Chromepocalypse!

Our season debut with the Spec E30 is less than a week away, so we needed to address our weight issue. Specifically, our car is very light, and we needed to add some ballast to ensure that we'd still be over the class minimum of 2750 pounds with driver after we've burned up some fuel. When we weighed the car …

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I recognize this was 8 years ago, but why would y'all prefer a spare tire and not just corner weights?

I'm guessing because it keeps the weight lower and more central in the car.

This was a great project. Is Scott still around?

He has a BMW spec racing article in the new issue and is also listed as a frequent contributor.

Durty wrote: I recognize this was 8 years ago, but why would y'all prefer a spare tire and not just corner weights?

I read the article as saying there was an upper limit to how much ballast can be added to a car. The amount they would need to add would go over that. However, the spare had no designation other than being a spare, so it could weigh as much as they wanted.

Sounds like they read the rules with their Smoky Yunick glasses on.

-Rob

2002maniac wrote: This was a great project. Is Scott still around?

Yep, Scott is still around. He's been doing freelance work for us, as he's now a stay at home Dad. And of course, he still has his beloved ITR---which suits him perfectly. I don't think I've ever seen a better car-- driver pairing. They must've been formed in some sort of unholy automotive / human mating ritual.

rob_lewis wrote:

Durty wrote: I recognize this was 8 years ago, but why would y'all prefer a spare tire and not just corner weights?

I read the article as saying there was an upper limit to how much ballast can be added to a car. The amount they would need to add would go over that. However, the spare had no designation other than being a spare, so it could weigh as much as they wanted. Sounds like they read the rules with their Smoky Yunick glasses on. -Rob

I've heard of spare tires that were filled with water or concrete, or whatever the owner could shove inside.