Mid-Michigan SHO - Circle Track Style

[CircleTrackSHO]

My name is Patrick McNamara, I'm the Director of the Community Racing Challenge and I'm also the driver of the #6 Bob Frahm Ford Taurus SHO.

We race on Friday Nights at Spartan Speedway in Lansing, Mi and on Saturday Nights at Springport Motor Speedway in Springport, MI just outside Eaton Rapids.

The Bob Frahm Community Racing Challenge mission statement is : To provide meaningful support to local non-profit organizations in the form of fund raising and team building events which will not only foster new interest in local short track racing, but enhance the relationship between drivers, owners, local businesses and the citizens of our community.

We race in the Pure Stock Class at both tracks. This class of racing puts V-8 RWD cars and V-6 FWD cars on the track at the same time and against each other. The rules severely limit the performance modifications you can "legally" make to the cars and good V-6 run very competitively versus the V-8s.

I joined this forum today because I am new to the SHO. Previously, I was racing a Pontiac Grand Prix. Last night (6/2/007) I ran my first race in a SHO we had purchased from a Wisconsin Short Tracker.

Well let me tell you, WOW!, was I blown away by the performance of this car. I absolutely blown away by my qualifying time (lowered by nearly a second) and the straight away power this car/motor produced.

I uploaded a video of my first SHO race on YouTube.

However... as good as this car is in a straight line, it plows like a dump truck in the corners. I've spent a good part of the morning (last 3 hours) searching the SHOForum for handling tips and most of it is for autocrossers, drag racers and/or street performance tips.

I'm hoping to find some Mid Michigan SHO Experts who will help me dial this baby in so we can get through the corners.

I started a technical discussion on the subject also..
http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=77254

But I thought I'd talk to some locals here.

 

[bigred56k]

thats really cool a buddy of mine runs 4 cylinder enduro races in Marne and Kalamazoo Michigan. I wish that they would do a 6 cylinder than i would be all about getting a SHO and putting it in there.

 

[CircleTrackSHO]

tony... I drove the Turkey Trott last fall at K-Zoo. Crazy fun race.. My eclipse was in the Top 5 till I got caught up in a track blockage.. the tranny didn't survive the hit and it ended the night.

 

[Huntervf]

Welcome to the board!

From your pic it looks like you have a 94-95 gen II there. My first recommendation would be to install a 26mm rear sway bar from the 89-91 model year SHOs. That's a simple bolt-on that will make a pretty significant difference in the handling of the car, and since the 26mm bar was stock on the earlier cars, technically it's not an aftermarket upgrade

Beyond that, a set of eibachs & konis will help, subframe connectors and aluminum subframe bushings will help as well, and you could always go for a quaife TB diff up front. That will REALLY help, but now you're talking some serious bucks and it may be too much modificataion to keep you in the class.

You do know the national SHO convention will be in Kalamazoo this year, yes? Aside from the camradarie, some of the best SHO tuners in the country will be there

 

[CircleTrackSHO]

Your right on the year.. it is a 94.

I'm "all-in" on the rear sway bar, I'll be in the salvage yard this evening.

Tell me more about the convention..

Its an ATX, so no Quaife for me, but I hear there might be an LSD or Phantom Grip which might help ?? Remember, we don't shift during a race.. I run 1st gear only on the 1/4 track and 2nd gear only on the 3/8th.

Question: Sub-Frame connectors will tighten up the front end. Since this is an open differential and since we are turning right only on a banked track... wouldn't making the front end "too tight" result in the left front tire lifting and causing it to spin free ? I was thinking of removing the front sway bar completely, but others think it would be better heavier and with a subframe connector.. what's the argument both ways on this from the resident board experts.

 

[SuperHO]

First and foremost, the words SHO and Phantom Grip don't belong in the same sentence........ever........do a search and you'll find out why.

If I remember correctly, there's no LSD option for the ATX (Automatic transaxle) SHO. However, subframe connectors tighten up the whole car and inhibit the twisting motion commonly found in a car that's older than some of the members on this board. I've not heard of anyone having issues with tightening up the car that much so as to render the open diff useless.

