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Very surprised to see only 5 entries for Nationals. This is in your back yard at your home track.
Might have to switch to 944 spec just to get some racing in.
Is there some sort of issue with Nats? Anyone care to comment?
Send me a PM if you don’t want it public.
HP Cap…Same issue as last year.NASA has yet to come forward with an “ALLOWABLE MEANS TO DETUNE”. I have requested multiple times since last August…Nothing posted & still waiting.
How is that NASA’s responsibility? How about you undo all that was done to get the big power you keep producing? Everyone else seems to be able to make legal power.
And here we go again…
Nasa made the rule change without giving thought how to fully implement the rule. Only by definition of a new HP cap do I have an illegal motor. As you know, I not only offered but challenged Nasa to tear my motor down if found illegal, my motor builder would foot the bill & if found legal, then Nasa foots the bill to have the motor rebuilt. They declined.
The big power, indeed, I paid for it. But as mentioned at Laguna I refuse to spend another dime trying to Detune without a Nasa approved “allowable means to detune”. Shouldn’t be that complicated. It’s too bad that I had a clutch issue on Sunday that prevented me from competing in the main event. If I was able to make the podium, it would have been interesting to go back to the dyno to see what exactly my “Detuning effort” produced on the dyno.
Whether it was the necessary 2hp or 10hp from the effort, it is easy to see that times really aren’t effected much…Sat Q with illegal HP 147.88. Sunday Q with legal HP & different setup 148.04.
Stock exhaust will take 10-15hp with about 20 minutes work. It’s specifically allowed in the rule book.
As far as the entry list, isn’t it all the way out in November? Dats waaay out there.
[quote=“Steve Ferrario” post=77900]And here we go again…
Nasa made the rule change without giving thought how to fully implement the rule. Only by definition of a new HP cap do I have an illegal motor. As you know, I not only offered but challenged Nasa to tear my motor down if found illegal, my motor builder would foot the bill & if found legal, then Nasa foots the bill to have the motor rebuilt. They declined.
The big power, indeed, I paid for it. But as mentioned at Laguna I refuse to spend another dime trying to Detune without a Nasa approved “allowable means to detune”. Shouldn’t be that complicated. It’s too bad that I had a clutch issue on Sunday that prevented me from competing in the main event. If I was able to make the podium, it would have been interesting to go back to the dyno to see what exactly my “Detuning effort” produced on the dyno.
Whether it was the necessary 2hp or 10hp from the effort, it is easy to see that times really aren’t effected much…Sat Q with illegal HP 147.88. Sunday Q with legal HP & different setup 148.04.[/quote]
I beg your pardon Steve, but NASA implemented a rule change due to perceived cheating. They could not figure out, nor was it explained to them, how an engine that made 168hp at the crank when it was freshly built and spec’d by the engineers that built it, could make 171hp AT THE WHEELS and still be within the rules. Offering a tear down was a stand off and a contingency of having to pay to rebuild it made the effort financially unattractive. It was a poker bluff and I don’t blame them for declining.
You know, after reading all this, one thing keeps repeating itself to me…what happened to Spec E30 being the inexpensive driver’s series that discourages the mantra of “He who spends the most wins the race”? The series is supposed to be simple and ran so anyone with even simple car knowledge can race with the “opportunity” to be competitive.
The Series Director doesn’t make some rule changes under the guise of keeping costs down. The Regional Directors do what they can to discourage items that give a perceived advantage. The series is not about spending money; it’s about racing on a lean budget and enjoying the sport with your fellow drivers. Hell, I had an absolute blast running Laguna Seca with the NorCal guys and had the best time racing Dykes and Stone. We were 24-30 seconds behind the leader, but I’d bet dollars to donuts that we had more fun than he did. There was race craft practiced, there were a few turns running neck and neck, but most of all, it was good clean racin’. For 15 minutes, we were mortal enemies and rock stars…all at the same time. In the end, we smiled and knew we got what we paid for.
For me, that’s what it’s all about. Not trying to segregate the field, but help get the entire field closer together because that is where the fun is. Help the slower guys get faster so there are more cars to race with. Running out front with nobody to dice with is boring. Going over video together, sharing tire pressure settings, giving tips that you find work better and being cooperative with guys who are not as fast elevates the level of competition and makes for bigger packs. I just can’t see how that isn’t fun. After all, no matter what you share, the drivers still have to get behind the wheel and make it happen. The thrill of the chase and battling door to door is where the fun is…right?
