Baby Grands at Rockingham this weekend.

[TeamRogers69]

As I understand it the baby grands with be carrying out a few demo laps this weekend at Rockingham, which personally, I am pleased to see.

Does anyone know what the situation is as far as their long term aim for the oval is? I don't know if Alan (Currall) is lurking about with a answer.

I think that the baby grands would be a great feeder formula for the pickups and stock cars.

Good luck with the demo.

[Tiesse]

Unfortunately we have to be ready at the car park to go for the parade laps at 11:50 & I think the schedule is a bit tight to see them & get ready at the car by then!

Hope they do become a regular feature though, they look fun!

[FlagmasterUK]

Sorry that we couldnt put a bit more of a show on for you all as apart from it being very wet and all bar two of the cars were on slicks ( the first two across the line were on slicks.!!) we only got 5 mins of track time instead of the 10 scheduled. I was a last minute stand in driver for the For Sale car (#25) as our #16 ( Smiffyman pic attached) had an unfortunate accident at our last meeting. We also had the Cobras out with us so we couldnt really push as hard as we did the last time we demo'd them at The Rock. If enough people ask the powers that be, hopefully we will be invited back for a more convincing run.!!

Trevor

[TeamRogers69]

Thanks Trevor

Obviously the plan is to get races at Rockingham, but what is the problem with doing this?

I personally spoke to several people over the weekend and we would love to see the baby grands at Rockingham as it would be another oval formula but more accessible cost wise for many.

Who needs convincing and what are they after?

[Abo]

Who needs convincing and what are they after?

A reverse gear IIRC

[Larsen]

Just out of curiousity, but how much would it cost to buy and run one of those cars?

[deadsquirrel]

Who needs convincing and what are they after?

I think grid size is another concern - <10 (small) cars.

[JDPower]

I think grid size is another concern - <10 (small) cars.
Indeed, dunno how many they have but I was looking at the website last night and the drivers section has a whole TWO drivers listed. I assume the website is just unfinished though as half the links led to empty pages (was curious to see if they still hired cars for single meetings for a couple of hundred quid but the info's not there).

[Tiesse]

Just out of curiousity, but how much would it cost to buy and run one of those cars?

I must admit, that thought did occur to me as well.

I also thought the number 95 Lightning McQueen car was a touch of marketing genius. The boys loved it.

[Abo]

I must admit, that thought did occur to me as well.


I seem to remember the figure of six grand being mentioned somewhere, but I could be wrong.

[LessThanSte]

According to a site i was looking at, a race ready car goes for $23 thousand, or a rolling chassis for $14. I guess a used car would therefore set you back about 5 or 6 grand, depending on history!

[FlagmasterUK]

Hi guys, soory for the late response, Ive just been rebuilding our car ready for Gt Yarmouth.!
Yes the website has undergone a revamp and is unfinished.
Yes we would love more Rock 'runs' but as you say numbers are the problem. We have been scratching our heads over this for a while now. Everybody loves them, they are cheap to run (less than a tenner for fuel for a 3 race event over 15-20laps) tyres are £25 (we are still running the tyres from this time last year.!) cost between 6-7k for a season or two old car (they look after them well in the states) and take a matter of weeks to get them here. Engines are sealed, we are running one straight out of a bike and won the season long championship last year with it as well as various demos.
So why people wont take them up we dont really know.

If anyone has a solution then give Alan Currall a ring, he would be more than happy to listen.

Thanks for taking time to comment, its appreciated.

As for reverse gear....dont spin em out.!

[LessThanSte]

Flagmaster, do you know of any hire drives available with them?

Ive long thought about doing some legend racing, ive heard figures of less than £300 for a days racing

[LessThanSte]

Flagmaster, do you know of any hire drives available with them?

Ive long thought about doing some legend racing, ive heard figures of less than £300 for a days racing

[deadsquirrel]

Flagmaster, do you know of any hire drives available with them?

Ive long thought about doing some legend racing, ive heard figures of less than £300 for a days racing

That'll be PLUS your damage costs - think about having to replace the car/parts after an accident, which might not even be your fault. £1000 deposit I think was being asked for; I was interested too up to that point.

