Great Start to the SCCA Racing Season

Matt Brannon - Midwest Bayless

Matt Brannon - Midwest Bayless

Mad.Matt
I wanted to thank everyone for the support and well-wishes we received as we kicked off the 2011 SCCA racing season this month.

We have had a very busy and very successful two weeks, starting and finishing four national races and earning a 3rd, two -2nds, and a 1st place finish. I watched a lot of high-quality cars get tore up over the last couple of weeks at Sebring and Homestead so for us to keep our noses clean at two very high-speed tracks, complete all four races, and roll it onto the trailer was an accomplishment unto itself!

We have high hopes for the 2011 racing season culminating in September with the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Road America in Wisconsin.

For those who have not yet checked it out, race updates, with photos and in-car video are posted on our Midwest-Bayless Facebook page at the following link:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Midwest-Bayless-Italian-Auto/281692337564

Be sure to click "LIKE" on this page so that you are automatically notified of all future events and postings!

Thanks again to all of those who rooted us on. There is much more to follow in the coming months!

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-M
 
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Congratulations Matt and the rest of your team!

This is a GREAT way to start the 2011 season.

What is the spoof with that CV joint that keeps failing?


BTW, 2011 marks the return of the X1/9 to LeMons.

:)
Bernice
 
Congratulations Matt and the rest of your team

This is a GREAT way to start the 2011 season.

What is the spoof with that CV joint that keeps failing?

:thumbsup:
Bernice
 
Axle failures

What made the mechanical issues all the more frustrating is that we ran the same package at Heartland Park for the 08 runoffs with no issues, and then ran a double at Grattan last year, which is an incredibly bumpy and rough track too with no issues. Then these two races where nearly every session ended up with a mechanical issue in the left rear.

At the end of the day, the real problem appeared to be ride height. The car is slammed low and we did not relocate the engine upwards. As a result, the left-side axle is at a severe upward angle, and any full compression appears to tweak the axle and tripod severely enough to cause problems. We broke two 4-Spd trans case boot plates from the DS hitting it up top, three boots, and wiped out 3 tripod bearings over the course of two weeks.

By the end of the weekend at Homestead we had raised the rear ride height over 1.5 inches.

Why this did not surface in its previous track time is a real mystery....:hmm:

-M
 
OUCH!

One more thing to think about. If you're running the 4 speed uprights, those CVs are know to fail when the performance of the car is significantly greater than stock. It would be prudent to change over to the 5 speed outer set up and have some axles made to prevent a failure in the future.... which could cause a DNF and a whole lotta grief.

It's great to hear you're doing well in SCCA so early in the year. Keep at it and be consistent.


Bernice

Matt Brannon-Midwest X19 said:
What made the mechanical issues all the more frustrating is that we ran the same package at Heartland Park for the 08 runoffs with no issues, and then ran a double at Grattan last year, which is an incredibly bumpy and rough track too with no issues. Then these two races where nearly every session ended up with a mechanical issue in the left rear.

At the end of the day, the real problem appeared to be ride height. The car is slammed low and we did not relocate the engine upwards. As a result, the left-side axle is at a severe upward angle, and any full compression appears to tweak the axle and tripod severely enough to cause problems. We broke two 4-Spd trans case boot plates from the DS hitting it up top, three boots, and wiped out 3 tripod bearings over the course of two weeks.

By the end of the weekend at Homestead we had raised the rear ride height over 1.5 inches.

Why this did not surface in its previous track time is a real mystery....:hmm:

-M
Click to expand...
 
4-Spd vs. 5-Spd

In SCCA H-Production, an X19 can be set up in no less than 6 configurations that are legal! At the heart of it all, though, if you run the 1300 engine, you get the least amount of weight but are obligated to run the 4-Spd. If you move to the 1500 you are obligated for the 5-Spd. Yes, I would much rather prefer the 5-Spd any day over the 4-Spd for all of the reasons described above.

We built the car on '08 specifically for the short, twisty track at Heartland Park Topeka and that move paid off, as the handling and acceleration performance off of slow corners was excellent. However, at longer high-speed tracks, its a no-go.

We planned to run these four initial races with the "short-track" configuration, and as soon as the car comes back to the shop, we'll be pulling everything out and moving to the 1500/5-Spd set-up for the remainder of the season, preparing for the nearly 4-mile long Road America course where maximum sustained power, at the expense of slow-speed acceleration, is a must.

