Spec Racer Ford
Spec Racer Ford is a class of
History
Spec Racer was first conceived as low-cost sports racing class by a director of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), Ted Cronin, in the early 1980s. The car was developed and originally manufactured by Renault/Jeep Sport USA in Livonia, Michigan under direction of
In early 2013, SCCA Enterprises announced a third generation (GEN3) Spec Racer Ford powered by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder, 135 HP Ford engine fitted to the existing engine mounts and transmission. On-track testing by a fleet of test cars was conducted during 2013 and 2014 for a roll-out into SCCA competition in 2015. As of 2015, the new SRF3, GEN3 class was created and is now racing alongside the previous GEN2 (1.9-liter) cars. The existing Ford 1.9-liter Spec Racer (SRF) will continue to be eligible for SCCA Club Racing a separate National class until the end of 2017 after which it will remain competing in SCCA Club Racing as a Regional-only class.
The SCCA has authorized a six-speed sequential gearbox manufactured by SADEV as an option for the transmission of the SRF3.
Technical
The SRF rules dictate that no performance enhancing modifications other than suspension adjustments within described parameters can be made to the car. This effectively eliminates the never-ending need for design enhancements and associated large cash outlays necessary in other classes of racecars to remain competitive and puts the focus on driver skill, rather than financial and technical investment. Every Spec Racer Ford has the same minimum weight using ballast that can accommodate drivers who weigh up to roughly 260 pounds, uses the same engine, one of two transmissions (the older manual or the newer sequential), the same fiberglass body, the same chassis, even the same tires. The idea is that all of the cars are meant to have identical performance, so the only way to go faster is to be a better driver. The SRF's
Specifications
- Tube Frame Chassis
- Body: fiberglass, 3-section
- Suspension: front/rear rocker arm, coil-over shock/spring, lower "A" arm, dual externally adjustable anti-roll bars
- GEN2 SRF: Ford 1.9L fuel-injected, CVH(canted valve hemi) water-cooled, SOHC 8-valve, hemispherical head, inline 4-cylinder (derived from Ford Escort) and dynamometer tested and sealed by SCCA Enterprises
- GEN3 SRF3: Ford Sigma 1.6L, sequential fuel-injected, DOHC 16-valve, inline 4-cylinder (derived from Ford Fiesta) by Ford Performance and dynamometer tested and sealed by SCCA Enterprises
- ECU: Ford Motorcraft on GEN2, modified for racing, sealed by SCCA Enterprises. New for GEN3 is the Performance Electronics, Ltd. PE3 sealed by SCCA Enterprises.
- Ford 5-speed manual transmission, sealed by SCCA Enterprises (Tilton dual-plate competition clutch, or alternate organic clutch on GEN3)
- Hoosier radial-ply spec slick tire, dry and rain versions available.
- Custom exhaust, spec muffler required on GEN3 SRF3
- Wheels: spec 13-inch alloy from Shelby, Weld or (current supplier) Pack. Can also run spec stamped steel wheels.
- Brake Pads: Hawk (spec pads)
- Brake Calipers: Original Renault or optional Wilwood
- Clutch and Brake Master Cylinders: AP (original) or Wilwood
- Cockpit-adjustable brake bias
- H-Pattern gear shifter or SADEV sequential shifter
- Dampers: Penske Racing (current supplier) or Koni (original, will soon be decertified) -- single adjustable, rebound only—sealed by SCCA Enterprises
- 92 in (2,337 mm) wheelbase
- 1,670 lb (757 kg). GEN2 SRF and 1560 lb GEN3 SRF3, including driver
- Instruments: tachometer, oil pressure, water temperature, alternator warning light, any data acquisition system
- Rain Map Torque Delivery Profile Selector on GEN3 only
- Seat: SCCA Enterprises fiberglass or Butler Aluminum (Butler Head Surround, optional)
- Steering Wheel -- optional type, driver's choice
- 105 hp (+/- approx. 0.75 hp) GEN2, 135 hp GEN3
- Fuel Capacity: 7.75 US gal (29 L; 6 imp gal) ATL Fuel Cell
- Fuel: commercial pump fuel only, usually 93 to 100 octane
- 135 mph (217 km/h) top speed GEN2, 150 mph top speed on GEN3
Spec Racer Ford at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs
Year | Track | Winner (SREN) | Winner (SR) | Winner (SRF) | Winner (SRF3) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1986 | Road Atlanta | Scott Lagasse | |||
1986 | Road Atlanta | Scott Lagasse | |||
1987 | Road Atlanta | Mike Davies | |||
1988 | Road Atlanta | Mike Davies | |||
1989 | Road Atlanta | David Tenney | |||
1990 | Road Atlanta | Kyle Konzer | |||
1991 | Road Atlanta | David Downey | |||
1992 | Road Atlanta | Mike Davies | |||
1993 | Mid-Ohio | James Marinangel | Keith Scharf | ||
1994 | Mid-Ohio | John Collier, Jr. | Warren Stilwell | ||
1995 | Mid-Ohio | Thomas van Camp | Warren Stilwell | ||
1996 | Mid-Ohio | John Hollansworth Jr. | Warren Stilwell | ||
1997 | Mid-Ohio | Warren Stilwell | |||
1998 | Mid-Ohio | Warren Stilwell | |||
1999 | Mid-Ohio | Warren Stilwell | |||
2000 | Mid-Ohio | Warren Stilwell | |||
2001 | Mid-Ohio | Richard Spicer | |||
2002 | Mid-Ohio | Richard Spicer | |||
2003 | Mid-Ohio | John Black | |||
2004 | Mid-Ohio | Mike Davies | |||
2005 | Mid-Ohio | Joseph Colasacco | |||
2006 | Heartland Park |
Michael Miserendino | |||
2007 | Heartland Park |
Michael Miserendino | |||
2008 | Heartland Park |
Michael Miserendino | |||
2009 | Road America | Michael Miserendino | |||
2010 | Road America | Brian Schofield | |||
2011 | Road America | Richard Spicer | |||
2012 | Road America | Cliff White | |||
2013 | Road America | Brian Schofield | |||
2014 | Laguna Seca |
Cliff White | |||
2015 | Daytona | Cliff White | Kerry Jacobsen | ||
2016 | Mid-Ohio | Todd Harris | John Black | ||
2017 | Indianapolis | Mike Miserendino | Tray Ayres | ||
2018 | Sonoma | Robeson Clay Russell | |||
2019 | VIR | Robeson Clay Russell | |||
2020 | Road America | Bobby Sak | |||
2021 | Indianapolis | Bobby Sak | |||
2022 | VIR | Franklin Futrelle | |||
2023 | VIR | Franklin Futrelle |
Gaming / simulation
- The Gen 3 Spec Racer Ford is available in iRacing
- The Gen 2 is available as a freeware download for rFactor.
- The Gen 2 is available for free on Assetto Corsa
References
- ^ "SCCA Runoffs Driver Histories" (PDF). SCCA. Retrieved 28 August 2016.