Early reports say that the new owners of the series lean towards a new engine combination in the pro series next season. More info on the front page...
Early reports say that the new owners of the series lean towards a new engine combination in the pro series next season. More info on the front page...
I had a chance to sit in the car this weekend and it is a VD with a Vetec engine. It is a very sharp package! The currect car, 2001 VD can run next year in the ACC with the current motor. After that, it will be a spec motor that must be purchased from Quicksilver.
Q: Who owns VD
A: Panoz
Q: Who owns the Grand Am series
A: Panoz
Q: Do you really think Mr. Baytos had the money to buy the USFF series
A: No Way
It makes perfect sense, create your own series and run your own SPEC chassis. Atleast it should flood the current market with some really good motors. Although FC will suffer because all of the year old chassis are not going to be coming down into the club series from the pro series. This is getting interesting!
The last Question:
What is going on with the VD Formula S that the had at the runoffs?
This information is from Mr. John Baytos.
Wow...that sure didn't take long! My friend who sets up my car predicted that this would happen a couple weeks ago, as soon as the sale was announced (Dan, you should go into fortune telling...you could retire in a few months!). I have a couple questions: (1)How will this affect SCCA Club Racing? Will they switch over to the engine formula forcing all FC racers to do the same? (2)Chassis-wise, what's the deal? Is it going to become a spec-racer Ford type of deal or what? Will a chassis hold its value? (3)Now for a more open question...what's the point? Why not allow different chassis and engine makers?
Just my 2 cents worth but doesn't the SCCA already have enough SPEC classes? Again just my input but doesn't this seem to be a sure way to steer away quite a number of competitors? I joined the SCCA when the Spec Racer Ford fiasco was happening and seems like many drivers simply could not afford to do the changeover to the Ford motor and hence, moved to other classes or simply quit.
Is it time to begin looking at other sanctioning bodies?
Those of you in the Midwest Council, any plans of running other venues other than the ones already being run?
Many of us Regional racers don't have the budget to completely revamp our cars to a different motor. Transponders, fuel testing, fuel prices, elevated entry fees, etc,etc,etc. Change will always be a part of this but will it ever taper off?
Thoughts anyone??
From everything that I understand, this motor change does NOT effect the current class of FC cars in SCCA, only the pro cars in the US Championship series. The current Ford motors will also still be used in the ACC classes.
The new engines can be used in any 97+ chassis, and the new chassis casn still use older Ford Pinto/Cortina motors. The bellhousing, gearbox and everything is still the same.
This changeover was inevitable with the age of the current motor and availability of raw parts. By the time all of us club guys will have the opportunity to afford these new cars, the market should be flooded with the motors, and a complete transition should have already been underway in the SCCA, most likely starting with weight breaks for non Zetec cars. These motors cost about the same as ours currently do, and have a much longer life expectancy (between rebuilds).
I don't think this is a white flag for this class, nor any reason to panic and find another class. On the contrary, this should present a lot of real opportunity to grow this class.
The potential for the Pro series to run under the Panoz support series (ALMS, Grand Am, etc) is great, along with exposure for those National level SCCA drivers to now compete in the ACC class. There is no reason why the ACC class cannot draw fields like what was seen at the recent June Sprints.
Personally, I believe this changeover will be much different from what was seen in Spec Ford/Renault and the now relatively defunct S2000 class. Then again, from the looks of things Sunday, the Spec Ford class is not in trouble at all. Panoz did not buy this series to let it dry up. They will try to give it a huge shot in the arm with some drastic updates, and I do believe that in the long run, this will be the best thing that happens to this class. I would also suspect a decent support program from Ford, as well, with the use of the new and current engines being fused into the series.
One side effect is also that there will be considerably less cherry picking from pro class cars at National amateur events.
The Zetec engine will bolt into '97 and up VD's without any modification to the mounting points? Are you sure? Please tell me you are sure.
By the way, Panoz owns the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and has the operating rights to the Trans-AM Series (under the Panoz-Sanchez Group). Grand-AM is a France family / NASCAR creation intended to kill road racing in the U.S.
[This message has been edited by Daniel (edited June 27, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Daniel (edited June 27, 2001).]
Considering the $h!tty treatment we are receiving from Grattan this year, it is unlikely we will go back in '02 (assuming they even let us in the gate this year). IMHO, three tracks is too few, especially when there are new tracks in IL/MO, and existing tracks in IN, OH, MN...Originally posted by DDMike:
Those of you in the Midwest Council, any plans of running other venues other than the ones already being run?
I would love to push for new tracks. If anyone has any suggestions, please e-mail me: formulavee65@hotmail.com.
Thanks!!
It seems that some people have a short memory.
Remember how many sports 2000's there used to be before Vicky changed motors for that pro series. Could the same thing happen here? Would we all have to buy a new "spec" car from one supplier?
keith
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