Florida Majors

[Brian Graham]

So who all is going? BGR will be there with 2 Piper DL7/Honda's and has 1 empty seat for each Major if anyone is thinking of going but would rather fly............. Looking forward to heading south and seeing some great FF action again.

Brian.

[Hartley]

Hi Brian,

I am a fellow Canuck living the dream in south Florida. There are 10 cars registered for the race so far including my DB1 and KHill says he is bringing 3 cars. A good mix of locals and northerners. So with your two that is 15 cars in total with a month still to go. Any one else coming?

Should be great fun!

Hartley

[Hartley]

We are up to 15 FFs confirmed for both Homestead and Sebring.

Anyone else coming?

[CF56]

Andy and I will both be at Sebring.

[S. Frebert]

I missed it this year, But I really want to race at Sebring with everyone. Long haul but I could care less haha.


It woukd make a nice vacation from work out of it, sounds like a plan!!

[dgernert]

I missed it this year, But I really want to race at Sebring with everyone. Long haul but I could care less haha.


It woukd make a nice vacation from work out of it, sounds like a plan!!

You should rent the seat from Brian and enjoy an arrive and drive.

[Hartley]

Congratulations to John Schimenti

John won the Sunday Homestead race in convincing fashion and set a new FF record in the process. All this accomplished with a substantially bent a arm after contact in the race. I guess alignments are a waste of time and obviously not necessary!

[Roland V. Johnson]

Like the great Paul White (one of the founders of the Swift) told me years ago. " You spend countless hours in the shop getting the set-up perfect. The driver then goes out, runs the car off the road, and has the wheels pointing in all directions. He then gets the Red Mist up and promptly goes faster than ever before! It drives you crazy."

[jim morgan]

horsepower will trump setup everytime

[jchracer]

What exactly are you trying to say Mr. Morgan?

[jim morgan]

not saying, just saying

[Rick Klotz]

I thought bumper cars was a ride at the fair,

[Purple Frog]

I thought bumper cars was a ride at the fair,

some think bumping cars is fair.

[Cole Morgan]

What exactly are you trying to say Mr. Morgan?

I think he's insinuating that the new FF lap record is the result of an illegal motor.

Just a guess though.

[jim morgan]

Don't believe I used the word illegal. Just magical.

[jchracer]

Now it's out there.......

[jim morgan]

What exactly are you trying to say Joel?

[S. Frebert]

Any incar footage ? Last years was some great racing!

[schiconst]

I didn't want to reply because I'm tired of hearing crybabies! But here it is.... If any of you could drive you would have kicked my ass.
At the 2015 Majors in Homestead ; John Benson 1:24.992
At the 2017 Majors in Homestead ; John Schimenti 1:26.424

[jim morgan]

John
all kidding aside you obviously drove very well to make up that gap with a bent car

[James Lee]

It was a close finish at the line, all 4 cars within a couple of feet of each other.

[jim morgan]

Here it is for everybody to see.

Everyone who runs in the SE against John thinks he has a cheater engine. And a normal one. His performance at Daytona and Homestead on the banking is impressive. Other tracks he's normal.
That being said the scutttlebut years ago was the car he bought from Treadway had the best kent in the country and I believe it is.

I enjoy racing with John he is a clean driver, I do this for fun and don't care about Trophy's ,championships are another question.

I want this issue to go away so i have offered a private inspection at my expense.

Despite life coaching from my hero the Frog I really don't want to be the trouble maker.

[stonebridge20]

Ah yes, the infamous Ex Treadway engine rears it's ugly head once again. I drove that

car/engine combo in one session at the 40th. My nipples are still hard.

[swiftdrivr]

John,
I've raced SARRC for over 25 years, and I know of only one FF engine that has been protested, ever. You bought the best Kent in the country, and if it's legal, you should get credit for being able to drive it. Do yourself and your reputation a favor, and after your next disputed win, demand a teardown, at the track. Prove the win was done with a legal motor. As for me, I'm like Jim. I race for fun, not trophys. I don't care, but maybe you should. Just my opinion, FWIW

[JeremyT12]

John better than that keep winning and don't bother giving them the privilege of a tear down. I don't know where that engine has been since it left my shop but it was the baddest Kent in the country and most would argue that our backup was the second best.. you ponied up and bought the best DB6 package in the country and because of that you have enjoy the winning tradition that we spent countless hours building that car to do.. Good Luck! I miss that car....

[jim morgan]

he did indeed buy a great car

[problemchild]

John Benson, Roman DeAngelis, Zach Holden, Derek Ketchie , David Livingston had an epic FF battle for the first half of the first Sebring race. All took turns leading. Two Swift-Kents against two Spectrum-Hondas and the works Mygale-Honda. Ketchie and Livingston had offs, and Benson got away to an 8 second victory.

Who says an old kent-powered rocker-arm Swift cannot kick butt at a real race track?

[swiftdrivr]

I will require video proof.

[okay, I'm just trying to live vicariously, as my car is in pieces, uhmm, that... aren't going back together well at this point]

[problemchild]

Another great race today as 8 car lead pack battled for 1/2 the race before being reduced to a 4 car pack. Andy Brumbaugh VD-Kent, Jason Generotti DB1-Kent, and Joel Haas Piper-Honda joined the five from the day before. Benson won by about a second. That is two wins in two days for a 25 year old rocker arm Kent car. Did I say on the spec Hoosier radials ........ Time for people to stop whining and start taking advantage of great racing.

