Got my 1st weekend in the new (to me) SRF at Mid-O...



I'll never have to drive that POS again!!!
But wow...After the Pinto...This car is soooo easy.
Light and quick like the Elva...What a joy to drive.
Turned a 1:45.5 so I have some work to do to get down to 1:42 but I didn't turn a single corner to my satisfaction.

Cool.
My Ford is gone too. A great car, but it served its purpose (I wanted to try NASA racing and get their license).
I may still co-drive in some enduros (including one that's coming up at Summit).

Charlie Greenhaus (Entropy Racing) keeps asking me to try one of his rentals (they're Sports Renaults). Everyone I know who's driven them says they are a hoot......I should have a go in one.

G,luck with your's!

I've no clue how this bit of news got away from me but: WOW!!!

Congrats!! Very neat WTN!!!

....so who got th' Ford?

I just got back from Nelson Ledges...
Turned a 1:20.900
My target was 1:20.000 so not bad for the 2nd weekend in the car.
Track record for SRF is 1:16.500 and a 1:18.000 will put you mid pack.

Love the car...
Got to follow the leaders for a short time before they pulled away.
Nial...Don't pass up a ride in the Renault.
(Mine is chassis #504 so it started life as a SR)

And yes it has a BRIT Ford engine...So I can post here

How about a bit more clarification - I wasn't sure
if you meant that the Ford engine (Pinto) was replaced,
or you were replacing a Pinto racecar.
I had a friend (who also worked for Bondourant for-
a little while),who raced a SR (Spec Renault),who told
me that it was an evil-handling car.
Sorry,but it would help if you were a little more
clear for us who have been away from racing for awhile.

- Doug

I bought the car in the picture...
It was a Sports Renault and later upgraded to the Ford Escort (Euro-Spec)engine making it a Spec. Racer Ford.

The Pinto is up for grabs.
A good RWD ITB car for learning as the skills directly transfer to SRF and other sport racers.

So far as handling goes...I really like it but I'm no pro.
Most say they liked the earlier cars better because there wasn't the extra 80# in the rear.
That allowed people the toss it into the corners more.
The new cars don't like big steering inputs or trail braking.
And under no circumstances lift

Heck, hide 40# of lead in th' nose and it'll be FINE!!!!

So, how many racecars does that make now?

Wow Dave--Big congratulations.

I don't know anything about that kind of car--where can you race it and with what groups?

Good luck and be safe and fast.

Michael:

Dave's car (above) was originally a Sports Renault. This was a class of sport racers that the SCCA created in the early 80s.

If it still had the Renault engine, he could actually run it in VRG. In fact, last year, Mark P. gave my pal Charlie permission to run his four Sports Renaults at the VRG event at NJMP (see below). I'm not sure if you remember seeing them there (with Charlies big, yellow, crazy firetruck tow vehicle).

These days, most of these cars (inclucing Dave's) have been converted to Ford engines for a new, updated "SRF" class in the SCCA.
One of the things I like about these cars is that they were intentionally designed to be very safe and sturdy.

Nearly everything must meet some sort of specification.
The nose may weigh 35-65 lbs.

Since I'm one of those despised 'short forkers' (145 lb salad eaters) as opposed to many of fellow racers, I can use a heavy nose w/o going over 1670# total weight.

(And I still have to add 60# of ballast in the side pods...Also an advantage because it is forward and low as opposed to having it where the ice cream crowd has their ballast)


1 auto-Xer...Elva
1 SCCA car...The SRF
And 1 soon to be gone Pinto
(I gave the LaDawri to my brother since he just sold his TVR and needs something to keep him busy this winter)

THAT'S what I'm talkin' 'bout!!! And as far forward as ya can.

Hasn't there been a lot of chatter lately about changing the engines once again to a Mazda power plant? I thought I saw something back in the Spring that the estimated cost for the kit would be somewhere around 12k. Keeping those old Fords running is getting difficult and Mazda promised to keep their motor in production for 10 more years. I remember when the SCCA first started talking about swapping the Renaults for Fords. There was a time there when the Renault powered cars were real cheap. I guess nobody wanted to buy a car and then spend a ton of cash to re-power it.

The word is we have at least 5 more years before engine parts get critical.

I've been racing the Pinto for the last 5 years and it seems like forever.


(Mid-O Sprints Oct 2009)
It was cold, wet & I had no idea how to drive the car but I still had a blast.
(My brother is in the red striped hat)

So, just out of curiosity, what price range do those go for?

I got a killer deal at $14,000...
(I also waited 2 years to find it)

Generally speaking...

$16,000 for one that is a regional level car.
$18,000 for a national level car.
$27,500 for a brand new one.
$7,000 for a perfect Renault or a Ford that is bent in half
(The Renault to Ford conversion kit is $10,500)

Heads up to your friend Charlie...

There is a 25 year reunion this year and he is invited.

http://www.specracer.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4712

Thanks.
Charlie is The King of all things about sport racers so I bet he knows.
And what he doesn't know about them, his customers do.
But I'll let him know just to be sure.