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David Gill | 1 Oct 1997 23:14
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Digest f500.v001.n135

In response to Rick Kosdrosky's

"Raced F-440 at the national level in 1984-86 and 1991-93.  Recognize this
sport/class as one of the most powerful vechicles for wasting time and
money ever invented by man.  "

I crewed for Rick in '84.  We went from driver's school in March to the
Runoffs(c) in October in one season.  I also helped out some in '85.  Know
Rick.  Worked with Rick.  Bought my second 440 from Rick (Zink Z-22).  
Know why Rick's PO'd.  There was a mixup on one year's Runoffs registration
and he ended up in Atlanta at registration and, to his surprise, had to pay
the $500 late entry fee or turn around and drive all the way back to
Arlington, Texas for nothing!  I'd be a little ticked off, too.

However, I still contend that the bang for the buck is no greater than
right here in this class.  I have done the numbers repeatedly.  I raced
from '85-86.  When I decided to return in '94, I had every opportunity to
change classes.  I owned nothing.  I did not just stumble into this class. 
I picked it!

I believe that the strength of SCCA club racing lies in its diversity of
classes.  If you have the bucks and want to spend it, there are ways, my
friends.  But remember that, for the "budget minded" rest of us:

A GT-1 car carrys a 32 gallon fuel cell.  That is enough gas for three race
weekends for me.  A Formula Atlantic engine costs in excess of $15,000,
which exceeds my budget for the entire year.  Hope is doesn't blow.  I do
90% of my work in my residential garage.  5% is done at my benefactor's
shop and the remaining 5% is done in my kitchen (where I rebuild my
engine).  I tow my (very ugly but) enclosed race car trailer with an S-10
(Continue reading)

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Rick Rankin | 2 Oct 1997 02:33

Acceleration?

What is the acceleration like in a F500 class car? Is it comparable to a 500cc street motorcycle?
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Eric Christensen | 2 Oct 1997 14:27

Re: Acceleration?

Rick Rankin writes:
> 
> What is the acceleration like in a F500 class car? Is it comparable to a 500cc street motorcycle?

Similar, but not quite the same. The F500 weighs 800 pounds with
driver, rather than 450 pounds for the bike, so acceleration isn't
quite as severe. We have better traction than the bike though, so you
can use all the power with a minimum of wheelspin. It's enough to make
you know you're moving!

--

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Dillon Pyron | 2 Oct 1997 16:27
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Lots of money -> little money (was Re: Digest f500.v001.n135

While learning to sail many years ago, I crewed for a maxi (THE ultimate in
offshore racing).  The owner told me I could have stood in a cold shower with
the A/C blowing while burning $100 bills to get the same effect.

I would hope that was more of Rick's statement.  Motorsports, as they say, is
how you make a small fortune.

But, to each his own.  We have to replace carpet and vinyl (about the price of
a nice used car :-(, so I'm putting off buying, and going to Skip Barber
instead.

But F500 is what I want to run.

--

-- 
dillon pyron
dillon.pyron@...

PADI OWSI-54909    USPSA TY-26031
Corgis are big dogs in small suits.
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kos | 3 Oct 1997 15:03

Loved every bit of it

Lest anyone misunderstand my recent post:

"Raced F-440 at the national level in 1984-86 and 1991-93.  Recognize this
sport/class as one of the most powerful vechicles for wasting time and
money ever invented by man.  "

I only intended to convey that, even though I loved EVERY minute of my
racing experience, and to this day cannot seem to get through one day
without my mind drifing off to Road Atanta and the distinctive roar of a
chain saw duck taped to the back of my helmet, it was a vehicle (no pun
intended) for TOTAL immersion of ones self (wallet, checkbook and credit
cards included) into one of my life's greatest passions.  I'm still
wondering if I like sex or racing better - Even though my last season was
plagued with a gazillion blown engines and one lap races (Weisco's stock
dropped when the public heard that I got OUT of F440), I still think I
lasted longer at racing!

