38 replies to this topic

[Terry Hanushek]

The South Jersey Region and New Jersey Motorsports Park announce the seventh running of The Devil in the Dark 12 Hour endurance race on NJMP's Thunderbolt Circuit. The 2016 edition will be held on Saturday, 23 April 2016 and will again run from noon to midnight. There will be an SCCA Test Day on Friday, 22 April for 12 Hour competitors and other closed wheel cars.

This year for the first time, the region is offering a companion event - The Devil during the Day 7 Hour endurance race. The 7 Hour will run concurrent with the 12 Hour, starting at noon and running to 7:00 PM. A limited number of number of entry spaces will be reserved for teams with budget limitations, fewer drivers and/or smaller crews. The 12 Hour rules and procedures will be utilized. There will be separate results and awards for the daytime race.

This race is a continuation of the successful events run in the past six years. The format and rules will be very similar to last year with a no major changes from previous years' events. The open refueling rule is being retained as well as the consolidated endurance classes introduced in 2012. There may be some fine tuning of the endurance classes. If you missed The Devil last year, be sure to put it on your calendar for this year. We are expecting over 50 entries in this year's edition.

The entry package will be posted on the DLB online registration system in a week or so. Registration will open on 1 February 2015.

More participants, more fun in 2016!

SAVE THE DATE

Terry

[Mitch Reading]

IN!  Awesome event, looking forward. 

[Mitch Reading]

Terry, event hasn't opened yet for registration... has it? 

[Terry Hanushek]

.
The preliminary Supplemental Regulations for The Devil in the Dark 2016 have been loaded to DLB .

The rules have remained essentially unchanged from previous years. There are two items to be highlighted in this year's version - the addition of a 7 Hour daylight enduro and adjustments in the endurance classes.

• The Devil during the Day 7 Hour has been added for teams with budget limitations, fewer drivers and/or smaller crews.
• The Endurance Class Table has been adjusted to provide more competition for the bulk of the competitors in the middle classes.

The event is opening slightly later this year due to some administrative turnover in the region. The sanction request has been submitted to SCCA. We expect registration to open next week as soon as the sanction is received.

Hope to see ya at The Devil

Terry

[Todd Lamb]

Why is Spec Boxster listed in E2 and E3?

[Terry Hanushek]

Why is Spec Boxster listed in E2 and E3?

 

Todd

 

Good eyes.  There was an error in the table.  The entry in E3 was actually the PCA SP3 class which includes 944 turbos and 968s; it was inadvertently given the class name of 'Spec Boxster'.  On review, the PCA SP3 Class should also be in the E2 class.

 

The Endurance Class Table has been updated to reflect this change.

 

Thanks for reporting this inconsistency.

 

Terry

[Mitch Reading]

Terry,

I applaud the re-organizing the endurance classes; however in my opinion Spec Boxster should be an E3 (not E2) car the way the pending class list is written.  I don't have a dog in the fight but a lot of SPB cars in the northeast and hope some will come out.  (Although this race is same weekend as PCA Lime Rock race).   They're about the speed of an SM5 car... which is (correctly in my opinion) an E3 car. 

 

See you in April.

 

Mitch

[Ron Alan]

Terry,

I applaud the re-organizing the endurance classes; however in my opinion Spec Boxster should be an E3 (not E2) car the way the pending class list is written.  I don't have a dog in the fight but a lot of SPB cars in the northeast and hope some will come out.  (Although this race is same weekend as PCA Lime Rock race).   They're about the speed of an SM5 car... which is (correctly in my opinion) an E3 car. 

 

See you in April.

 

Mitch

I had to look at the NASA Pt rules when I read this...which I assume you are using as the bases for your E2 and E3 comments. Not quite sure what the rules are for SM5(nor spec Boxter) but you can barely improve the stock car before you are bumped to E2(12pts total.) The earliest Boxster(97-99)gets the same 12pts and the next version(00-02) only gets 5pts before it is E2. The minute you put tires on a base model(00) car you are over(7pts for Toyo RR)! Anyways...just an exercise as I knew an MX5 cup car falls in E1(Barely and its slow in that class)

[Todd Lamb]

This is a SCCA event, not NASA nor the NASA points system.

 

SPB (Spec Boxster) isn't going to be competitive in E2. It is an E3 car the way the current classifications are split.  We are currently working to get SPB classified as a T4 car in SCCA Majors, but the 12hr supps actually list T4 in E4.  Sooooo.....by my math.....SPB should be E4, but I'd settle for E3.

[Ron Alan]

Opps...my bad. Not familier with E classes in SCCA

[Richard Astacio]

I am having trouble registering for the event. I do not see a register button when I find the event on DLB, also any reason why we are not using motorsportReg vs DLB? 

DLB seems to be outdate and not as user friendly as MotorsportReg..

[tony senese]

WARNING.... The spec miata class that has run in E3 at this event was not properly teched for class compliance last year during or after the race..... that is why it now seems that SM5 and spec boxster are "competitive" in E3.  SCCA is not equipped to check the class sheets per the NASA rules so has therefore invented their own.....

[Todd Lamb]

Spec Miata is E4 this year, so it would make sense that SPB and SM5 are in E3.

[Joe Cooley]

This is a SCCA event, not NASA nor the NASA points system.

