I went to a track/test day yesterday and I was actually able to run my 87 Novakar Formula 500 (500cc two stroke twin). I was one of two open wheel cars (the other was a Pro Formula Mazda)
In one of the sessions I came up in a friend driving his 2018 Mustang GT; as my car is about the size of a golf cart and only 38" at the top of the roll hoop he didn't see me. As we accelerated down the back stretch my car stuck right with his 460hp car.
My car is sporting 85hp and weighs 750lbs with me in it. I shouldn't have been the least bit surprised but the fact that I stayed with him even as we got up over 120 mph did surprise me.
So duh, we all know this but it was a really practical demonstration.
What’s your 500 like to drive?
Looks like the word "weight" was left out of the title.
Your post is why I keep thinking of ways to remove unnecessary weight from my truck. I can't afford more horsepower and dropping weight is free.
In reply to ebonyandivory :
It works though. Power to frontal area is more important at 120.
In reply to Knurled. :
I'm thinking weight-loss improves acceleration, braking and cornering and even mpg to various extents and aero helps, as you (seem to) say top-speed and probably mpg.
I'm guessing the big hole in the air left by the Mustang helped sucked the 500 along as well. Power to weight is great at low speed, but once aero drag comes into it power helps a lot.
_
Dork
12/2/19 10:27 a.m.
Two smoke. Unfair advantage. Lol.
I'm such a dork, totally did not proof read the title...............I'll blame the 3 slices of pizza I'd just finished eating.....eyes glazed over from a good pie
As for the hole the Mustang punched in the air; I wasn't directly in line with the car as I thought he might wave me by, the corner at the end of the back straight was near flat for me and I didn't know if/when he'd be on the brakes.
The straight was just short enough that I wasn't quite hitting the aero wall but I could tell I was getting close. The Novakar does have what's called a sports car nose so it's more aerodynamic then if the front wheels were unfaired but it ain't great. Realistically I think top speed may be around 135 with that motor in it. The trap speeds for cars with Rotax engines (100hp) are a shade over 140.
@nderwater F500s are fabulous to drive; lap times are slightly faster than Formula Fords on a road course, at autocross it's one of the fastest cars there, shifter karts are faster but the F500 doesn't beat you up. They are a bit weird in that they use bump stops for suspension so they're kind of bouncy but after a bit you no longer notice. The two strokes use a CVT drive that then goes to a jackshaft with a chain final drive so they are basically an automatic transmission. The nice part of the CVT is you can no left foot brake which is a big advantage. The cars are also cheap to run, an $800 set of slicks will last you at least to full race weekends before they start to go off. The motors will do 10 race weekends before you need to rering them and you can buy a used snowmobile engine for under $1000 should you blow one up. I've owned a few single seat cars, D-sports racer (now P2), Formula Vee, as well as being intimately familiar with formula ford and while I loved driving them I hated owning them. The F500 is the only single seater I've owned that hasn't needed constant maintenance or constantly needed money thrown at it.
nderwater said:
What’s your 500 like to drive?
I've got one as well, though I have only autocrossed mine.
For autocross: VIOLENT (but not shifter kart breaking ribs violent) You are just about laying down in the car, which takes a bit of getting used to for many, and its loud with lots of vibration. The CVT pretty much freewheels under a certain RPM (somewhere over 4k, I dont have a tach) and once you hit the power it flows strongly without the variation you are used to from the powerband of a typical transmission. You have a foot on each pedal, there is no other option: you will left foot brake. The heels brace against a bar which is very helpful. Handling: you have a solid rear axle. There is no differential, limited slip, anything. In passenger car terms; its like a welded diff. The rear wants to slide a bit or it can instill understeer. Its very controllable though. Coupled with the laid back driving position you have quick ratio steering with somewhat outstretched arms; it takes some muscling, but it will dance.
Its FUN, you should try one.
That's cool. But side question. What group let's a F500 and Mustang run together? I've raced SpecMiata with SRFs k. The track at the same time and was afraid I'd run one over!
There are a couple of groups that will allow it. In this case it was my local region, the organizer interpreted that it was allowable since it was a "test day" I did have the safety Stewart tell me he wouldn't have allowed it and I suspect the national level might have had an issue with it. When I was told yes I pounced on it as I needed a test day.
Apexcarver I total forgot to mention the low seating position caused me an issue; I last drove a single seater on that track in 2002, I actually set the D-sports lap record but all of my familiar markers are from the Datsun. The problem wasn't the brake markers, I was so low in the car there were points where I couldn't see the exit kerbs so it took several lap to get new reference points.
Tom1200 said:
I'm such a dork, totally did not proof read the title...............I'll blame the 3 slices of pizza I'd just finished eating.....eyes glazed over from a good pie
I'm going to read that as "please update and fix my title". I don't like to do that, out of hand w/o a request; but I figure the above is 'close enough'
In reply to Tom1200 :
Yeah, the low seating position is such that I actually cant see cones over a crest in a lot I have autocrossed on. It makes course walks and memorization more important for sure.
I wasnt going to comment on the mixed traffic, but that is one big drawback to open wheels: finding a place to run. Most groups either dont bother allowing "wings and things" or only do it if they have enough entries for a stand alone run group. In my car I would be looking up at the door handles on my Miata. You wouldnt want to try to occupy the same space as a passenger car, they will wind up on top of you. Your head is bumper height.
I am looking at doing an event with Pennsylvania Hill Climb Assoc. at Summit Point. I am thinking about looking into FRCCA test days though, but I need to see if I have to do a drivers school/etc I'm not sure I want to wheel to wheel race yet. I think the track-cross series at Summit Point would also allow it (one car at a time).
I drove 75% just to make sure it was as safe as it can be. On the few laps I drove the corners hard I made sure there wasn't anyone around. As car contact with other cars; I've seen a production car hit a Formula Vee at a vintage race and the vee pretty much got punted down the road. Unlike wheel to wheel contact I'm not worried about being run over, my bigger concern is someone punting me into the pit wall or something similar.
This was an expeditionary run; I've found that I need to get a proper race seat, better cooling and some other minor adjustments. The cooling is easy to solve, I use a Honda GL1100 standard radiator but there is a 4 core aluminum one available. On the race seat I'm doing endless overthinking over weather to use a bead seat or the SFI two part foam.
With as cool as the car is at autocross it's even cooler on a track.
