Hi Folks,
This is an unofficial unsanctioned uninvited inquiry into how to get locosts into SCCA GT club road racing.
The SCCA GT category is mostly home or pro built tube chassis cars from Renault LeCars (GTLite) to Chevy Corvettes (GT1). GTLite is the small bore class with motors from 1200 to 1800ccs. Uptill recently these motors have been highly tuned screamers. The introduction of a single inlet restrictor (SIR) has tamed these beasts to where an SIR equipped motor can expect a long lifetime and be built with less exotic parts. We're also kicking around some new ideas like a highly spec'd junkyard motor and/or a lower prep level (limits on things like compression and cam lift). We have costs in mind, but we want to maintain super cool tube framed purpose built race cars as our core philosophy.
The locost chassis seems like a great fit for GTLite. Light weight tube frame cars with a passionate home builder tinkerer owner. SCCA already has specs for building a cage on a Lotus 7 or Caterham for the production category, so that's not much of a hurdle.
The GTL rules provides a very wide array of motors from almost every manufacturer from Alfa to Yugo. Please check out the GTCS sections for GTL in our rule book (the GCR) found here:
http://www.scca.com/assets/2012GCR-updatedJanuary3.pdfThis rulebook is huge, but please dont judge us by this. We support lots of classes, cars, tracks, formats, etc all in that one book. Jump to page 302 for the GTCS (general rules), page 322 for the GTL rules, and page 374 for the car/motor specific spec lines.
Since "locost" is not a manufacturer we will have to find a way to fit you guys in. My thoughts (worth what you paid for them) are that you could pick any engine from the list. You would have to run that engine at the weight speced (lots of ballast). We would also have to set limits on things like track and wheelbase. Although there are details to the rules (like no carbon brakes, limits on aero, etc), that's pretty much the extent of the rules. I know the weights will require you guys to run some ballast (dont forget the cage you will want will add some weight too). Ballast is not all bad. Having the weight where you want it is a BIG advantage when you all have to weigh the same. In other words, if I run 20lbs of ballast and you run 200lbs, you have a big advantage over me (lower CG, lower polar moment, etc).
I know that the club (SCCA) has a less than perfect reputation (unfriendly folks in white shirts, etc). As both a racer and a steward (my white shirt is in the closet) I can tell you first hand that although we have had our issues in the past, we are conscience of those issues and have made giant improvements. Our races are a truly good time with parties, camaraderie, helpful car loving people, and very close racing (and beer afterward).
Here are some of my in car videos from Watkins Glen in 2011 showing the close but respectful racing you find in the small bore national run group (GT and production):
http://youtu.be/TJJwMaXeIVkhttp://youtu.be/fnkCTg1YFPEIf you're interested, or just have some questions, feel free to contact me. My email is
disquek@yahoo.com and my phone is 215 850 1517. Also, if any of you folks are in the North East, I'd be happy to put you on my crew list for a national race and show you firsthand what our races are like. If you're from elsewhere, let me know and I'll find a GTL guy to host you where in North America. I can also point you to more GTL video online. We also have a facebook group (because all the cool kids are on facebook!)
So what do you think? Are any of you folks interested?
Thank you!
Kyle Disque
PS: my Dad has a '62 series 2 super 7 and so I've always loved these cars. In fact, if this flies, I may build one!