West Race Cars

Is it just me, or does that thing not look terribly safe to crash?

 

The concept of cars like this is attractive, I just don't know why they didn't go to Radical in UK. The Radical is a more solid looking article. They've made and sold hundreds, and they just look nicer. The one hour 2 driver races are a great concept. I just don't know why people fail to look at a working Formula and transplant it instead of trying to come up with a rounder wheel. Tieing into FerrariChat,........ think FIA GT3.

 

I agree Andrew. No doubt there are all sorts of taxpayer funded subsidies to access by re-inventing the wheel though. The presence of Downer would seem to back that one up.

 

$85k entry level?

 

No, it's just you.

The Radical is more solidly built in the same way that tractors are. they are also deathly slow next to a current DSR spec car, which this is. It's actually Lee Stohr's design but he sold out to the new management team in the States who have really pushed it along.

AUD85K for a turn key racer as quick as this? I'd say it's a bit of a bargain. Expect lap times somewhere in between an F3 and a V8SC. The Kwaka motors have quite a life span before they go off and need a rebuild. Why would the taxpayer subsidise this? He's only importing them for the US, isn't he?

The fact that Terry Little is a good friend of Greg's is no accident, either. the grand vision, as I have been told, is to run an LMP3 style class alongside the future Aust. FIA GT3 Championship. Nice idea.........

 

I assumed they were made locally with potential to export to other countries.
Export credits, balance of trade and all that........

 

He could be making them locally as CKD's.

 

Of interest...http://www.radicalsportscars.com/safety.php

 

The chain looks quite exposed in those shots... is there a shroud for it when the car is operating? If the engine is cycling at a kazillion rpm, I wouldnt want to be around if the chain broke at similar speeds...

 

i gather it has all those body bits around it normally.

 

Fibreglass??

 

hmmmmmm. scary, now that you mention it

 

But that would still be safer than having the same chain whizzing around between your legs...........

The output shaft speed is a lot less than a kizzilion rpm and the body work is Kevlar/Eglass with carbon reo panels bonded to the spaceframe. Pretty standard racecar stuff these days.

 

Can they get a series up to accomodate these cars? Do they run as a clubman style class or is there a new category to be introduced?

And having a chain fly off at even 1000rpm, between the legs or not, can cause plenty of damage

 

They're running them in the AMRS "Thunder Sports" category which makes a bit of a mockery of Rod Dale's vision of Can Am and Le Mans cars coming out of the woodwork.

 

Good-o then... grids of 7 cars await

 

Yeah, that's turning into the "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" very quickly.

I think it might have been the best thing that ever happened to CAMS. AMRS makes them look well organised and bipartisan in comparison.