As for time, you might not spend a lot of money (relatively speaking) at
F440/500, but when you're driven to win, throwing ALL of your time at it is
done WITHOUT EVEN A SECOND THOUGHT, sometimes to the detriment of
everything else in your life, so be careful.  My marriage of 17 years
survived racing, but I met COUNTLESS racers who's marriages did not.

As for the class, I know of no other racing class, SCCA or otherwise, that
had (has?) the closest bond between fellow racers.  Perhaps that grew out
of beginning in the class in '84 when everyone seemed to hate the 440's as
the new national class (now, just the Vee's seem to still hate the 440's -
can you say Griffith).

My best to you all, and I'll see many of you as I make the trek up to Ohio
(Continue reading)

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Greg Drake | 3 Oct 1997 21:28
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Power and Altitude

OK all of you techno wizards, remind me if there is any difference in the
performance output of 2 stroke engines versus 4 stroke engines at altitude.
I am at 5000 asl. I realize that all engines are affected but I cant
remember if the amount is the same for 2 strokes as it is for 4 strokes.
reply privately or to the list
Greg GT Drake
printery@...
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jmaurer | 8 Oct 1997 18:22

I need a rental for SCCA driver's school


     I will be attending the SCCA school at Summit Point raceway on October 
     25 and 26. 

     I need to rent a car for the weekend, preferably an F500 car.

     If anyone out there is willing to rent to me, or knows someone who is, 
     please write/call.

     Thanks, 

     Jeff Maurer
     301-548-4063
     jmaurer@...

     PS As I mentioned, I would prefer an F500 car but will consider other 
     open wheels (FF CF FC FA(yeah, right))
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jmaurer | 8 Oct 1997 18:46

Re: I need a rental for SCCA driver's school


     Guess I should've mentioned the fact that Summit Point raceway is in 
     West Virginia, about 60 miles outside Washington, D.C.

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: I need a rental for SCCA driver's school 
Author:  <jmaurer@... > at internet
Date:    10/8/97 11:22 AM

     

     I will be attending the SCCA school at Summit Point raceway on October 
     25 and 26. 

     I need to rent a car for the weekend, preferably an F500 car.

     If anyone out there is willing to rent to me, or knows someone who is, 
     please write/call.

     Thanks, 

     Jeff Maurer
     301-548-4063
     jmaurer@...

     PS As I mentioned, I would prefer an F500 car but will consider other 
     open wheels (FF CF FC FA(yeah, right))
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David M. Baldwin | 13 Oct 1997 18:19
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autox 440 - Reply

Bud,

To start, thanks for sending me an inquiry about my situation.  I
really appreciate your interest in a fellow racer.  When you get the
opportunity, please tell me about your racing experience with
F440/500's.

I live in the Shreveport, LA area and participate in Solo II with
the Red River Region of the SCCA.  I have a '84 Red Devil with a
Kawasaki engine.  I originally planned to Autocross the car until I
was comfortable driving it, then I wanted to do a little Club racing
at Texas World Speedway.  But when I bought the car last fall, I
didn't realize that the roll bar specifications were changing and
the car would not meet specs starting in '98.

As it turned out, they are still many things that I am learning
about this car.  Even though the car has spent almost all of its
life sitting in storage before I bought it, nothing on the car was
even close to being set up right.  Once I got everything close to
working right, I started breaking drive train parts.  Thus far this
year I have broken a shaft key, 2 chains, and a rear sprocket.  I
have also DNF due to an unknown ignition failure and a seized piston
due to the oil injection line breaking.  I learned the hard way that
I needed to run the chain a little loose to keep from breaking them.

I plan to send many questions to the f500 list in hopes of finding
solutions to problems as I run into them.  I also hope that the
experts on this list will be willing to share their knowledge with
me.  This could make me more competitive sooner than learning
everything by myself.
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JDMurphy47 | 14 Oct 1997 02:31
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Runoffs Recap

Would some one on this list please report how the Runoffs went - qualifying
and race results.  Some of us don't have Speedvision and some of us that do
could not get to a TV this past Saturday (I was at a Solo II event).

TIA,
Jim
Daredevil F440 FMod #22
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Gmane