[TeamRogers69]

HI Trevor

Is it a matter of the baby grands will be given races at Rockingham if they guarantee so many car numbers and if so, what sort of car numbers would be required as a minimum?

I see it very much as a 'chicken and egg scenario!'. If Rockingham was a regular venue for the baby grands then many more people would commit due to the low running costs, however, unless more cars commit to the whole series, they won't get a race meeting at Rockingham!

[BabyGrands-EU]

Hello again,
Thanks for you kind comments and support tell THEM you want to see them. WE HAVE THEM YOU WANT TO SEE THEM.

Rockingham:
I would be surprised if any body saw the BabyGrands on track at the Rock over the weekend. Trevor was quite rightly reserved in his comments about what happened so I shall take a leaf out of his book and not spout on about it. (Also see bottom).

Website:
First of all as Trevor has already said, our website is undergoing a huge transformation basically so that we can update it sooner and easier with race reports and pictures etc, I know it doesn’t look like it at the moment but rest assured it will have everything you need to know and more. If there is something you need to know e-mail me direct and I'll try to answer your questions: [email:1o80d1uz]alan@currallmotorsport.com[/email:1o80d1uz]

Renting:
We stopped race renting cars after an experience with the infamous Skid Carrera nicknamed Skid “Cortina” after his outing with us at Arena Essex (by the way he still owes me £1k for £2k worth of damage he caused (on his own) to my car which has never been out since two seasons ago).

Testing:
We do offer £85 tests on a “follow the leader” type deal, basically one of our experienced drivers will set the pace and you follow them round, simple, You do this for about 3 sessions of 8 – 10 laps then you can walk away, buy one, or do it again another time. All we ask is that you come with your own kit. Although we do have a number of event s this year timing is the restraining factor.

Number of cars:
(I never lie) We currently have 11 cars in the country, 10 that can race (mine is the eleventh one soon to be out and for sale) and as Trevor said we can’t understand why these cars haven’t taken off, so if you think you have a reason let me know better still tell me how to sell them, there are a number of drivers who would sell there cars so as to get numbers up as they would buy another in from the U.S.

Rockingham:
Reasons why the BabyGrands are not on as a regular feeder formula:
Making no bones about it we all know we want 50 + cars realistically.

Reverse gear yes this is one, the Americans say if you spin or need a reverse your race is over! We can retro fit the box the Legends have.
Wipers are another although when the ASCAR, SCSA, MAC Tools V8’s first came out they were required to fit wipers however, this I see is now not the case, as they don’t race in the rain.

Basically the MSA are the governing body for the Rock the BRSCC are the club. We have approached both the BRSCC & BARC for race events not just at the Rock but also for regular circuit events but I’ll get back to that. We even had a BabyGrand take part in a hill climb and sprint event (MSA) I don’t know in what class if any.

We are, making in roads on all this MSA stuff but there are hoops and red tape to deal with. We do have an outing on the 1mile oval at Mallory later in the year where we have been limited to six cars; I think we can manage that ha, ha.

I have run a proposal verbally past the BRSCC about a short oval promoter taking over the track for our race during an BRSCC event then handing it back to them for their remaining events, this would get out of the MSA stuff short term until the BabyGrands were approved, this was an idea gleamed from how Lydden Hill is run when we go there. Put it this way, it wasn’t point blank refused and they said it was certainly an idea in principal that may work, so this is another line of attack.

Back to.... The BARC did offer us a series some time ago but we needed 12 cars, this is still somewhat the case.

Does anybody know the chassis spec of a Legend typically wall thickness of roll cage tubing ?

“Bang for ya buck” there ain’t nothin out there for the money that comes close to the BabyGrands.

We can get or have got cars from £5,500 - £14k + what’s your budget?

[FlagmasterUK]

What I didnt say was Thanks to everyone who came up to us on Sunday( Including the photos with 'Lightning') and to everyone at Rockingham (marshals etc) who were as always polite, helpful and enthusiastic.!

Trevor

[Nick Brad]

Does Colin White still race one of these pocket rockets?

I was hoping to see the Baby Grands in action at Skegness a few weeks back, but I phoned on the morning and decided not to attend having been told that you guys weren't racing.

