Boss Racers Protest SCCA at Mid Ohio

[Patrick]

http://jalopnik.com/5932018/boss-mustang-drivers-refuse-to-race-in-protest-of-the-scca-this-weekend?comment=51593501%3Futm_campaign%3Dsocialflow_jalopni k_facebook&utm_source=jalopnik_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

[MikeFleming]

AKA Indy F1 2006?

So they couldn't design their race engines to run at WOT without overheating? WTF, O?

Wimps.

[Kendal Coker]

a friend of mine works for Jack Roush Jr. He was telling me saturday about the plate and also making them run stock rear brakes. He didnt say anything about the boycot. The camaro is running 6.2 L engine and the mustangs are running 5.0.

[Patrick]

They were stock assembly line engines with revised electronics package. The cars were assembled on the Ford factory assembly line (I posted pics of one car and a video of the assembly lineprocess in the recent Seattle car show Events thread). They ran fine for the first 5 races. Then SCCA put a restrictor plate on them and the problems began.


AKA Indy F1 2006?

So they couldn't design their race engines to run at WOT without overheating? WTF, O?

Wimps.

[MikeFleming]

The general effect of restrictor plates is that WOT is used more, cause they make less high-end HP (with same lower-ROM torque). Other than WOT tuning (which it sounds like they changed also) there is no direct relationship to overheating.

Sounds like they got the tuning wrong. And they're blaming SCCA.

[Bob Holmes]

I was under the impression that they were not allowed to change the tuning. That's why they are blowing engines and toasting headers etc.

[blueboss]

If you read the press release, it gives a pretty good explanation as to why the engines are experiencing failures. It's pretty telling that all of the Mustang teams are experiencing a similar type of failure and during the same time frame. My opinion: Don't handicap the vehicles. If the manufacturers can't produce a vehicle that fits within the established guidelines of the racing class, tough shit. You have two options: Produce a vehicle that is competitive or don't race.

[Patrick]

The manufacturer did provide a car that met the specs from day one. They were handed a restrictor plate when they showed up at Mid Ohio, no chance to evaluate what changes needed to be made, and not legal per the rules to adjust the car to accomodate.

Hmmm... supposedly a 5.5 liter class, and how large is the V-10 Viper engine that only finished fifth?

So how can you really factor a series so that a KIA can beat a Boss302S or a Viper? Ask the series administrator, he has all the answers, but refuses to field any questions.

[MikeFleming]

Ask the series administrator, he has all the answers, but refuses to field any questions. I didn't know Bernie was doing SCCA events now.

[Bob Holmes]

After the Mustangs ran away and hid from the rest of the field last year, they were heavily restricted this year. They ran a 49mm restrictor for the first races of the year, then a 60mm at Mosport and then were handed a 52 for the last race. Which they boycotted.

My sources are the series director and the driver/owner of the car that won last year, and that Justin Bell is racing right now.

I think there is quite a bit of "politicing" going on, and it comes down to the attempt by the sanctioning body to "performance average" all of the cars.

The teams stated that they were handed the new restrictor right before they went to grid, the series director says that they were provided notice of the change 14 days in advance. Seems odd that not one of the Mustangs had the 52 on their car and was unsurprised by the change. Wouldn't you have properly accounted for and tuned for the change if you'd been given 14 days notice?

Something stinks about this whole thing. Its interesting to note that Acura was the title sponsor of the boycotted event, and an Acura won. Coincidence?

[Patrick]

... Wouldn't you have properly accounted for and tuned for the change if you'd been given 14 days notice?

Something stinks about this whole thing. Its interesting to note that Acura was the title sponsor of the boycotted event, and an Acura won. Coincidence?

Bob, isn't it illegal per the rules to change the tune as presented to SCCA? That was mentioned by one of the principals in the drame.

[MikeFleming]

Bob, isn't it illegal per the rules to change the tune as presented to SCCA? Doesn't this state that they DID modify the tune - in violation of the rules?


They were stock assembly line engines with revised electronics package.

[MikeFleming]

So how can you really factor a series so that a KIA can beat a Boss302S or a Viper? So an undeveloped Korean econo-box is supposed to compete with a purpose-build race car? Probably not.

Almost EVERYTHING beats a Viper. With it's 8-liter engine that just barely makes 650HP after 20 years of development (didn't it start at less than 400HP?). Isn't that less than Ken Block's 2.0L turbo Focus?

[Bob Holmes]

Pat: I think you may be correct. I learned yesterday that Ford won't let them retune, either.

I'm not sure how you calibrate an ECU to optimally deal with the wide swings in induction characteristics that the teams have faced.

[Bob Holmes]

None of these cars are at all stock. One of the Mustang guys was complaining about a transmission that one car had been able to use due to the performance averaging. His assertion was that the transmission cost more than the base car.

[MikeFleming]

Bob - you should especially know that "racing" and "cost" should never be used in the same paragraph (without quotes, that is).

[Bob Holmes]

Pat: I think you may be correct. I learned yesterday that Ford won't let them retune, either.

I'm not sure how you calibrate an ECU to optimally deal with the wide swings in induction characteristics that the teams have faced.