GEN3 Inaugural year…WOW !

Check out the latest version of the Spec Racer! LBoth ligher weight and more powerful!!! Available soon, racing in 2015!
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 6:56 pm
Hi everyone, I wanted to give my overview, plus thanks for a highly successful first year.

Well, it all started in the summer of 2014 with a flurry of kits being purchased / shipped…people seemed to really embrace the GEN3 engine / car update. Showing faith in SCCA Enterprises to produce a reliable, stable product. Not to say we didn’t have a handful of nonbelievers…I think the proof is the pudding at this point.

The cover of Sportscar Magazine generated some healthy buzz in and around SCCA for GEN3, when Erik and I, along with engine #100 showed up on the cover with a nice overview of what GEN3 is inside.

In my opinion, we rushed a little and it caused a few issues, starters and idle problems mostly. We are a pretty determined little company, everyone put in the effort and it’s under control and a thing of the past.

I would also like to thank each and every R&D and first conversion cars that put in the track time. Without it, I simply could not generate the data needed for PE to improve the firmware. That alone took hundreds, if not a couple thousands of combined hours, so THANK YOU!

GEN3 also had a very successful first Major’s racing season and an awesome Run Offs event, went off pretty much without a hitch. All cars on the same tune file idled pretty well and started every time. YEA ! Erik awarded the inaugural SRF3 and first time National Champion to Kerry Jacobsen, well done!

We also had the highest Major’s participation numbers if you keep us together and we were #2 and #3 if you split us….which is not really fair during this transition period from GEN2 to GEN3 as we are not solely a new class.

We saw some positive growth over-all, selling 8 new cars, with potential to deliver 6 more by years end. This is our best new car sales in years, plus, used GEN2, and even a couple of original Renault’s are selling at good value, with early trading of GEN3’s shows SRF to be the safest financial investment of any purpose built racing car.

OK…I’m not trying to say the year was perfect…a few customers proved you can break one if you try hard enough, over heated engines, a couple of damaged and repaired head gaskets, lots of installation errors, one engine burned pistons (looked like poor fuel), badly mechanically over rev’ed engines (9000 plus rpm), resulting in a couple of spun rod bearings / broken rods. On the bright side, we feel like we have the root cause for each failure, with a couple we still want to look at closer.

We also had some minor on track issues between SRF / SRF3, nothing like what people predicted, I believe the level of driving talent in SRF / SRF3 to be one if not the best in the SCCA over-all...
However, just a reminder…. if you are new with a GEN3 and find yourself at the front of the GEN2 race please be courteous, don’t race the GEN2’s. That also goes for the new GEN2’s as well, if you see a GEN3 or the group of GEN3’s approaching let them have a clean race as well. We are serious racers on track and still one happy family in the paddock….let’s keep it that way, you never know who is watching.

We also put on one of the best class specific multi day /track / open tire test anyone has ever seen, 4 tire companies eagerly competing for our business. That says a lot about the future of SRF. When the dust settled / scores totaled…it was Hoosier. Several of our best, along with a handful of “average” drivers took part in the decision. I know we will not please 100% of our class, but everyone that tested agreed the Hoosier was the best overall tire for our class. Time will tell!

Now some thanks to everyone that helped and continues to do so.

Early on, I went to various new car dealers with a tape measure, checking the length of engines, laid out the conversion plan, made the first contact with Ford, Erik took the ball and ran with it !

Jerry some, Nikki mostly arranged and helped make the deals with venders, also to finalize all the custom parts. Have a look at a GEN3 engine, lots of custom parts that make it a really nice conversion.

Extra plug to “Ford Performance” (formally “Ford Racing”)….we wouldn’t have been able to finish the project without the custom tooling for the intake manifold and timing belt cover.

Jake, for his dedication to nearly identical assembly of each engine.

Shannon, for Dyno’ing and holding the HP window of about 260 plus engines within 1.8 HP.

Nikki also does double duty trying to keep all customers with deposits in line and on time.

Erik, the captain of our ship, for giving us the freedom to let each of us do our part, while navigating us through the pit falls and short comings of the project.

SCCA Enterprises BOD for some valuable input & being confident in me.

SCCA Inc. for believing in us to bring a reliable, economical update kit to market, and providing life for SRF/SRF3 for the foreseeable future.

Yep….the small group at SCCA Enterprises, went from an idea, to where we are today in about 3.5 / 4 years…That’s just awesome.

