Having run many pros in the last 2 years in a Prepared
car, you do have to assume some added wear and tear,
but no more than normal. I for one launch just as
hard at a solo II course, as I do at the pro's -
because evry single foot of any course counts,
including before and after the lights.
If you do not build to the nth degree of lightness in
the driveline(read fragility) you can survive quite
well. Leave a little flex in the drivetrain to help
hookup and windup at the launch - that really helps.
You get wheelsping on most mediocre surfaces anyway
long before anything breaks. The biggest challenge is
cooling for the summer with multiple drivers - but it
can be overcome.
Stan Whitney
DP #25
--- Alan Dahl <adahl@eskimo.com> wrote:
> On Wednesday, December 27, 2000, at 06:44 AM, Paul
> Foster wrote:
> > I think it is largely an issue of wear and tear on
> the driveline. Most road
> > race vehicles are simply not made for drag racing,
> particularly since the
> > only US class that has standing starts is pro
> Formula Atlantic and you have
> > to replace the clutch every event not to mention
> the increased wear and tear
> > on the gearbox. I'm sure the people who do
> participate in prepared and mod
> > do pay the price with higher maintenance costs.
>
> Josh Sirota and I did at least 4 Pros in 1997 in his
> Formula Ford including many challenge runs and
> didn't have one single failure of any sort, much
> less the transmission. In fact, come to think of it,
> I don't think we did much more than roll it on and
> off the trailer all year long. Certainly some mod
> cars are delicate but it certainly wasn't true of
> the Citation.
>
> That was a great year for Mod at the Pros what with
> Josh, myself, Gary Richardson and Ren and Shauna
> Marinus all doing the west-coast events.
> Unfortunately you hardly ever see a CM car at a Pro
> these days but it sure was fun while it lasted.
>
> - Alan Dahl
> ----------
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