Can a brother get a... - The Ford Focus Forum

**BUR_ZX3** · 09-13-2009, 03:37 AM

Umm.

Schedule?

Results?

Entries?

Right now, all I can find is Ryan's times in PT. Nothing for anyone else. Did Spec Focus just end an untimely death and nobody tell us????

**mzemnickas** · 09-13-2009, 07:51 AM

Try the Spec Focus website?

http://specfocus.drivenasa.com/

**Ted7rns** · 09-13-2009, 12:10 PM

Ryan was the only Spec Focus to show up.

**BUR_ZX3** · 09-13-2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted7rns

Ryan was the only Spec Focus to show up.

Really? What happened to the Capaldi crew???

**Ted7rns** · 09-13-2009, 12:18 PM

The Midwest guys all stayed and raced at GingerMan instead. Logistically Capaldi Racing couldn’t make Nationals and then a week later turn around and return to Miller for the Mustang Challenge and Koni Racing. They didn’t have enough room in the trailers.

**BUR_ZX3** · 09-13-2009, 02:16 PM

OK... so I guess he's on @ about 230 today in PT?

**BUR_ZX3** · 09-14-2009, 12:02 AM

Looks like (thanks to mylaps.com) Ryan took fourth in PTE. Not a bad outing! Congrats Ryan and Mark!

**f2focus** · 09-14-2009, 04:02 AM

Ya it was not bad after getting hit by a miata and ripping the whole front suspension off of one side...great work Mark and Ryan see you when you get back....

**68 Touring Car** · 09-14-2009, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted7rns

The Midwest guys all stayed and raced at GingerMan instead. Logistically Capaldi Racing couldn’t make Nationals and then a week later turn around and return to Miller for the Mustang Challenge and Koni Racing. They didn’t have enough room in the trailers.

Sorry it was not feasible to do with us have 5 Mustangs out there this week for Miller Challenge and Koni GS. Both trailers are in route to Utah. I hope next year that they can space it out so we can do both.

**CCapaldi** · 09-14-2009, 11:18 AM

WTG Mark and Ryan!

**Ted7rns** · 09-14-2009, 01:12 PM

WTG Mark and Ryan... Good Job!!!

**SVTBuckeye** · 09-15-2009, 10:14 AM

Good show!
congratulations

**lapp4sm** · 09-16-2009, 01:31 AM

Thanks everyone.

It was an adventure. Thursday and Friday were spent fighting the tune. Putting a 2.3l in a 2008 car (drive by wire etc.) turned out to be quite a challenge. After 3-4 hours on the phone, emailed datalogs and tunes, we finally got it running good.

Friday morning, during the "Warm-Up" session, a Miata plowed into the left front of the car, causing some real damage. Other than the body damage, it bent the ball joint, tie-rod end, strut, and broke the control arm. Fortunantly we had spares. We had it back up and running before the next session.

With the tune still not right, he qualified 8 out of 9 cars for the second time. The Miata that hit Ryan, qualified last because of this stunt. (We're out about $2500, and he was bumped down a couple of spots, sounds fair

)

Finally, Friday night, the car was running good and driving good. Saturday was just a one session "Practice session".

Sundays championship race, Ryan was ready and the car was ready. He started in 8th position. In about lap 4, 4 cars went off in turn 2. The first car went off and thru gravel all over the track. Car 2, Ryan and car 3, all hit the gravel and went off, somehow not hitting each other or any walls. All but the 1st car were able to get right back on. Luckly this caused a full track yellow, followed by the pase car coming back out. This allowed Ryan to get back some of the lost time.

The first and second place cars were just too fast. From the start, we knew that it would take a serious mistake by one of them for Ryan to win. He could have beat the 3rd place car if there were just a little more time.

We are happy with 4th place. Even though we knew that 2 of the cars were nearly unbeatable, Ryan never gave up.

I believe that with coilovers and 10-20 more HP, a Spec Focus can win in PTE on a national level.

Even with all of the problems, it was a great, exciting time.

Hopefully next year, the other Spec Focus racers will find the courage to go to Utah. Ryan will take it easy on you guys.

A few pictures of the new car.

In the Garage.

The Miata that hit Ryan.

**f2focus** · 09-16-2009, 03:02 AM

Mark thanks for the update and glad you guys are back. I promise you that next year I will make sure atleast 3 more Foci are there as well. Maybe with that little more power you are looking for....

Great showing and thanks for the decal placement....

**sleeperlove** · 09-16-2009, 09:18 AM

Was the car in Spec trim for the race?

**lapp4sm** · 09-16-2009, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleeperlove

Was the car in Spec trim for the race?

In the championship race, he ran Hoosier R6's. They actually didn't seem to make much of a difference over the R888's. Lap times were very similar.

