New series MX5 Racing in brisbane

[Magpie]

I would like to see some training offered to help people come to terms with the type of racing that they will be participating in. Linking up with an extrnal trainer and offering discounted courses and or one on one training or doing some observing on a race day etc could be a good selling point. Whilst I'm very interested in racing on the track lack of confidence is also holding me back and this lack of confidence could become an issue on the track for other drivers. However I'm working on getting the confidence and hope by next year will have enough to be safe to other drivers on the track.

[MattR]

Slightly OT apologies - re tailshaft loop. Is an mx5 considered to have it 'passing through the cabin' with the shaft in the drivetrain tunnel?

From cams : "4. have any propeller shaft and universal joints, if passing through the cockpit, fitted in a fixed casing; "

Hey Matt - as far as I am aware AASA does not require this, or a cage for that matter - all they specify is ROP

You just need a tailshaft loop, which should be fitted to all race cars as a matter of safety.

ROP = Roll Over Protection, which is basically a cage if you want to be safe. The AASA standards are hard to find, and if you want to do the Morgan Park events, they are run under CAMS so everything has to conform to CAMS, so build your cage to suit CAMS requirements, and if it a track only car get a full cage welded in.

Also if doing CAMS events, have yoou goot a log book for the car yet, or your CAMS licence?

[mazmad]

Hi Matt (in stereo ) Only cams events I am doing for the moment are the supersprints - which is only L2S which I have. I have a national AASA licence and AASA logbook. I will only be doing AASA door to door this year, but am building the car to cams specs.
Thanks,
Craig.

[tbro]

Magpie, go and do some topgear events, start with practice on Sat morning, talk to a few there and they will help you settle in, hell, ask and I'll come and help you.

For those who have trouble understanding what ya need, if your car doesn't comply with PSCRA/CAMS rules, use these

http://www.qldraceways.com.au/files/Top ... 2012_3.pdf
These may only apply to Qld?????not sure if applicable to NSW etc.
Its listed, it not hard, tick and flick.Plus if its a NA , tape up the headlights, or as I did, clear contact.

Now if you think that the safety rules are tooooooo hard, thats easy too,

Go and do something else, cause the rules are for your safety and keep the sport cheap (to a degree).

If you don't agree withem!!!

[gslender]

You just need a tailshaft loop, which should be fitted to all race cars as a matter of safety.

So not mandatory but agree if you are safety paranoid this plus lots of other things should be done,

If this series gains traction we'll be actively advising and clearly providing advice on min safety to ensure 1) it is attainable easily and reasonably affordable and 2) there is no confusion on what to buy or do.

I'm even keen to find reputable places to provide packages and/or products suitable and advise accordingly (with appropriate buy beware / your own risk etc)

In the next month I will be working with Nigel to start assembling the rules and guides. Would be keen to have folks review.

G

[MattR]

Tailshaft loop is mandatory for CAMS, and looking at the sheet Tbro just put up, is also mandatory for AASA up here in Qld as well.

If the series does get up, and I wish you well in doing that, the minimum requirements for the vehicles will be dictated to you by the track promoter/owners under who you will be running, essentially CAMS or in your case AASA.

The best bet for putting together a safety package for anyone wantinng to get on board would be to approach a supplier who can put this together for you, that is supply all the bits to be fitted. Someone like MX5 Plus in Qld, or Mania down in NSW, would be a good start to get a package of ROPS, tail shaft loop, ignition cut and possibly window nets for hard top users as well as the sticker sheets with all you need. If there are enough people who commit and put their money up, and I mean stump up a deposit or registration to race so that you aren't out of pocket, as well as for the safety gear needed to turn a road car into a pukka race car, then a deal maybe able to be done with the chosen supplier to help reduce the cost.

As you put together the rules I will probably be one of the more outspoken critics, but not to discourage you but to help come up with a package that could work. I can see the attraction of what you are trying to achieve, but motorsport is littered with failed attempts to get new series up and running and there have been some expensive failures. I have also seen plenty of good people with the best of intentions burnt badly as they were let down by a bunch of gunnnas who were keen as until the question of dollars came up and they realised how deep thay had to reach into there pockets.

[corners]

My question,

How does this differ from the already existing Time Attack series?
http://www.timeattack.com.au/

Is the only difference you want to have just mx5s?

[gslender]

My question,

How does this differ from the already existing Time Attack series?
http://www.timeattack.com.au/

Is the only difference you want to have just mx5s?

A good driver in a stock MX5 1.6 can win the series.

G

[NitroDann]

also its doors to door.


.

[toppertee]

Any more ideas on racing rules, things you would like to see.
Grant is back from Japan, so we are going to start focusing on promotions, set up a web site, consider dates, rules etc...
Well let’s be honest Grants going to do that, I'm only allowed, to hang around if I play quietly with a box of crayons ...

[plohl]

Try not too eat so many crayons this time Haha

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk 2

[toppertee]

Try not too eat so many crayons this time Haha

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk 2

[MattR]

Any more ideas on racing rules, things you would like to see.
Grant is back from Japan, so we are going to start focusing on promotions, set up a web site, consider dates, rules etc...
Well let’s be honest Grants going to do that, I'm only allowed, to hang around if I play quietly with a box of crayons ...

You might struggle to get slots at QR and Lakeside for 2014 if the last two years are anything to go by. There are more categories wanting to play than spaces available for the meetings.

With the rules I woulld suggest the following:

First, all cars must meet the general requirements of automobiles as laid down in the CAMS manual as this will cover off on all your safety issues.

Then you can look at some of the more technical issues such as mods and how to weight them to come up with your handiccap system, bearing in mind this has all been done before. For power to weight and engine out put look at the 1 hour enduro hand book available on the Prod Sports Association NSW web site.

Another way of handicapping is to do it by the driver's times. Again NSW had a systtem in the 90's that meant that the overall champion was decided by consistency and improving their times over the year in the races, this meant that more ofetn than not the overall winner was someone who finished in the top 5 rather than the person with the quickest car.

Hope these suggestions pprovide some food for thought.

[mazmad]

Matt interesting ideas. But - as a noob in NSW - I am not keen on the straight out handicapping idea.

The weakest driver could win by improving. You want to be rewarding outright ability, no? Whilst trying to even out any power to weight advantage. I accept there is no perfect solution and every system will be open to rorting.

[MattR]

The One Hour series uses a power to weight system to class the cars, but that means dollars and time for each competitor to get dyno runs done, and then how do you stop rorting of that by using different wheels and tyres to that used on the track to give an artificially low figure, those with adjustable ECU's having two tunes, one for dyno and then one that has 20+ more horsepower, those with turbos turning the boost down for a dyno tun and then cranking it right up for the track???

And what happens when you put a nnew motor in, or even change the gearing on your car????

The handicapping system used in NSW worked well. The driver that ended up winning was the driver who turned up to every meeting, ran hard and consistently and was in the points. The system was weighted to give maximum benefit for finishing up at the pointy in your class, but gave you a bonus for improving through out the year. This allows someone in a stock 1.6 who is the fastest stock 1.6 who doesn't break the car, finishes every event and improves their times over the year, yet who is finishing towards the back of the field is then able to beat the driver who has spent a squillion dollars on the best equipment money can buy finishing first in every race, but who can't drive any faster throughout the year as they don't have as much ability as the back marker. I would say the fairer systtem allows the driver of the standard car to win.

Which from what I have read is what you are after for this series, so you don't have to spend a million dollars on gettiinng the best engine, best tyres an best suspension to win.