Steve, I think what Sean is saying is that you never consulted NASA on how to make power, so why run to them and make it their job to tell you how to reduce power? More simply put, you sound like you are basically saying that you’ll pay for power, but not to be within the rules. That sounds more like pouting than anything I can think of. Sure, you probably spent a small fortune on getting your car the way it is, but you did so at your own peril and with a goal of building a car that would give you every possible advantage. I guess I just don’t see the point if the results of all that effort is a DQ and a DNF for the weekend.
I think the real question I would ask you is simply this, does beating everyone mean that much to you? If so, perhaps you should run in a more competitive series where you are encouraged to do exactly what you are capable of. I honestly think that it’s time to consider the possibility that the problem here isn’t you, it’s that Spec E30 the wrong series to display your talents in. I say that with a straight face, not to take a jab at you, as I truly feel that may be the core issue. I mean, you are quite capable behind the wheel.
However, when you have such a large advantage (like higher horsepower or secret ballast placement), it is more about the car than the driver…and that is simply not what 99% of the racers in all of the SE30 brotherhood are all about. Let me be clear about one thing, I am not faulting your will to win; in fact, I admire your drive and dedication to it. What I am suggesting is to examine why you continue to spend what you spend and do what you do, knowing that it is not within the spirit of the series; let alone the rules? What are you really getting out of it? Whatever it is, I trust it is worth it.
I didn’t chime in to provoke you or cast judgment upon you; I simply wanted to offer a different perspective that might yield something helpful. If not, just disregard it. But please consider this last thought…the day Spec E30 becomes a tuner series, it will die a swift and painful death; I guarantee it.
I might go just to get some racin’ in. But it’s going to cost me a trillion dollars, and my tenants keep moving out of my rentals LOL
[quote=“priapism” post=77908]Stock exhaust will take 10-15hp with about 20 minutes work. It’s specifically allowed in the rule book.
As far as the entry list, isn’t it all the way out in November? Dats waaay out there.[/quote]
One of my Spec 30’s had a stock exhaust on it when it was dyno’d @ 161 HP…and, that’s a stock/donor engine…hmmmm, add that 10-15 HP back, that you’re alluded to, and I’m at 171-176…That makes Steve’s built motor look weak :-/
ps This last race at Laguna one of my other cars made 157 and the air was shite, especially for Monterey!, if the air was better the top 1-3++ would have been DQ’d! Guaranteed!
Now, just wait until November at Sears Point…your engine better make 145 HP during our California summer or 135 HP if you’re coming from the East Coast (humidity)…
I forgot to add, HP doesn’t really make that much of a difference…seriously guys, and girls. Some driver coaching and time spent testing will reward you with a much larger gain than any 10-15 HP purchased. And, I mean no disrespect to the engine builders out there, I appreciate all their hard work and will continue to get my engine built/refreshed!
I’m sorry to be the one to break the bad (reality) news to everyone.
PS Traqmate Data Acquisition Systems and a day, or two with a coach, will improve your results…guaranteed!
Ray, I cant agree more, the single biggest improvement you can make to your car is the driver.
If a true Pro driver were to enter our series we would see how fast our cars can really go.
Not sure my ego would like that 
[quote=“Buzzbomb” post=77914]Ray, I cant agree more, the single biggest improvement you can make to your car is the driver.
If a true Pro driver were to enter our series we would see how fast our cars can really go.
Not sure my ego would like that :-)[/quote]
Pros have come and gone from our series several times. They fight for podium positions with our front runners. The advantage they bring is often one of more consistency and fewer errors, not faster laps. IMO the guys that are on the SpecE30 podium, and I’m not one of them, in the big regions are better then most of field in the non-tube frame race classes. The same could be said for the SpecMiata types. Most of those guys are pay-to-drive and our podium types are better than most of them.
See old threads re. Mike Skeen, James Clay, and Johan Schwartz, all who have paying gigs.
If HP really made little-to-no difference, people wouldn’t be spending big money on big motors. Lower power is easy, big power is hard.
We replaced the spec exhaust on #320’s motor with a stocker and I believe it went from 162->148 with the change. I don’t know what the quality level of that exhaust was. Maybe it was full of soot and rust and junk, I’ve no idea. It was an easy, legal change that cost little and took me and him about 25 minutes to do in the pits between practice and qualifying.
Skeen was fast, and he’s doing pretty okay for himself as a pro! Love watching him in World Challenge and Nastruck!!
[quote=“Sonoma Valley Racing” post=77913]I forgot to add, HP doesn’t really make that much of a difference…seriously guys, and girls. Some driver coaching and time spent testing will reward you with a much larger gain than any 10-15 HP purchased. And, I mean no disrespect to the engine builders out there, I appreciate all their hard work and will continue to get my engine built/refreshed!
I’m sorry to be the one to break the bad (reality) news to everyone.
