As with so many people, in my earlier years it was all about energy: How a lot engine may I stuff into how little of a chassis? It was all in a quest to see how briskly I may go.
At one time, a flyweight Triumph Spitfire with a 240-horsepower rotary that will hit 60 in about 4 seconds sounded completely cheap. It may spin the tires at no matter velocity.
A sequence of V8-powered Tigers and TVR Griffiths additionally appeared like good choices. The latter of these two, with that Ford engine nestled inside a flyweight fiberglass physique, appears like a hotrodders delight, doesn’t it? I can inform you that it’s not. Stinking quick, sure. Refined? Not solely.
Not quick sufficient? I’ve been fortunate to run Brian Johnson’s Lola T70 Can-Am car at Sebring, the Group 44 Inc. Trans Am Jaguar at VIR, and Curt Vogt’s wicked-fast Boss 302 classic race Mustang at Highway Atlanta.
Whereas I nonetheless personal and like quick automobiles, I’m studying that subtlety has some enchantment as properly. A properly set-up E30-chassis BMW 318is with 150 horsepower is as a lot enjoyable on the Tail of the Dragon as nearly any automobile with double that.
And an Alfa Spider with about 135 horsepower is simply as pretty for a weekend drive as a Tiger with 3 times the ability. The Tiger would possibly bark louder, however the Alfa simply sings.
I’ve additionally fortunately raced my Triumph TR3 for many years and have loved many a Miata on monitor. My previous Method Vee was all about momentum and smoothness, as its 1200cc engine solely supplied a lot grunt. I paid for errors, too, as I couldn’t cowl them up with any spare horsepower.
I’m simply ending up what could possibly be greatest referred to as a hybrid–and no, not that sort of hybrid. We’re constructing what ought to show to be a really quick race automobile for a category filled with theoretically slower automobiles: a not-so-radical 1965 Mustang that can run in opposition to extremely strung 2-liter Porsches and the like.
So, this raises the age-old query: Is it higher to race a quick automobile in a slower group or a sluggish automobile in a quick group? For me, pricing helped me make this choice. To construct an early Mustang for a quicker class is a six-figure proposition–and that’s earlier than you issue within the bills of campaigning that quicker automobile. Extra velocity often equals extra tires, extra brakes and extra breaking issues. Personally, even when I had that sort of cash, I might reasonably race a less expensive, slower automobile in a slower group.
What about you? Whether or not heading to the road or the monitor, are you all about having the quickest automobile that you may purchase or construct, or do you want giant-killers or automobiles with a bit extra finesse? Let’s return to the ’60s: Are you selecting the Mini Cooper or the big-block Ford sedan?
I’ve performed on each side of the fence and, in my later years, now are inclined to favor the extra conservative selection. I’d love to listen to which camp you want.
Feedback
benclear stated:
I do not perceive how racing a sluggish automobile quick may probably be helpful, however I’m new to racing.
I am undecided if that is what Tim was intending, however one method to interpret the query has to do with the construction of most membership racing teams. SCCA, NASA, and many others, we often have far more courses than we do teams, so every race group is made up of a number of courses. The org tries to be good about how they do the grouping and put related automobiles collectively, however generally (particularly in endurance racing) there might be some fairly huge velocity disparities between courses.
So in case you have been racing the NASA 25 hours of Thunderhill, would you reasonably be driving a Spec Miata or one of many sports activities racer/prototypes? Getting handed 5-10 instances per lap, or passing different automobiles an identical quantity? Is it higher to be within the Miata that is main the E3 class, or a prototype that is additional down the sphere in its class however a lot increased in general place than the Miata?
JG Pasterjak stated:
False dichotomy.
Quick automobile quick 🙂
I complete heartedly disagree see the lengthy winded put up that follows this one.
Properly, My monitor automobile is a 2100LB 150HP automobile within the V8 dominated monitor day scene of the Midwest so you already know the place my vote is.
I drive a sluggish automobile sluggish lol. I autocross a MK4 GTI in STH…I give away lots of HP to the others in my class…and my automobile is chubby. However I am grinning on the finish of every run. I say drive no matter you’ve, as quick as you’ll be able to and chortle the whole approach!
I been on each side of this one. Time trials again within the day I had the suitable automobile in FSP with a ACR neon. I had a blast driving that automobile and it was a lot quicker than something within the class on the time. I’m at present operating all of the autox I can in a Chevy Sonic so I’m in what’s by far the slowest automobile (in all probability in any class). I ran all this season in HS in opposition to Fiesta Sts, Fiat 500s, and Honda Civic sports activities. So the Fiestas I’ve heard are rated at 197hp in opposition to my 138. The Fiat is 160hp and the Civics are at like 160 from what I hear. I had a absolute blast mixing it up with these guys however have now moved on to STH and can in all probability find yourself in SMF. Once more in these courses I am approach approach down on every thing in comparison with the opposite automobiles however it’s enjoyable nonetheless operating the identical instances they do in a sluggish automobile so I vote sluggish automobile quick.
Whereas I am greatest recognized for sluggish automobile quick I’ve pushed a quick automobiles quick.
It has been 20 years since I campaigned it however our D-Sports activities Racer (now SCCA P2) was a really quick automobile. The category lap file I set with it was solely a second off Mike Lewis’ ex Roush Trans-Am automobile and roughly the identical off the Method Mazda file set by one of many Professional Mazda sequence entrance runners.
The automobile was exhilarating to drive however this is the rub; I do know that I’m a greater than common membership racer and the automobile was quick, so something lower than a lap file can be underperforming. In case you end down the order (whatever the motive) it is a disappointment. Driving the automobile on the restrict was easy and lapping slower automobiles was kid’s play.
Now juxtapose that in opposition to my 80 wheel horsepower Datsun; it’s important to drive each inch of each lap like a fiend and consistently regulate to exploit ever RPM out of it. It’s a must to plan 1/2 a lap forward. Within the Datsun when you flip into the nook, in case you aren’t a passenger all the way in which to the exit you are merely not attempting exhausting sufficient. It’s a must to borderline overdrive the automobile to be quick.
Dragging the Datsun up the general ending order is vastly satisfying. Having rivals come as much as you and say “you get each as soon as out of that automobile” provides to that satisfaction.
In sluggish automobile in case you do get it the slightest bit flawed it is instantly apparent. If you’re solely getting 90% out of a sluggish automobile is painfully apparent whereas in a quick automobile 90% of it is potential could be quick sufficient to win.
In case you’re in a quick automobile and go quick it is anticipated……………I like the fun of surpassing expectations with a sluggish automobile.
Tom1200 stated:
In case you’re in a quick automobile and go quick it is anticipated……………I like the fun of surpassing expectations with a sluggish automobile.
All of the stuff you say concerning the Datsun are additionally true concerning the DSR in case you’re racing different people who find themselves additionally in DSRs.
Displaying 1-10 of 36 feedbackView all comments on the GRM forums
You will have to log in to put up.
Trending Merchandise
