Paul@RevoTechnik Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Ok, so I have had this idea for a while and have expressed it on Grassrootsmotorsports.com and recieved great feedback from them, I just want to know where or who to propose this to? What I am proposing is the Spec Kia Rio Challenge. It would be based around similar rules and regulations as Spec Miata or Spec Focus, but I am assuming this would be just as exciting to watch and compete in as those series. Its just an idea in the making and has alot of work to go through, but what do you guys think i would need to do for it to be recognized? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor57 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Are the other classes so crowded that we need another class? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbrew8991 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I read somewhere and can't find it now that new spec classes are supposed to be started under the PT_ umbrella until they're big enough to warrant spinning-off as I was writing the rules for it I would pick out a combination of parts, tires, sizes, etc that would maximize it within a PT class so its a bit more attractive to people just my $0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obzezzed350 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Ive never seen a Kia Rio on the track... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sterling Doc Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Better yet, how about Spec Toyoto Echo, or "SpEcho" - saw that proposed before on the Rocky Mountain Forums, on April 1st.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmmotorsports Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 While we are at it, how about a Volkswagen Beetle class: Call it the Bug Spec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul@RevoTechnik Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 well, i found similar series over in Europe and it looks very competitive... http://www.kia-lotos-cup.pl/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nbs2005 Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Paul's point here is to create a fun and cheap class. The idea is to take a stock cheap econobox, add only safety equipment, and have close competitive racing. Most spec classes end up costing to much, you need this expensive tire or that expensive suspension (spec focus comes to mind). We need something that is simple and cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sterling Doc Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 To be more serious, without factory support for cheap parts to make them race ready (unlikely), this will not be a cheap option. Most Spec series start out with cars costing $1,500 or less (Spec Miata, Spec E30, 944 Spec). These were all cars of sporting intent and history, and because of this, have the hardware, and aftermarket support to be able to run competitively for cheap. For example, I doubt a Kia's brakes are up to racing stock, and it would likely be hard to find racing pads for them, even if they were. Unlike the donor cars above, or even a Spec Focus, Kias are not known for their steering, braking or handling from the factory. Fixing that would cost $$, and there are not multiple companies competing to make cost-effective upgrade parts for them. In short it's better to start with an inherently good handling car, than to fix a poor handling one. Another thing to consider is wether any pre-bent or bolt in cages are available - custom cages are not cheap either. The video you posted does look fun, but not cheap. It's a one make series with factory support, something like the Jetta TDI Cup over here. It could provide a starting point for modifications to make the cars race worthy if you did want to pursue this, but again, importing pro-racing parts wouldn't be cheap. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but it's not as simple as it may seem. What price point do you have in mind for a competitive car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul@RevoTechnik Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 Well, like i said, it was just an idea. I have always wanted to race in some type of Spec series, if its Spec Miata or E30. Its now and days just to get in to one of those series, you are looking at some price tag well in excess of $10,000. Ya, i could build myself a Miata, but i would be looking at a midpack car at best because there is so much money being pumped in that series and the cars are getting quicker and quicker. It is true, you could purchase a E30, Miata or 944 for less than $1500, but you could also find Rios for the same price. It was just an idea for a inexpensive econobox race series, with cars being plentful and OEM parts that are not too expensive. I would still need to sit down and research what different suspension, brake, race necessity options there are out there for this vehicle. Yes they may not handle all that well, but that is why the driver is racing, to use his driving capabilities. I was thinking of having a price cap of $5 or 6 thousand to mess with, and this is just a real rough estimate. I appreciate your feedback. I knew before posting it would be a complete uphill battle to get something like this rolling, but i think it would be a popular catagory for entry level racers with not a whole lot of money to compete and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbrew8991 Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I could see it being fun if the right parts were specified (if they existed) - KB, real cheapskate.. drives a $6k total PTF car fwiw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmmotorsports Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Heck, to make it really interesting, put a $2,500 claim and exchange rule in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obzezzed350 Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Heck, to make it really interesting, put a $2,500 claim and exchange rule in place. que? