Revolution Race Cars have revealed the details of their Arrive & Drive packages for the UK and mainland Europe, and I have the details. I also have a number of racecraft tips for you, why using a simulator for driver training is becoming the norm for almost any type of race driver and a look at Hungary’s Balaton Park circuit.
You will find all this and more in this week’s edition of the Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup on Motorsport Prospects.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
On-Track
In the article Q&A: Is Coasting Bad?, Blayze pro coaches and grassroots racers were asked their thoughts about coasting. Is it bad to do? When could it actually be helpful?
Optimizing camber of your tyres is a delicate balance. Get it right, and you maximize grip, lap time and tyre life; get it wrong, and you risk your performance, safety, and the unnecessary expense of replacing your tires early. In Optimising Camber on Track: Finding the Sweet Spot, Your Data Driven provides tips on how to achieve the best result.
From Driver61.
Today we’re going to find out how fast WillNE, a NORMAL DRIVER, is against me, a PRO DRIVER…. AND how much faster I can make him through driver coaching alone…. To do that, we’ve set a challenge.
Will is going to set a time in the 500 horsepower 911 GT3 – and THEN, I’m going to coach Will to see if he can be FASTER THAN THAT in a 150 horsepower Mazda MX-5.
Taking you along for the ride in HOW I COACH SOMEONE to be as FAST AS A PRO. But, the first order of the day was to see what Will can do in the MX-5 with ZERO coaching.
Slow Driver, Fast Car vs Pro Driver, Slow Car (ft. @WillNE)
Ross Bentley of Speed Secrets talks about Timing & Rate of… “Don’t worry, this is not another piece about the timing and rate of release of the brakes. Instead, it’s about the timing and rate of turning the steering wheel when entering a corner.”
In his Ask Ross column he answers the question: Tell me what I should do if my car loses its brakes completely.
Off-Track
PRI Magazine looks at the increasing use of simulators for race driver training. “Once dismissed as mere child’s play, simulators have been an integral part of driver development in top-tier series like Formula 1, NASCAR, and IMSA for a number of years now. While the systems used at this level of motorsports are often highly customized, multi-million-dollar setups, the simulation technology that’s now readily available at the prosumer level is reaching a degree of sophistication that’s not far behind.”
Race Car & Series Developments
An electronic flagging assist will be coming to the Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour and National Championship Runoffs in 2024. The Flagtronics electronic flagging system was utilized as an optional proof of concept during the 2023 Runoffs at VIRginia International Raceway with great success, leading to the decision to require the Flagtronics electronic flagging system at the 2024 Runoffs at Road America. Meanwhile, the use of the Flagtronics system will be encouraged, although not required, during the 2024 Hoosier Super Tour.
If you are curious as to how driver ratings work, have a look at AutoWeek’s Why Driver Ratings Remain Murky Business for Sports Car Racing. “A rating of platinum, the highest for accomplished pros, or gold designates a driver as a professional. Silver and bronze are assigned to amateurs, the latter often being described as gentlemen drivers. That’s where the clarity ends.”
PRI Magazine looks how rallying is making inroads in the United States. “Part of the problem has been that most people don’t know that rally racing is happening over here,” said Perry Seaman, Eastern regional director for NASA Rally Sport, Industry, Pennsylvania. “The Internet, video games, and media coverage of series like WRC has brought much more visibility to the sport over the past decade or so, but the American public generally isn’t aware that this is something that’s going on in the US. Changing that is the big challenge that we’re currently working to address.”
TCR South America has released the ten dates for a 2024 season which will see events run across Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Circuits have still to be confirmed, but the season will comprise of four meetings in Brazil – the first of which will be an Endurance meeting – before two in Uruguay and five in Argentina. The final race in Brazil and the first in Uruguay will both be part of the TCR World Tour schedule.
Organizers of the new female-only Formula Pro Women Racing Series (WRS) have teased a major prize package for their inaugural season. “While we are holding some of the details close to our chest for a future announcement of our complete prize fund, this is a major prize that we needed to get out to the masses,” explained Exclusive Racing and Owner of the Formula Pro USA family of programs BD Morgan. “Our goal is to establish the premier women’s-only race program in the United States and advance female drivers up the motorsports ladder.”
While all the details are not yet out, one of the prizes is a special two-day test in F1 Academy machinery with an F1 Academy Race Team at a date and location that is to be determined.
Track Days
Formula Scout has a look at Europe’s newest permanent race circuit, Hungary’s Balaton Park. “The 4.115 kilometre-long Balaton Park circuit in Hungary is part of a leisure facility developed by Chanoch Nissany, one-time Formula 1 free practice participant and father of Formula 2 racer Roy, and is located near Lake Balaton which is 85km south of Budapest and is Central Europe’s largest lake.”
The Skip Barber Racing School has unveiled Skip Barber Parc Fermé, a high-performance vehicle storage facility in Holbrook, NY designed for enthusiasts who seek excellence both on and off the track.
Parc Fermé by SBRS merges a passion for performance with an unwavering commitment to automotive care. The new state-of-the-art facility offers climate-controlled storage, 24/7 surveillance, and personalized vehicle services, ensuring that every cherished automobile, vintage racing car, or high-performance street vehicle finds the secure and optimal environment it deserves.
Owners who store their vehicles with Parc Fermé will receive exclusive access to the unique, adrenaline-filled, experiences that have made the Skip Barber Racing School the world’s premier automotive entertainment company.
“Whether you’re storing a piece of racing history or a beloved street vehicle, Parc Fermé provides the ideal space for your passion,” Skip Barber Racing School Chief Marketing Officer Dan DeMonte said. “Cars are not just our career, but our passion and we understand how important they are to people. We look forward to welcoming and caring for a wide variety of vehicles.”
While under the care of Parc Fermé, vehicles can receive detailing, paint correction, ceramic coating, and PPF applications as well as numerous other services.
Skip Barber Parc Fermé is now open for reservations. For more information, interested parties can visit Parcferme.SkipBarber.com.
Racing Opportunities
The factory Revolution Race Car team offer arrive & drive services for racers wanting to compete in the Sports Prototype Cup. Whether you want to own your own Revolution and have the factory team prepare and run your car, or whether you simply want to rent a car each weekend, Revolution and its worldwide network of certified dealer teams have a solution fort you.
UK race package includes
- 1 x 20 mins quali
- 2 x 30 min races
- 1 × No. 1 mechanic (dedicated)
- 1 × No. 2 mechanic (shared)
- 1 × Data engineer (shared)
- 1 x Driver coach (shared)
- 1 set new slicks included
- Serviceable wets supplied if necessary
European race package includes
- 40 to 80 mins free practice
- 1 x 20 mins quali
- 2 x 60 min races or 2 x 20min with 1 x 40 min races
- 1 × No. 1 mechanic (dedicated)
- 1 × No. 2 mechanic (shared)
- 1 × Data engineer (shared)
- 1 x Driver coach (shared)
- 2 sets new slicks included
- Serviceable wets supplied if necessary
Full details can be found here.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.
