FlatOut Gen3 testing at Buttonwillow

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: Wed Aug 14, 2013 12:48 pm
I was at Buttonwillow yesterday delivering a car and got an interesting video:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201741863366353&l=1071038102882681221

The phone audio does not do the sound justice.
Dave Harriman
"It looks crazy, I understand. But, we only live once and I am going to give it a good try." - Alex Zanardi

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 2:56 pm
Two thumbs up!

A few days ago I had the pleasure of driving a Gen 3 for the first time during a Goodyear tire test. Our MBI Gen 3 is awaiting a power plant so I need to thank FlatOut for bringing their car down for the test and letting us drive the heck out of it.

First things first, the sound! Awesome! It sounds like a race car, not like a John Deere tractor that should be working in the almond fields around Buttonwillow Raceway. The high RPM sound is especially cool.

The increased power requires a little more throttle discipline. It also helps “bail you out” sometimes, BUT trust me, the momentum factor is still there. It has the heart and soul of a Spec Racer that we all love, just with a little more added pep and top speed. As indicated by others, the reduced weight is quite noticeable. In quick transition corners (right/left complexes), the car was much more nimble. The biggest area I felt the weight difference was under braking. I was braking deeper even with the increased top speeds.

One of the biggest adjustments (read: not bad, just different) was gear selection. 2nd is a much more useable gear. At Buttonwillow there are a few runs where a short shift from 3rd to 4th is required but this was eliminated with the longer rev range. In the Gen 2 car, 5th is used twice, but was not required with the Gen 3. I can’t wait to get to a track (AAA Speedway for us out here) where we can open it up and use 5th!

We were in 90ish degree heat and easily 1 second under the track record on our current 2525 tire. Buttonwillow slows a lot in the heat and do not think we were within 1 second of the record in the Gen 2 car. I think it is safe to say we were 2.5 seconds faster per lap than the Gen 2 on this day.

The biggest take away for me is the opportunity to pump something new and fresh into Spec Racer. We have a great product (brand) that was been around for a while and has seen many other “fad” racecars come and go. We can’t rest on that fact alone though. What is one of the first questions people ask about our car? “What motor is in it?” Right? Well, have you seen a mid 90s ford escort lately? It doesn’t look very sporty…. Now we have a modern engine that can help energize our class and make people say, HEY, what is THAT!? Hopefully it will make people not only want one but NEED one!

If you have questions/concerns/reservations about the Gen 3, SPEAK UP. Talk to someone who has driven one, I am sure they will be happy to chat with you. This prototype plan for the remainder of 2013 and 2014 will really help refine our rejuvenated product and I am looking forward to being part of the process.

Be excited people, be very excited.

-Mike Miserendino
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 4:39 pm
MikeMiz11 wrote:If you have questions/concerns/reservations about the Gen 3, SPEAK UP. Talk to someone who has driven one, I am sure they will be happy to chat with you. This prototype plan for the remainder of 2013 and 2014 will really help refine our rejuvenated product and I am looking forward to being part of the process.

Be excited people, be very excited.

-Mike Miserendino


I am definitely excited and do not need to be sold on the upgrade. And as an SRF owner, the only question is "When? 2015? 2016? ..."

None of us want to be racing alone (or else we'd be in CSR/DSR!) so we are likely to go with the option that keeps us with the most in-class competitors. Herd mentality will govern. I know it's too early to ask, but at the right time I would be interested in hearing the roll-out plans for the upgrade kit.

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:37 pm
I also need to thank everyone from FlatOut for bringing the car down and giving me an opportunity to take it for a spin!

WHAT A BLAST! The car performed flawlessly. We must have put close to 80 laps(3 mile circuit) on the car in near 100 degree temps. I agree with Mike on all facets regarding the feel of the car. Acceleration out of the corner at the proper RPM was amazing, whether in 2nd or 3rd gear. Who would have thought that dropping an SRF to 2nd gear would be fun? Yes, throttle discipline will be a factor. The car is definitely fun and now has the power to be thrown around the corners. My guess is that may be good for a couple laps of qualifying but not for a race. I, for one, will probably need to adjust my driving style a bit as I am already pretty hard on tires.

The only disappointment for me at the end of the day was..... I don't have one yet!

TJ

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