-M
 
I'm referring to using the 5 speed rear uprights, stub axles and CV joint with a 4 speed axle and transaxle. It is the 4 speed outer axle CV joints that are the problem when highly stressed.

Is this legal for SCCA with the 1300cc/4 speed configuration.. I'm guessing it should be.

This would also give you an easier swap over to the 1500/5 speed configuration as the rear drive train chassis parts are compatible with both 1300cc/4speed and 1500cc/5speed engine transaxle packages.


Bernice


Matt Brannon-Midwest X19 said:
In SCCA H-Production, an X19 can be set up in no less than 6 configurations that are legal! At the heart of it all, though, if you run the 1300 engine, you get the least amount of weight but are obligated to run the 4-Spd. If you move to the 1500 you are obligated for the 5-Spd. Yes, I would much rather prefer the 5-Spd any day over the 4-Spd for all of the reasons described above.

We built the car on '08 specifically for the short, twisty track at Heartland Park Topeka and that move paid off, as the handling and acceleration performance off of slow corners was excellent. However, at longer high-speed tracks, its a no-go.

We planned to run these four initial races with the "short-track" configuration, and as soon as the car comes back to the shop, we'll be pulling everything out and moving to the 1500/5-Spd set-up for the remainder of the season, preparing for the nearly 4-mile long Road America course where maximum sustained power, at the expense of slow-speed acceleration, is a must.

-M
Click to expand...
 
Rupunzell said:
I'm referring to using the 5 speed rear uprights, stub axles and CV joint with a 4 speed axle and transaxle. It is the 4 speed outer axle CV joints that are the problem when highly stressed.

Is this legal for SCCA with the 1300cc/4 speed configuration.. I'm guessing it should be.

This would also give you an easier swap over to the 1500/5 speed configuration as the rear drive train chassis parts are compatible with both 1300cc/4speed and 1500cc/5speed engine transaxle packages.


Bernice
Click to expand...

MIght be considered part of the transaxle and so has the same limits maybe? My guess but Matt will know for sure.
 
Yes, can be done...

Yes, running 5-Spd outer running gear with the 4-Spd trans is possible and legal, as a matter of fact I have a set of axles for mating a 4-Spd to a 5-Spd driveline, just we went for the full 4-Spd components for as light a weight as possible.

-M
 
Sounds like that is the ticket.. :thumbsup:

No DNFs OK... Sworn on a stack of FIATs...:)


Bernice

Matt Brannon-Midwest X19 said:
Yes, running 5-Spd outer running gear with the 4-Spd trans is possible and legal, as a matter of fact I have a set of axles for mating a 4-Spd to a 5-Spd driveline, just we went for the full 4-Spd components for as light a weight as possible.

-M
Click to expand...
 
Matt, just a question on setup.

How are you running so low in the rear to cause this problem? It seems like your roll center would be way off if you were this low.

Did you relocate the pickup points on the rear of the car?

On my car, when I set the ride height so the center of the rear ball joint is in line with the inboard pickup mount. This gives me roughly only a couple inches of clearance between the floor and the body of the car. I would guess 3 to 4 " total.

Just curious.

Congrats on the successful start! I think you have put the rest of the group on notice!

Eric
 
Last season I was also having axle problem with my X running the 4spd transaxle. the inboard joint was riding on the very edge of its travel because my car was lowered so much and on some bumps if would move enough to pop the joint apart which wasn't good.

I went with a real quick cheap repair that lasted two track days.... don't know how well it will last in long term... nor did I care as I'm going with different drivetrain now. but I took two axle washers and stacked them on the inside of the spine before putting the axle through the hub. I then put the axle nut on with no washer. This gave me enough thread to still saftely fasten the axle nut but also moved the axle that much closer into the inner cv cup.

Like I said.... it worked for what I did..... don't know how long it would hold up however.
 
congratulation's Matt

Wears the other blue car you acquired late last year?

you know this one.when will it be ready to race are you going to campaign it when it done?

racerxsideview.jpg
 
Congrats on the great start Matt.

I hope the rest of the season brings more of th esame. :)
 
Congratulations Matt !

Truly a "Great Start". Four podiums and an intact racer! Well done...

'Looking forward to seeing you & Marnie at Elkhart Lake, if not before.

Best of luck with the season...

Brian, "in da UP"
 
Congratulations with the great results.
The videos are great to watch.
I especially love the sound of the screaming 1300.
 
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