Fst has offer to save FV

[Bruce]

Another dooms day scenario is being pushed on the other board. FV needs to die and become Fst for it to survive. I know it is another Chicken Little Sky is Falling tale. This has gone on for over 20 years. Every so often someone has a thought that if nothing is done FV will die. This time the folks of Fst have kindly offered a suggestion. We should slowly change to Fst parts and all will be good, but the kicker is they say they are not advocating for Fst, just change all FV parts to Fst specs. and call it anything, as long as we know it has nothing to do with Fst. Sound familiar? This according to the advocates of Fst has never been suggested. They say Fst is a stand alone class, I say let it stand alone or does it need FV to stay alive?

Since the author of the other post suggests that if you do not agree you should keep it to yourself, stay ignorant and go away. I on the other hand welcome any and all thoughts.

[Scott]

Bruce,

The dooms day stuff is coming from one source, one man's opinion. I hope that FV continues on for another 46 years. I do not want FV to become FST, I like the option of doing either, or both. The market will determine what happens in the future. Because of the current economic climate things are a little weird. Nationwide, FST is already standing on its own. It is one of the only growing classes. Yea, in Nor Cal there has not been much action but eventually that will change.

[bbonow]

Bruce,

I have no idea what kicked this off, maybe a mix up at the pharmacy? As Scott stated, that is one view from one person, not the views of the FST crowd in general.

[sweenrace]

Gents,

I agree with Jim that FV is in trouble. In fact, I forecast FV will be dead in the US in 3 years time. Its nothing to do with FST or parts availability. Its all to do with Driver Age.

For whatever reason, FV is not appealing to younger drivers so the average age is (my guess) 50+. We can all argue why this is, but the fact remains we're not getting new drivers.

There isnt the motivation to make the significant changes to make it appealing, even if we knew what they were. So, we wither on the vine.

The future is likely the new F600 or some type of steel rimmed, motorcycle engined, spec-shock, wingless FFord-like car. Like the sound of that?...I thought not.

Ian

[brian]

I think you guys are arguing about umbrellas while the monsoon rages. All classes are down and the economy is a major influence. National racing seems to be holding it's own but the less funded regional programs are suffering. I agree that there is a dearth of young drivers but that's always been a problem. In the absence of a wealthy parent, hardly any young person has the resources to drive. That's always been a constant, and now to make matters worse, many go into the arrive and drive schools instead of SCCA. I crewed for almost 20 years before getting in a fuel test portpit. I think staying single and avoiding procreation is the key to staying in racing. Just kidding Ian, your family is fantastic.

All new classes get a spurt in the beginning and the motorcycle formula idea is an example. FB or F 1000 is doing ok. After a big spurt of new cars earlier this year, I haven't seen many come back out for the recent nationals. I like the idea of keeping things cost effective with Ian's ideas but many don't think that's sexy enough to attract the young kids. At least FB is trying to hold the line on engines and forbidding modifications.

Ian's wrong about the 3 year thing. The idea that the 3rd most popular class will be gone in 3 years is just silly. Hell, Dennis and I will still be running!

Ever notice there are no postings on the weekend? God I'm glad I don't have employees.

[sweenrace]

Brian,

I hope I'm wrong.

Ian

[daveb]

Just think of what you are saying a regional class of 14-15 are going to save Vee? Some 40-50 drivers compete in the Run-Off's each year that's more cars than FST has in the country. Most region have never seen a FST. I have observed over the years that Vee drivers are very innovative when necessary and I suspect will continue to be. I am not against FST I think it has a future but is very expensive to get into with a new car. Their biggest hurdle is Formula what?

[bbonow]

Dave,

Since when did Minnesota become a West Coast State? ;D

That post was one guy (not me) and I don't think the majority of FST guys agree with his tact. However, please make sure you use facts when your typing posts.

Here is a current master list of all the FST cars in the US: www.apexspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30640
Way more than 15 cars exist.

Don't be a hater just because your neighbor Nash built a really cool car

[btatum]

Bill,
that is a cool looking car, who's is it? If this region had some cars to race with the Vee would be sold. The first is just more fun to drive.

[bbonow]

Blake,

That is a homebuilt chassis called "Mission" built by Jim Nash of Bloomington, MN.(also where daveb lives) For a "one-off", the execution of the formula is phenomenal. He always wanted to build a car of his own design and he saw the class as his opportunity. Jim came from Formula Ford and has been asked by multiple people to build more. I hope he does.

[twj]

Hi
Im from Denmark, and bought a Viper Formula Vee from Arizona last year.
Here in Europé we have 3 FIA classes.
Class 1: 1200 cc like in the USA
Class 2: 1300 cc mild tuned, approx 70-75 hp. (Quite fun)
Class 3: 1300 cc free tuning, and up to 110 hp! (Standard dicsbrakes allowed front!)
Im plan to run in class 3 with mine....
If you want more young guys running in your fv, why dont make it into a bit like a Class 2?
Here you will have without fan up to 80 hp, and on Laguna you don´t have to "Pedal to the metal" all the time.
I have to regulations if you want them?

Regards Thomas Wilken-jensen
Denmark
[e-mail]

[DerElf]

OK, I have been dormant for too long, saw this post and just HAD to comment. I JUST HAD TO! A baseball metaphor for some of the arguments would be "you are throwing freaking BEACHBALLS at me!".

1) To the BOZO on the other board (Yes Bill, I know it wasn't you!) and to Ian. Predicting the end to FV in the SCCA is like predicting the extermination of the fuel test portroach, not going to happen. There are too many of us who LOVE this class (in all its forms) to let that happen. Ian at the last event I saw two young turks and know of another as well, the family nature of FV is slowing bringing in a new generation. I expect in a couple of years we will see a red Dart on the track without MACE driving it as well.

2) Formula vee and Formula Fst has the same problem that the Celtic tribes of Scotland had, they were too busy squabbling amongst themselves to unify and kick the d**n Brits off their land. I don't really give a sh*t if you have 13" wheel, 1200 CCs or what, if you are VW based and air cooled you are on MY SIDE. If more of us thought more like that rather then trying to justify our own decisions to ourselves we were a helluva lot better off. Feuds don't determine who is right, only who is LEFT.

3) You Formula Vee guys RE: Formula First, well you only have yourselves to blame for the existence of the class. I fyou had been freaking RATION about things like weight limits etc then maybe the class might never have existed. I had one Vee driver tell me he wanted to keep the weight limit of the formula vee class low because all the big guys had got the cute girls in high school. PUHLEEZ!

4) You Formula First Guys: Don't get freaking smug, you only exist on the largess of the Vee community. You need the support structure that Vee has built up in almost 50 years of development. No ONE supplier can replace that. You aren't going to replace the class anytime soon, and I know the majority of you recognize that, so drop the chip off your shoulder.

The only way for ALL of us to survive in the coming years and thee way that the SCCA is changing is to FREAKING WORK TOGETHER.

i need to catch my breath.

[DerElf]

Man I was just re-reading my tirade and got SERIOUS LOL out of it. I had to think for a second to think what a "fuel Test PortRoach" was". BRUCE! I think we need to work on the profanity filters!!!!