Originally these were being quoted as 18k for a new turn key model, is that still the case? I am genuinly interested in starting up in these next year if I can find the funds. How much does a season cost nowadays excluding damage?

[BabyGrands-EU]

Nick,
Skegg was a rain and car count issue, (cars not ready).
No Colin doesn't run one any more that mantal was handed over to team Foskett (Malcolm)
Prices:
New $13,995 Roller $22,990 Complete
basically this is:
£13,995 roller and £22,990 complete
after shipping duty and vat are added.
Like I said we have cars at £5,500 +

Running cost: Trevor quoted £5 or £10 fuel per event = three races 10 - 20 laps.
The biggest expense is getting to the event.
License £80 pa
entry either free or typically £10
Replacement parts:
Shocks £85 ea
Wheels £50 ea
Tires £35 (not £25 as Trev quoted) they last at least season apart from damage
replacment engines £200 + on ebay

Alan.

[Abo]

I have run a proposal verbally past the BRSCC about a short oval promoter taking over the track for our race during an BRSCC event then handing it back to them for their remaining events, this would get out of the MSA stuff short term until the BabyGrands were approved, this was an idea gleamed from how Lydden Hill is run when we go there. Put it this way, it wasn’t point blank refused and they said it was certainly an idea in principal that may work, so this is another line of attack.

Any chance of blagging your way into Motorfest 2007?

[BabyGrands-EU]

If you mean the Ovalfest, I can understand the benefit of being there but as for the track layout we tried this sort of thing before and it was tight then. But I'm not one to give up a chance for promotion of the BabyGrands.
If Incarace have anything to do with it we possibly are not able to do it...........

[Abo]

If you mean the Ovalfest, I can understand the benefit of being there but as for the track layout we tried this sort of thing before and it was tight then. But I'm not one to give up a chance for promotion of the BabyGrands.
If Incarace have anything to do with it we possibly are not able to do it...........

Motorfest now:

http://www.motorfest.co.uk

They're talking about different 'arenas' for the various types of racing, rallying etc. but no mention of whether they're making the dog-bone again this year or whether it's something else.

[racing59]

Do I assume that you'd be racing on the big oval with these Baby Grands?

If that's the case, it comes back to one of my previous queries - if these can do the oval, with their 1250cc Yam engines - the same running gear as a Leg-end (just about), then so can the Legends.

I'm not wishing to pour cold water on the idea of these cars, the opposite in fact, I WANT to see more championships able to run on the big oval. Especially the Legends!!

Rob.

[Larsen]

Sounds interesting. You could possibly have the ladder system of Baby Grands - Legends - Pickups - SCSA

£5-6000 to buy a Baby Grand and its also cheap to run. Sounds tempting :)

[Chigley]

Question?


If that's the case, it comes back to one of my previous queries - if these can do the oval, with their 1250cc Yam engines - the same running gear as a Leg-end (just about), then so can the Legends.


Are these strong enough to withstand a handshake with the wall? Have they been crash tested to oval standards?

[Tiesse]

Question?



Are these strong enough to withstand a handshake with the wall? Have they been crash tested to oval standards?

Are you volunteering?

[FlagmasterUK]

I think Alan has answered pretty much all the questions raised so far, so I will leave that alone. As far as playing with the wall goes...

Strangely enough the same questions were raised when we last ran the Oval.
The manufacturers of the cars stated that upto around 120mph the driver would be ok.Over that they couldnt guarantee it as it was over the speeds that they run in the states. Bearing in mind the stringent rules, regs and lawsuits in the States, I would say they are pretty capable of taking a fair lick. Our #16 took a BIG head on the other week, Malc got out with a dislocated finger or two where the other car hit the steering. The car needs a front clip (front section) and a rear clip (where it was pushed into the fencing). The main chassis is fine. The car that hit us was out at Rockingham..(#30)
Another car slammed into the wall side on at Warneton recently, it broke a half shaft and bent the steering.
The chassis that Skid crunched a while back was repaired and is back out on track shortly.
The build quality of the chassis is superb.

I got in a car I hadnt raced before at the weekend and ran the track at 5 minutes notice without a doubt in my mind that I would be safe (and in the wet on slicks.) ( I did run the raceway two years ago to be fair)

Dont take our word for it , buy one and see for yourselves.!!

