Just because you've ridden one doesn't mean you can tune a CVT, especially to run at the front of the f5 group. Hell, we've been at it for 5 or 6 years and still can't get it right. But your point is taken.
> -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:f500- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 2:10 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [F500] Why are F500 Entrys Down > > Steve, > > You speak as if no college grads have ever ridden a snowmobile. At last > glance, there are a "few fairly good schools" up North. Heck, some of > them > are even affordable. And, I'd wager that those students have ridden the > old > "ice rocket" more than once. I'm from Texas and even I've ridden them. > > I would wager that there is a large population of <30 types that are quite > familiar with snowmobiling. What they are NOT familiar with is the use of > a > snowmobile power package in an automobile. THIS is where our market push > should exert some informative influence. Be it 2- or 4-stroke snowmobile > power, I believe our long-term solution is currently being installed in > new > sleds. > > A 4-stroke sled motor would be "exponentially" easier to install into a > legacy chassis than power plants from other sources. Given that a sled > package must fit approximately between the legs of us old "homo sapiens," > this provides a natural fit constraint for power plants that our cars are > designed toward. Eventually Rotax will stop making 493's and 49- anything > else. What will not cease is the manufacture of snowmobiles. > > And, as a bonus, this mucous about dry-sump lubrication would implicitly > disappear (along with its price tag). > > I would also like to visit the use of a "generic" engine rule. Something > like: > > "Any engine, designed for use in mass produced (x,xxx units or greater) > snowmobiles, with a displacement of 500cc (+/- xx cc's). Entrant must be > able to produce a factory engine manual for the engine in use." This is > actually a paraphrase from some other classes (e.g., AS). > > Can we put these on the "table" of consideration as well, please. > > Dave Gill > Crew Member, Sr. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Steve K. Thompson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 11:17 AM > Subject: RE: [F500] Why are F500 Entrys Down > > > > Ok, at the risk of attracting more of the ire of some of those in the > > community I would venture the following. > > > > Your analysis of the lower entry numbers is spot on. I agree 100%. Which > > is why I think a long term solution of the m/c engine may be > > appropriate. > > > > I would like to target recent college grads as the feeders into F5 over > > the next few years. There's a lot of kids coming out of FSAE who have > > some disposable income, no kids, not a real clue about racing and a lot > > of enthusiasm and spare time. They've seen the m/c powerplant option and > > have some idea on how to make it work and its potential. They have no > > idea on how to tune a CVT and probably don't think much of a race car > > that doesn't shift (or at least that's what we've all heard a million > > times. I know I have). > > > > Your take on things basically means the class survival hinges on the > > economy rebounding, good luck. I'm hoping we can move the demographic a > > bit and possibly market the class (which is also a good builder's class > > given the relative complexity of the cars) to accomplish a healthier > > sustainable source of participants. I'm not sure it will work. > > > > I am sure you won't market it to karters or anyone serious about making > > a career out of racing. And I agree that you probably won't market it to > > people with real money since they can afford FCs and other more > > attractive cars. > > > > BTW, to others, I somehow don't think a PE or even BSME is required to > > build a successful F500. I doubt anyone out there is using a 7 poster or > > scaling up wind tunnel results. > > > > As a matter of fact would some of the more knowledgeable people out > > there please list some of these development costs? That way we could > > actually talk about issues and resolutions instead of scary > > indeterminate numbers. The dry sump is one, what else? > > > > Steve > > > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:f500- > >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Richard Schmidt > >> Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 12:27 PM > >> To: [email protected] > >> Subject: [F500] Why are F500 Entrys Down > >> > >> 2 cents > >> > >> I don't think that the lack of new F500 race entries has anything to > > do > >> with > >> 13" wheels, springs, shocks or the lack of anything to keep your right > >> hand > >> busy. > >> > >> I think the number 1 reason is the economy. Many people in this group > > have > >> said it before, "F500 is an low cost open wheel entry level race > > class" I > >> also have seen many in the group saying that they can not road race > >> because > >> of cost, and I believe them. > >> > >> Now lets suppose that you are an average Joe with a life companion and > >> little ones running around. Lets also suppose that they have the > > average > >> income of the middle class, lets say 70 to 80 grand a year, (if both > > work > >> - > >> less if only dad works). Lets also suppose that they are in debt up > > to > >> their neck paying for the house, new car(s) and what ever. Please > > inform > >> me > >> where Joe is going to get $20,000.00 to buy that new F500 and extras > > he > >> knows he will need. But lets say that Joe cuts corners and buys a > > "not > >> top > >> runner" used car for $10,000.00. But we have seen that most national > >> level > >> racers spend $8 to 10 grand a year on expenses. Average Joe just hit > >> another road block, (pun intended) > >> > >> I know what your are thinking, "ahah what about the other more > > expensive > >> classes that are having increasing numbers". It is simple math, I > > have > >> already shown that Average Joe can't get into F500 (or any other > > class) on > >> his budget. But not everyone is in Joe's shoes. There are a lot of > >> people > >> who have inherited money or made it big in the stock market who do > > have > >> money. Now place yourself in Not so Average Joe's position. You have > >> money > >> to spend, you are not budget limited. You could buy a small fleet of > >> F500's > >> or spend your money on something more expense and much faster. What > > would > >> you do ? > >> > >> Also to the guy who was talking up the numbers in SRF. Every race I > > have > >> raced in, there have been at least one SRF rental group there and > >> sometimes, > >> more than one. Each one of these rental groups bring 6 to 10 cars to > > the > >> track. The numbers for SRF do not represent owner/drivers, a majority > > of > >> them are rentals, and if you ever had to race with them, you know they > > are > >> rentals buy the way they drive. (to much watching NASCAR) > >> > >> Richard > >> > >> P.S. I am posting here because I have looked at the forms and the > > Formula > >> Car site and it really needs an updating. Also I use dial-up and the > >> graphics at the Formula Car site just load up my machine and every > > thing > >> takes forever to load. ________________________________ FormulaCar Magazine - A Proud Supporter of Formula 500 The Official Publication of Junior Formula Car Racing Subscribe Today! www.formulacarmag.com or 519-624-2003 _________________________________ _______________________________________________ F500 mailing list - [email protected] To unsubscribe or change options please visit: http://f500.org/mailman/listinfo/f500 *** Please, DO NOT send unsubscribe requests to the mailing list! ***
