Thread: Electrathon - A Different Kind of "Hotrod"

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I have been negligent in my reporting, but the Electrathon season has started off pretty good. I finished my new car just in time for the first race of the season. This new car differs slightly from the previous cars in that it is 2 inches taller. It uses the same wheelbase and width dimensions, but from front to rear, all the vertical dimensions are 2 inches bigger. (see pic below) What this does is (1) make the car easier for me to get in & out of and (2) makes the car easier for me to drive for the full hour of an Electrathon race. (Remember - I'm the oldest driver in the state; comfort is important) My "shakedown run" consisted of a quick drive up the street beside my house the day before I loaded up to go racing. My speedometer and amp meter/ shunt hadn't arrived yet, but I've been doing this long enough I can "feel" what the car is doing... hopefully.

First event of the season was at Hillsborough Community College (near Tampa) on September 17th. My son started the first race mid-pack in the #13 car (10 cars starting) and, since I was driving a brand new unproven machine, I volunteered to start last. At the end of the first race my son had completed 101 laps and I had completed 99. For the second race of the day, my son started mid-pack again and I started outside front row. My son's #13 car fried its controller about halfway into the second race. I completed another 99 laps; pretty consistent for running with no gauges.

At the final tally, the first 4 cars had all completed 198 laps for the day. I was second across the finish line, 5 seconds behind the winner. The 3rd place car was 3 seconds behind me!

I missed the October race because I was out of state for a reunion. Yesterday (November 5th), however, I went to Plant City, Florida to race. My son was unavailable for this race, so I only took the #94 car. Both races went without a hitch, the car performed perfectly again and I was still running strong at the end of both races. Tiger Racing (Rodney Schreck) won with 195 laps, Electrocutioners suffered their first defeat in almost two years with 194 laps, and I finished 3rd with 191 laps. I am really happy with the performance of the new car so far.

I like the electrics Jim, but now if you'd take the engine out of that scooter parked in the background and install it in the new car......

It would definitely be faster, Dave, but I think the other competitors might get suspicious of the Harley rumble coming from my car...

Originally Posted by J. Robinson

It would definitely be faster, Dave, but I think the other competitors might get suspicious of the Harley rumble coming from my car...

hmmmm.... Some Maremont mufflers maybe????

Now your talking scary speed for that little car with a 100 inch Harley motor! heck a harbor freight 6.5 horse would do.

I find this whole thing "shocking".

All good suggestions, guys, but I think I'll leave it as is. It would be a thrill to drive the little thing with that kind of power, though...

FYI - The car weighs 183 pounds with batteries on board. The Briggs Etek motor puts out 3.5 hp continuous at 1728 rpm (24 volts DC), but is capable of 8.5 hp under load. The acceleration of these things is surprising! Not exactly "shocking", maybe, but driving in a group of 12 to 15 cars can be "electrifying".

Originally Posted by J. Robinson

All good suggestions, guys, but I think I'll leave it as is. It would be a thrill to drive the little thing with that kind of power, though...

I suppose the new Yamaha 1,000 cc four stroke with a turbo is out of the question, too?????

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

I suppose the new Yamaha 1,000 cc four stroke with a turbo is out of the question, too?????

I guess so. Even if I could get away with it, it's way beyond my fixed income pocketbook... Sure would be fun to see the look on some faces when they hear that turbo spooling up, though!

Sure sounds like your new car is working super,great to hear that.
We are only about two days from having my son's T-bucket running now that the paint work is done and reassm.
Did Rodny run my old zappy car or his tiger?

We ran our December event at Middleton High School in Tampa last Saturday (12-3). Once again, my son was unable to attend, so I got an old friend and former stock car rival, Ralph Foss, to drive the 13 car for me. Well, a racer is a racer no matter what kind of wheels they're driving... Ralph won our class and also was 1st overall! I finished 3rd.

The last ten minutes of the second race was a three-way, tooth and nail battle between Ralph, myself, and another car. The matter was finally settled on the last turn of the last two laps. With one lap to go, Ralph was able to out-accellerate us off that last turn (it was slightly uphill) and pull away. Then, on the last lap, the car that ultimately finished second was able to take away my desired approach to that last turn, I lost momentum and he out-accellerated me. It was one of the best, closest, and most fun races in a long time.

Wish I could of seen it, sounds like you had a blast.

Yeah, it was a good time. You can see some of the highlights here: Electrathon Racing Middleton High 12.03.2011.wmv - YouTube The red, white, and blue stars & stripes car was the one Ralph and I had the three-way battle with. Unfortunately, our big battle at the end was not captured on video.

After results from both races were combined, Ralph was first, Rodney Schreck was second, and I was third. Stars & stripes was fourth. The nearest high school team was 17 laps down in 5th. Pretty funny all us old farts ran away with the races; showed those young "whippersnappers" how it's done!

Congrats Jim! Old age and treachery will overcome youth and exuberance....