2011 Radical Cup Series

[GTRMagic]

Interesting to read in AA that there are plans for a one make series using the Radical SR3 RS Sportscar in 2011

Powered by a motorcycle engine, with a carbon tub, sequential shift (with option of flappy paddle), its a BIG step up from an Aussie Race car, which competes with similar hardware under the covers.

Not inexpensive at $108k for the base model, and up to $160k with all the fruit salad...

Is there room for this kind of series, alongside the various sports car series that already see the West amongst others running?

[Tony C]

They would certainly be great fun to drive but at that price they are just an F3 car with more bodywork to sell to sponsors.

Sports cars have never really gone far in Oz with the spectators. Its more the true race fans that like them.

Who is behind the plan GTR? Someone with money? Or the importer?

[GTRMagic]

Looks like the importer, with assistance from the manufacturer in the UK.

[GTRMagic]

Cars Here

[F J Nedos]

They look kinda cool... almost look like something you'd drive using a radio control...

Now there's a thought...

[V8 Fireworks]

A nice car. Surely racing against other cars is better than yet another one-make cup though?

[Dasher]

This is exactly what Australian Motor Racing needs, another pie in the sky series largely run by the creator or importer to line their pockets.

That will usually go belly up in a couple of years and further dilute the driver pool, ending up being worth bugger all and nowhere to race it, when the importer/creator pulls up stumps.

Seen it all before like the Mirage & Lotus series, possibly the current Mini and Aussie RC series and others over the years and the unfortunate part is that people keep falling for the hype then get left holding the baby, when are we going to say enough is enough.

[FalconEL]

Originally Posted by Dasher

This is exactly what Australian Motor Racing needs, another pie in the sky series largely run by the creator or importer to line their pockets.

That will usually go belly up in a couple of years and further dilute the driver pool, ending up being worth bugger all and nowhere to race it, when the importer/creator pulls up stumps.

Seen it all before like the Mirage & Lotus series, possibly the current Mini and Aussie RC series and others over the years and the unfortunate part is that people keep falling for the hype then get left holding the baby, when are we going to say enough is enough.

Post of the day. Congrats.

[1200Datto27]

This is not a Radical series, it will be open to all makers of motorcycle engined sportscar style vehicles (ie, Wests, Speads, etc.). The rules are going to be based on the NSW state series that runs the same style of cars.

btw, the SR3 is a steel spaceframe.

[GTRMagic]

The article in AA clearly says

Originally Posted by The AA Article

Early this month, British sportscar manufacturer Radical launched its new SR3 RS sportscar in Australia, ahead of laying the groundwork for a new one-make national Radical series it intends to kick off in 2011 - the Radical Cup

I had heard that other makes were to be invited too, but the AA article suggests differently...

[alfacors]

Originally Posted by 1200Datto27

This is not a Radical series, it will be open to all makers of motorcycle engined sportscar style vehicles (ie, Wests, Speads, etc.). The rules are going to be based on the NSW state series that runs the same style of cars.

One wonders why create a whole other series ..... Dasher nailed it IMHO.

[Green Hornet]

Not inexpensive at $108k for the base model, and up to $160k with all the fruit salad...

Yeah but no other has Fruit Salad - Is that before, during or after?

Then at least its modern and not sedans - old ones at that!

[scuderus]

Hi all

Radical Australia's one make series is planned for 2011.
Currently the 14 or so cars that are already in Australia run in the NSW Racing and Sports cars category along with similiar cars such as Wests, Minetti's, ADR's etc.

There are also plans under way to run a few national events in 2010 that will be based on the NSW series (minus the open wheelers) and include a variety of manufactures.

Being logbooked 2A means that you can run these cars at numerious events all over country (A radical team won the 6 hour at EC last year), so even if the one make thing fails you will still get plenty of use from it.

As far as speed is concerned, Garth Walden recently took a 1500cc version under 1:30 at EC

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Green Hornet

Yeah but no other has Fruit Salad - Is that before, during or after?

The fruit salad is reported in AA to include a paddle shift (which my Golf already has..), an upgraded 1,500cc PowerTec engine and various levels of data acquisition/digital displays...

[RS500]

Originally Posted by scuderus

Hi all

Radical Australia's one make series is planned for 2011.
Currently the 14 or so cars that are already in Australia run in the NSW Racing and Sports cars category along with similiar cars such as Wests, Minetti's, ADR's etc.

There are also plans under way to run a few national events in 2010 that will be based on the NSW series (minus the open wheelers) and include a variety of manufactures.

Being logbooked 2A means that you can run these cars at numerious events all over country (A radical team won the 6 hour at EC last year), so even if the one make thing fails you will still get plenty of use from it.

As far as speed is concerned, Garth Walden recently took a 1500cc version under 1:30 at EC

As was mentioned before there are a number of state based series where these are eligable.

Certainly would be welcome here in SA with the wests

[Falcadore]

Originally Posted by scuderus

Being logbooked 2A means that you can run these cars at numerious events all over country (A radical team won the 6 hour at EC last year), so even if the one make thing fails you will still get plenty of use from it.

Surely they are or should be logged as Group 2C Supersports?