[Swift17]

..........for this "senior moment" but each day especially for the race on Sunday I felt "time traveled" back to the mid-1980s. In one lap 1, 2 and 3 fell to 4, 6, and 7 and the the next back to 2, 3, 5 .... etc. whew ....

Sunday thru about 1/2 way (later separated by a mid pack spin, etc.) there were five marques with multiple models running nose to tail in the lead pack of ten cars (in quantity order) .........

Swifts (Morgan db-6 H, Benson db-3 '89er K, Generotti & Ketchie db-1s Ks, );
Pipers (DeAngelis DL7 H, Haas df-5 K)
Van Diemen (Cooper RF-00 H, A BrumbaughRF-98 K )
Mygale H (Holden)
Spectrum 14H (Livingston)

and the balance of the entries....

Foster Piper df-5 ?
K Brumbaugh VD RF02 H
Macdonald Swift DB1 H
Swanson VD RF86 K
Smith VD RF-97 K
John Schimenti Swift DB-6 K
Sam Lockwood Spectrum 014H
Dom Seddio Swift db-6 K

Unavoidable commitments/circumstances kept JRII db-6 K and Hendrickson db-6 K out of the event

K= Kent
H = Honda

Hello SCCA - Please let the BOD recognize this in not "pro racing" but a group of hard core racers - some very, very talented drivers ("kids", etc.) - from Fathers and Sons entries/drivers to cars run by very Professional Teams - driven by hard competition - Formula F deserves more of your attention and support - and if provided it will grow as an entry class again and yet keep in long term competitors (and the resulting entry fees, etc.); your move ....
.
.

[Agitator]

Maybe I'm missing something, but back when I was an active driver and crew member, we protested engines we thought were illegal. Why doesn't someone just file a protest at the track?? Surely, you guys know where power can be made, so protest those items. Why would someone pay for a private tear down? We're all adults. If someone is cheating, let it be known. If someone is just flat out kicking your butt due to driver talent, setup, or legal power, let that be known, as well. Am I missing something?

[Hartley]

EJ your post is spot on! What a priviledge to race with such great competition, both driver and engineering talent! It is simply amazing that old cars and some 'old' drivers can still race on equal footing with top teams! We have a great core group of drivers in south Florida that is slowing growing in numbers. I got out of racing 30+ years ago due to rising costs, most notably tire costs. The SCCA made a good move going to radials. When you get right down to it these new radials are inexpensive! I think I may have the record of 24 heat cycles. They were pretty slippery at the end but they were in mo way dangerous. I put new tires on when it matters just like anyone else. However the first few sessions on a test day to me are great times to run old rubber until you get back up to speed. Then put newer tires on and they feel like 'stickers'. Come on guys lets dust off those 'garage queens' and come out and join the fun, and it is fun!

[problemchild]

The Southeast has done the best job of embracing the class for what is in 2017. Old and new. Fast and slow. Serious and not so serious. Other areas should follow suit. Participate and enjoy the class!

[recaryob]

Wow what a great weekend! What fantastic racing! And all relatively clean from what I experienced. Nothing like your first majors race in formula F going three wide into turn 17 for the lead. Wish I could have been in the lead pack at the end each day..Just too many driver errors on my part to stay in the hunt. We will have to work on that . But wow it was so much fun and I am so happy we made the trip. It was such a pleasure to meet and race with so many of you. Everyone was welcoming, friendly, and so outgoing. I can't wait for the next one!!!

[Brian Graham]

A Canadian perspective, first off, well done to Hoosier for what has to be the best compromise for a slick tire and getting some longevity and fair pricing. A huge step forward from what I have memories of my own racing down south in the past. Great group of competitors, mix of Ford and Honda as well as a variety of chassis. Long live the Swift! My all time favorite FF's can still mix it up with the new stuff. Our team ran one driver at Homestead with a win and a 4th then two 2nd place runs at Sebring, although we were bumped to 4th in the final when we received a 2 spot penalty for not dropping to the tail of the ENTIRE field following a spin on the pace lap from the front row. A little too aggressive tire warm up went awry.......Roman slotted back in behind the last FF on the grid but apparently you have to go right to the back of all classes..........really did not affect the final results, maybe meant he got back up front a lap or so later but he was in contention for the win anyways. No big deal.

Agree with Greg (that doesn't happen all the time LOL) that guys/gals, should not be worried about the new cars or big teams, FF is still a class where an older car that is well prepped and driven can get to the front. So dust off those cars and join in, it was a fun two weeks.

Finally congrats to John Benson and his team, great job!

Brian.

[swiftdrivr]

Anybody get any video?

[sauce_racer]

So if Jeremy Treadway still had this car and was winning all the time would everyone be on here saying he's a cheater?

You think the motor is illegal? Protest it. Plain and simple. Calling someone out on social media is ridiculous and doesn't solve anything.



Meg Sauce-Hutton
SowDiv FF 10

[cooleyjb]

Say it puts out 5 more hp than any other engine yet is still legal? What will people say then.....

[tlusk31]

Say it puts out 5 more hp than any other engine yet is still legal? What will people say then.....

Who cares what they would say. It's legal.

[Raceworks]

So if Jeremy Treadway still had this car and was winning all the time would everyone be on here saying he's a cheater?

You think the motor is illegal? Protest it. Plain and simple. Calling someone out on social media is ridiculous and doesn't solve anything.



Meg Sauce-Hutton
SowDiv FF 10

No but it is free. What's the going rate on a protest bond on a Kent motor? $2,000? Most people don't like to gamble for real stakes.