a SowDiv race that you, or one of us does not have in our own spares inventory, you will probably be out of luck.

The few of us that are here do pretty well at taking care of each other, and would be happy to have another FE guy in the neighborhood.

I am from the Austin area, and I see that you are from Dallas. I get up to Motorsport Ranch in Cresson which is not too far from you, with some frequency, and I am at most of the Sowdiv races.

Let me know if I can help you with anything.

...and your name is?

[tethorp]

Thanks for the input. I've known of Kevin/Comprent for sometime and have never heard a word bad. I've spoken to him in the past about running a FE schedule but life always got to busy to execute. I do like Athens, GA enormously. I'd like to keep a car here so as to run COTA a few times a year but only know the tracks in the southeast. - Ted Thorp

[MarkM]

Ted,

If you want to run in Texas, call Tom Dalrymple. 325-423-2516. You won't find a better guy here.

Mark

[Prhard]

I'm a long-time participant in the SEDIV, having raced in ITA for way longer than I care to admit. 5' 10" / 170 so I think car size is fine. Recently done bunch of karting and now moving to wings and things class. Going this weekend to look at http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70466

Anyone know of the car/history? Also, thoughts on running in TX area vs. out of N. GA would be appreciated (i.e. ease of service in different areas).

Thanks in advance

if you still look for a car I have one too let me know 936-537-7688 peter

[skl48]

My son moved from 125 shifters to FE- great class. Much support in the midwest... no knowledge from other parts of the country...

[bluterek155]

How many weekends or heat cycles can you get out of FE tires?

[Keith Carter]

It depends on what you want out of them. You could probably run them for 8 or so cycles before you're down to the bottom of the wear markers depending on how much camber you're running.. There are probably 4 competitive heat cycles in a set where you'd still be able be in contention with others that have 2 or 3 cycle tires. Anything more than 5 cycles and you'll probably be a second or so a lap off of the fast pace. In FE when you're up against a pack of cars that are identical and are within tenths of seconds of each other, the biggest differential in performance you'll get is in the tires you have. With the tires being spec, the age, hardness, and amount of rubber is a big deal. If you're just concerned about life of the tire during a track day you'll be around 8-10 heat cycles I would imagine.

[Jeff Read]

What Keith said!

[riderxracer]

Word on the grapevine is that we may not have those great Hoosier tires next year. It seems the tire deal has expired. They are darn fine tires. I ran a double race this year, winning one and second in the other against a high caliber opponant on tires thar had 17 heat cycles on them. They still had rubber left ! Granted, I did take care not to slide them to much, cleaned them after every session, and maybe not as much camber.

[tethorp]

Baring any last-minute issues, taking delivery of the car this weekend. If anyone from Houston is traveling to Road Atlanta for the ARRC and has room in their trailer for an FE, do let me know. Plan is to have Comprent go through car in the off season.

Thanks

[riderxracer]

Word on the grapevine is that we may not have those great Hoosier tires next year. It seems the tire deal has expired. They are darn fine tires. I ran a double race this year, winning one and second in the other against a high caliber opponant on tires thar had 17 heat cycles on them. They still had rubber left ! Granted, I did take care not to slide them to much, cleaned them after every session, and maybe not as much camber.

To update my earlier post. The Hoosier FE tire contract runs thru 2016. So we will in fact enjoy those same great tires at least thru next year. I also understand the parties are in negotiations to extend the contract beyond '16. Discussuions likely include a change to radials to align us with most other series.