 

SPB (Spec Boxster) isn't going to be competitive in E2. It is an E3 car the way the current classifications are split.  We are currently working to get SPB classified as a T4 car in SCCA Majors, but the 12hr supps actually list T4 in E4.  Sooooo.....by my math.....SPB should be E4, but I'd settle for E3.

 

 

Spec Boxster in T4?  I don't see that happening.  Not sure a Boxster wihtout all that is done for SPB would end up in T4. The Boxster S is already in T3.  Would assume that the Boxster would end up in T3 at a much lower weight than the 3200 the S is.  

 

EDIT:  Although the more I think about it, maybe base Boxster in T4 but it would get little to nothing performance upgrade wise on the lines and a weight well north of 3200. 

[tony senese]

Spec Miata is E4 this year, so it would make sense that SPB and SM5 are in E3.

 

True Todd,  the whole group has been changed more or less, but that will not stop the removal of restrictor plates, use of jet fuel, and lack of ballast.... when one of the " Spec Miata's" runs a 1:32, it's pretty hard to take it seriously.  Lap times were consistently below any time set in sprint races by the same cars and drivers....  I'm just sayin', if you aint cheatin' you aint tryin in this race.

[Mitch Reading]

Tony,

I hear you.  I've been part of the race for years in SM.  The "SM" in question that ran a 1.32.9 was not an SM and had Elivan at the wheel. 

 

I ran a very similar car the year before... it went BOOM.  These races reward consistency, not outright speed. 

 

I'm in favor of whatever brings more cars out for the race.  The re-indexing of the classes makes sense. 

[Todd Lamb]

SPB is a 2.5 liter base model, 97-99. It could not be competitive in T3 without extensive modification, which ruins the cross-over from PCA. Weight and plate would get it down to T4 with minimal adaptation.

Spec Boxster in T4? I don't see that happening. Not sure a Boxster wihtout all that is done for SPB would end up in T4. The Boxster S is already in T3. Would assume that the Boxster would end up in T3 at a much lower weight than the 3200 the S is.

EDIT: Although the more I think about it, maybe base Boxster in T4 but it would get little to nothing performance upgrade wise on the lines and a weight well north of 3200.

[Terry Hanushek]

Registration for The Devil in the Dark 12 Hour and The Devil during the Day 7 Hour is now open on DLB .

Please note that due to the late opening for the event, the Earlybird registration has been extended to noon on 7 March.

Hope to see ya at The Devil

Terry

[Terry Hanushek]

SPB (Spec Boxster) isn't going to be competitive in E2. It is an E3 car the way the current classifications are split.  We are currently working to get SPB classified as a T4 car in SCCA Majors, but the 12hr supps actually list T4 in E4.  Sooooo.....by my math.....SPB should be E4, but I'd settle for E3.

 

Trying to classify about 60 separate classes from half a dozen sanctioning bodies and be equitable to all is a very difficult task.  Our basic methodology is to use the NJMP Thunderbolt lap records for all classes and fit them into established brackets.  Not all classes have reliable class records so estimates and comparisons are sometimes used to set the Endurance Class for some cars.

 

The Spec Boxster is a tweener using this approach - it can reasonably fit in either E2 or E3.   No Spec Boxster has competed in previous 12 Hour events or any other SCCA event at NJMP.. Consequently,  little is known about their level of participation and prep level at PCA events. Therefore, a conservative approach was taken in assigning Spec Boxster to the E2 class.

 

BTW  The lap record for Spec Boxster is about 2.8 seconds faster than the T4 lap record.

 

HTH

 

Terry

[Terry Hanushek]

True Todd,  the whole group has been changed more or less, but that will not stop the removal of restrictor plates, use of jet fuel, and lack of ballast.... when one of the " Spec Miata's" runs a 1:32, it's pretty hard to take it seriously.  Lap times were consistently below any time set in sprint races by the same cars and drivers....  I'm just sayin', if you aint cheatin' you aint tryin in this race.

 

Trying to fit the sixty some sprint classes into five Endurance Classes is a formidable task.  We recognize this large number of sprint classes because we are trying to be as inclusive as possible.  It is not unusual for a specific car to fit into two or more of the eligible sprint classes.  Often times when this happens one of the sprint classes has an advantage of the other.  We see no way to handicap these situations to make every car in an Endurance Class completely equal.

 

It is the competitors right to select / declare the most advantageous sprint class for his car.  On race day last year, one or more competitors realized that the SCCA  Spec Miata specs were nearly identical to the NASA PTE (I believe) specs except that PTE did not require a restrictor.  Most of the cars normally identified as Spec Miatas competed in last year's race as PTE cars (with no restrictor; this includes that Miata which ran the 1:32).  While this situation is not particularly desirable, it is completely within the rules. 

 

I don't believe your suggestion that SM competitors intentionally remove their restrictors, use jet fuel or lack the proper ballast in the 12 Hour is supportable. It certainly impugns the reputation of our 12 Hour competitors.  As a matter of fact, the restrictors and weight of all podium finishers are checked in post race impound.  If you or any competitor has concerns about improper preparation, you can discuss the situation with me or file a protest against the car which you suspect.  Your concerns will be addressed.

 

HTH

 

Terry Hanushek

Chief Steward

The Devil in the Dark 2016