Grassroots Motorsports: The Hardcore Sports Car Magazine

story by j.g. pasterjak

The SCCA’s Solo II Stock and Club Racing Showroom Stock classes are designed so folks in off-the-showroom floor cars can compete in racing with a reasonable amount of success-no trick engines and no full-race suspensions, just stock production cars. That’s the theory, anyway. In reality, the SCCA rules leave open a few areas where a smart gal or fella can pick up a few horsepower. And in a sport timed to the thousandth of a second, every horsepower counts.

We’ve had quite a few opportunities to sample a variety of Stock-class-legal modifications over the past few years as part of our testing on the chassis dynamometer facilities of Performance Dyno in Edgewater, Fla. Just about all manner of cars and parts have passed through our “Dyno Days,” and we have found that the dyno gives us real-world numbers that quickly separate fact from hype.

We know our readers are always eager to find out what works and what doesn’t, so we’ve decided to open the archives and give you the results of some of this testing. The power figures quoted here were extracted from tests performed on a Dynojet Chassis dynamometer. The figures are for horsepower at the drive wheels, which, due to parasitic losses, is typically 15 to 20 percent less than flywheel horsepower numbers.
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story by David Wallens

Maybe it was the high-g cornering, the tight, wheel-to-wheel action, or-most likely-the fact that we were all in really bad shape, but after six straight hours of go-kart racing we were BEAT. Capital B-EAT. Now, that’s not to say that the whole experience wasn’t a truckload of fun, but it was just a bit more physically demanding than we had first anticipated.
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story by carl heideman

When it comes to the electrical system on a car, a lot of people shake their heads in despair. Even experienced mechanics can shy away from electrical work for fear of the unknown. While some components do use computers and advanced circuitry, solving most electrical problems just isn’t rocket science.
Using simple tools and some common sense, it’s possible to diagnose and solve nearly all electrical problems quickly and easily. Among these tools are a test light, a volt meter and a good understanding of electrical basics and common problems. However, when you go out to tackle an electrical problem, remember that the generalizations in this article may not apply to your car-you’ll be wise to consult a service manual for its specific electrical information.
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story by tim sharp · illustrations by j.g. pasterjak

Most of the articles which we have featured in GRM’s "Race Craft" columns the last few years have been evolutionary in nature. Starting with the more basic driving skills, we progressed quickly to more and more advanced techniques. While this may have worked well for those of you who are seasoned competitors and long-time subscribers, it is not so beneficial to new readers.

From time to time, it is important that we revisit basic driving techniques and address the most common basic driving mistakes. This article is not merely for the benefit of new readers, but for any reader who drives in competition or at speed. After all, good advanced driving skills are built upon a solid foundation of good basic driving techniques. Even if you are already a proficient competition driver, I am sure you will learn something of value as we examine the top 10 basic driving mistakes-and how to correct them.
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story by j.g. pasterjak

Knowledge, they say, is power. Information is the hot commodity here at the end of the century. While these facts may be painfully apparent in the business world, they also apply to the racetrack, where the situation changes faster that the prices at a Bosnian grocery store. Keeping informed on track can give you the edge over the competition-and keep you safe.

But using the standard on-track information gathering method-observing with your eyes what’s going on around you-only gives you a picture of what’s going on as far ahead as you can see. And often, once you see something happening, it can be tough to do anything about it.

The solution is simple: Find a way to stay informed about what the competition is doing, and find a way to monitor the entire track at once. How? The answer is radios. Radios are such a natural companion to motorsports, Marconi must have had a Showroom Stock car.
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Story by David S. Wallens

“How can I go racing?” and “how can I get my car into your magazine” are probably the two most common questions we hear. Well, getting your car on the pages of our magazine will cost you a few bucks, and believe it or not, any mere mortal can go racing. This article will tell you how.

What follows is a look at some of the most popular amateur racing venues with an eye to cost, ease of entry and required equipment. We’ve also provided a list of names and addresses of sanctioning bodies and organizations that can provide more info–rule books, schedules, etc.

Once you’ve decided what type of racing works best for you, contact the appropriate sanctioners, get your gear together, and check our Coming Events section at www.grassrootsmotorsports.com for a listing of upcoming events. We’ll see you on the course.
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Lots of folks fantasize about becoming a race car driver one day. Whether they picture themselves as Fangio in an Alfa Romeo, Andretti in a Lotus or Randy Pobst in a Porsche 911, they know the life of a racer is for them.

Unless, however, they have the raw natural talent–and a sugar daddy to pay the bills–making the transition from daily commuter to race driver can be a long and sometimes painful road.

There is an easier alternative–a way to experience real, live motorsports competition without risking dents, financial ruin and a torn-up car. Yet despite this ease of entry, this sport is still very much underground.

Welcome to the world of autocrossing.
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story by don alexander

Picture this: At the race track, you’re unloaded and ready to go for the first practice session. After the session is over, you feel lost because your car’s handling is way off. You make changes that should help, but in the next session, the car feels even worse. The same scenario continues for the remainder of the event, and you’re very unhappy with the result.

There is a good chance that one or more of the following chassis tuning sins is the culprit behind your situation. Any one of these problems can be your undoing; most racers are guilty of breaking several of the rules regularly. Here’s a primer to help you spot-and correct-these most common causes of bad handling. May you find salvation at the checkered flag.
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Story by John Comesky

Any enthusiast worth his salt knows that tires have arguably the biggest impact on a vehicle’s handling. Obviously, however, there are chassis dynamics that extend beyond the realm of tires. Once you increase the traction threshold at the road surface, then you may be ready to take the next step into improved vehicle handling: reducing body roll through the use of anti-roll bars.

Properly chosen (and installed), anti-roll bars will reduce body roll, which in turns leads to better handling, increased driver confidence and, ultimately, lower lap times.
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This GRMOnline Tech Topics story is brought to you by Red Line Oil’s John C. Pentelei-Molnar, Jr.

Preparing a car for any type of motorsports competition is an exacting exercise. The difference between winning and just running in an event can often be measured in the thousandths of a second, so competitors need to eke every last ounce of performance from their vehicles. That’s why even minor ingredients in the performance equation–like different engine lubricants–can be extremely important. An engine that runs too hot will wear more quickly, produce less power, and be more prone to failure. The right lubricant can help keep it cool.

The modern automobile engine has made great developmental strides in the last couple of decades; this has placed new demands on engine lubricants. The oil industry’s response has been to develop a new generation of high-quality, high-tech oils based on synthetic base molecules. These new oils last longer, develop more engine power, and are significantly more durable than standard petroleum oils. Many people seem to think that the claims made by these new “wonder oils” are too good to believe, however; this has cast a shadow over the reputation of synthetic oil. Even among motorsports enthusiasts, there is great confusion as to what synthetic oils are, how they are made, and just how they compare to petroleum oils.
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