The formula is no real threat to any other. If a driver has to choose what formula to race its because of personal gut feelings as much as cost. If they fancy a Legend they will buy a Legend.If they have the backing they will buy a V8 or a PUT. You could run a BG all up for less than the season cost of parking in the V8 marquee.!! Unless you crash BIG time of course...but thats racin...

Unless people take the plunge and build up a following no formula will take off.. The PUT are great. The first race sunday was brilliant ( even if Poulter & Seager were miles in front..it didnt matter) The V8's on their day are a spectacle to watch, but it takes people to commit. John S, Colin W and the other core drivers have put their money where their mouths are and kept the formula alive after the early years glory to try and rebuild a following.
We are back to numbers again.....vicious circle eh..

A couple of years ago it was muted on the forum of the day about each team having a BG in team colours as a warm up to the main races..Brilliant idea but nothing became of it..I know its down to money and all that, but what a sight it would be....

Sorry to go on but these cars are just so versatile. Plus with the late model body that is available really really stunning to look at..

Have a look at http://www.mmraracing.com

Thanks again for your time

Trevor

[racing59]

If they're limited to 120mph, as that's the max they're "allowed" to run at, then I can't see a problem with running them on the oval.

The idea of a "Team Air Ambulance BG" well..... if someone wants to pay for it.....

[Nick Brad]

Sorry to go on but these cars are just so versatile. Plus with the late model body that is available really really stunning to look at..

Have a look at www.mmraracing.com (http://www.mmraracing.com)

Thanks again for your time

Trevor

Can you please point me more directly towards this Late Model body, I can't seem to find it. Also, are the water cooled engined allowed in the UK, or is it a case of US only atm.

[FlagmasterUK]

Basically the rules laid down by the MMRA apply here, we just 'clarify' the American rules to apply over here (certain specs such as tyres, shocks, safety equipment, fines etc.) If someone wants to go to the expense of water cooling then thats fine, its only really relevent on long races which currently we do not do. We do not suffer with overheating as a rule so we havnt persued it here as yet.

As for the late model body, its a generic shape so you can style it as any manufacturer, there are a couple of pics on the MMRA home page but one in its virgin form is attached from the manufacturers website. We do have the bodystyle here in the UK which I hope to be fitting onto a chassis fairly soon.The bodies are so easy to repair we havnt needed to fit it yet, but we hope to modify it to COT appearance as a prototype which should look pretty indeed.

Trevor

[acorn]

If that's the case, it comes back to one of my previous queries - if these can do the oval, with their 1250cc Yam engines - the same running gear as a Leg-end (just about), then so can the Legends.
Rob.

i think the different rear end is the limiting factor. iirc, legends have a modified toyota axle(bit like an escort) with one side shortened. bg's have a winters quick change rear end which has a greater selection of ratios particularly in the lower numerical value(1.97to4.11for bgs compared to 2.50to4.30 for legends(US)) which allows the greater top speed without overstressing the engine.

not being great at maths i'm not sure what speed they could actually achieve using the lowest numerical set.

ps please don't think i'm trying to teach granny to suck eggs.

[BabyGrands-EU]

Wow where do I start:
Trev's covered most of it, he is worth his weight in gold on here.

Speed: we had a car on a mobile Dyno rolling road that was being demonstrated to us as we were looking to build it into our support truck a little while ago, with what we call "the Rock gears" in the guy (not me) said the cars could possibly do 200mph but the hp couldn't ever get it there. Based on the cars only pushing 7k - 7.5k rpm I would say thats comfortable rpm for not stressing the motors as they could push 10.5k rpm.

I spoke to a couple of Legend guys at the weekend and they said:
1. they wanted our axle,
2. they wanted the bends putting back in to their track layout at the end of the main straight,
3. Why are the BabyGrands not on the circuits.

We need support, people getting involved by buying cars, and shouting at the bods that be that they want to see the BabyGrands at the Rock as a support formula to the PUTs and the MAC Tools V8's.

Alan.

[JDPower]

but we hope to modify it to COT appearance as a prototype which should look pretty indeed.
COT? Pretty? Surely an oxymoron :cheese: