Testing existing exhaust systems is nice…but the data value is pretty low regarding the future and how others will continue to spend more and more money on the dyno (as Simon mentioned) to get as much from their car as possible.
Several regions (from a Spec E30 perspective) are still in the "I just want to race with my pals and drink a beer" (or a frozen margarita which was very good at Barber) stage. And that’s great. We were there too. At Barber, other racers in other classes have told me how great it was to see several of us having supper together that Saturday night.
However, soon, someone is going to build a car in your region and will feel that, "I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to win races." He’ll go paddock off by himself, he won’t want to go to supper Saturday night with his racing pals and will show you guys his tail lights on the track. I’ll call him "Racer X."
Racer X will also spend whatever it takes to get the absolute most out of his car and many of you guys won’t have a chance. Carlton and I went to Barber last month and while we had never been there before, we finished third and second, respectively, in a field of 14 cars. Was that because of our outstanding racing ability (like Mike Skeen who won)? I’d like to think so…but truthfully, our cars had a lot to do with it. And if we can do so well in a field of several good, solid racers, this shows that small differences in a car’s performance can make a significant difference in the race results.
While Robert saw small changes in the systems he dyno’d, he wasn’t able to compare them to Racer X’s highly-tuned, hours-and-hours on the dyno legal exhaust system. From what has been explained to me by many, many, experienced racers, both amateur and pro and over the last several months, if this could be done, Robert would see a significant difference in the performance of his systems, and the future Racer X’s system.
In the Mid Atlantic, arguably the most competitive region, Spec E30 racers are spending about $5,000.00 on a legal engine rebuild, for about 9 hp. Steve Kapuschanski spent about $20.00 on an exhaust tip and got 3 hp and 4 pound-feet of torque on the dyno at the National Championship last year.
How can you not see where this will go? How can you not see that the cost of racing will go up, and up, and up, if we don’t take action now and spend a few bucks to stop the high-dollar exhaust development cycle?
I have been told that this happened in Spec Miata, regarding exhausts. And it will happen here too if we don’t adopt a spec exhaust, made by one vendor. I am working on this right now.
Bryan Cohn, the NASA National Competition Director told me that he has received many emails on this subject, many of which have been against it I’m sure. He and I will discuss it on the telephone Friday.
If those detractors convince him to change his mind, and to go against the suggestions and support of so many who know the racing business so that he does not approve the Rules package that I submit, you will regret it.
No, you won’t regret it by anything that I will do, because I won’t do anything to harm anyone in Spec E30, despite the fact that Spec E30 has been threatened recently.
The way you’ll regret it is when drivers start spending thousands (and Simon and I, and many others I’m sure, will spend thousands) on developing the very best legal exhaust system, and you will drop farther and farther back in the results. Or, you’ll be forced to also spend thousands to try to develop your own system that gains about 8 hp, which is what I have been told can be gained if enough money is thrown at it.
Do you really prefer this, to spending $150.00 on a spec exhaust?
Some feel that a spec exhaust isn’t needed because we will have a maximum hp and torque program. However, we aren’t sure if that program will work (it’s a trail program), because of the many variables. Plus the great majority of Spec E30 cars will rarely be dyno’d at the track.
We know for sure that a spec exhaust will remove a significant variable, regardless of how the maximum hp and torque program works out.
In the Mid Atlantic Region, we have had drivers spend days on the track testing different oil in their Bilsteins (this is being addressed in the Rules), testing 14" Toyos vs 15" Toyos because of the slight size/gearing differences, testing different custom antiroll bar lengths, and looking for every little loophole in the Rules. I know this because they have told me.
And they support the spec exhaust rule because they know what it costs to develop different components on a racecar.
When I initially announced that we will have a spec exhaust, some felt that there wasn’t enough discussion on the subject, and that their feelings were hurt. I did a brief search here and found discussions from February.
Others thought about it in a calm and rational way and feel that it’s a cheap way (about $150.00 to save thousands) to cut out one part of the upward spiral of costs that damage a series like Spec E30.
I, and many others, do believe that this is a good move considering the future, because it will save us all alot of money by removing one costly development cycle that will happen if we don’t have a spec exhaust.
Yes, early-on, I probably should have explained the fact that this expensive development cycle will occur if a spec exhaust is not adopted and that I have spent hours and hours on the telephone and online with some heavy-hitters in racing who support a spec exhaust for Spec E30.
If you think this is a good idea, I ask you to email Bryan Cohn and voice your support to help eliminate expensive exhaust development costs.
I will post the results of my phone conversation with Bryan, tomorrow.
Carter
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