First Look @ Blackhawk EWC Entries

[Steve B]

Based on e-mails, phone calls, and the crystal ball I use to pick stocks, here's the first look at the entry list for Rounds #3 and #4 of the 2006 FF/CFF East vs West Challenge July 8/9 at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Rockton, Illinois. To save you the trouble of counting, the total is 21 cars as of July 4.

Tom Tipsword, Van Diemen RF81, CFF, E
Dave Harmison, Royale RP-21, CFF, E
Phil Kingham, Zink Z-10C, CFF, E
Erik Shepard, Hawke DL12, CFF, E
Dan Faust, Van Diemen RF93, FF, E
Pete Wood, Crossle 32F, CFF, W
Paul Quiniff, Lola T-540, CFF, W
Bill Ehrlinger, Tiga FFA-78, CFF, W
Alan Murray, Crossle 45F, CFF, W
Marty Handberg, Tiga FFA-80, CFF, W
Hans Iwand, Eagle, CFF, W
JY Stewart, Tyrrell 006, CFF, W
Todd Rhoades, Swift DB-1, FF, W
Walter Stark, Euroswift SE-1, FF, W
Tad Lenhart, TBD, FF, W
Bill Bergeron, Van Diemen RF90, FF, W
Tom Stillwell, Swift DB-1, FF, W
Allen Wheatcroft, Van Diemen RF98, FF, W
Mark Kolell, Van Diemen RF85, FF, W
John Luxon, Piper DF-2, FF, W
Steve Barkley, unknown, FF, ?
Duane Eitel, unknown, FF, ?

My old friend Jimmy the Greek badly missed the over/under at Grattan. Perhaps being a little cautious, he has set the Blackhawk over/under at only 25 cars. With 15 solid leads still left in the driver recruiting pool, I am hoping to blow right through 25. If you are not on this list but should be, please let me know.

Steve Beeler, de facto EWC commissioner
Lola T-540 HU44
home: (734)416-8865 sbeeler@wowway.com
office: (313)390-1818 sbeeler@ford.com

[Steve B]

Erik Shepard just confirmed that he'll be making the long tow from Rochester NY to Rockton IL. Last year's experience of 28 Formula Fords funneling into Blackhawk's first turn apparently made quite an impression on the young man. Tim Wise asked off the list because of scheduling conflict.

Thus, we are still at 21 expected entries plus one that looks suspiciously like a ringer. The West team is desperate to regain The Lamont Cup...

After the June Sprints, I'll start pestering everyone to get their entries in.

Steve Beeler, de facto EWC commissioner
Lola T-540 HU44
home: (734)416-8865 sbeeler@wowway.com
office: (313)390-1818 sbeeler@ford.com

[Steve B]

Oops, we lost a couple of entries. Joe Tovo has sold his Tiga and Andrew Genkinger's wallet needs a rest after an unplanned mid-season engine rebuild. If you are not on the list above but should be, please check in. Enter early, and enter often.

Steve Beeler, de facto EWC commissioner
Lola T-540 HU44
home: (734)416-8865 sbeeler@wowway.com
office: (313)390-1818 sbeeler@ford.com

[PiperFF]

J.Luxon is planning to join the game..He has really picked up the pace this season...JV

[Jonathan Hirst]

I'm in.



Jon Hirst Ferret Mk 4, CFF, E

[cgscgs]

I bought Joe Tovo's Tiga. I hope to take it to the school at Blackhawk in September. Maybe EWC next year?
Chuck Smith

[Dave Harmison]

Ferret? Ferret? What the heck's a Ferret?

Never mind. I followed your Ferret links. Ask a silly question. Total number built would be, what? One? Two?

[Jonathan Hirst]

Four of this model (Mk 4).

I have the last one built - 1977. The first was built in 1974. Mine has a pushrod front suspension and outboard rear while the others were all outboard.


Tony Cove just tested his Ferret Mark 4 (Chassis #3)last weekend after a major rebuild this winter. The car was last raced by the previous owner in 1982. I hope mine looks half as good.




Looking forward to joining you guys.

Jonathan

[Jonathan Hirst]

My car has failed to be approved for homologation.

I will investigate addressing the issues over the winter. Maybe next year guys.

Jonathan

[flat broke]

Jon, how frustrating. I know you were all packed and ready to roll with a full crew. I have to think that there is a solution. After all, these cars ran SCCA events in the seventies and eighties. So close.

