2021 FRP Schedule

[Bob Wright]

2021 Formula Race Promotions Schedule
April 1-3 Carolina Motorsport Park
April 30-May 2 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - Tentative
May 21-23 Barber Motorsports Park
June 18-20 Pittsburgh International Race Complex
July 30-Aug 1 Road America
August 20-22 Summit Point Motorsports Park
September 10-12 Autobahn Country Club
October 15-17 Pittsburg International Race Complex

[Mike B]

Nice to see more western dates!

[BeerBudgetRacing]

Nice to see more western dates!

Western? About 60% of the county is West of the most western venue listed.

By that measure the Mississippi is the western border.

[Peter Olivola]

Western? About 60% of the county is West of the most western venue listed.

By that measure the Mississippi is the western border.

As my ex-wife used to say, you have the gift of the bleeding obvious.

[Mike B]

Western? About 60% of the county is West of the most western venue listed.

By that measure the Mississippi is the western border.

"western" being a relative term in this case.

[EricP]

When will MidOhio be set? This is a change, right? I was looking forward to July 4th at MidOhio..,

[Bob Wright]

Its listed as tentative until the owners of Mid Ohio certify the overall MO schedule- we go though this every year. Our date change is because Indycar took our traditional July date because of the Olympics and TV. Its called dominos.

[EricP]

Its listed as tentative until the owners of Mid Ohio certify the overall MO schedule- we go though this every year. Our date change is because Indycar took our traditional July date because of the Olympics and TV. Its called dominos.

10-4. I kinda figured...having been part of a car club that has similarly been pushed around there...
THX

[Steve Davis]

Also interesting that Road Atlanta is NOT on the schedule....

[DaveW]

Also interesting that Road Atlanta is NOT on the schedule....

Speaking of Road Atlanta -

Had an interesting experience with the van (1974 Chevy G30) on the way home from Road Atlanta Nov 1 - brake pedal suddenly went almost to the floor and the large, bright brake warning light came on. Luckily we got stopped OK, and the brake pedal pumped back up and felt normal. Brake fluid level looked OK, too. Brakes worked fine the rest of the way home with the trailer on the back even though the light stayed on. When we got home and detached the trailer, the rear brakes immediately started locking up on the gravel driveway and the fronts appeared to be not working. So the fact that the rear brakes are so large (1-ton axle and huge drums) saved our butts. I haven't had the time to diagnose further yet - too much other stuff going on. Probably a line leak - almost all the brake stuff, except for master cylinder and rear wheel cylinders, is as old as the van - 46 years. There is almost no rust anywhere, so it's likely one of the rubber lines.

Have I mentioned that in anything that matters, I am VERY lucky?

I posted a new thread on this in the Trailering and Towing section...

[Lotus7]

Also interesting that Road Atlanta is NOT on the schedule....

IIRC, a few years ago Atlanta dropped off the schedule;
there was much wailing, so it was reinstated the next season, and was subsequently one of the lowest turnouts ...
... at a criminally expensive track to rent.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that's the gist of it.

[Steve Davis]

Didn't they race there just a couple of weeks ago?

[Bob Wright]

yup...."at a criminally expensive track to rent" with mediocre turnout. I still love the track, but...

[DaveW]

yup...."at a criminally expensive track to rent" with mediocre turnout. I still love the track, but...

It's a shame, IMO, since I love racing at Road Atlanta (and at Watkins Glen), but FRP has got to at least break even to stay viable and provide us with a great series to race in. So I get it.

[Robins Ken]

Speaking of Road Atlanta -

Had an interesting experience with the van (1974 Chevy G30) on the way home from Road Atlanta Nov 1 - brake pedal suddenly went almost to the floor and the large, bright brake warning light came on. Luckily we got stopped OK, and the brake pedal pumped back up and felt normal. Brake fluid level looked OK, too. Brakes worked fine the rest of the way home with the trailer on the back even though the light stayed on. When we got home and detached the trailer, the rear brakes immediately started locking up on the gravel driveway and the fronts appeared to be not working. So the fact that the rear brakes are so large (1-ton axle and huge drums) saved our butts. I haven't had the time to diagnose further yet - too much other stuff going on. Probably a line leak - almost all the brake stuff, except for master cylinder and rear wheel cylinders, is as old as the van - 46 years. There is almost no rust anywhere, so it's likely one of the rubber lines.

