Spec Racer Ford input request

[pistonwheels]

Last year, there was a considerable drop in the number of SRF entries at our events. Lower numbers have been reported by other regions too.

Is this just a part of the "normal" lifecycle of what cars are current favorites. Is it part of the flow towards Spec Miata racing.

Is there a concern amongst owners/drivers of SRF's because of questions about future support of the cars.

Are they becoming out-dated?

Is there not enough track-side support for the vehicles from SRF-specific agents?

I would welcome your comments, as I would like to have this information when I attend the S.E. Division AGM and the National Convention.

Sincerely,
Martin Bartlett.

[russ33]

Martin,
In my opinion, it is just the life cycle of the class. There used to be tons of FF's and FV's at every race when I first became involved. Now, few show up. With newer classes, member turnover, and people just going on to new things, I think you will continue to see the class numbers drop. Not overnight, but they will slide.

Russ

[lagunamiata]

SRF is an old class, low tech, slow, boring... we always called them "Spec wRecker Ford"
Many of the true sports racers have thought SRFs were just rich boys toys. But now CSR and DSR have become a rich boys class... Thanks to Radical and Lee Stohr.
CSR was in the same boat 10 years ago, numbers were horrible, the Sports Racer Comp Board almost killed the class. Now it's healthy.
Like Russ says, life cycle.

[russ33]

Martin,
If you would care for a sugestion, when discussing groupings for this year, put SRF in with Spec Miata, and make it the last race of the day. That way the rest of us won't have to wait around for the carnage to be cleaned up.(it's a half-haerted attempt at humon).

Russ

[russ33]

You spoke too soon about the decline in SRF. There are 73... yes, 73 entries foe the Sebring National. Doesn't sound like a class in decline.

Russ

[Mike Burke]

Hi Martin,


Your note about Spec Racer Ford paticipation is a bit confusing as follows:

--- Your motivation is not clear.

--- What do you mean by "...our...".

--- Whar comparioson metrics are you using.


For accurate and meaningful inputs, you might consider directly contacting the Spec Racer Ford owners and drivers within the Region. After all, those are the individuals who have a vested interest in the class.

Please do not hesitate to telephone me if I can be of help or to discuss.


Thanks,


Mike Burke
SRF #24
Member # 51644
828 258-2442

[soloracer]

Have been involved with spec re-nault since the inception of the idea. The late great Ed Zink built a car for consideration as the "spec". Another simpler design won. Then it changed to srf. My personal opinion (just that) is that the new spec scca class has srf competitors concerned the class is on the way out.

[pistonwheels]

mikeburke said:

Hi Martin,

Your note about Spec Racer Ford paticipation is a bit confusing as follows:

--- Your motivation is not clear.
--- What do you mean by "...our...".
--- Whar comparioson metrics are you using.


For accurate and meaningful inputs, you might consider directly contacting the Spec Racer Ford owners and drivers within the Region. After all, those are the individuals who have a vested interest in the class.

Please do not hesitate to telephone me if I can be of help or to discuss.

Thanks,

Mike Burke
SRF #24
Member # 51644

Hello Mike,
I will call you directly, but I'll also answer here to promote further discussion.

The "our" I referred to is CCR's events. Sebring has a different 'gene pool' so isn't directly relevant, though useful reference in regard to what's possible.

The comparison metrics I'm using is by my review of CCR events over the past 3 or 4 years and by what I have seen, as Race Chair.

And my motivation is basically, to find out if there's anything I can do to help maintain SRF as a healthy, active class.

As the person who has put together the race "packages" for CCR events the past few years, I'm the one who works out the schedule, worries about participation numbers, etc. I've seen that SRF numbers have declined locally and I'm just trying to get a better understanding of this. I'll be going down to Jekyll in two weeks, and the National convention at end of Jan, and being better informed at the meetings there can only be good.

I don't get time to read through every bulletin board/forum that's around. Tracking CCR's and occasionally National is as much as I usually get too. So posting this question was one way of directly getting feedback from SRF racers such as yourself. (And I do chat about this with Peter Schneider, who is on the BoD).

Some of the things I'm wondering about are;

Is there a decline in numbers due to the loss of direct SCCA-approved representation in our area?
Has there been a reduction in track-side support?
Is running the the "old" Ford engine becoming a negative (would running a twin cam Toyota 4-cyl, for example - reinvigorate the class?).
I know a bodywork revision was proposed to National at one time - would SRF racers like some updates to the car looks.
Etcetera.

I really like the SRF vehicles and the series, and it was a substantial group at our races, so whatever I can do to promote (and represent) the class is good for the racers and for CCR.

Regards,
Martin.

[nutdriverrighty]

IMHO, there are multiple issues that may be contributing to the decline in SRF participation in CCR events. First, Joel Barber is not supporting SRFs anymore. In fact, Inspire is the nearest SRF support business. They claim to be in Georgia, but all the contact info I found a couple of months ago was in Florida. Secondly, with all of the talk of selling SCCA Enterprises, alot of owners and potential buyers closed their pocketbooks to investing further until the issue was resolved. Third, the talks of changing the bodies of the SRFs also put the clamps on spending for alot of folks (Am I going to have to buy a new body for my car to be competitive?). While Enterprises promised that they would update the body without giving it an aerodynamic advantage, I think the majority of folks saw through this promise.
While I agree that "Spec Wreckers" earned their name in their time, I think the "Smash Me-otters" have far exceeded the carnage that I've witnessed from the SRFs.
I really like the SRFs and would love to be able to run with them. I think that we ("we", as in SCCA as a whole) need to look at the cost of racing for the average racer (income below 6-figures) and find them a consistent car to race that is easy to maintain, and has support parts available readily available and at a price that you won't have to get a bank loan to afford.
Not sure I like the degree of control that Enterprises dictates, but paying $7000 for a SM engine is way beyond my capacity to comprehend, much less afford financially.
Just another idiot spouting his $0.02 worth to whoever will listen.

Scott "Righty" Franklin
www.NutDriver.org

[soloracer]

Maybe we COULD start the Smash-my-Otters And Spec Wreckers at the same time. To cut down on carnage, we should start SRF clockwise and SM anti-clockwise at Lowes Motor Speedway and Lumber Yard, or Road Kershaw.

[soloracer]

O.K. sorry, a smart-A$$ comment, but i agree with all of nutdrivermetric's points. Support has fallen away. What happened to our local srf support rep? And since we had srf did we need sr/scca or whatever the new class is called?
Rant switch off.

P.S. did I only see about 5 srf's at the Lowes event? Sorry I was auto-x ing that weekend.

[lilgunny]

Hi Guys,
I am an autoxer that has been involved in the SRF wars in the past as a crew chief on a national competitive car. Back in the day when we were running there were always a full field of cars at our local races, i.e. Lowes, Road Atlanta, Roebling Road and Kershaw, I think that alot of this was accountable to John Willes running the CSR for the SE Division. There were always 6 or 7 cars running out of his stable and his support was always there. This combined with some of the other issues could be some of the reasons for less support in our area. My .02 cents worth.
Lilgunny