Bought a Formula V. Now what?

So about me first, I'm 26 and have been racing tag karts for 4 years, a stock car for the last 2 years and have done 4 or 5 track days now at Pacific and the Ridge. So I finally did what I have been wanting for quite some time and got myself a formula v car. Last Tuesday I took it out to the ridge and got some good driving time in it and it was a blast for sure. The car that I bought came from Toronto so it has the wider wheels with the Falken tires. I know there is a lot of debate on that whole topic right now, I would like to be able to go racing with this car but not sure I can afford the cost of the slicks at $800 for a set that lasts 2 race weekends. So I am wondering what my options are and if I would be allowed to race with my current wheel/ tire setup even if I wouldn't necessarily be competitive/ legal? My other question would be what I would need to go through to get my competition license considering my racing experience? I am guessing I should just contact a certain person with that question.

Although totally out gunned by some bigger cars that run in it, you could race as an FL (formula Libre) which is an open class that's basically 'run what you brung'.

As for slicks, I don't know what the FV tire rules are (if any) but have you called Berget? He's a guy in the Midwest that collects and sells some what used racing tires. My son and I ran FC for about 3 years in ICSCC and always used "used" tires. We'd get sets from Berget with two or three heat cycles on them for $280 delivered to our door here.

If you want more info on Berget do a search on Apexspeed. You'll find some 'mixed' reviews but I think the over all feeling is he's a good guy with a reasonable product. We purchased over ten sets from him and never ever had a problem except a leaky tire once that we were able to reseal.

BERGET (262) 740-0180
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ICSCC drivers school is about the BEST around!

Sign up for a weekend of 'training' with an in car instructor. You can do the school in your street car or rent a car. Just make sure it's in good mechanical shape and able to run reasonably well for a full day on track. After that, assuming all goes well you can apply for a novice license. Lots of details involved but they DO definitely want you in a two seater car with at least 'standard' safety belts on both seats. Look on the IRDC (or you local ICSCC clubs web site for info on schools).

Handy,

Get a set of SCCA rules for Formula Vee and see what you have to do to make it legal here. What you probably have is either a Formula First, or a Formula 1200 which they run in Ontario Region (CASC). There they have weird rules because their membership base isn't very big and there's always someone willing to get their car with their tweaks made legal so they can win all the marbles.

It was probably a real F.V. originally (that's how all the chassis are built) ans its been bastardized for one of those weird little classes in the weird little regions.

P.W.

Handy Albert, give me a call, I have a vee I race in conference (there's a few of us) and I can get you pointed in the right direction. I'm in Bonney Lake, so not far from you in Graham. I also have lots of spare wheels and you can buy a set of American racers (what I run) that will easily last an entire season for about $650 shipped to you.

When you get going fast enough that the American racers are keeping you 2 seconds off the fast guys, then you can buy some Hoosiers, but the AR's will serve you well enough through your novice year.


You will want to run in group six with the rest of the vees, and plan on BC, lots of vees up there.

Call or email, jphoenix13@me.com 2five3720six233

Jim Phoenix
fV44

Hi Handy Albert,

I have been racing Vees for 15 years and have quite a bit of experience with juggling the cost. When I started racing American Racers were the spec tire for Conference. That has only changed in the last few years that they have allowed Hoosiers and Goodyears back. It is a decision I disagree with but that is besides the point. I do agree with Jim on starting on American Racers. They are decent tire with a good life. You will be slower than those running Hoosiers but I wouldn't worry about that until you are on the tail end of the lead pack and can't catch them no matter what you do. In the beginning I took take offs (used tires) from the fast guys to help reduce cost. Some will sell them to you for cheap and others will just give them to you. I actually used a set of take offs the last time I raced and did just fine with them. However, for right now as a novice I think you can run with the car as it but once you upgrade you will need to conform to the specs of FV.

If you have any question on Vees in general please feel free to contact me. As I mentioned I have been at this awhile and was also in my early twenties when I started and was on a tiny budget.

Anyhow, best of luck and I hope to see you at the track!

Cheryl Gilbert
425-829-6547
broomspeed@msn.com

Hi Albert,

I'm a little late to the thread, but I'd like to add my two cents. First, I don't think you have to worry too much about the legality of your car for two different reasons. First, my impression of the f1200 series in the east is that they haven't deviated very far from an SCCA legal FV except for the tires. In fact, my impression from the forums is that they have tried to make the cars even more equal with things like a standard manifold. Probably your number one thing to check is the safety issues such as the date on the racing harness and that your fire bottle is in working order.

Secondly, unless you completely clean our clocks, I don't think anybody is going to be too concerned about the legality of your Vee even with the tires. In fact I would be interested to see how the Falkens work and it would be a good experiment to compare the different tires in the same race. I have the same concern about the spiraling cost of tires as Cheryl and think that a reasonably priced spec tire would be a good idea.

Finally, I do agree with all the previous comments about using American Racers as your first set of slicks. They seem to be a pretty good tire for the price. In western Canada, we are talking about informally switching to A.R.s as a voluntary spec tire for next year. The only concern I have right now is that there are internet rumors that the tires sell so slowly that you may be buying fairly old stock. This is just hearsay and I don't know how valid it is.