Barc Formula Renault 2006

[DSM]

Originally Posted by Bob Pearson

Funnily enough Adee, I've just e mailed Simon North to see if he has anything to tell us. I spoke to Dale Wells at BARC early in December, and at that point there was nothing.
This is speculation, but as the TOCA series is going to Rockingham this year there is a fair chance that we will, that will be good, as I have missed going there.
On the same speculative note it seems that the TOCA series isn't going to Silverstone National this year so I assume we won't either. ( no great loss in my view)
Lets hope we get a Donnington in exchange.

Don't know why you didn't get the calendar but it was mailed to us late in December:

Round Date Venue / Circuit
1 Sun 29th April Donington Park National
2 & 3 Sat 19th /Sun 20th Ma Croft
4 Sat 16th June Oulton Park Island
5 & 6 Sat 21st/ Sun 22nd July Silverstone National
7 & 8 Sat 11th / Sun 12th August Snetterton
9 & 10 Sun 26th / Mon 27th August Brands Hatch Indy
11 Sun 16th September Thruxton
12 Sat 29th September Oulton Park Island

[Redracer77]

looks like a good set of dates.

Did anyone buy that FR2000 that was for sale on racecarsdirect in white?

[Bob Pearson]

Thanks for that Peter, no we didn't get it, perhaps they are trying to tell us something.

[DSM]

Originally Posted by Bob Pearson

Thanks for that Peter, no we didn't get it, perhaps they are trying to tell us something.

I'm sure that's not the case Bob! There was a newsletter with the Calendar and registration details on the 20/12/06.

Havng said that, though I received it David didn't, so maybe there was a fault with the circulation?

Anyway, any thoughts on numbers this year? I'm not aware of many definites, though it is early, especially with what seems a late start. Has Ian had any luck finding an FR2000?

[blossy]

Hi Guys
i see all the usual suspects are still at it. !!!
i have read with interest the comments regarding running costs for the carbon cars and can only concur with Peter. The cars themselves if prepped correctly will run trouble free all day with only minimal maintenance, unlike the spaceframe cars which will shake themselves to pieces after 1 or 2 sessions. So the only additional cost is for accident damage over the earlier cars, but lets put it into perspective apart from the usual suspects who will crash anything anywhere i dont know of anyone who had a very big damage bill. I certainly know none of our drivers paid a fortune for damage which brings us back to Bobs perennial problem that he would have to buy parts from R sport instead of making his own which i suspect the whole crux of his argument as all the guys having to buy parts are paying around the same money for a Tatuus wishbone from R Sport or Bob therefore the running cost to the average bloke is about the same......
Happy New Year

[skmanuk]

Hi Bob

I know you ( like me) would probably like 2006 to march on for ever, bit think King Canute!

Happy New Year.

[Bob Pearson]

Funnily enough Martin, we no longer have trouble with the spaceframe cars shaking themselves apart as you put it. Then again we do check them everytime we run them. Even driveshafts ( a previously regular offender) stay tight when good quality fasteners are used.
You skipped over the cost of rebuilding engines for the two classes in your cost analysis

[Bob Pearson]

The calendar looks quite good. Likes and dislikes of circuits are always a personal thing. From my point of view I will miss the weekend away at Pembrey, but welcome the second visit to Oulton and certainly won't miss the loss of the second visit to Snett.
I see my great predictions were totally wrong, no Rockingham and we are still going to Silverstone.

[DSM]

Originally Posted by Bob Pearson

I see my great predictions were totally wrong, no Rockingham and we are still going to Silverstone.

And you haven't even got to the weather yet, Bob!!

[blossy]

Hiya Bob
Take your point on the engines but as the twin cam engine has such a long useful life so to speak i would have thought one cost would have out weighed the other. also if all engines come from a single source then you eliminate the nasty possibility of bent motors. with all due respect as a bloke who has run both the space frame and carbon cars the carbon chassis is light years ahead in reliability which you as a bloke who has either missed or squeaked into qualifying / races a few times should appreciate...

[SPBRacing]

Hi Guys
I have a friend who is joining you this year in a carbon car. I am seriously looking at it as well but can't find the average entry fee anywhere ?
To see a budget to ask the sponsor for.

