ending up under weight is really a good thing as you can ballast the car
with weight where you would be better balanced. that is what we did in scca
racing years ago. it was not uncommon to bolt down lead plates to the
passenger floor to offset driver weight and add needed ballast to a lower
area in the car .
now lemmie see how do i address the rolling tank statement?
since i just rolled into my driveway from running at sebring with the car
they feared they had to time with a sun dial! i think i have a handle on the
rolling tank thing...LOL! my sugestion with reguards to driving a slower
car in a group would be to be positive you have ample rear view mirror
coverage in a reasonable field of vision. you will be spending almost as
much time looking forward as you do scanning your mirrors for overtaking
traffic. it is the responsibility of the overtaking car to safely pass you.
but! if you are not aware of their aproach and are not holding your line or
not giving them a point by, their pass might scare the living daylights out
of you! the other thing is beware of more than one car overtaking at a
time! many times another car will be racing with the car you see aproaching
in your mirrors yet the aproaching car usually masks the other car causing
you not to be able to see it untill the last minute!
at sebring my 850cc saab was running with corvettes, mustangs and camaros
and some darn quick 911's. i try very hard to be curteous to my fellow
competitors who are much faster than i am. some may view me as a serious
pain in their tush as i can see how i can really get in their way. but
honestly i do try to extend all the courtesy i can out on course. it's a
full time job! times come and go where i wished i could accelerate out of
crners and thunder down long straights...but then i get 16MPG on course and
my tires last a season (or two!) and i know their fuel / tires budget
exceeds mine! you will learn to have fun enjoy the people who you race with
and aquire some very good skills in carrying speed through corners.
chuck
that darn orange saab!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Warner" <Jeff_Warner@ssa-sa.sel.sony.com>
To: <vintage-race@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 11:43 AM
Subject: Use of Weight Scales in Vintage Racing Events Techs - What is the
Spec?
> Hello,
>
> I have read lately of the desire to use a return to a "vintage weight" for
the race cars (implied in recent letters of returning alternators or penalty
lead weight, etc)
> I have a few years of crewing experience for a circle track team (Super
Late Modified tubular frame 600 HP cars) so am fully aware of the use of
electronic scales and rules at races for total weight, front to rear, left
to right, and cross weight. These weight specs are very important to the
circle track racers to help ensure some sense of parity.
>
> Bottom line question:
>
> Where do I find the "OFFICIAL VINTAGE RACE CAR WEIGHT SPEC" ?
>
> Is it the production weight or some spec'd percentage of the production
weight of the car? .......Easy to find!!
>
> Is it some average weight from a particular year(s)? .... Never seen
weight listed anywhere.
>
> Is it the weight of the champion racer from a particular race or series
back in the 60"s? .... Again never seen weight listed.
>
> Is this going to be another case of a different spec for each vintage race
club regarding weight or has it been decide by some national committee of
vintage race clubs?
>
> I am not yet a vintage racer. I am slowly building a 1960 Jaguar Mk2 to
run with CVAR in Texas and Hallet.
>
>
> Background:
> This is a question of interest for me as the Jaguar Mk2 is not a common
race car.
> With me learning to drive it will be more of a tank or rolling chicane out
there running with the Porsche 356, AH 100, and TR2, MGAs, Abarth, etc in
the Group 4 of CVAR.
>
> I would like to understand the spec weight as I finish building this car
and not be surprised when I arrive at the track....... let me clarify... not
be embarrassed because I am probably going to show up over some spec weight
:-)
>
> The purchase of lightweight racing parts and stripping out the rear seat,
carpets, etc would seem kinda silly if I end up having to add lead weight...
but then again, as in circle track racing, this way I get the locate the
weight on the car where it will do the most good to balance the weight.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jeff Warner
> San Antonio, TX
>
> P.S.: When I was trying to convince my "Fanatic Racing Impaired" wife
about the need to buy an aluminum flywheel based on the weight... she
suggested a diet for me would be cheaper.... a longer discussion on
moment-of-inertia did not recover any high ground in the discussion ....
initially.
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