Formula First Class rule/design Approach

[Vracer]

I have recently been thinking about the current approach to the development of the Formula First class rules and overall approach to the class in general. If this class is going to succeed the people driving/developing the rules should take the following approach:

Formula First should be Formula Ford speed at formula vee costs

The current rule set does not accomplish this goal. If you want to grow this class, convert FV drivers and succeed this approach should be considered. It will also bring more parity to the run group issues we are experiencing in the SF region (FF FV speed differentials) and eliminate one excuse we are hearing from people sitting on the sidelines.

If this were the direction the class was going (and I do not think that it is) in I would convert to Formula First in a heartbeat.

If you want to expand the pool of available engine builders. I think that the people developing this class should reach out to the Hot VW and Off Road engine builders to get their input on the engine rules. This would also expose SCCA and FV and F1st to a larger audience.

That's just my opinion. Any thoughts?

[Scott]

As a manufacture of Formula First cars I will reply to your thoughts:

Quote"
Formula First should be Formula Ford speed at formula vee costs"

The FST cars should be capable of running about 3-5 seconds per lap faster than a FV. In my opinion speed does not necessarily improve the quality of the racing. Some of the slowest classes have the best quality racing i.e. FV, SRF SMT etc.

The current rule package that the mid west FST racers have developed over the last 5 years is the sole reason that I feel that the future of the class is bright. The engines are inexpensive to build and can be built by just about anyone with basic engine knowledge. There is no shortage of parts which drive up the prices. With the restrictor plate the rpm is limited, thus increasing engine life and eliminating the trick expensive parts. There are plenty of engine builders in, and around, the Northern California area that are very capable of building these motors. I know that Blake's Crusader FST engine was built by the local bug shop.

I agree that we need to expose our racing to new markets to grow the sport. The FST cars with the disc brakes and wider tires look like formula fords, which I think will attract new racers, as well as current racers. Lets face it the go kart kids are not interested in FV's, however, I think they are interested in open wheel, entry level, formula cars that are attractive, reliable and inexpensive to operate. FST will have the lowest operating cost of any class available in SCCA because of the rules package. I see no reason to change it.

[Vracer]

Kart Kids! I am not talking about attracting Kart kids to the class although there are two recent (and fast) newcomers to FV, Kart Kids will run what their parents can afford until they can figure out on their own how to pay for their rides. What F1st needs to attract is the 35 to 65 year old guy who takes a barber class and thinks he knows how to run a successful FF campaign, goes and buys a formula ford and does 2:05:00 laps at sears because he does not know how to set it up or maintain his car. You need to appeal to him and if he goes to a race and sees a bunch of funny looking cars at the back of the pack and swoopy FF's at the front what class do you think he'll spend his $25,000.00 on? We need to be as equal to FF speed as possible. Restrictor plates and other "limiting" rules do not do that. 3 to 5 seconds is not enough to justify the price new F1st builders are asking.

[sweenrace]

I tend to agree with a need to increase the speed. From the perspective of an existing vee driver: it doesnt make any sense to spend the time and the money to convert a vee into a first only to achieve pretty much the same speeds and laptimes.

The hard FFirst slick is appealing but as most of us run the relatively cheap and durable AR the cost savings are minimal and would take a long time to pay off the cost and time to do the conversion.

Either enlarging or removing the restrictor seems like a very simple way to increase the speeds and offer something noticably different than vee.

[Scott]

The motor builders that I have talked to say removing the restrictor is only worth a few HP on the top end, so that is not going to make a significant difference to the performance or lap times. The FST class was never intended to be a quantum performance leap from FV, it is intended to offer good performance, durability, parity, and low operating cost.
No one is demanding that anyone switch to FST. There are 25+ classes to chose from. I happen to like the concept and hopefully others will also. No single class has a perfect set of rules or appeals to everyone. As far as the value of a new FST car I think the open market will determine what it is worth. I know that more new FST cars have been sold this year than new SRF.

BTW, I think the FST cars are very swoopy

[Vracer]

I do agree that the Mystique is a swoopy machine having seen it's predassor at a certain shop and it is good news that there are more sales of FST vs SRF. But beyond the restritor plates there is the issue of gear ratios (use of long boxes) and mandated tire size (wider than FF) why not be the same width tire width.

[Scott]

The idea behind the transmission is to require everyone to use the same ratios. It eliminates the need to keep 3 transmissions in your inventory for different tracks, another cost saving rule. The (long box) final drive ratio is used because of the combination of the higher top speeds and smaller rear tire diameter. I have herd numbers around 110-115 mph top speed.

I agree that the wheel rule seems a little strange since there are many 13" x 5.5" wheels available from the FF guys. I was told that if someone wants to run 5.5" wheels instead of 6" that it would not be a problem. The required tire is the CF American Racers, no different than the ones that the CF guys are currently using.

One additional note regarding FST, the weight limit is 1125lbs. This should allow a 250lb driver to still be at or near minimum weight. I know many FV racers, including my self, that are 40-60 lbs over weight.

[qposner]

40-60lbs over weight?!?!

OK, so that is me. I once came off at about 1100 in my Mysterian in my bloated beer drinking, pizza eating college days! Only difference now is a little less beer and a lot less pizza...

[bbonow]

Bryan,

FST was never meant to compete with FF. To make an FV competitive with a Swift DB-6 would cost a ton of money and would be frightening to say the least

The restrictor plate is not like NASCAR. It is 32 mm under a 34 mm carb and acts more like a "balance plate" to help equalize HP in a cost effective mannor. Removing it will not add 30 hp (FF hp range). At best, the removal will add 2+ HP at top end revs.

The concept of the class is to update FV, increase performance (slightly) and reduce operating cost vs. FV. It does that very well. We ran a car for three years and averaged less that $200 per weekend (less entries, travel and food).

The simple fact is that the class has caught on very well back in the midwest (where FV has very strong roots) and is quickly expanding into other divisions. FST will have close to 200 SCCA Regional race entries in '07.

The drivers are a 50/50 split of FV converts and newbies. We are now starting to get FF drivers wanting to put sanity to their weekend spending habits.

Good chance it will be a GCR Regional class in '08.

One last thing, it is nice to tell people interested in your class that at 6' 4" and 250 lbs, they are welcome and will be competitive. They may even need some ballast!

Bill