 

[typhoon5000]

wow that video was awesome! nice win, by a nose. I'm surprised at the differences you see on a SHO in circle track. It screams down the straight but then plows in the turns like you said.

The handling upgrades I've done to my car are the intrax lowering springs with Tokico shocks (I'm not sure if they still make those shocks), but it handles much better than stock. I set it up more for daily driving, but it will help. I'm guessing you're already running slicks, but if you have to run street tires, I highly recommend Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3, they're expensive, but they stick like super glue.

I'll have to try and make it out to one of your races some time. that looks like a pretty exciting series to be in.

 

[CircleTrackSHO]

wow that video was awesome! nice win, by a nose. I'm surprised at the differences you see on a SHO in circle track. It screams down the straight but then plows in the turns like you said.

The handling upgrades I've done to my car are the intrax lowering springs with Tokico shocks (I'm not sure if they still make those shocks), but it handles much better than stock. I set it up more for daily driving, but it will help. I'm guessing you're already running slicks, but if you have to run street tires, I highly recommend Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3, they're expensive, but they stick like super glue.

I'll have to try and make it out to one of your races some time. that looks like a pretty exciting series to be in.

Ty.. thanks for the comments on the video.. if you watched the feature race (another video, but listed on my-videos page at youtube) you see that in the 20 lap race, the push just got too bad to manage.

I'd like to run the F1 GS-D3, but they don't come in the sizes I can run.

We are limited to a 60 series or larger tire and most major manufacturers ultra high performance tires come in 30 to 50 series side walls.

Presently, I'm running the Sumitomo HTR200 215/60/15

 

[Huntervf]

Hit up http://www.shoclub.com for more info on this year's convention.

Running an ATX in circle track racing... you're fearless! J/K... the SHO ATX isn't necessarily known for its longevity when driven ******* a regular basis.

 

[SHO2NV]

Presently, I'm running the Sumitomo HTR200 215/60/15

That might have a little something to do with the push. Too bad they limit you to a 60 series tire. I think everyone has all the other options covered so take in some of their advice.

Other then that, this is AWESOME! To see someone out there doing this is too cool. I'll have to see if I can make it up to a race some weekend. I like going to our local track, Angola Motor Speedway, so going up there to see an SHO race would be that much better! Unfortunately the lowest class at our track is a 4cyl. mini stock class.

For any Convention info, check out www.SHOClub.com. And welcome to the Club, you'll have to bring that bad boy to our next meet.........if we ever have one. :type:

 

[Denny]

Bob Frahm is a dealer? At last, after years of seeing the billboard on I-94, I now know who he is!

 

[CircleTrackSHO]

That might have a little something to do with the push. Too bad they limit you to a 60 series tire. I think everyone has all the other options covered so take in some of their advice.

Other then that, this is AWESOME! To see someone out there doing this is too cool. I'll have to see if I can make it up to a race some weekend. I like going to our local track, Angola Motor Speedway, so going up there to see an SHO race would be that much better! Unfortunately the lowest class at our track is a 4cyl. mini stock class.

For any Convention info, check out www.SHOClub.com. And welcome to the Club, you'll have to bring that bad boy to our next meet.........if we ever have one. :type:

The Sumitomos are actually the tire of choice at our track.. they durometer at under 300 and are rated to 51 psi. They have an incredibly stiff sidewall and when I ran 4 cylinders last year, a good set of shaved Sumos were worth .5 a lap. I ran Angola once earlier this year, we got rained out, so I ran down there quick... its just over an hour from my track to Angola. when they started their FWD class... but then the new owner dropped the class. Come on up on a Thursday Night when we practice and I'll let you hot lap her.

 

[SHOracer14]

Freakin' SWEET! I have been thinking of doing the 4 banger class locally at Toledo and Flatrock. If someone even semi-local had a class I could run a SHO in I would be signing right up. What kind of rules do you have? Can you stagger tires? On a SHO with an open diff I highly suggest leaving a small bar on the front and as big as you can find on the back. For circle tracking FWD I have had success stiffening the crap out of the rear and leaving the front end fairly stock (maybe a strut tower brace). Some SFB's would definately help. why not cut a coil or two out of the left springs, run some 225/60/16's on the right, some 215/60/16's on the left, make an H-brace , sfb's, and big bar in the back. I have had good luck with Fuzion HRi's. cheap enough to tear up on the track with extremely solid performance. Oh yeah, I'm sure you've already cut the spot welds from the struts.... give yourself a shitload of camber.