The future is so bright, I gotta wear shades….or something like that….Here’s looking to 2016 ! Let us all join hands and put on a show for the rest of the SCCA….Amen!
Mike Davies
SCCA Enterprises

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 8:00 pm
Mike - Thanks for all of the hard work and dedication to making a truly great product. As one of the early adopters that has had the car running for over a year all I can say is WOW what a blast. You took a pretty good spec car and made a great car out of it. Although I had both of the problems that you mentioned and a few more I never even considered it more than just a speed bump in the development. Thanks for being patient with all of us that ask some of the silly questions.
I hope you have got a few beers out of the many satisfied customers and maybe even a dinner or two. Although I hope we don't lose you the the Gen3 is definitely a resume builder! Thanks again for all you did for us.
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 7:43 am
The Gen3 kit has been a big success and a key part of it is the personal support Mike and Nikki give. I had one issue (turned out to be idle air control valve carried over from my Gen2) and I spent quality time with Nikki and Mike on the phone getting it diagnosed and fixed. At the end of the final call Mike apologized. I asked why and he said it was for the trouble I had. I laughed. A hack mechanic (me) replacing a race engine and wiring harness with only one problem? That's not trouble, that's a miracle. But that's called ownership. Mike and Nikki owned the program and it shows in the outcome and the support.



PS: The success of the Majors has taken a toll on Regionals turnout in the Mid-Atlantic, but I hear that is the case in many classes and only in Regions where it's possible to fill your plate with Majors races.

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 9:11 am
I'm going to make a few comments about the G3 that are influenced by the fact that Mike and I are friends which gives me a bit more insight than some, and not because we are friends, if that makes sense.
The G3 success would never be what it is without Mike (not taking anything away from Nikki, Shannon, Erik , and the rest of the staff's efforts). Mike has put in more hours than anyone can count to get the results we are all enjoying, or will enjoy. I have seen it personally: the tireless effort to perfect the product, picking up parts at suppliers on days off ("why don't you use a delivery service" "too expensive"), answering calls and texts at all hours from people with questions, issues, etc. Mike has been in this 24/7 since the start. And the results show it. I don't think anyone else could have made this possible.
I just got my kit this week and it is professionally packed, labeled, etc. The quality of the parts looks fantastic. (My prior data point was an early G2 complete car kit)
Thanks Mike. And yes, I will call and text regularly to ask questions, too.
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 9:15 am
How many years has it taken for Formula F to get its house in order? (Hint: next year they will, after more than 46 years, finally race on a spec tire.)

And new front running Spec Miata sells for what -- north of $45,000?

Meanwhile, we still benefit from the uncannily forward thinking SCCA leaders who launched Sports Renault in the mid 1980s -- and the equally visionary management at the helm at SCCA Enterprises today.

The GEN3 has had some teething issues, for sure. Considering this is Act 3 for the last racecar off the drawing board of the legendary Roy Lunn, a few integration glitches come with the territory.

GEN3 is a marvelous little racer to drive. It's snarky, snotty, slick shifting and delightfully driveable. It's not just faster, it's more fun. Even better, this generation has legs, with hundreds of thousands of 1.6 engines in the street car inventory and custom pieces that are easily remanufactured.

Congratulations to Mike, Erik, SCCA Enterprises BoD and the SCCA Enterprises staff on a job well done. I'd also be remiss if I don't thank my local CSRs, Shawn Morrison at Motion Dynamics and John Hagerman at Hagerman RACEgineering for their expert help when I needed it!
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 10:15 am
Ditto on what everyone else has already said. While initially a daunting task, my conversion went well, and although there were a few teething pains, I most definitely had more fun this year than last year! Thanks Mike and Nikki for putting up with regular calls and texts from me, and especially for those weekend evening "I'm working in the shop and..." conversations. I'm really looking forward to next year, and being able to run a full schedule, topped off by a trip to Mid-O.

P.S.: Mike, I *still* can't believe I threw away a shot at the Majors win at Pueblo... :(
Dan

Formerly Teamwork Motorsports #99, Chassis #460

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 2:40 pm
Mike D for US President!

Thanks to all of Enterprises for the Gen3. There is so much buzz at each race... it is very cool

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:40 pm
Nice job to the whole Enterprise team!! A special thanks to Nikki and Mike for all their help! I had a blast this year racing the Gen3 and look forward to even more fun next year. :D

DaveP

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 4:05 pm
MikeMiz11 wrote:. There is so much buzz at each race...

I see what you did there.

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 5:50 pm
Mike, I was hoping we would hear from you at the end of our first year. Thanks very much!

As one of the guys who did their own conversions, I have nothing but great things to say about the Enterprise crew!

I first had sticker shock, but now I appreciate so much the value of the conversion. Through out the process, It became very clear to us, that Enterprise had a plan, and the people to execute it. When we had questions, they had answers. Yes there were a few problems and my guess is there will be more, but I can't imagine where we would have been without Eric, Mike and the Enterprise crew.

Thanks once again! Pat
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