Fontana Vintage Racing

[spmdr]

I was looking thru some old Youtube stuff and found this.

It's not a video that you would guess would include a Tiger.

(edit, I posted this before, but added some info for historic purposes)

Seeing Fontana is on the endangered list, soon to be an OLD track...

SVRA at Fontana 5-2016. In car with Craig Skeels Mustang.

I come into view with my B&Y Tiger at about 15 min in, in the mirror.

Then we have a little fun for a few laps.

This was an interesting event. The weather was sketchy with a wet track Sat morning.

Because of the weather, I set fast time in Sat morning qualifying (with a best time of 1:56.177 on a moist track)

and started on the Pole in the afternoon.

My lead was about as long as it took for the flag to come all the way down,

as the AP cars got their stride.

My best time that race was a 1:53.849, my best time in the Tiger at Fontana.


In this Sunday Flag race video, I finished 5th OA, 2 nd in BP class to Craig.

In that race, I ran a best lap of 1:55.580 and Craig's best was 1:56.337

BTW, I'm geared for 148 MPH @ 7400 , and that happens just a bit past start/Finish.

Tom's Tiger is usually geared taller and will do 160 MPH @7400 going into turn one.

DW

 

[michael-king]

BTW, I'm geared for 148 MPH @ 7400 , and that happens just a bit past start/Finish.

Tom's Tiger is usually geared taller and will do 160 MPH @7400 going into turn one.

DW

What diff ratio are you and tom running?
Tyres are 205/60/13?

 

[spmdr]

I run a 3.31 all the time. Tom runs a 3.54 on the short courses and 3.07 on the long tracks.

Yup, 205-60x 13 tyres

DW

 

[michael-king]

Dan,

At what point does Tom top out on the straight? I note in the 'stang onboard he has either taller gearing via diff and the wheel/tyre radius ( or both) or a higher redline...

What's the difference in the infield with a 3.07 v 3.31? Noticable out of the slower corners but not so much mid speed?

Just wondering on a banked track. + infield the balance between the gearing for the oval and the infield...
Imagine a 2.88 diff on the banking... Be some serious speed 😯😯 ..
Id think the tigers (relative) light weight would still allow decent pull out of corners even with taller gears

I run a 3.31 all the time. Tom runs a 3.54 on the short courses and 3.07 on the long tracks.

Yup, 205-60x 13 tyres

 

[spmdr]

The question of rear gearing also brings up a few other things.

Those would be Max RPM and corresponding power.

And those 2 items bring up Vintage Racing Sanction Groups

and the differences in the rules.


Also, on top of all of this is the degree of competitiveness.


To cut to the chase, Tom and I run fairly limited engine Specs,

Set by the most restrictive Groups we run with.

To that end, long ago (20 years ago), I found 7400 RPM to be the safest compromise

of power and reliability for Vintage Racing a Small Block Ford,

BUT, HERE is the Key-- with GOOD engine parts!


So, a VR Tiger has plenty of power to pull a tall gear,

but, a shorter gear STILL yields better acceleration, and sets your shift placement on a track.


In the case of the Mustang here, it is built to run with a different Race Group than we usually run with.

And He takes advantage of the different rules.

He runs a Roller cam, aftermarket trans gears and bigger brakes (to list just a few differences).

BTW, Mustanger Skeels has a street Tiger!

DW