jdistefa

^ Yup

jdistefa

What look like subtle differences in steering angle, timing of rotation, rhythm are worth significant chunks of time. Never say never but it's usually not hp.

dan212

The problem is the prize money makes cheating so tempting.

Veloce Raptor

As I said...

Streak

The skinny pedal doesn't do much in an SPB. For example, Todd Lamb looked at my data and found 3 places I was slow and a minor tweak to my set up. That delta in mph carried around a decent portion of the track so once I was told how much faster I could or should go I found a second and that second was good enough to keep me in the podium fight which I otherwise would not have been in. Years prior I fought for 5 or 6th place. This year with some pointers I was fighting for 2nd or 3rd. That's what one second does in our class. I still need to execute the Toe more effectively per Todd's advice but that will have to wait until next year.

Bottom line is this in an SPB - it's all about corner speeds. Get off the brakes get into the and out of the corner as fast as possible. What may appear to be a huge delta in hp based on a drag race down the straight is more than likely the difference in how fast one car got thru the corner vs the other car.

toddlamb

Yep we do. 80k miles.

hf1

That may be one car-length worth before the bus-stop, assuming equal exit speeds out of T1 and 100% WOT to the bus-stop, and that's being generous. Not 4-5 car-lengths gain against a car that has entered the Esses faster to begin with. I've done passes in the Esses under 100% WOT without losing more than a car-length on the car ahead. Angles and positions couldn't get more compromised than that.

The discussion is not whether skills, data, or setup matter. They do, but the very simple question remains: Why no dyno?

Veloce Raptor

If you say so...

Astroman

OK so which is it?
If SPB is not won with hp, if you can win using a junkyard motor, if it's all about the cornering speed and studying the data, then remind me why PCA needs a dyno?

Veloce Raptor

Interesting anecdote about junkyard motors: when the late Paul Rosche was the engine genius at BMW Motorsport, and building 1100 plus HP four cylinder turbo F1 motors...he found the strongest and longest lasting ones were built on very high mileage 320i motors from junkyards.

MSR Racer

Survey results are fascinating. Seventy percent (70%) renders think others cheat but they do not. Statistically this not possible! So somebody is lying!

Streak

Because every body in E cheats

Last year SPB was the subject of much scrutineering via electronically means. No one that I know of was found to be cheating. Early this year it was rumored that two cars that had their ECU's flashed at the track. One of those went on to win anyway. Late last year one SPB was found to have a 2.7 in it instead of the 2.5 motor. Out of a field of over 100 cars that's not bad.

There will always be accusations by new to the class people no matter what class we are talking about.

A dyno isn't the worst idea to keep everybody honest. Why do we have scrutes?

Cory M

That's strange. Who would ever imagine that a works F1 engine program, with a relatively unlimited budget, would be searching junk yard for engine blocks...

Coloradoheel

just a couple of thoughts and some recommendations for the new guys after having read this entire thread.

Your racing mentality and approach to preparation, improving your own performance and being successful (as you define success) is critical.

Whether there is cheating or not, I think the best mental approach to take is to assume that no one cheats. If you assume others cheat it will become a mental crutch and barrier to your own development as a racer.

"I can never beat that guy, he's a damned cheater" will almost certainly result in you never beating "that guy".

There is a certain SPB guy that is well known and a very very good driver. I've heard others call him a cheater. No way is he a cheater. What he is, is a guy that practices more than anyone I know, studies data religiously, tinkers with setup, etc. All the things necessary to be a great racer. Can I beat him? Nope - not yet - he's just a better driver that puts more into his preparation and practice than I am able to. Will I beat him? I hope to, and am certainly working toward that.

Carrera51

^^^^ Well said.