Other than that (and no decals), it was in Spec trim.

**lapp4sm** · 09-19-2009, 12:18 AM

Apparently the 1st place car was DQ'd due to HP/Weight. I guess that's why he was so fast. The other very fast car, went off and only completed 6 laps. Both of those cars were much faster than the rest of the group. With them out, it was a much closer race.

This means that Ryan got 3rd place, not 4th. That's nice, but it would have been nice for him to get to stand on the podium, get pictures, trophy etc.

The funny thing about this is that 2 different companies paid contingencies for 4th place and not 3rd. So moving him into 3rd place cost him about $100.

**SVTBuckeye** · 09-19-2009, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lapp4sm

In the championship race, he ran Hoosier R6's. They actually didn't seem to make much of a difference over the R888's. Lap times were very similar.

Other than that (and no decals), it was in Spec trim.

???BUT..
Ryan was two seconds faster in the race than he was in all previous track sessions.
Didn't tires have some effect?

**brads03zx3** · 09-20-2009, 06:23 PM

I can assure you hoosiers or similar type tire are worth quite a bit of time at that track over the R888. Some cars showed 3-4 seconds on that configuration. Now, whether your setup took advantage of that, who knows. It is not uncommon for a FWD to acquire a push when adding more stick to every corner with no adjustment. The first time I drove on the hoosier I didn't like it. I found it a bit harder to drive at the limit of the tire.

**lapp4sm** · 09-20-2009, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVTBuckeye

???BUT..
Ryan was two seconds faster in the race than he was in all previous track sessions.
Didn't tires have some effect?

Friday qualifying race, on Hoosiers, he ran 2:25.5
Sunday warmup, on Toyo's, he ran 2:25.2
Sunday race, on Hoosiers, he ran 2:23.8

He did run faster in the Championship race, but, according to Ryan, he was pushing much harder. I don't think it was the tires?

I do believe that if he regularly ran on Hoosiers, he would get better lap times. He is so used to R888's or RA1's. I think that with some experience on Hoosiers, he would learn to trust them more, and learn how to use them to their full potential.

**Ted7rns** · 09-20-2009, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lapp4sm

I do believe that if he regularly ran on Hoosiers, he would get better lap times. He is so used to R888's or RA1's. I think that with some experience on Hoosiers, he would learn to trust them more, and learn how to use them to their full potential.

That makes since. Normally Hoosiers could be 1.5 to 2.0 seconds faster on most tracks.

**SVTBuckeye** · 09-21-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lapp4sm

Apparently the 1st place car was DQ'd due to HP/Weight. I guess that's why he was so fast. The other very fast car, went off and only completed 6 laps. Both of those cars were much faster than the rest of the group. With them out, it was a much closer race.

This means that Ryan got 3rd place, not 4th. That's nice, but it would have been nice for him to get to stand on the podium, get pictures, trophy etc.

The funny thing about this is that 2 different companies paid contingencies for 4th place and not 3rd. So moving him into 3rd place cost him about $100.

Strange that they DQ'd someone after the podium.
Last year they held up the podium for 1.5 hrs awaiting results for SF. Didn't they weight the first 3-4 cars coming right off the track? And, didn't they do a dyno during the weekend prior to that?

**lapp4sm** · 09-21-2009, 03:44 PM

They did do weight after the race. Dyno's arn't required, but you are responsible for reporting the correct HP. He reported a HP number that was incorrect. I believe that the 2nd and/or 3rd place drivers protested the race due to the fact that the 1st place car was so much faster. I'm guessing that this protest propmted a Dyno run. The official results wern't released until Thursday (4 days later). I have no idea why it took that long.

**Ted7rns** · 09-21-2009, 03:57 PM

Wow, The driver that got DQ'd might had won PTD with those times.

Oh, that was Mike Rose... I know that car, black and silver RX-7, right?

**SVTBuckeye** · 09-21-2009, 08:09 PM

Interesting, waiting until the race was run to protest that sort of thing??

On a separate thought, why run so fast that you are suspect? Just keep up and then some, no?

Oh well, maybe cheaters aren't the smartest folk. Sorta like the Jay walking folks Jay Leno interviews?

