Speed Channel Special - GT400 Team Spotlight

[BarbecuePete]

The Speed Channel is pleased to announce a run of special shows where we go behind the scenes at the teams competing in this years GT400 championship. We'll be getting up close and personal with the drivers as they show us around their teams HQ and let us in on a few secrets of what it takes to compete in this tough endurance championship.

Coming next on Speed, GT400 Team Spotlight, after theese messages...


(Feel free to post up your 'show', hope you like the first one, they came over and visited me and the team at Flame Grilled Motorsports to have a look at our Silk Cut Ferrari GTO) 

[BarbecuePete]

Announcer : Now on Speed, The first in a run of specials as we go behind the scenes at this years GT400 championship and talk to the teams to see what it takes to compete in this tough competition. Here’s your host Calvin Fish….



CF : Hi folks and welcome to, The GT400 Team Spotlight, here on Speed. This week we’ll be in England at Flame Grilled Motorsports who prepare the number 82 Silk Cut Ferrari. With driver BarbecuePete currently leading the championship by 10 points., they’ve certainly shown they have what it takes to compete this season taking wins in the 12 Hours of Sebring and Pettit LeMans at Road Atlanta as well as a 2nd in the 24 Hours of Nururgring.

I’m here now with driver BarbecuePete who’s going to take us around the facilities and tell us about some of the details that have made the Silk Cut Ferrari the car to beat so far this year, Barbecue.

BP:  Hi Cal, welcome to Flame Grilled Motorsports. We’re here now in the main workshop, where most of the action takes place, over there you can see the guys working hard to strip the car down and prepare it for next weeks race at Suzuka.

CF: The sure are working hard, must be tough to get the car turned around in such a short space of time?

BP: It is tough, but we’ve got a great team here and they really work hard to get the car ready in time. Also as part of our deal with Ferrari to run the car, they supply us with a fresh engine for each race, ready to go, bench tested and broken in at the factory. Its one of the reasons we chose to run this car, it’s a 2.4 litre twin turbo V8 straight from the factory. Even though its technically a stock motor its already highly prepped and amazingly powerful so we don’t have to change anything and risk reliability which is crucial in endurance racing.

If we go through here you can see our rolling road set-up. Here we test each engine on the dyno once its in the car for a shakedown. Also these engines are rated close to the maximum allowed in the GT400 and as they are hand built they can vary slightly in output, last thing we want is to turn up at the track and be disqualified because we’ve got an engine with 401 hp.. haha.

CF: I see you got a car sitting on the dyno, has this one just been fitted out?

BP: Yeah this is one of our test cars that we’ve just prepped ready for our second crew to take over to Silverstone, they’ll be running set-up testing there while me and the main crew our out in Japan for the Suzuka race. Now if we go through this door we’re in the control room for the dyno, this my chief engineer John Sidebottom.

JS: Hi Barbecue, Hi Cal.

CF: Hi John, that looks like a complex piece of kit, can you explain to me and viewers at home what it is we’re looking at here?

JS: Nee problem Cal. What we got ‘ere is t' main control panel for the dyno room, it’s a sealed temperature controlled room so we can run our own extended tests on’t car right ‘ere, course we also use it to test each cars engine to make sure it comes inside t' GT400’s power restrictions. I’m just about t' fire up this car f'test run, if you watch that screen over there you’ll be able to see the results.



CF: Wow, that’s some impressive numbers right there folks, 395hp at 7000rpm and 366lb-ft of torque at just 3800rpm, no wonder this car’s always fastest off the line. I’d say it’s almost certainly the most powerful car in this year’s GT400. Thanks for showing us that John, I know you’re a busy man we’ll let you get on and folks we’ll be back right after these messages.

(Cue messages for Beer, Chips and for some reason feminine hygine products... )


CF: Hi welcome back, we’re back now in the workshop and we’re going to take a look at some of the other parts of this car that help get all those nearly 400 rampaging Italian stallions down on the track. Of course the engine may be stock but that’s all that is, isn’t that right Barbecue?

