West Coast Championships

#61

“I guess the thing i really truly don’t understand as a non-engine bulider is the performance advantage definition”

Great question! :slight_smile:

It is the intent that a spec series like E30 be an affordable class for anyone with reasonable means to compete in.

If the rules allowed someone to get to a rather high HP number, IMHO (OEM was only 141 crank HP) by any method they could afford, it tarnishes that perception.

Spec removes the cash advantage by working to remove over the top preparation as an advantage. If one thing by itself even adds no HP, 20 things will. The line is drawn at “don’t do what isn’t listed in the rules” for this reason.

Again…excellent question.

#62

Steve, just so the intent is perfectly clear, All of the inspection items that were on my list for the compliance checks were compiled from what I have found in research of what people could and would likely do to their motors to gain and an advantage, power wise. Some of the items were discovered at the East Coast Championships. Others are what I have learned on my own.

Im proud to say that none of those items on my inspection list were found on any car torn down at the event to be illegal. (The machined valve guide was a new item not previously found.)

The reason only the top 5 were selected to be torn down was that at the East Coast event, there were 2 cars found non compliant. I wanted to be sure that if some of those cars that were found non compliant, the ones moving up to the podium spots were proven to be 100% legal. As it turned out, I should have torn down the top 6. Who’d a thunk.

#63

“we have HP limits while SM doesn’t”

There’s a reason for that, and it was unfortunate to have to add it in reaction to an event.

But a high HP SM finisher, is likely to adjust what will be done via inspection during the course of an event.

Because they dont, and you do have a HP rule, does not change the use of impound to verify compliance.

#64

Brad. That’s interesting.

Here were your valves, in the head, as presented and on the table at impound.

These were roughly 1/2" wide, by 1/4" deep roughly cut machined [strike]holes[/strike] divots.

#65

Hang tight, you’n s is about to get schooled.

This is a mess.

RP

#66

On a bit lighter note, Youtube says it will only be 23 more hours until my video is done uploading! That way we can get back to talking about racing instead of the “head” hunt!

#67

Shawn said my exhaust valves were the ones that were in suspect. If your talking about my intake valve, now that you have shown me the picture, those are my brand new Intake valves that I bought from WorldPac. There cheap ass valves, but brand new. See picture.

#68

Then an appeal on the valves should be a quick in & out affair.

I would beg you to do that. I strongly believe in using the rules to HELP the competitors, and many examples of that regionally exist. But I can’t do the legwork for the competitors.

Same for the guides, if they come out of the box in the condition they are installed.

The appeal process is painless and simple. Tell us what it is WE will buy it and confirm.

I’ll go buy one of those right now for my own curiosity.

#69

Looks like that might be something specific to the “AE” brand valves?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E28-E30-87-93-Intake-Valve-Standard-42-0-x-6-97-mm-Set-of-6-AE-11341708895-/151266931837

#70

[quote=“Steve Ferrario” post=79086]
Now I may fall in the minority on this one, but has anyone considered that there was a hidden agenda all along? Hmmm, lets see why & how these Norcal engines are so strong. Lets get a first hand look & shorten the 6-8 year learning curve it took Norcal builders to develop in 1 afternoon of tearing down the front runners motors.

If one of the cars that dyno’d was in question for heat soaking motor then as a result the powers at be decide to completely tear down the top 3,4,or even 5 finishers. What about the motors that inherited 3rd & 4th by default of the DQ, DQ & DQ? Reminds me of pro cycling…Lance Armstrong stripped of all TDF victories, some of those next in line were also on the juice, so somewhere down the line in some of those years 4-8th actually could be the winner but they were not tested…I mean torn down.[/quote]

Reminds you of pro cycling…really? In that case, didn’t everyone know the front runner was cheating but had been denying it for years? And didn’t that same front runner (Armstrong) first deny the claims, then go on National TV and admit that he lied to everyone for years?

For that matter, if the engines were all perfectly legal and within all the rules, what would be learned from opening them up? If all the parts were within factory spec, what knowledge would be gained?

Unless I am mistaken, the top 5 cars are always impounded and inspected at National events. I don’t know why anyone would think this event would be any different? Where is the hidden agenda? Was there a plan to impound the top cars discussed/submitted before the event or race?

#71

Yes.

We had a special stick-um that we put on the other 28 cars as they crossed the scales Saturday afternoon.

That’s how we get em.

#72

Here’s my video from pole on the Sunday championship race https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlJDBGGeZHg&list=UUde-vGIW2xxE-fJSjw94hRA

#73

Official final results from last weeks Western States Championship race.

http://timingscoring.drivenasa.com/NASA_Championships/Western%20States%202014%20Sonoma%20Raceway/Sunday/Group%20C%20SpecE,%20Spec%203/Group%20C%20Sunday%20Championship%20Race%20Official.pdf