Chumpcar Canada race report with pics
08-07-2018, 01:54 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Chumpcar Canada race report with pics
A couple weekends ago we took our old team car out to the track for an annual race. Last year we finished one day of the weekend, but this year we finished BOTH 12 hour races running hard and drove the car back onto the trailer! Out of about 15 cars that started, we finished 6th overall on day one and 3rd overall on day two. It's not the fastest car out there, but with no mechanical issues and good fuel economy for long stints, we spent less time in the pits than I think all our competitors. It's also the best looking car out there 
We have some great local photographers snapping pics over the weekend and I'll try to keep the pics on rennlist 944 focused.
by Grant.C, on Flickr
by Grant.C, on Flickr
by Grant.C, on Flickr
by Grant.C, on Flickr
by Grant.C, on Flickr
We have some great local photographers snapping pics over the weekend and I'll try to keep the pics on rennlist 944 focused.
08-07-2018, 03:13 PM
#2
Race Car
Awesome...., anything, anywhere, anyhow that's about racing 944s is a top rated thread AFAIC....
We used to do an annual LA400 (400 miler that started at dusk) at Circuit Grand Bayou several years ago and came off with overall win in the inaugural event in a 94, coolest part was me and my son were 2/4 drivers.
So...., having seen what looks like most of the field, what was faster than the 944...?
Q2, being involved and knowing what it takes to pull something like this off (we even had multiple turn portable lighting), how can an event like this even happen at all with only 15 entrants..?
We have to pay corner workers, an EMS ambulance and licensed first responders, etc.
T
We used to do an annual LA400 (400 miler that started at dusk) at Circuit Grand Bayou several years ago and came off with overall win in the inaugural event in a 94, coolest part was me and my son were 2/4 drivers.
So...., having seen what looks like most of the field, what was faster than the 944...?
Q2, being involved and knowing what it takes to pull something like this off (we even had multiple turn portable lighting), how can an event like this even happen at all with only 15 entrants..?
We have to pay corner workers, an EMS ambulance and licensed first responders, etc.
T
08-07-2018, 04:12 PM
#3
Instructor
Very cool. I bet that was one of the betters cars in the field; it looks several steps above the typical chump car. Did you lose a tire in the race? Looks like you had a matching of rims at the beginning.
08-07-2018, 04:35 PM
#4
Intermediate
I am one of the team members for the car. Pretty much everything had quicker lap times. I think there was only 2 or 3 cars slower than us. We were running on some older tires so I think with a new set each day that would help lap times a lot.
Last year there was 18 cars. Chumpcar Canada organizers said they lost money that weekend with only 12 cars.
As for the matching wheels.... we found the replica 18" Fuchs with 255 wide RE71R tires resulted in very heavy steering when used on the front. Not ideal for 2 hour stints. We used them on the rears for the race and much lighter trash cans with 245s RE11 on the front. Balance was nice even with two different tire sizes and tire compounds with different amount of tread life remaining.
Last year there was 18 cars. Chumpcar Canada organizers said they lost money that weekend with only 12 cars.
As for the matching wheels.... we found the replica 18" Fuchs with 255 wide RE71R tires resulted in very heavy steering when used on the front. Not ideal for 2 hour stints. We used them on the rears for the race and much lighter trash cans with 245s RE11 on the front. Balance was nice even with two different tire sizes and tire compounds with different amount of tread life remaining.
08-07-2018, 04:38 PM
#5
Drifting
Thread Starter
The fastest cars were a second generation RX-7 and a V6 Accord. There was some American iron out there with a firebird, camaro, fox body mustang and a bunch of front drive cars like civics, mx6, jetta. With only 147hp (when new), the old 944 can run pretty close to the top with fresh tires. It's just not very powerful compared to what a lot of chump cars run. We make all our time up in the twisty sections.
I'm sure Chumpcar Canada was losing money on this race, but we try to support them every year by showing up. This year was especially bad for scheduling as there were a couple bigger races in the states on the same or near weekends. The fees are expensive, but that's the quandary, do they lower fees and try to attract more racers or raise fees to extract the maximum out of the teams that are committed. We are quite far North and not many people want to drive up this far for a race. It's also not well advertised and they had planned or charging for spectators/extra crew, which in my opinion is not what to do when trying to grow a sport. A couple radio spots and free entry to watch and meet the teams would have gone a long way to getting new teams interested for next year. Chumpcar Canada is a tiny operation, so they probably don't have the resources to do the grassroots interest building that needs to be done. I hope they come back next year though... we'll be here ready!
The tire situation is this: The Fauchs are beautiful, but heavy as hell. It's too hard to drive for 2 hours on those wheels. The 16X8 sewer lids are awesome, but no tire availability is sinking that ship. That's why we mix match our wheel sets. We did cord one rear tire on day 1, but we just swapped on another Fauchs.
I'm sure Chumpcar Canada was losing money on this race, but we try to support them every year by showing up. This year was especially bad for scheduling as there were a couple bigger races in the states on the same or near weekends. The fees are expensive, but that's the quandary, do they lower fees and try to attract more racers or raise fees to extract the maximum out of the teams that are committed. We are quite far North and not many people want to drive up this far for a race. It's also not well advertised and they had planned or charging for spectators/extra crew, which in my opinion is not what to do when trying to grow a sport. A couple radio spots and free entry to watch and meet the teams would have gone a long way to getting new teams interested for next year. Chumpcar Canada is a tiny operation, so they probably don't have the resources to do the grassroots interest building that needs to be done. I hope they come back next year though... we'll be here ready!
The tire situation is this: The Fauchs are beautiful, but heavy as hell. It's too hard to drive for 2 hours on those wheels. The 16X8 sewer lids are awesome, but no tire availability is sinking that ship. That's why we mix match our wheel sets. We did cord one rear tire on day 1, but we just swapped on another Fauchs.
08-07-2018, 05:40 PM
#6
Race Car
The local race series we used to compete in (SCCA rules) was built on time brackets, each -2.0sec/lap moved you further up the fast chain.
We used to race directly with these same cars, even a couple of American Iron (NASA class for Pony/Camaro) as well as the 300/240 Nissan, Miatas, RX7 and the 944s were still at the front.
But it depends on the track layout, too much straight and it's hard for the 944 to shine against plain HP with **** handling.
But very cool stuff.
Talked about it with a few PCA racing buddies recently. We might build one up for Chump.
It'd get me back in the driver seat as of the last 5 years, the only actual race event I'd do was the once a year enduro.
Now...., it's a d@mend shame, but these race threads usually dive in the order like a WWII depth charge.
Unless......, unless you bring out pics with the pit babes....
T
We used to race directly with these same cars, even a couple of American Iron (NASA class for Pony/Camaro) as well as the 300/240 Nissan, Miatas, RX7 and the 944s were still at the front.
But it depends on the track layout, too much straight and it's hard for the 944 to shine against plain HP with **** handling.
But very cool stuff.
Talked about it with a few PCA racing buddies recently. We might build one up for Chump.
It'd get me back in the driver seat as of the last 5 years, the only actual race event I'd do was the once a year enduro.
Now...., it's a d@mend shame, but these race threads usually dive in the order like a WWII depth charge.
Unless......, unless you bring out pics with the pit babes....
T
08-07-2018, 05:44 PM
#7
Race Car
BTW-we were in the same pickle...., too few participants to be economically viable.
Last time event ran, a d@mned M3 showed up with a full race team, complete with overhead air hoses for pit stops, the whole works.
Some people....
T
Last time event ran, a d@mned M3 showed up with a full race team, complete with overhead air hoses for pit stops, the whole works.
Some people....
T