09-13-2009, 03:37 AM	#1 (permalink)
BUR_ZX3 [FJ] Addict Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Little Saint Clara, Isle of Queen Califia Posts: 36,454	Can a brother get a... Umm. Schedule? Results? Entries? Right now, all I can find is Ryan's times in PT. Nothing for anyone else. Did Spec Focus just end an untimely death and nobody tell us???? __________________ Focus Challenge Director \| Redline Time Attack Host and Emcee \| Spec Focus Racer

09-13-2009, 07:51 AM	#2 (permalink)
mzemnickas Rookie Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Farmington Hills, MI Posts: 25	Re: Can a brother get a... Try the Spec Focus website? http://specfocus.drivenasa.com/

09-13-2009, 12:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ted7rns Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Thousand Oaks, California Posts: 4,646	Re: Can a brother get a... Ryan was the only Spec Focus to show up. __________________ 2002 Ford Focus ZX3 Malibu Blue

09-13-2009, 12:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ted7rns Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Thousand Oaks, California Posts: 4,646	Re: Can a brother get a... The Midwest guys all stayed and raced at GingerMan instead. Logistically Capaldi Racing couldn’t make Nationals and then a week later turn around and return to Miller for the Mustang Challenge and Koni Racing. They didn’t have enough room in the trailers. __________________ 2002 Ford Focus ZX3 Malibu Blue

09-13-2009, 02:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
BUR_ZX3 [FJ] Addict Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Little Saint Clara, Isle of Queen Califia Posts: 36,454	Re: Can a brother get a... OK... so I guess he's on @ about 230 today in PT? __________________ Focus Challenge Director \| Redline Time Attack Host and Emcee \| Spec Focus Racer Last edited by BUR_ZX3; 09-13-2009 at 02:24 PM.

09-14-2009, 12:02 AM	#7 (permalink)
BUR_ZX3 [FJ] Addict Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Little Saint Clara, Isle of Queen Califia Posts: 36,454	Re: Can a brother get a... Looks like (thanks to mylaps.com) Ryan took fourth in PTE. Not a bad outing! Congrats Ryan and Mark! __________________ Focus Challenge Director \| Redline Time Attack Host and Emcee \| Spec Focus Racer

09-14-2009, 04:02 AM	#8 (permalink)
f2focus Associate Sponsor Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Whittier, CA Posts: 2,433	Re: Can a brother get a... Ya it was not bad after getting hit by a miata and ripping the whole front suspension off of one side...great work Mark and Ryan see you when you get back.... __________________ Authorized Dealer for: Brembo Brakes, Clutchnet, Vogtland, Eibach, Koni, Tokico, Ingalls, Ireland Engineering, Crower Cams, Supertech, ACT Clutch, ARP Studs, Kyowa Wheels, Nitto Tires, Toyo Tires, StopTech Brakes, Centric Brakes, TurboSmart, Cosworth, Street Scene. www.f2focus.com Vehicles: 2008 Ford Fusion, 2008 Focus Coupe, 2010 Mazda 3 (Coming), 2011 Fiesta (planned)

09-14-2009, 11:18 AM	#10 (permalink)
CCapaldi TEAM Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Richmond, MI Posts: 120	Re: Can a brother get a... WTG Mark and Ryan! __________________ 2007 & 2008 Spec Focus National Champion

09-14-2009, 01:12 PM	#11 (permalink)
Ted7rns Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Thousand Oaks, California Posts: 4,646	Re: Can a brother get a... WTG Mark and Ryan... Good Job!!! __________________ 2002 Ford Focus ZX3 Malibu Blue

09-15-2009, 10:14 AM	#12 (permalink)
SVTBuckeye TEAM Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Pataskala Ohio Posts: 792	Re: Can a brother get a... Good show! congratulations __________________ LEM 2007,2008, 2009 NASA Spec Focus racer w/ LCR racing 2002 SVT, Sonic Blue, NO options, vehicle 896 of 4788 Held at the factory Apr-June 02

09-16-2009, 01:31 AM	#13 (permalink)
lapp4sm TEAM Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 384	Re: Can a brother get a... Thanks everyone. It was an adventure. Thursday and Friday were spent fighting the tune. Putting a 2.3l in a 2008 car (drive by wire etc.) turned out to be quite a challenge. After 3-4 hours on the phone, emailed datalogs and tunes, we finally got it running good. Friday morning, during the "Warm-Up" session, a Miata plowed into the left front of the car, causing some real damage. Other than the body damage, it bent the ball joint, tie-rod end, strut, and broke the control arm. Fortunantly we had spares. We had it back up and running before the next session. With the tune still not right, he qualified 8 out of 9 cars for the second time. The Miata that hit Ryan, qualified last because of this stunt. (We're out about $2500, and he was bumped down a couple of spots, sounds fair ) Finally, Friday night, the car was running good and driving good. Saturday was just a one session "Practice session". Sundays championship race, Ryan was ready and the car was ready. He started in 8th position. In about lap 4, 4 cars went off in turn 2. The first car went off and thru gravel all over the track. Car 2, Ryan and car 3, all hit the gravel and went off, somehow not hitting each other or any walls. All but the 1st car were able to get right back on. Luckly this caused a full track yellow, followed by the pase car coming back out. This allowed Ryan to get back some of the lost time. The first and second place cars were just too fast. From the start, we knew that it would take a serious mistake by one of them for Ryan to win. He could have beat the 3rd place car if there were just a little more time. We are happy with 4th place. Even though we knew that 2 of the cars were nearly unbeatable, Ryan never gave up. I believe that with coilovers and 10-20 more HP, a Spec Focus can win in PTE on a national level. Even with all of the problems, it was a great, exciting time. Hopefully next year, the other Spec Focus racers will find the courage to go to Utah. Ryan will take it easy on you guys. A few pictures of the new car. In the Garage. The Miata that hit Ryan. __________________