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmmotorsports Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Heck, to make it really interesting, put a $2,500 claim and exchange rule in place. que? We used to do this with our circle track stuff. If you finish behind someone, simply put up $2,500 (or whatever amount the claim is) and your car and you get his. Keeps the cheating under control. Not to mention, it would prove that the driver did or did not make the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sterling Doc Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Ken, You're a good sport through all of this, sorry I didn't take this seriously enought to start with. Having started a new region for 944 Spec, that was a pretty big uphill battle, even with an established rule set, so be prepared to do a lot of work, and cheerleading to get this off of the ground! Newly built racecars are always more expensive than buying a built one, especially these days, even if the base car & series is budget oriented. A lot of the money these days goes into good safety equipment. The biggest portion of that is a custom cage - that alone would blow 1/2 of the budget planned. You need to figure out an affordable option for that to keep the price down. Cars that have bolt-in cages avaiable can get this down to around $6-800. We have prebent, custom weld-in cages avaiable from Hanksville Hotrods for around $1,200. If you can get a bulk order into a shop it can cut the costs down, but this can be a challenge. A decent seat, belts, and right sided net will be about another $1k. At a minimum, you'd need racing pads - $200++ there. Unless you can recover a fair amount of money from the donor car, keeping your costs in the $5-6K range will be tough. I built a nationally competitive 944 Spec car from scratch on an $8K budget, and while it was fun, and taught me a lot, it was a *big* project. Lots of buying & selling on the internet, and a ton of manual labor, but it came out well, and as I tested it's safety equipment by flipping it over it's nose onto it's roof soon after I finished it , I'm glad I didn't skimp on the cage. The build thread will give some idea of things to consider in building a racecar (or a series). Look here: http://944spec.org/944SPEC/component/option,com_fireboard/Itemid,30/func,view/id,2589/catid,10/ Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninetyfourintegra Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 It was just an idea for a inexpensive econobox race series but i think it would be a popular catagory for entry level racers with not a whole lot of money to compete and have fun. We call the PTE/D in the Great Lakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weed Wacker Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 A cheap fwd econobox-type car that could be built and raced relatively cheaply might be honda civics i think. Even motor swapped examples with disc brakes all around can be had for about $2000 or so. Parts for that car are beyond cheap and the aftermarket is huge so coming up with a cost effective, good quality spec set up shouldnt be too difficult. It has the same "spirit" as the original idea i believe. Just throwing it out there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getfast Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 Most Spec series start out with cars costing $1,500 or less (Spec Miata, Spec E30, 944 Spec). These were all cars of sporting intent and history, and because of this, have the hardware, and aftermarket support to be able to run competitively for cheap. For example, I doubt a Kia's brakes are up to racing stock, and it would likely be hard to find racing pads for them, even if they were. Unlike the donor cars above, or even a Spec Focus, Kias are not known for their steering, braking or handling from the factory. Fixing that would cost $$, and there are not multiple companies competing to make cost-effective upgrade parts for them. In short it's better to start with an inherently good handling car, than to fix a poor handling one. +1 to all this. The three mentioned were all fun to drive, great handling, sporty type cars brand new. Kias are horribly pushy commuter appliances with numb steering and marginal brakes. You would need a rear swaybar as thick as your cage tubing to make 'em turn... Our idea for a cheap fun class has always been "SpecCopCar" - police package Crown Victorias from auction - gutted, cage & safety gear, better suspension, pads and tires. Tell me that wouldn't be fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obzezzed350 Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 spec cop car sounds awesome!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Corkran Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Now that sounds like a series Bill Scott might get behind. Too bad BSR consumes most of them in the MA area. The old Caprices would have been a lot like CMC. The CV's suffer the same understeer/low power/brake issues as the Kia. Though who needs brakes when you can just turn the front wheels (even with the throttle mashed to the floor) to grind off speed (and tires)? Probably be a hoot to watch though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 While we are at it, how about a Volkswagen Beetle class: Call it the Bug Spec. That could be interesting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadStang Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 maybe i'm biased but, I think a v6 mustang/camaro class would be interesting to watch. The abundance of these cars is unbelievable. They're dirt cheap. And the 3.8 motor in the mustang is practically indestructible. The platform has a HIGH aftermarket support, plenty of aftermarket support for the motor, and they are very safe cars. The only expensive thing may be tires though, to keep the car planted, but even then you could just run street tires... EDIT: just realized this is my first post. been lurking for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor57 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 You may have difficulty finding others who would prefer to race a v6 over a v8 mustang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadStang Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Considering a v6 is half the price of a V8 and much easier to work on as everything easily assembled because of how small the motor is. Longtubes you have to either drop the motor and k member or raise the motor out of the car to install them. When I swapped in my longtubes they just slid right in. That's why I'm building a v6 into a road race car vs a v8. Besides the weight advantage is also better and nobody has broken a 3.8 block from hp,700whp is the highest the block has seen though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.