LesTension

By LesTension

JUNE SPRINTS

It's June print weekend at Road America, America's National Park of Speed. Slight rain throughout the day, off and on, Friday but thunderstorms predominate today...so this is a backBlip from yesterday.
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This is an SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) sponsored event and they have it divided into multiple classes that allow for varied automobiles.  From the SCCA website:

The following are the 28 classes that compete in SCCA Club Racing Majors events. In some cases, the cars in the Club Racing classes have a sister series within the professional ranks, allowing many drivers to easily move to professional status from the competitive background of Club Racing. Indeed, many of America's best racecar drivers today, such as Sam Hornish Jr., Buddy Lazier, Boris Said, Scott Sharp, Al Unser Jr. and Jimmy Vasser participated in some class within SCCA's Club Racing programs.
TOURING
In response to the ever increasing performance of today's street cars and to expand participation by various manufacturers, SCCA has developed a category for those cars which because of their performance potential, required some changes to their wheel/tires and suspension components. Touring 1 (T1) features the Porsche 996, Aston Martin Vantage and Touring 2 (T2) includes the Chevrolet Camaro SS, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and others. Front runners in Touring 3 (T3) include the BMW Z4, Ford Focus ST and the Honda S2000; while Touring 4 (T4) is comprised with the likes of the Scion FRS and Acura RSX-S.
B SPEC
A newly created segment of race cars called B-Spec targets the sub-compact market. Manufacturers have a keen interest in expanding the popularity of this segment by introducing more clients to driving smaller cars that are fun to drive, fuel efficient with and handle well. The aim of the class is to provide (relatively) cheap access to racing, with the intention of the sanctioning bodies to maintain a single “spec” for the cars so that they can compete in any series with minimal changes.
PRODUCTION
Series produced cars, which are allowed a range of performance modifications while retaining their original design, structure and drive layout. There is no age limit, such as Showroom Stock, so Production includes many cars as old as 50 years and as new as current body styles. The three performance potential based classes include: E Production (EP), F Production (FP) and H Production (HP).
EP is the fastest of the Production classes with HP running the slowest in the category. Several cars in the Production classes can be run in more than one class, just by changing the engine between races. The ease of engine changes allows many Production drivers to enter more than one class at the Runoffs each year. Cars included in Production classes come from a diverse group ranging from the MG Midget, Turner, Fiat X1/9, Alfa Romeo Spyder, Austin Healey Sprite, and Lotus Super 7 to the BMW 325, Mazda Miata, RX-7, Nissan 240, Honda Civic, Suzuki Swift GTI and Toyota MR-2.
SUPER TOURING®
Super Touring® features late-model production-based vehicles with a series of modifications to their drivelines and bodywork. The intent of the rules allows World Challenge cars to compete in Club Racing with minimal modifications as well as new cars to be built to the same spec as well. Forced induction may be added to some models and engine swaps are permitted. No model years older than 1985 will be permitted. The STU (World Challenge® Touring Car based) are mid-level performance cars of 3.2 liters and under. STL is a small bore tuner class for cars of 2.0 liters and under. The competitiveness of any given car is not guaranteed.
GRAND TOURING
GT cars are purpose-built, highly modified “silhouette” replicas of series-produced sports sedans. GT cars are permitted tube-frame chassis with performance being equalized by allowing cars with smaller engines to compete at a lighter weight. GT-1 cars are the fastest of the category, and are the closest to the SCCA Pro Racing® Trans-Am® Series. Several of the current front running cars in GT-1 are last year's Trans-Am cars, and many of these GT-1 drivers compete in select Trans-Am events throughout the season. GT-2, GT-3 and GT Lite cars get progressively lighter and less powerful. Cars include Toyota Celicas, Mazda RX-7s, Nissan 200SX, Honda Civics and Austin Mini Coopers, just to name a few.
FORMULA
The eight formula classes are all single-seat, open wheel racecars. They are built to detailed specifications for weight, size and engine displacement. There are incredible power to weight ratios in each class. The classes in order of fastest to slowest are: Formula Atlantic® (FA), Formula 1000 (FB), Formula SCCA® (FE), Formula Continental® (FC), Formula Mazda (FM), Formula F (FF), Formula 500 (F500) and Formula Vee® (FV).
Many of the winged FA and FC cars, along with several of the non-winged FF cars are produced by some of the same companies that make Indy cars such as Lola, Van Diemen and Reynard. FA cars have motors that generate as much as 240hp. Motorcycle engines are the basis for the F1000 class where displacement is limited to 1000cc. The FC runs a stock 2-liter engine with about 150hp while the FF 1600 motors make around 120hp. FM utilizes a sealed Mazda rotary engine. FV includes many home-built cars, as well as cars built by proven manufacturers, and is one of the most competitive and popular classes in SCCA. FV entries all run 1200cc stock VW engines. F500s run small displacement, two-stroke engines like snowmobiles, and are one of the least expensive classes to run in SCCA.
SPEC MIATA
Spec Miata (SM) offers an opportunity to race a relatively low cost, production based car with limited modifications.  One of the best parts of racing in a spec class is having a clear list of compliant modifications.  Modifications are clearly laid out in the General Competition Rules (GCR).  This class includes Miatas produced from 1990 through 2005.  Although the Miata is relatively underpowered, it is an excellent race car that provides great maneuverability in the corners.  For these reasons, Spec Miata is a very popular category in SCCA.
SPORTS RACING
There are three classes of purpose-built road racing cars with full fiberglass bodies. Underneath, these cars are pure racing machines. The power plants in these cars vary from home-built "pieces and parts" engines to sealed identical motors.
The Prototype 1 (P1) and Prototype 2 (P2) classes feature a variety of chassis including home-built, innovative designs and manufacturer produced cars. These classes evolved from the old modified category in the 1960s. The Spec Racer® Ford (SRF) is a one-design, single seat car utilizing a sealed Ford engine. It is SCCA's largest class and continues to provide cost effective racing for over 800 competitors. By limiting the modifications and preparation costs, this class emphasizes driver ability over spending.
SEDAN
American Sedan® (AS), comprised of Chevrolet Camaros, Pontiac Firebirds and Ford Mustangs, are production-based chassis with modified suspensions and brakes. Engines are carbureted 302 and 305 CID V-8s that have been balanced and blueprinted.
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This photo illustrates the SRF (Spec Racer Ford) class locally known as Smurfs.  It's a low cost (that's a relative term) entry level race car.  You can learn more about them by simply Googling the class.  There's nearly 600 entrants this weekend from all the classes and the SRF and Spec Miatas make up a large contingent.....I'd bet 40% of the entire field.  
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When the Smurfs exited the False Grid to take position on the track, the first out had completed one lap of the 4.084 mile track before the grid was empty.  That's a LOT of cars.
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BEST IN LARGE.  AND REMEMBER:  Racecar spelled backwards is racecaR.

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