Cheers
Stephen

[DSM]

Originally Posted by SPBRacing

Hi Guys
I have a friend who is joining you this year in a carbon car. I am seriously looking at it as well but can't find the average entry fee anywhere ?
To see a budget to ask the sponsor for.

Cheers
Stephen

This year's registration fee is £470. There will be 4 single race rounds and 4 double headers which will be about £200 and £300 each respectively. Say £2500 for reg and entries. Then there is testing at about £265 a day.

[Bob Pearson]

I am sure that your right Martin regarding the quality of a carbon car versus that of a space frame car. After all, the carbon cars was tatuus's sucessor to the space frame car and it would have been quite detrimental to them to have produced an inferier car as a sucessor. I would love to own/drive one, but I suspect I never will unless I ran it in a single seater formula.
Looking at your comments on engines again, I doubt if there is much in the reliability of both, I have heard of a number of twin cams dropping valves, but I don't know the exact details of what happens. A number of eight valves have broken, but as far as I could see they were attributable to badly fitted oil feed pipes or re-using big-end bolts. My current engine is about to begin its 5th season and all it has had changed are the big end bolts. It seems to get faster each year, which is just as well, as it cancels out me going in the other direction.
I didn't need reminding of those dark days when I was constantly troubled by fuel pressure problems. Incidentally the problem was solved a couple of years ago when I used wires with a different conductor inside the fuel tank.
You trouched on a point a couple of posts ago which I feel quite strongly about as a creeping illness within motorsport as a whole. The questions of one make formulas and monopolised compulsory parts suppliers.
As you rightly said this doesn't affect the driver who does not intend, beit for financial or skill reasons, rebuilding engines, gearboxs, diffs or similar. He will run anyway as he needs a supplier of these services and doesn't really much care who it is.
The people who are affected are the guys who either for financial or enthusistic reasons want to do their own work. They will almost certainly not change and will be forced to go elsewhere.
As the one make formula/monopolised parts supply gets more widespread the less well off/enthusiast type will be forced out of the sport.
At this point in time such a slicks and wings person can still run in BARC Renault club class but is excluded from the championship class, he can also run in mono and F4, but that is about his lot !!
Now the system of monopolised parts supply and one make formulas is always advertised as ensuring a level playing field. But for what reason? there is a perfectly adequate protest system provided by the msa, so that can be used if cheating is suspected. There will never be a level playing field in motorsport, the guy with more money will use it to his advantage somehow, beit with extra testing, employing technical staff from professional teams or maybe better equipment, it cannot be ligislated against.
Unfortunately, the one make formula legislates against the technically competent while leaving the well financed to exploit his advantage

You didn't reply to my PM Martin.

[ianpearson]

Originally Posted by blossy

with all due respect as a bloke who has run both the space frame and carbon cars the carbon chassis is light years ahead in reliability which you as a bloke who has either missed or squeaked into qualifying / races a few times should appreciate...

thats only cause i used to nick all the good/new bits without telling him, my car very strangely has not had a mechanical failure since 2004, just the odd driver failure

[DSM]

Originally Posted by ianpearson

thats only cause i used to nick all the good/new bits without telling him, my car very strangely has not had a mechanical failure since 2004, just the odd driver failure

Ha Ha, nice one Ian. that explains a lot!!!

When are you going to tell us what you're running this year???

[ianpearson]

Originally Posted by DSM

Ha Ha, nice one Ian. that explains a lot!!!

When are you going to tell us what you're running this year???

You'll find out don't worry.

[blossy]

Ian you must have a short memory, what about the exploding clutch episode at oulton then........

[ianpearson]

Originally Posted by blossy

Ian you must have a short memory, what about the exploding clutch episode at oulton then........

I had forgot about that, but it was in testing, just didn't get it fixed for qualifying, i do have a very selective memory though.

Whats yours & russells plans for this year then, i take it you've ordered sets of the new bodywork for the UK series?

[blossy]

We will be running in both championships with 2 new cars hopefully in the UK Championship.
have you bought a car yet you tight wad or has Marie got her hands on the purse strings....

[Bob Pearson]

It seems that the test day is scheduled for ( but not yet confirmed) 29th March at Oulton, sharing with FR UK on an hour on and hour off basis.

[Bob Pearson]

Sorry, 20th March