[scuderus]

Originally Posted by Falcadore

Surely they are or should be logged as Group 2C Supersports?

The capacity limit for bike engined cars in 2C supersports is 1100cc, and as they are a genuine two seater and have lights etc, they can be logbooked 2A

[Dasher]

This is just another money making scam venture that will do nothing at large to improve the motor racing scene in general except what i said in my earlier post.

What is the point of running bike engines in a car, if you want to ride on a 4 wheeled bike engine then go ride a bike and promote it to them.

For the price of what it costs, you could run various classes for much less for much longer and have change in your pocket.

Then there is the issue of backup and spare parts which may be there initially but usually isn't once the importer/promotor says goodbye.

Also, of all the posters on this forum and this topic, how many of you are directly involved in PAYING for and owning a race car (not many i would suggest) because if you are you will understand much more what i am trying to get across in this thread. (maybe this should be in another topic)

[Green Hornet]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

The fruit salad is reported in AA to include a paddle shift (which my Golf already has..), an upgraded 1,500cc PowerTec engine and various levels of data acquisition/digital displays...

. . . awe, and here I was, thinking cream or ice cream . . .

[1200Datto27]

As I am currently building a car to run in this series, I think that I have a interest in comments made here...

Why use a motorbike engine? Tell me where else I can find a lightweight, compact engine that will reliably makeover 100hp/litre stock, without having to resort to forced induction, and that I can obtain for less than $5000 all up (including gearbox)

The cost of the Radicals is slightly ridiculous, a complete West, Speads, etc. can be had for less than the base price, with all of the fruit, than the SR3. The costs of running one of these style cars will also be less than a number of other classes that I have been either directly or indirectly involved in running.

Also, if the importer of the Radicals does fold, it will not effect the running of the event (other than entrant numbers possibly) as it is not a one make radical series, AA made an error when they did the report.

[scuderus]

Originally Posted by 1200Datto27

As I am currently building a car to run in this series, I think that I have a interest in comments made here...

Why use a motorbike engine? Tell me where else I can find a lightweight, compact engine that will reliably makeover 100hp/litre stock, without having to resort to forced induction, and that I can obtain for less than $5000 all up (including gearbox)

The cost of the Radicals is slightly ridiculous, a complete West, Speads, etc. can be had for less than the base price, with all of the fruit, than the SR3. The costs of running one of these style cars will also be less than a number of other classes that I have been either directly or indirectly involved in running.

Also, if the importer of the Radicals does fold, it will not effect the running of the event (other than entrant numbers possibly) as it is not a one make radical series, AA made an error when they did the report.

Hi Datto,

Great to here that there are people getting interested in bike engined sportscars in VIC.
What chassis / engine combo are you planning on running?

Large capacity sportsbike engines are perfectly suited to lightweight racecars for all the reasons you mentioned.
At the end of the day they are all still internal combustion engines, so what difference does it make if they come from a bike?

There are also plenty of other manufactures that produce cars that have similiar performance to the radicals for a fraction of the price.

I am co-owner of minetti sports cars - www.minetti.com.au and our current car that we are running in the NSW series has no troubles regually beating the entry level Radical SR3's, and isnt to far away from the 160K version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAy7esgViSg

Our car with all the "Fruit Salad" including a brand new 2009 hayabusa engine is 75K.
Our car does lap times similiar to a GT3 cup car, but our total running costs for one season would be less than a gearbox rebuild on the porshe.
(sorry, didnt mean for it to turn into a sales pitch)

Radical have sold over 500 cars worldwide and have a very good marketing department, but they definatly see themselves as the "rolls royce" of bike engined sportscars and target those who have more than a few spare dollers.

I can definately confirm that radical are planning a one make series in 2011 though.
The national series that is planned for next year is being organised by another entity and will be open to all bike engined sportcars including the radicals.

cheers

[1200Datto27]

I'm building a Speads/HayaBusa combo atm, complete with the flappy paddle gearchange. Should end up costing me around the same as the Minetti.

[champcarman]

Seems to be some confusion over whether this will be a one make Series or whether marques like West etc will run as well.

It sounds to me like next year there will be some races with any marque running but in 2011 the Radical importer hopes to run a one make Series.

Personally I would prefer a multi make Series like the US Imsa Lites Series.

But don't compare Radicals with some of the other one make series we have seen which were a sort of a scam. Radical as a company would like to be seen as honest and they are in sports car racing right up to Le mans level.

Radical racing is huge in the UK and Europe and strong in the Middle east as well, they have run on the V8 program at Bahrain the last couple of years and these motorbike engined machines have been as fast as the V8 Supercars.

At least it is not another tin top style series based on the overworked Holden v Ford theme!

As popular as the Aussie "racing cars" were I always felt they should have been a sports car style machine to give variety to the Australian racing scene,

[PVDA]

So how do bike engines go when a car corners?? Bike engines are designed to lean into corners but in cars the engine stays upright which would affect the oil flow.

This is the main excuse they use for Sidecars going bang as often as they do.

Mind you having seen the Wests run in the AMRS they're damn quick.

[1200Datto27]

Custom sump and a Accusump should protect the engine in mine, it's the same system that they use in the states with these cars and they do not have any oil starvation issues.