RUSH Auto Works SR-1

[holmberg]

This came across my Facebook feed today:




https://rushautoworks.com/car_post/rush-sr-1


https://www.facebook.com/RushAutoWorks

$28,995, assembled, ready to race. Built in Texas.

145 HP (1 liter Suzuki engine), 850 lbs. Uses Hoosier R25A tires on 7.5x13 and 10x13 wheels.

Electronic paddle shift, limited slip differential.

Side intrusion panels, front and rear crush structures.

More specs in the links above.

Obviously not built to any particular class rules.

There will be a six-weekend race series in conjunction with NASA.

Thoughts?


--Greg

[Jorma]

I saw this at PRI, didn't really have time to look at it closely. Would be a fun track day car if you didn't get punted off by a Nissan GTR.

[Jnovak]

Shocked at the price!

[Jamesbe]

Shocked for sure! Also the weight seems optimistic, no?

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[GAC]

That would be P2 eligible, would it not?


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[Jorma]

It would depend on specs if it is P2 elgible, for example roll bar size, material and thickness. In person it's very small.

[Lotus7]

I saw this on FB as well, and my first thought was back to that long Apexspeed thread on the mythical $30k next-gen formula car....

Would be curious to know how many sales their business model assumes at that price.

[E1pix]

Double post, sorry.

[E1pix]

Cool, but think they made a mistake showing it on a kart track. My first thought was "a 125 shifter would crush it at a third the price."

And while I understand their excitement to video it, it should have been done with bodywork on, at a fitting track, and with in-car. The market isn't people watching it go by, Rule 101.

I presume there's no intention to race it... or if there is, Oops, no room for graphics.

Sorry to be negative, but those were my first impressions. Hope potential buyers aren't thinking the same, there are reasons one should still hire professionals if wanting to move product.

[Jamesbe]

Would sell like hotcakes with 2 seats

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[Marty Nygard]

Probably not. Too narrow and too light. Which is a pity since it is at a price point where people might actually buy one to participate with SCCA. Maybe they can get yet another spec line for the car.
M

[holmberg]

Sealed engine, Suzuki-based, Woolich flash, 145 HP, 11,000 RPM limit.

A-arm suspension (upper and lower) front and rear.

Billet aluminum uprights.

Billet aluminum four-pot calipers on 274mm floating discs. Bias adjuster in the cockpit.

Coil-over shocks, two-way adjustable.

Anti-roll bars.

Front tire: Hoosier 43163 bias slick, 20.5x7, 6.75" tread width. 7.5x13 4-bolt wheels from Braid.

Rear tire: Hoosier 43287 bias slick, 22x8, 8.1" tread width. 10x13 wheels from Braid.

REW claims these tires will last a weekend (two races) on such a light car.
(Note: I found these tires at hoosiertirewest.com for $1052 a set. Typically used in FC.)

Frame is 4130 Chromoly. Main structure is 1.5" square tubing, rollbar is 1.75" round tubing.

Has a fiberglass bottom surface and rear diffuser.

Rear wing.

Includes a 2.5 lbs fire system.

Length: 130.9", width: 59", height: 38.9".

They claim "Lap times at MSRH are in the high 1:20s".

[10rmotor]

145 Hp Suzuki? Did they find a ton of original 2001 motors? Or is that reflashed ecu seriously choking Hp?

[TedV]

I hope the guy driving in some of the pictures is huge, tall and sitting on a short person's seat. Helmet looks above the 2" and broomstick to front roll hoop. But then I've seen folks running SCCA events that were too high, so maybe that rule doesnt get enforced all the time??

[holmberg]

$29,000 seems like an incredibly low price for this, ready to race. So how do they make money?

First, apparently, they plan to sell a lot of them. On Facebook they say they've bought enough pre-cut tubing to build 65 cars. They say they have already sold several cars. But they manufacture them in batches of 30, and won't start a production run until they have orders for 30.

But I'm going to guess that the car is a loss leader. Similar to the Predator formula car in Italy ($21,500), there is a special series for it. This was also the model for the Radical in England.

https://rushautoworks.com/raw-racing-series

It's an arrive-and-drive service. You buy the car, but it is prepped by RAW and delivered to the track. They provide a mechanic for every three cars, a driving coach, and a data analyst. $1150 per event, plus $125/month storage. Entry fees and consumables not included. If you don't want to purchase a car, then you can race for $4000 per weekend, everything included.

