Superformance Road Racing

agro1 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 02:18 PM

Can someone detail for me the most important things that are necessary to change/upgrade/add on a new Superformance for road racing ? Thanks in advance.

NEVER LIFT

Doug Axelrod · #2 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 02:25 PM

You might want to post this in the racing forum...

DanElam · #3 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 03:12 PM

Depends on what you want to do with it. Most of the Superformance guys have great horsepower, but the balance doesn't work as well as the FFR Specracers. If you run on a track with long straights (such as VIR) the big engine will make up for it. If you run something twisty like Summit Points new course, the lighter engine will probably help (the original 289s were almost always faster than the 427 in laptimes because of the weight).

Don't forget the rollbars - the single person 'hoops' aren't acceptable for most sanctioning bodies.

If you get to have IRS - take it! It's a huge advantage.

Other than that, check the rules for whatever class you want to run. I will go ahead and tell you that no Cobra is going to be competitive in SCCA GT-1 which is where they put you. If you want to run with NASA, you get some choices in Super Unlimited. SU-1 is well beyond what you can make a Cobra do, but I think you can build a Cobra that fits into SU-3. Have fun!

gsharapa · #4 (**permalink**) 07-03-2002, 12:38 PM

I'd check with Dennis Olthoff (704-647-9924) Superformance dealer who does race these cars.

The new Superformance Cobras are setup pretty well for racing. supension and shocks etc. Clearly the roll ball, safety harnesses, fire halon system and a good set of racing tires would be needed. Superformance also offered a dropped spindle option that would be good but not totally critical.

Guess it depends what racing you are going to do. If it is just to play around in the run and guns etc you just nne some of the above.

Great Asp · #5 (**permalink**) 07-03-2002, 01:06 PM

The rules under which you will race need to be reviewed. Most of the tough stuff is ready to go as is, but the roll bar may need to be different depending on the rules you have to run under.

Some of the tech guys make ya put in a catch can for the oil breather. So I would check the rules under which you will run, so you do not have to pack it up once you get there.

Ditto track school. It's not just you out there.

One last thing, pull over and let your team mate win when asked to. That seems to be popular now.

Great Asp

DanElam · #6 (**permalink**) 07-03-2002, 08:16 PM

For NASA, the cars run under SU-1. Olthoff came with two cars to Kershaw in April and one of the cars ran very well. Couldn't really challenge with the monstes in SU-1, but was still one of the fastest cars on the track.

For SCCA, you can't run the cars unless you already have an SCCA log-book and have an SCCA-approved roll cage. In that case, it gets put in GT-1 where it doesn't matter since the cars there are unbelievably fast and have aero packages that the Cobra can't compete against.