[bryancohnracing]

Homologation is a pretty simple porcess, even if your updating older cars like ours.

What did you get dinged on? Maybe as a "group" we can help sort it out and get you out this year.

Bryan

[Wes Allen]

I thought the older cars didn't have to be homologated???

[Jonathan Hirst]

The car needs to be homologated because it is does not have an SCCA logbook and it is not a mass produced design.

They turned up their noses at the double seam welded tubes with seam welded metal caps on the inside and the outside (TIG) and they don't seem interested in the engineering report or old rule books which equated the double tubes with a single heavy tube.


Calculation of strength is difficult due to the large radius and the fact that the two rear tubes that go the the gearbox area actually support only the engine and gearbox in a rollover because the front engine mount takes only part of that weight. The two middle braces which are .125" x 1" support chassis, driver, fuel, oil, water, etc but not really the engine and gearbox. They are too upright to be treated as purely fore-aft braces; the fore-aft loading has to include all three elements: main hoop and two sets of braces.



I was unablel to argue that two tubes with a metal cap constitutes the required wall thickness (.063" + .050") and two tubes 1.188" each constitute more than 1.375 but they pointed to the condition "no alternate roll hoop will be considered ..."

I am trying to argue around this on a historical basis, that this requirement is to limit present and future designs from being strange and fragile, but my car was considered acceptable for many years before that wording. The cars were raced in SCCA from 1974 to at least 1981.

I do not have the original logbook and even if I did, it is from the Canadian sanctioning body, a group the SCCA seemed unfamiliar with and were unwilling to commit to grandfathering me in on that basis.


I will not say that the SCCA has been unhelpful, however it is difficult to express the intention of a rule and far easier to express regulations quantitatively. To be blunt, the current roll hoop is stronger than a brick ****house - I have pictures of the 110 mph roll over to prove it. To install a 1.375" main hoop in place of it would not only require me to cut the car in half, but the structure would be weaker as a result.

The attached pictures show the chassis before the current spec front hoop was installed. The main hoop is comprised of a pair of single, unbroken tubes (1.188 0.063" thick and an upper and lower steel cap, seam welded, 0.050" thick.

[mike m]

Steve,

I can be available for free to help anybody new to FF or Blackhawk who needs a little help getting around the track. Please try to make arrangements in advance. I will make the same offer for the EWC event at Road America.

Thanks,

Mike Maienza
708-366-7883

[problemchild]

What a shame!

A world-class FF of it's day ..... designed and constructed by a world-class engineer ..... rebuilt to impeccable standards ..... and the clerks at the SCCA office exclude it from racing in SCCA.

The EWC will be missing a quality participant ..... car and driver.

[DUNCAN]

Is anyone going through Indianapolis and Chicago on their way to BHF on Friday?
If so, and they would like some gas money and friendly conversation, I would like a ride to Chicago. I have to pick up the Wifes car so that I can get to BHF on Saturday morning.

Steve, I would be happy to help out with any EWC stuff that you may have on Saturday.
I would also offer any crew or trackside assistance on Saturday to anyone that needs an extra set of hands.



Thanks for any help
Brian
317-696-3859

[Steve B]

We are slowly gaining on the 25 car over/under...

Jon Hirst and his Ferret Mk IV were in but now (sadly) are out. Paul Reineck's Van Diemen RF98 is not ready. I'm not sure of the status of John Luxon's Piper DF-2 after his shunt at the Sprints but perhaps he'll be in Bill's Piper.

Sue Green, the Blackhawk Valley Region registrar, has received entries from the mysterious Steve Barkley and the enigmatic Duane Eitel. Anybody know anything about these guys?

All this activity puts us at 21 cars with 15 possible leads on additional entries.

If you are not on the "first look" entry list but should be, please let me know right away.

Steve Beeler, de facto EWC commissioner
Lola T-540 HU44
home: (734)416-8865 sbeeler@wowway.com
office: (313)390-1818 sbeeler@ford.com

P.S. The Blackhawk EWC prize drawing will be held in conjunction with the "free lunch" on Saturday. Be sure to be at Loren Tieman's big red and white tent during the Saturday lunch break for both great food and valuable prizes. I'll be updating the "FAQ" thread accordingly. Please help pass the word at the track so that nobody misses out.