Have I mentioned that in anything that matters, I am VERY lucky?

Dave, I have owned 96 and 97 GM 3500 duallies. BOTH blew hard brake lines while stationary. One reversing onto the 'pin' the other when running the truck with the rear raised wheels off the ground searching for a possible bent rim. Different locations on the truck but both at plastic clips to the frame.

Scared the **** out of me thinking about what if's?

I note you did not have fluid loss which clouds your issue. I have heard of the pig tail section below the master letting go gradually.

The 97 now has copper nickel lines front to back.

KR

[Joefisherff]

On my 1999 Ford F250 the lines rusted through after 6 years and in their infinite wisdom they decided to go with a single reservoir for brakes versus the old design where front and back brakes had distinct reservoirs. Fortunately when I lost all brakes I was able to swerve into berm versus smashing a family in a mini van. I ran all stainless lines front and rear. Someone please tell me the rationale for the change in master cylinders and how that got by the safety gods.

[DaveW]

When I get the van on stands and wheels off to do my annual maintenance (rotate tires, grease 22 fittings, lube the leaf springs, change oil, oil filter, AF, etc.), I'm sure I'll be able to spot the failure cause. I'm guessing one of the front rubber brake lines gave up the ghost after 46 years - the fluid was down in one reservoir section slightly from totally full, but if I hadn't had the issue I would have thought nothing of it. We had done several very sharp turns (lock to lock in both directions) in the motel parking lot just before and the extreme flexing in a cold morning was likely the last straw.

[EACIII]

Had a motorhome about same vintage as your van. P30 chassis which is similar to GM 3500 stuff. Well had strange brake issue and turned out to be one of the front rubber line. Nothing you could see from the outside. But was failing inside and would restrict flow. Could explain you failure. You pushed down on the brake and fluid went to front brake but was restricted from returning due to internal failure. You were able to pump up as pressure from the pedal is more then the return pressure.

Just a thought

Ed

[Steve Demeter]

Have had the same internal blockage on GM flex lines 3 times on two different vehicles.

Tough to figure out until you try to bleed the side that is not getting any brakes and no matter what you do no fluid will come out.

Researching it found out that it is not all that uncommon on GM vehicles.

[DaveW]

Does sound like a line failure might be the cause - whether it is a blockage, or one sprung a leak, we'll find out when I get it in the air and I look more intensely for issues.

[DaveW]

Had a motorhome about same vintage as your van. P30 chassis which is similar to GM 3500 stuff. Well had strange brake issue and turned out to be one of the front rubber line. Nothing you could see from the outside. But was failing inside and would restrict flow. Could explain you failure. You pushed down on the brake and fluid went to front brake but was restricted from returning due to internal failure. You were able to pump up as pressure from the pedal is more then the return pressure.

Just a thought

Ed

Have had the same internal blockage on GM flex lines 3 times on two different vehicles.

Tough to figure out until you try to bleed the side that is not getting any brakes and no matter what you do no fluid will come out.

Researching it found out that it is not all that uncommon on GM vehicles.

What may go against this diagnosis is that the brakes never pulled to one side during brake application or driving w/o brake application. So something, IMO, let a small volume of fluid out of the front system w/o restriction. If that is the case, something sprung a leak - line, caliper, etc.

[lapsturbo7]

Dave,
I would suspect your master cyl is going bad. The missing fluid is probably in or around the booster and/or the seals are failing.
David

[DaveW]

Dave,
I would suspect your master cyl is going bad. The missing fluid is probably in or around the booster and/or the seals are failing.
David

That's a possibility, but multiple brake applications (VA to home - Bath, OH) after the initial incident did not result in another low pedal or more (any) fluid loss. So I will investigate every possibility until I find the culprit. Haven't had time yet to diagnose.

[DaveW]

Thanks to everyone who responded on my van's brake issue - I think those of you who thought the master cylinder had malfunctioned may have been correct, but...

The latest thinking is that it was the delay/proportioning/brake -failure-signal valve that caused the issue. The question remains, though - WHY did that give the initial VERY low pedal ?

I started a new thread in the Trailering and Towing section and I will post further updates there. Link to that thread:

https://www.apexspeed.com/forums/sho...G30-van-update