PS Traqmate Data Acquisition Systems and a day, or two with a coach, will improve your results…guaranteed![/quote]
Amen. More money on the software and less on the hardware is a better investment.
However, lacking all that, more power clearly makes up for a good amount of driver short comings. I would agree that if power was not big of a benefit, people would not be spending big money to obtain it.
Wait a cotton picking minute Great Pumpkin, now I am being accused of “Secret Balast”,
WTF? I got no junk in my trunk. A 35# weight where the passenger seat would go + 986 Cool Suit box in front of that. On cold days, I remove the 986 Box that weighs 25#'s & replace with another 25# weight.
As for outspending the competition. Just an FYI, I have only purchased 1 set of tires the entire season. Showed up at Laguna and qualified & raced on used tires. Sunday DNF was unavoidable, TFB just pulled my tranny & pilot bearing had blown up and chewed up the disc/jammed the pressure plate…Hence the reason I was not able to get the car in gear.
[quote=“Steve Ferrario” post=77938]Wait a cotton picking minute Great Pumpkin, now I am being accused of “Secret Balast”,
WTF? I got no junk in my trunk. A 35# weight where the passenger seat would go + 986 Cool Suit box in front of that. On cold days, I remove the 986 Box that weighs 25#'s & replace with another 25# weight.
As for outspending the competition. Just an FYI, I have only purchased 1 set of tires the entire season. Showed up at Laguna and qualified & raced on used tires. Sunday DNF was unavoidable, TFB just pulled my tranny & pilot bearing had blown up and chewed up the disc/jammed the pressure plate…Hence the reason I was not able to get the car in gear.[/quote]
Let me start this off by publicly proclaiming that the only times I have finished ahead of you Steve was when you either broke or didn’t race…
That being said, I would be the first one to back that you are a VERY skilled driver who races to the checkers…again, I love that spirit. Ok, now I’ll get off of my soap box (that’s an older form of a podium for public speaking for all you younger tykes.)
Now, I don’t doubt that you broke and your clutch would not allow you to finish. I know you Steve and believe you would race until the paint came off what you’re driving, damning the results if you someone didn’t like them if the car could make it.
I noticed you said you only “bought” 1 set of new tires this season…that doesn’t mean you didn’t use more new tires or that you used Toyo bucks to get them. :ohmy: Hell, I don’t even know how many races you did. I’m just bustin’ balls on that one. But again, I don’t doubt your driving ability at all…I think I have made that clear.
But did you really forget about the car you sold to Mark Powell? You may not know this, but after Mark bought the car, he drove it and complained he could not get the car to turn in as he would like it to. We all told him that is how SE30’s are. He kept driving it, but still complained about it at California Speedway. So a few of the drivers got together and tried to help him. We got the car in the air and went over the ENTIRE underside of the car. Should I keep going, send you the rest in private or is it all coming back to you now?
BTW, kind of odd you made used the phrase “junk in your trunk”…Personally, I have never seen your “junk” or checked “your trunk,” but I have been close to there…:whistle:
I find it more plausible that every dyno in California is wrong than that any legal se30 motor makes 171hp. Have you guys verified the accuracy of the dyno your going to somehow.
BTW I think the only people who benefit from the dyno and hp cap rule are those who own dynojet dynos.
[quote=“turbo329is” post=77973]I find it more plausible that every dyno in California is wrong than that any legal se30 motor makes 171hp. Have you guys verified the accuracy of the dyno your going to somehow.
BTW I think the only people who benefit from the dyno and hp cap rule are those who own dynojet dynos.[/quote]
Well, there is some merit to the accuracy of the dynos and the numbers they put out but ther eis one problem with the point you are trying to make…all the competitors have to use the same dyno, run by the same operator and in the same conditions. So if it is flawed, they will (in theory) all be flawed and therefore, the results are all relative. That being said, nobody else seemed to have the “misfortune” that car did. What is even more interesting is that you are blaming the Dyno for the reading, yet the car owner is defending that reading saying the engine was perfectly legal. :huh:
What I find most ironic is that if everything being done to engines like that is legal, why is there no open explanation as to how it’s achieved since so very few people seem to be able to do so and can claim to be within the rules? Again, it goes back to the spirit of the series and the people within it. Why not share everything and elevate the level of racing? Isn’t that the fun part?
95% sure i won’t be participating at the nationals.
has been a very expensive season so far with my new car getting smashed by a knucklehead move. then my rebuilt motor destroying itself after 2 seasons!
yep when i started in E30 you didn’t spend money on a motor just toss one in and go have fun.
hope they figure it out so we don’t look foolish to the east coast
Oh I dont think there is any doubt about how we look!
We all look like surfer dudes hanging at the beach with palm trees swaying. Yeah thats what California looks like.