 

[thebigjimsho]

Welcome to the board!

From your pic it looks like you have a 94-95 gen II there. My first recommendation would be to install a 26mm rear sway bar from the 89-91 model year SHOs. That's a simple bolt-on that will make a pretty significant difference in the handling of the car, and since the 26mm bar was stock on the earlier cars, technically it's not an aftermarket upgrade

Beyond that, a set of eibachs & konis will help, subframe connectors and aluminum subframe bushings will help as well, and you could always go for a quaife TB diff up front. That will REALLY help, but now you're talking some serious bucks and it may be too much modificataion to keep you in the class.

You do know the national SHO convention will be in Kalamazoo this year, yes? Aside from the camradarie, some of the best SHO tuners in the country will be there

I thought the 20mm front bar was also a Taurus piece? If you can run this combo, it helps a ton! It really kills the understeer inherent in all SHOs. I actually ran my '92 at Star Speedway in NH in spectator drags on a 1/4 mile oval and it did pretty well. If it had the Quiafe then, I would've won.

I would guess disconnecting the front bar may do you well. Try it!

 

[SHO2NV]

I ran Angola once earlier this year, we got rained out, so I ran down there quick... its just over an hour from my track to Angola. when they started their FWD class... but then the new owner dropped the class. Come on up on a Thursday Night when we practice and I'll let you hot lap her.

Awesome. I'm good friends with the owner and he told me he had to drop the class due to not enough cars showing up. I'd rather see more cars like yours than the 4cyl. RWD mini stock class. I thought about taking our GAGT to the spectator races last weekend but they got rained out. I'm definitely going to have to make it up to your track and check it out! I have been to M-40 once though, speaking of Michigan tracks.

 

[CircleTrackSHO]

Oh yeah, I'm sure you've already cut the spot welds from the struts.... give yourself a shitload of camber.

DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS !!!

And.. Flat Rock is a nice little track, I raced there couple of times last year, but I love the big wide open fast banking of Springport.. come on out and check it out.. I know of an ATX SHO which can be had for about $500 begging to be made into a circle track car.

In my very first post, I included a link to the rules.. you'll find that most of your suggestions which would make the car much faster are prohibited... and also quite obvious. Need a little more sneaky pete in the way we fix this SHO up.

You know.. like a subtle way to grind off some spot welds (begging for instructions)

 

[DDakRT]

And welcome to the Club, you'll have to bring that bad boy to our next meet.........if we ever have one. :type:

Come up to Canada John.

http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=77139

 

[CircleTrackSHO]

Awesome. I'm good friends with the owner and he told me he had to drop the class due to not enough cars showing up. I'd rather see more cars like yours than the 4cyl. RWD mini stock class. I thought about taking our GAGT to the spectator races last weekend but they got rained out. I'm definitely going to have to make it up to your track and check it out! I have been to M-40 once though, speaking of Michigan tracks.

Our track not only has high quality FWD V-6s, but also has a class of just FWD 4-Cylinders. Good ones, not junk ones.

 

[CircleTrackSHO]

Kalamazoo Speedway has added a V-6 class..

 

[CircleTrackSHO]

G.L.S.S. folks.. GLSS member SHORacer14 will be making his first circle track start on Saturday at Springport Motor Speedway.

JH (along with TPC) has been helping me get my SHO back on the track and in complete and total appreciation I've offered up one of my Circle Track rides.

With the tiniest amount of luck (and about another hour of wrenching), the CircleTrackSHO will be back on the track on Saturday Night also.. only a few loose ends need to be buttoned up.

SHORacer14 will be running in the 4-Cylinder class and hot lapping the SHO.

Pit gates open at 2pm, Grandstand gates open at 5pm, Racing starts at 7pm. Please feel free to stop by and say Hi !!