In 2020 there will be a six-weekend series at tracks in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Utah in conjunction with NASA. The first race is April 3 somewhere in Texas, where they "intend to have 36 cars take the green flag".

The founder is David Hosie. Located outside Houston, TX.

[J Leonard]

Maybe they could lobby SCCA to let it run with spec racers. Restricters on the spec racers.

[holmberg]

[10rmotor]

Maybe they could lobby SCCA to let it run with spec racers. Restricters on the spec racers.

They'll sell a lot of body panels that way!

[holmberg]

[Lotus7]

Steering rack under the drivers knees, and feet well forward of the front axle line .... hmm.

[holmberg]

Probably not. Too narrow and too light. Which is a pity since it is at a price point where people might actually buy one to participate with SCCA. Maybe they can get yet another spec line for the car.
M

Marty, I think you're right. Minimum width in P2 is 63", this car is 59".

Also, a car with a modified 4-cycle 1005cc motorcycle engine must weight at least 1125 lbs. This car with driver would probably be about 1050 lbs.

And of course, not remotely competitive in P2. 145 HP, not much down-force. Even with an unrestricted GSX-R1000, it wouldn't be competitive.

Which is not to say it wouldn't be a fun car to race against other identical cars.


Greg

[holmberg]

Steering rack under the drivers knees, and feet well forward of the front axle line .... hmm.

Indeed. These guys come from a karting background. Makes me wonder what they know about safety, suspension design, chassis stiffness, and aerodynamics.

[holmberg]

145 Hp Suzuki? Did they find a ton of original 2001 motors? Or is that reflashed ecu seriously choking Hp?

I think it's the 11,000 RPM limit that keeps it to 145 HP.

It's a modified, sealed engine that they build in-house based on Suzuki GSX-R1000 parts. I would assume it's based on the current Suzuki product.

[EricP]

Steering rack under the drivers knees, and feet well forward of the front axle line .... hmm.

Wow, I was humming right along until I saw the pics of foot location.

[holmberg]

I hope the guy driving in some of the pictures is huge, tall and sitting on a short person's seat. Helmet looks above the 2" and broomstick to front roll hoop. But then I've seen folks running SCCA events that were too high, so maybe that rule doesnt get enforced all the time??

Here's the video. And a photo.



On Facebook someone had the same question about the rollbar height. Here's the company's response:

6’ 1” in a raised seat with a roll bar that is 1” lower than the production chassis! Chassis can also be ordered with a roll bar that is higher buy any amount you wish!

[Lotus7]

That side-view photo with driver emphasizes the small size. Scaling the photo, even with that inaccuracy, gives a wheelbase of 77" !!

Anyone speculate on the 'advantage' of designing an 80% scale car?

[E1pix]

Building one's own monopoly, IMO.

Ya Know, if enthusiasts wanting to create new wealth in racing would simply follow existing frameworks, this sport of ours would kick some major butt.

Instead, it seems everyone's bound and determined to get rich by becoming "the new rage," and convoluting it to failed infamy instead. At some point, it will prove fatal to racing itself.

It took Champ Car and IRL well over a decade to figure that out, and look what was lost -- way before any gains were realized.

Ta-mayto, Ta-mahto. Godspeed, Speed.

[10rmotor]

I think it's the 11,000 RPM limit that keeps it to 145 HP.

It's a modified, sealed engine that they build in-house based on Suzuki GSX-R1000 parts. I would assume it's based on the current Suzuki product.

No. That's what the original fuel injected 01 GSXR made. Later versions had plenty more Hp under 11K then their claimed 145.

If they're supplying and modifying the motors too I really don't see how they will make money selling at that price.

The side rollbars on the bare chassis are straight, and the ones in the picture on the track are curved. Not the best for structural rigidity.

[BeerBudgetRacing]

So why is NASA getting involved with thîs when they have the NP01 to revive ?
Obviously the price points are different, but....

[Lotus7]

So why is NASA getting involved with thîs when they have the NP01 to revive ?
Obviously the price points are different, but....

Define "involved";
perhaps NASA simply said "sure, you can run that in group xx", like they do with almost anything that isn't open wheel.

[BeerBudgetRacing]

Define "involved";
perhaps NASA simply said "sure, you can run that in group xx", like they do with almost anything that isn't open wheel.

Involved = giving them track time and taking it away from their other members/classes/groups.
Or does NASA have some secret with unlimited time and classes that SCCA hasn't figured out?
Isn't time the most valuable resource?

