New Pro FA

[Mark H]

It looks like the pro FA series is back! I just watched the Houston race with 28 cars, lots of passing and some big names out there.
Is it the new car, revamped ownership, good TV package or all of the above that has brought it back from 10 cars and boring races?

Can the new car race in the SCCA FA class and can it keep up with the older cars?
Its great to see the series back!

[HazelNut]

with the new 300 hp engine it better be able to "keep up" with a club atlantic!

[D.T. Benner]

A number of issues led to the down turn in the size of (and quality of) fields in Formula Atlantic Pro races in recent years. A few years ago people were not sure CART/ChampCar would survive. Toyota was nearing the end of their commitment to the series. The high cost and short life of the Toyota 1600 engines. The arrival of Pro Formula Mazda saw a lot of money swing to that series. NOW it looks like ChampCar will survive. Ford/Mazda/Cosworth have an engine that cost less than the Toyota and will go 2000 racing miles AND makes 300 HP (vs.240) and a lot more torque. The Spec Swift chassis is a lot like a Swift 014 scaled up 10 percent and some cost saving ideas have been used like s-glass insted of Carbon bodywork. At the Season opener at Long Beach I saw a damaged rear wing end plate that looked like it was made of Plywood? AND the BIGGIE! That golden carrot for winning the championship! So like so much in racing the Mood swings are dependent on $$$$ in both cost and reward.

[VehDyn]

I was at the Houston race and saw the new cars and the field. Its an exciting new year for Atlantic. The car looks and sounds great and the field was big. Houston was a bit of a tough place due to the rough suface and cement walls. I can't wait until they go to Road America with that big group.

On an aside as a fan looking in, I wonder what will happen to SCCA Formula Atlantic without the pro series feeding some cars in. I realize they have the Pro Mazda that can feed the series so there is the possibility that can help. With the spec formula car getting its own class and zetec having a place to run, I hope they can keep their numbers up.

Ken Tandy

[P.W. LeCain]

On an aside as a fan looking in, I wonder what will happen to SCCA Formula Atlantic without the pro series feeding some cars in. I realize they have the Pro Mazda that can feed the series so there is the possibility that can help. With the spec formula car getting its own class and zetec having a place to run, I hope they can keep their numbers up.

Ken Tandy

The Pro Series has not been feeding the Club for a number of years. Any serious crossover numbers have not been seen since the late eighties. I seriously can't remember the last Pro Team or driver at a SCCA National. Maybe when they had c2 and you would see Mike A or something. Pro crossover in Atlantics supporting the club numbers is 100% myth.

[VehDyn]

I was referring mainly to cars available to club racers after the pros had used and abused them. Not necessarily to the random team that runs a club race.

Thanks.

Ken