CFC approved for NARRC in 2004

[Bill Grasso]

At the NED mini convention in Hatrford Ct.on Nov.15 2003 the NARRC committee approved Club Formula Ford 2000 as a class for all NARRC races.The class is open to all FF2000's 1996 and older.Weight for all cars is per GCR.The class has been approved for one year on a trial basis.If the numbers are good for NARRC in 2004 we hope to make CFC a NED regional class.I am Jerry's crew chief.There should be announcements in your regional newsletters/magazines.

[Bill Grasso]

My original posting regarding CFC was incorrect.The class is open to 1995 and older cars. Sorry for the mistake.

[racer1]

To all potential NEDIV CFC competitors:

Bill Grasso and I presented the petition to have a CFC class to the NARRC rules committee at the NEDIV Convention in Hartford, Ct.

After some debate the NARRC rules commitee did vote to approve a CFC class on a trial basis for one year. The class is for 1995 and older cars. Tires are free, updating or backdating is free. The rules are simple - cars must conform to existing GCR rules for FF2000 cars except a 1995 cutoff date applies.

The weight adjustment proposed in the rules (1175 lb minimum for 1990 and older cars, 1225 lb minimum for 1991-1995 cars) was tabled due to possible safety concerns.

In general, the committee was skeptical that this will turn into a viable class. The thinking was that they would need to see about a 10 car average per race next year to make it a permanent class. So we have our work cut out in getting the car counts up next year. The NARRC series basically runs at Lime Rock, New Hampshire and Pocono and anybody with a CFC should try and target these events.

Next years NARRC series is just the first step. If we can demonstrate this is a viable class we need to work on spreading the class throughout the NEDIV with a consistent set of rules. I think CFC has the potential to be a bigger class than Club Ford. Personally I would love to run as a CFC at Watkins Glen and Summit Point. The thinking is that if the NARRC CFC is successful then other NEDIV regional series will adopt the class as well.

Another item that needs to be resolved is the safety concerns with the 1175 lb weight limit for 1990 and older cars. I believe that this weight adjustment is important to keep these cars involved on a more equitable basis with the newer cars. Does anybody know what the safety issues might be since the GCR weight limit used to be 1175 Lb. for these cars back then.

Hope this clarifies the status of CFC in NEDIV.

Jerry Zaluckyj

[Barry Haynie]

This is really good news. I commend all involved for taking this step to initiate CFC in the NED. I've been a competitor in WDCR since 1986 starting in CF and currently run in FC. I am very interested in the decision to include pushrod cars--these are normally excluded from CFC classes. Frankly, concerns over this or weight penalties are not very important as in regional competition it really comes down to the driver and prep. I've gotten my mirrors blown off by a well driven and prepared 88 Reynard on more than one occasion. I have also blown off new generation FC and Zetecs! So I don't worry too much about "normalizing" the field by weight penalties et al.
I also am a BOD member in WDCR. If this takes off in NARRC I would like to see it spread across the Division. Interested folks wanting to discuss what it takes to get a class started in WDCR should email me at b.haynie@verizon.net

BTW- I have a well equipped RF95 Van Diemen collecting dust and would really like a new home.

[Purple Frog]

I guess after playing in this CFC class business for five years I'm smart enough now to know what I don't know.

I have been racing in a "90 and before" CFC structure. And it would be fair to say I liked it that way. We were getting old Reynards and Swifts to usually be competitive with anything '95 and older. So, with that said, it would make sense to move the date up to '95 models. Of course there is one Ohio based '95 Citation out there that would kick butt under those rules, and a few other Citations that may reappear. My belief is that in a "95 and older" class the Swift DB6 would be the car. But there is only like 5 of them that can be accounted for in the free world, and some are FF. So should a class's rules be swayed by just a few possible entries? Good question.

Seems there are a lot of '91 - '95 cars in garages that may come out if they had a class to compete in. But then, maybe not. The cost of campaigning (after initial purchase) a '95 VD is the same as that of a '01 VD. So will these old cars come out even if there is a class for them? Who knows?

My next thought revolves around the '96 VD. A lot of them compete in the SEDIV SARRC series. They do real well on a regional basis, but it would be safe to say that on most days they are not competitive with '97 and newer cars. Some of us have bench raced the idea of moving the CFC cutoff up to and including 1996. It really would be fair for all the '96 VD guys, but on the other hand would wipe out the chances of the pre-90 cars.

Keep in mind that most regions don't want to create a lot of new classes. Thus the resistance in many cases to creating even a CFC. So there is no chance of a multi-tiered CFC. (Unless of course, the participates do it themselves, un-offically...)

Then there is the lovely '97 VD. And to some extent the narrow track Tatii (mutliple Tatuus) that are still around. Fine race cars, and up to about 3 years ago top cars in FC. But, like the '96 VD, for the most part will not compete equally with their younger '98 and newer wide track breathern. Where would they get placed? They could legitimately argue that they don't have a fair shot at FC when all the '98 and newer pintos drift down into the regional wars.

I don't think there is a easy solution.

Ed note: The above should be a whole new thread.

About the weight issue brought up previously... A 1175 minimum weight will lower participation numbers in CFC. For many baby boomers that are 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, and finally have enough money to go racing, there is no way they afford to prune an older car down to 1175. I've already gone on record of leaning strongly for a CFC minimum weight of 1240. That would make a lot more of the older car/driver combinations more competitive without having to spend gobs on wizzy light weight parts. My humble opinion.

And, because I don't own a racecar at this moment, I don't have a dog in the hunt.

Now... about that Yamaha R1 powered '97 VD that will be running next year in FS... that my sons could be the wave of the future. 170 hp (that could last multiple years) in a 925 lb car. Hum....

[andyllc]

Question:
What happens to old GT-2,3,4,5 cars? I don't know the rules very well for those but what happens to the old ones? Do they just sit in the garage? Is there a class they can be converted into? I was just curious because it may or may not lead to an answer for this problem.

[Dennis Cleary]

Andy

Great question. In the Northeast Region, we have a regional-only class called Classic GT or CGT. Look here for more info. I imagine they could also race in HSR.

Dennis Cleary
RF94/95 NER#37

[Mike Ahrens]

How have the participation levels been in the NeDiv CFC pilot program? Do we think it'll go division wide next year?

[racer1]

Mike,

The CFC entry has been about 4-7 cars at recent races. The numbers are slowly coming up from about 2-3 early in the season. I believe a total of 10-11 different drivers have entered so far over the course of the season.

Jerry Zaluckyj

[Mike Ahrens]

Jerry,

Was there a target participation level established to make the class be division wide for next year? That level of participation seems pretty good to me for a first year effort, and much better than I've been seeing at regionals at Nelson Ledges the last few years.

Mike

[Phil Picard]

C’mon Jerry how can we grow the class if our leader (in philosophy) doesn’t show up? You can’t keep missing races! Wasn't as much fun! Or is it you don't know how to swim? See you at NHIS

[racer1]

Mike,

They didn't give a specific number for minimum participation numbers to make the class permanent but I got the feeling that a 10 car per race average would be good. We aren't there yet so I don't know how it will go.

Phil,

See you at New Hampshire - we did a test day and I think we have the motor problem fixed - believe it or not it was a clogged air filter.

Jerry Zaluckyj