09-16-2009, 03:02 AM	#14 (permalink)
f2focus Associate Sponsor Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Whittier, CA Posts: 2,433	Re: Can a brother get a... Mark thanks for the update and glad you guys are back. I promise you that next year I will make sure atleast 3 more Foci are there as well. Maybe with that little more power you are looking for.... Great showing and thanks for the decal placement.... __________________ Authorized Dealer for: Brembo Brakes, Clutchnet, Vogtland, Eibach, Koni, Tokico, Ingalls, Ireland Engineering, Crower Cams, Supertech, ACT Clutch, ARP Studs, Kyowa Wheels, Nitto Tires, Toyo Tires, StopTech Brakes, Centric Brakes, TurboSmart, Cosworth, Street Scene. www.f2focus.com Vehicles: 2008 Ford Fusion, 2008 Focus Coupe, 2010 Mazda 3 (Coming), 2011 Fiesta (planned)

09-16-2009, 09:18 AM	#15 (permalink)
sleeperlove You wouldn't like me when I'm angry. Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Apex hunting Posts: 9,827	Re: Can a brother get a... Was the car in Spec trim for the race? __________________ “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” - Bruce Lee

09-19-2009, 12:18 AM	#17 (permalink)
lapp4sm TEAM Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 384	Re: Can a brother get a... Apparently the 1st place car was DQ'd due to HP/Weight. I guess that's why he was so fast. The other very fast car, went off and only completed 6 laps. Both of those cars were much faster than the rest of the group. With them out, it was a much closer race. This means that Ryan got 3rd place, not 4th. That's nice, but it would have been nice for him to get to stand on the podium, get pictures, trophy etc. The funny thing about this is that 2 different companies paid contingencies for 4th place and not 3rd. So moving him into 3rd place cost him about $100. __________________

09-20-2009, 06:23 PM	#19 (permalink)
brads03zx3 [FJ] Addict Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 11,664	Re: Can a brother get a... I can assure you hoosiers or similar type tire are worth quite a bit of time at that track over the R888. Some cars showed 3-4 seconds on that configuration. Now, whether your setup took advantage of that, who knows. It is not uncommon for a FWD to acquire a push when adding more stick to every corner with no adjustment. The first time I drove on the hoosier I didn't like it. I found it a bit harder to drive at the limit of the tire. __________________ Mountain Tested----'03 zetec ZX3 vs MNTN - 15-1 & ZX3 vs TRACK - 23/1 *JCM Racing #88* Back to Dual Purpose Focusing Vacuum Vulture Racing - We add stiffness

09-21-2009, 03:44 PM	#23 (permalink)
lapp4sm TEAM Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 384	Re: Can a brother get a... They did do weight after the race. Dyno's arn't required, but you are responsible for reporting the correct HP. He reported a HP number that was incorrect. I believe that the 2nd and/or 3rd place drivers protested the race due to the fact that the 1st place car was so much faster. I'm guessing that this protest propmted a Dyno run. The official results wern't released until Thursday (4 days later). I have no idea why it took that long. __________________

09-21-2009, 03:57 PM	#24 (permalink)
Ted7rns Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Thousand Oaks, California Posts: 4,646	Re: Can a brother get a... Wow, The driver that got DQ'd might had won PTD with those times. Oh, that was Mike Rose... I know that car, black and silver RX-7, right? __________________ 2002 Ford Focus ZX3 Malibu Blue

09-21-2009, 08:09 PM	#25 (permalink)
SVTBuckeye TEAM Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Pataskala Ohio Posts: 792	Re: Can a brother get a... Interesting, waiting until the race was run to protest that sort of thing?? On a separate thought, why run so fast that you are suspect? Just keep up and then some, no? Oh well, maybe cheaters aren't the smartest folk. Sorta like the Jay walking folks Jay Leno interviews? __________________ LEM 2007,2008, 2009 NASA Spec Focus racer w/ LCR racing 2002 SVT, Sonic Blue, NO options, vehicle 896 of 4788 Held at the factory Apr-June 02

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