BP: Yeah we upgraded just about every part of this car to cope with the stresses of racing, first thing we did was use our connections with Ferrari to source the supply of Pirelli racing slicks. We found these to be very strong in endurance racing, they take a little longer to warm up but are strong all the way through a tank of fuel, which allows us more flexibility in pit strategy.

CF: That certainly seemed to be the case at Sebring, those extra laps you ran after Fndr pitted in the RX7 helped your victory there?

BP: It did, I could follow him but couldn’t get past, I knew when I saw him pit I had to put in two good laps to have a chance at getting back out in front of him after my pitstop. It was thanks to the Pirelli’s that I was able to push so far into a stint and get the lap times I needed.

CF: It was impressive to watch for sure, what about some of the other changes you’ve had to make?

BP: Well apart from the engine and the shell, everything else is upgraded, the drive train, everything from the flywheel and clutch to the gearbox and driveshafts have been swapped for lighter, tougher parts. The gearbox is also fully adjustable so we’ve run a 5 speed at most tracks, but we had a 4 speed setup at Laguna Seca and 6 speeds at the Ring.

We’ve also of course upgraded all the suspension components and the brakes, the suspension we’ve gone for has really allowed us to set this car up specifically for each track. We’ve needed it too as even though its quick, the car has proved difficult to set-up at times, Mugello especially was not a good race for us. We also decided to add a front splitter and rear spoiler to the car to make it more stable at high speeds. We decided though not to fit a rear diffuser like you see on some of the other cars because it meant compromises in other areas, which we found in testing, didn’t give us such a strong package. Our aero package really showed its strength at the Ring at the weekend, we knew the BMW would be fast and that the Mazda’s would catch us in the turns so we had to find a good balance. I mean it really showed up in the race, we had a couple of scary moments but we only had very minor damage at the end of the race compared to the rest of the field.

CF: Well that’s what endurance racing is all about, like the saying goes… To finish first, first you have to finish.

BP: Exactly Cal, that’s what we set out to do with the Ferrari this season, so far its gone well with those 2 victories we’ve had but with a 10 point lead and 3 races still to go this is still anybody’s championship.

CF: It sure is, but best of luck to you Barbecue.

BP: Thanks Cal, been good to have you here.

CF: Good to have been here Barbecue. Thanks for showing us around today.

Well that’s all we’ve got time for today folks, we’ll see you again on Sunday for the 7th round of the GT400, we’re in Japan for The Mugen 110 at Suzuka. Sure hope to see y’all there. But we’ll leave you today with a shot of the BarbecuePete testing last week at the Ring, so from me, Barbecue and all the guys here at Flame Grilled Motorsports, have a very good evening, good night all.

[bimmerlovere39]

Announcer : Last week, we took a look inside the workings of Flame Grilled Motorsports.  This week, we have an exclusive look inside of JEi Track Cars.  Here's your host this week, Dorsey Schroeder...

In an E46 M3, camera placed on the dashboard, Top Gear-style...

Dorsey Schroeder: Hi folks.  We're going to be visiting the headquarters of JEi Track Cars on this week's GT400 Team Spotlight.  JEi is currently tied with O2R for second place in the championship, and they've claimed two seconds and a victory at the Nurburgring this year.  But unlike most other teams in this year's championship, JEi is not just a race team, but also a shop that works on street cars.  They develop suspension parts for BMWs and a select other few cars in close cooperation with their suppliers, who also supply the parts that are used on their race cars.

The guys here at JEi kindly lent us the keys to one of their demo cars.  This particular one is a 2004 BMW M3, using JEi's 'Street Sport' Suspension, uprated Pagid Sport brake pads, and a Dinan S2 engine package.  (He floors it, cut to exterior camera, then cut back) I'm here to tell you folks, it works.  The car manages to handle really well on the street, and rides very comfortably.  But how to they do it?  Let's go find out.

Cut to camera in front of JEi showroom, Bimmer standing outside, Dorsey parks right in front of the front door and gets out...

BimmerLover: Enjoy the drive?

DS: You betcha.  That's a nice machine.

BL: Thanks. That's actually one of my favorite street-car setups we offer.  It works really well on the street, and it works plenty well for the occasional track day.

