Boris Said, Trans am

[gttouring]

The Long Beach race wasn't bad, some good scuffles in the pack, but as usual it was Boris Said vs. Scott pruett, and Gentilozzi driving up from the middle in a new Red jag. The cars seemed to be revving higher this year, or the new 'spec' ignition boxes have some strange firing. the sounds of these once roaring V8's was shrill and sour I wonder what that was about, but a good race overall, now with all that said. Is BOris Said that good to be chasing Pruett all race than at the last 5 laps DECIDED to pass him and drive off with the win. Or is it that everyone else is of a lesser calibre?

[Muzza]

In my opinion Boris Said - quite a good driver, by the way, and one of the most approachable racers I have ever met - sandbagged the whole race. As you said, gttouring, he pretty much decided to overtake Pruett at the most convenient moment...

There was a lot of criticism about the Ford Mustang behavior (high speed vibration - to the point of having cars losing pieces of bodywork - and lack of high-end speed) in 2002. Hence Trans-Am gave the Ford Mustang a significant aerodynamic re-shaping for this season (I really does not like this Nascar-like puppetry), and Sunday's race may have proved that they went a little too far.

Regarding your second point, you are correct too - behind the wheel, he quality of the Trans-Am field is pretty much wide open - irregular, I mean...

[gttouring]

i had thought as much about boris, and as far as aerodynamics, The Mustang had flip ups above the splitter for downforce i imagine, nothing like that existed on the car last year, and really if Boris is so good put him in a prototype, or a champ car-although he is a little rough behind the wheel...

[enemy-ace]

I think Boris might be too big for a prototype or OW car. Over 6ft I believe. Be nice to see him in a proper GTS car (Saleen, Ferrari, Vette). Not that the TransAm aren't proper cars, just that the calibre of competition is higher in the ALMS.

[GP Racer]

I thought Boris' Mustang looked real good towards the end of the race, nice and tight. All the Jags appeared to get to be getting loose in the rear end and Boris took advantage of that. I don't think he sand bagged it all race, I just think he had more car than the others at the end.

Personally, I love this series. Its easier to watch than the ALMS or Grand Am because theres only one class of cars. The cameras catch all the action and passing and you can easily keep track of all the cars. You also get to know the drivers better becuse of the smaller field. The races are also relatively short, which makes for good competition and excitement. So I guess what I mean by all of this is, lets not lose T/A drivers to other series, lets bring ALMS and Grand Am drivers to us to increase competition.

But first we need more races,
Is it really over a month until the next race? Uuugh!!

[ZXKawboy]

Granted, Bore-us isn't a bad driver at all, you have to give Pruett his due. After what? 5 years out of the drivers seat, he seats himself in a TA car and starts off the season with a bang..and then goes on to dominate, if not win, the next race of the season.


My money is on a fight between the Said and Pruett for the title, this year, all the way to the end.

[RobweenerPI]

The cars seemed to be revving higher this year, or the new 'spec' ignition boxes have some strange firing. the sounds of these once roaring V8's was shrill and sour I wonder what that was about

Well it was probably the TV, I'm taking it you haven't seen Trans Am live yet. They rev to about 9500 rpm I believe maybe a bit less. Very very fast for such big engines none the less. Top end they sound really cool, they have a deep throaty sound but just spinning really fast. Boris tested the Panoz LMP and crashed it.

Regarding your second point, you are correct too - behind the wheel, he quality of the Trans-Am field is pretty much wide open - irregular

Alot of people on this board are not from the States so you don't understand where Trans Am comes from(not that you aren't you may be). Originally the series was made up of a few regular PRO's and then the hot dog local drivers from SCCA's GT1 class would step up and race at thier home tracks. This made it exciting for fans nationally and locally. Especially when the local guy would have a cindarella type run and do well. To some extent this is what it is still like today only much more expensive. I think Trans Am should stay the way it is. More Pro drivers will kill it. Entry fee's and the level of preparation is really putting the vice to the amateur who used to enter Trans Am races, I think this "progress" is a shame. LOTS of the old guard trans am fans agree too.

[Trans-Am League]

I just wanted to hit upon a few items from the above postings.

First off, Boris' Mustang is the exact same body configuration it was in 2002. All the bodywork you saw at Long beach is nothing new, it is a carry over. However, effective now, the Mustang will be reworked in the nose area. The car will loose the dive planes, adjust the splitter, and have the nose retooled.

As to the rpm's the cars turn, all Trans-Am cars are equipped with a spec MSD ignition limiting revs to 8200rpm.

[RobweenerPI]

Do you have any Idea how much the revs were in years previous. I saw them at DC and at VIR last year. And then saw the Baucom(sp??) Jaguar at the SCCA national at VIR. He was using the Oak Tree Nat as cheap track time for the race later in the year. Point being, the revs to my ear in the well prepped cars seemed to sound much higher than 8k. Of course it may have been those big straight pipes that seem to always be pointing dead at you(always a plus in my book).

[Lee Janotta]

Actually, Rob, it used to be the A-Sedan class... Sorry to nitpick, but it's worth remembering that Trans-Am started out as a showroom stock series! Personally, I yearn for those days when you could rent a GT350 at Hertz for the weekend, get the damage waiver, and bring it back on Monday with a crumpled quarter panel, smashed headlights, banged-in fenders, and a big black donut on the driver's door!

Oh, and a big trophy in the trunk.

Panoz actually did consider putting Boris in a prototype, but wrote off that idea when he wrote off an LMP-01!

I really don't know what to think of Boris. He sucks most places he races, but he's suddenly dominating Trans Am. He seems like a good guy, but often drives like a complete jack***. So... No real opinion on him, I guess.

[Trans-Am League]

Rob- Trans-am cars have always been limited to 8200 rpm. At least for the last several years.

As to the various "sounds" they produce, most of that has to do with exhaust tubing selection. For example, Claudio Burtin in the Line-X Panoz, doesn't use a cross over tube. That gives his car a flat sound. The Rocketsports car have designed an exhaust that gives their engines more of a shriek sound. Some of the sound effects would also be dependant upon gearing selection. And how fast the cars come up on cam. Most exhaust are custom made pieces to achieve the proper airflow, back pressure, etc for performance. When teams break a header, unless they carry spares, it is difficult to go to the trailer parked next to them a borrow a set. Nothing will match from car to car.

[gttouring]

RObWeenerPI- I was at longBeach, for the Trans AM race I was sitting At the Hairpin stands, That's why I say the engines sounded sour and shrill, the only car that sounded like TA cars from last year was the PANOZ, it really growled. they sound better on TV anyway. The exhaust tube info from 'Trans-Am league" above kinda answers it. A shriek? it sounds like a banshee wailing