[holmberg]

Define "involved";
perhaps NASA simply said "sure, you can run that in group xx", like they do with almost anything that isn't open wheel.

Yeah, I don't think it involves any effort or costs for the NASA Texas region. The car can run in class ST1 (lb/HP > 6) or ST2 (lb/HP > 8) (rules). I don't think the cars will get their own session or even scoring. It's probably just scored by REW from the ST2 time-sheet. I'm sure NASA's just happy to have more cars in ST2.

Here's the NASA press release (2019 8 20):

RUSH Auto Works of Houston, Texas, has launched production of its new RUSH SR-1 Spec racecar. The RUSH SR-1 has been developed as a low-cost- to-own-and-operate spec racecar that delivers high performance. At a base price of $28,995 for a complete car, the SR-1 is designed to open up high-performance motorsport to a larger market segment of customers.

The company also has released its plan for an inaugural RAW Race Series for the car, which will be launching in 2020. The RAW Race Series shall be run by NASA Texas and will launch as a regional series. Plans call for expansion of the series in the following years. The inaugural RAW race series will include five double-header events, and the Championship will be open to single driver and two-driver teams where two drivers can share the costs of a single car.

The RUSH SR-1, is a single-seat full-body design using a 1,000 cc 145-horsepower engine in an 850-pound package. A close-ratio, six-speed sequential gear box with electronic paddle shift, three final drive ratios and an adjustable-plate-style limited-slip differential help get that power to the ground. The power-to-weight ratio of the car comes in at the equivalent of 375 hp/ton, delivering near supercar performance! This puts the car in a territory of other spec racecars that in many cases can cost five to 10 times the price of the SR-1.

David Hosie, company founder and principal engineer has said that the prototype has completed more than six months of testing and chassis development, and the first production run of cars has now been launched. This first production run is already more than 50 percent committed to confirmed customers and should be completed before the end of 2019. The series will launch during the second quarter of 2020, and the company is excited to see the field of RUSH SR-1’s race for the first time. The company is expecting to field more than 20 cars that first event. In addition to the attractive price point, the company is offering a $3,000 rebate on the car for owners competing in a 10-race championship series.

[Lotus7]

Involved = giving them track time and taking it away from their other members/classes/groups.
Or does NASA have some secret with unlimited time and classes that SCCA hasn't figured out?
Isn't time the most valuable resource?

I've only been to a few NASA events, so limited experience, but never seemed like we didn't get our money's worth, especially relative to SCCA mixed-formula track time; have you felt short-changed for track time when you've been with NASA?

[ChristopherBernard]

It's roll structure doesn't meet SCCA rules as it's displayed and probably doesn't meet the requirements for the drivers feet.
That being said I guess if they provide engineering data....

[holmberg]

It's roll structure doesn't meet SCCA rules as it's displayed and probably doesn't meet the requirements for the drivers feet.

The unprotected fuel cells worry me too.

[holmberg]

No. That's what the original fuel injected 01 GSXR made. Later versions had plenty more Hp under 11K then their claimed 145.

Curiously, Google photo search identifies the engine photo above as "kawasaki z1000 engine 2016". This is Kawasaki's touring engine, and it is spec'd to be 140 HP at 10,000 RPM.

I'm not sure why they said they're using a Suzuki.

[10rmotor]

Curiously, Google photo search identifies the engine photo above as "kawasaki z1000 engine 2016". This is Kawasaki's touring engine, and it is spec'd to be 140 HP at 10,000 RPM.

I'm not sure why they said they're using a Suzuki.

I believe you're right about the motor in the picture being a kawi. But the motor in the car is a suzi for sure.

[Daryl DeArman]

145 Hp Suzuki? Did they find a ton of original 2001 motors? Or is that reflashed ecu seriously choking Hp?

I'm betting it is a GSX-S engine, not the R.

[Daryl DeArman]

They didn't build the car to race with SCCA so all the concerns about X, Y and Z don't matter.

Will it be the next Legend car, the next Radical, or Ariel Atom? Who knows, time will tell. The NP car has gone through a few changes, it's not an inexpensive car to purchase and operate by most folks' definition. NASA probably realized they need an "entry-level NP01" type car that will attract folks out of karts.

As to the cost. I don't feel like it must be a loss-leader. There's not a whole lot there and Houston area certainly is close proximity to inexpensive labor force.

[Lotus7]

They didn't build the car to race with SCCA so all the concerns about X, Y and Z don't matter.

If you crash it hard, it might matter ...