DS: Speaking of track day setups, what does your GT400 car have in common with your road cars?

BL: Come into the showroom and I'll show you!

DS: Well alright then.

They walk into the showroom, with Heidi sitting in the middle of the showroom, repaired after the race at the Ring, sitting shiny and well-waxed in the traditional JEi colors (you'll get a look at this livery tomorrow, folks)

BL: Here she is: Heidi, our GT400 car. (pops the hood) The engine is rebuilt from a fresh block by Dinan, using stock parts, with a few bottom end modifications done to ensure we don't have any oiling issues at high RPM.  The heads are stock BMW items, which we inspect and clean after every race to make sure we don't have any carbon buildup.  Our engine is, for the most part, stock.  We use a Dinan S2 engine package, which includes a high flow intake, larger air mass meter, and larger throttle bodies.  We took some liberties on the other end of the car, running European-specification OE headers, Supersprint section one with metallic catalytic converters, a Supersprint resonator delete, and then we have a Dinan muffler at the rear.  This is good for a few more horses and pound-feet from the 3.2 liter inline six, giving us 367 horsepower.

Inside, you can see there's little relation to the street car.  We've fully gutted the interior save the dashboard which now uses a VDO gauge cluster.  Its pretty much normal racecar stuff here.  Full cage, racing seat, fire suppression, the works.

DS: I notice you don't have any wings on the car.  Why is that?

BL: You're right.  We're running the stock BMW bodywork.  We did an analysis, and we decided to wager on running the lower drag stock bodywork.  Thus far, it has payed off pretty well. 

DS: It certainly goes against the grain nowadays, that's for sure.  What've you done to the suspension, Bimmer?

BL: Well, I could tell you, but if you're willing to wait for a few minutes, I can get her up on the lift and show you.

DS: Sure Bimmer, that sounds great.  We'll be right back folks, with a look at what's underneath JEi's BMW M3 race car.

The rest will get posted soon

[Spiny Anteater]

DS: Tonight we are privileged to be granted an interview with the man behind one of the newer teams in the GT400 and the sponsor for today's race at Silverstone. Live by video link from his Secret Nuclear Bunker, please welcome Hank Scorpio [with apologies to the Simpsons - Spiny]

DS: Good afternoon Mr. Scorpio

HS: Please, call me Hank.

DS: Hank, can you tell us why you decided to invest in Spiny's Slow Tunes, who haven't exactly set the world in the GT400s this season.

HS: Well, myself and Brian Illingworth who runs the team go way back. I figured I owed him a favour since he helped sort out a little government trouble we had a few years ago, and when I found out he was struggling to make all the races in the championship I had to step in and help. I'm pleased to say that things seem to be improving for the team a little.

DS: Indeed, the result at Silverstone marked a maiden win for the team. We'll come to that in a minute, but can you explain why SST are running a 40 year old classic in an open championship? Surely it would make more sense to take a state of the art modern car and work your magic on that.

HS: First, I'd like to say that it's not me who works the magic, it's Brian. Brian has never been one to think inside the box. In fact, when we were younger I remember him inventing the turbo-charged flamethower. (Laughs). It's that tendancy to look for the non-standard solution which was an asset when he used to work for me, now he's his own boss I'm not surprised he's using an unusual car. He told me that the Miura was a better starting point that more modern cars as he could make it really light weight as it could run without all the gizmos that modern cars have. Sure it doesn't have the low end torque, but the low sub 1 ton weight means that it doesn't need as much torque as a heavier car. And, with Brian's tuning skills, it's only outpowered by the GTO of Pete and RX-7 of fndr. Having the engine at the back helps improve the turn-in too, although we do need a lot of downforce to stop that turn-in becoming uncontrollable, and that hurts our top-end speed.

DS: I was told you are more interested in become a world leader and know nothing about cars, yet you seem to know a lot about your team's car. Can I ask what field you are aiming to become world leader in?

HS (holding up a piece of A4 paper): I know nothing about cars, instead I have this handy crib sheet. [Smiles] And no, you can't ask how I'll become world leader until I achive it.

DS: Spiny's Slow Tunes achieved a maiden race win today. Did your coming on board have anything to do with that?

HS: I wish it did, but to be honest the Miura was always threatening to do well at Silverstone. Our driver Spiny threatened to throw it all away though with a pathetic spin early in the race. We knew we had the pace to go faster than the cars in front, but with Pete and fndr we knew we'd be struggling as they are much faster in a straight line. With Open, we were lucky that he had incurred damage earlier in the race and that just allowed us to squeeze past on the start finish straight and our pit strategy allowed us to get past fndr. But with Pete, we had to wait for him to make a small error before we could get past.

DS: The race was marked by controversy as your driver and Pete streaked away for an early restart. Rumours in the paddock suggest that you paid the stewards for the issue to go away. Is there any truth in that rumour?

HS: No. And this interview is now over. [Screen goes blank]

DS: Well, it seems that Hank Scorpio has lived up to his reputation for avoiding the difficult questions. We're still unsure as to the purpose of his rumoured "Project Arcturis", but it seems that his team have certainly build a good car for Silverstone. Goodnight.

[fndrbndr]

Each week, Speed Channel is bringing you an inside look at one of the teams in the GT400 Cup.  This week, we travel to Florida to meet Fndrbndr of Tiny Terror Racing.

Tommy Kendall:  Hi, and welcome to this Speed special.  I'm here in Tallahassee Florida.  On my left, you'll see Doak Campbell Stadium, home of the Florida State Seminoles.  It's with this backdrop that the crew at Tiny Terror Racing makes performance cars for the track.  They also make street cars for the local college kids.  Fndr, nice to meet you.

Fndr:  You too, Brian. 

Tommy Kendall:  Tiny Terror Racing is knowing for its Tiny Terrors, small, low-power cars that make the most of the corners with big tires and light weight.  But today we're here to talk about GT400; you're really going against type here, aren't you?

Fndr:  Well, maybe.  We tested a couple of RX-7's because the rotary engine is a great way to get power without weight.  In that respect, we're playing to our strengths.  When we tested at the different tracks, though, we found a higher power car to be an advantage.  To fit the series rules, we had to go with skinnier tires and some weight. 

TK:  So you didn't strip everything out like most race cars?

Fndr:  No, it's basically a street car.  It's a lot faster and safer, but I could drive it home from the track if I wanted if it were a little quieter.  Anyway, wanna come in and take a look at the process?

TK:  Absolutely.

Fndr:  Allright, this is the suspension shop.  On every race car, we start by installing all-new suspension parts. 

TK:  I'm seeing a theme in those boxes over there.

Fndr:  Yeah, the one on the right is our monument to Mazdaspeed.  We've got about everything they offer either in stock or on the way most of the time.  The stack on the left...well...we go through some brake pads.  You have to with a car this big on slicks.

TK:  Fair enough.  So what's next?

Fndr:  This is the drivetrain area.  We use a custom gearset.  I developed it personally.  That other work bench is where we do the engine work.  This is Ray.  He can rebuild a rotary in no time, which comes in really handy in a weekly series, running a car for which there are no fresh crate motors in existence.

Ray:  Hey, I'm heading to Hardee's for lunch.  Have you seen their new burger?  A pound of beef, nine strips of bacon, four slices of cheese, mayonaise on the bottom, and gravy on the top.  You want one?

Fndr:  No thanks.  Tommy, we have a pool going on which will last longer, our current 20b or Ray's heart.  We may have to stop changing the oil, just to make it fair.

TK:  Nice.  So these are all things you could do for a street car.  What makes it a race car?

Fndr:  That would be the track car division, which you'll find behind these doors.  We start with safety and weight reduction.  We strip out everything unessential.  Then we add a roll cage, fire extinguisher, etc.  After that, we add racing slicks.  Then, we throw her on the trailer and head down to Sebring or over to Daytona for a track day and see how she handles.  If you can get around those tracks in a lightweight, grippy car, and you can keep the gold chain crowd at bay, you've generally got something good.

TK:  True enough.  Well, thanks for having me....best of luck next week in the finale at Daytona!

Fndr:  Thanks, Tommy.