115 replies to this topic

[ECOBRAP]

Hey everyone, Matt Cresci here. Just wanted to announce a new project I have started called "ECOBRAP". We are a YouTube channel and social media platform that aims to reduce the carbon footprint of racing (Yes, barking up the wrong tree, I know). But the purpose of the channel is to show that we can still have fun, but just be more efficient in the process.

 

That being said, we will be doing a few things differently this season:

 

1. The biggest use of fuel in racing is transport to/from the track. We will be reducing this by getting 20+MPG while towing an enclosed car trailer. Yes really.

 

2. We will be the only SM out here running a catalytic converter (high flow, ordered from Summit). How much does this reduce emissions? How much does this rob you of horsepower? Both questions that we aim to find out. Our cat is connected through a Vband, so we will do back to back testing on the smog machine AND the dyno, and answer both of these questions to see if it is worthwhile for those of you interested in minimizing your impact.

 

3. Using less than 15 gallons of fuel at the track per race weekend. In order to achieve this, I will be minimizing testing and practice, and completely skipping qualifying for every regional event of the year. As a result, I will be starting DFL every race weekend, which should provide some entertaining footage that I will post here. My region of NASA (NorCal) runs 3 races per weekend, so if I can't get to the front by Race 3, then that's on me.

 

4. Using one set of tires for 9 races. Obviously, this cannot be done competitively on Hoosiers, so I will be running NASA and Toyo all year long, seeing how far exactly I can push the RR compound from a competitive perspective.

 

5. No plastic water bottles for the entire season

 

 

I have just released our first video, highlighting our first adventure, the Holy Grail pursuit of 20MPG while towing. Check out the video below! Happy to be back running SM, going to be a fun year 

 

Follow us on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram @ECOBRAP

 

 

[Richard Astacio]

Ditch the gasoline bike and use a mountain bike or walk around the track will help you get closer to your goal! 

[ECOBRAP]

That is the 100MPG brap machine! It will be a critical part of our channel On average I use 0.1 gallons with the bike per weekend and get to brap around to all parts of the track!

 

Ditch the gasoline bike and use a mountain bike or walk around the track will help you get closer to your goal! 

[FTodaro]

Keep us posted on the results.

[Tom Sager]

Ambitious project.  Look forward to the updates along the way and best of luck. 

[Danny Steyn]

Sounds like and interesting project Matt - good luck and will follow with interest

[Adax]

That is the 100MPG brap machine! It will be a critical part of our channel On average I use 0.1 gallons with the bike per weekend and get to brap around to all parts of the track!

 

I'd love to believe you are referring to a bridge-ported rotary bike.

[Tom Sager]

Matt, rather than skipping qualifying, have you thought about participating in those sessions but limiting yourself to something like 3 laps which is what I think NASCAR does at many of their events (out lap and a flyer or two)?

[Steve Scheifler]

^ that. Focus on things that others might actually consider.

But honestly, anything that reduces available seat time is a little like asking a swimmer to stay out of the pool, or a kid to spend days and his allowance baking his favorite cookies but eat only one. There’s a difference between looking like a gimmick to “raise awareness” and promoting real and practical change.

[Ron Alan]

In theory you can do your flier straight out of the hot pit and make it to mid pack maybe. Basically a 2 lap qual with one lap in 5th gear! On the other hand, if you stick to your plan, you can save a lap of fuel by starting in the hot pit at the green flag! No sense doing an out lap!

Rather than elevator music...may I suggest Hugo Montenegro or Ennio Morricone...drama!

 

Post up the race portion here when you have it!

[ECOBRAP]

Thanks everyone for the feedback and ideas.

 

 

1 Lap Qual

 

I did consider this, but as stated, this requires warming up the motor, out lap, flyer, and in lap, easily a gallon. Combine that with practice and it is no less than 3 gallons per weekend. At some point I will let fans decide (1 lap qual, or ship it from dead last), to see what people are more interested in. That being said, three people have already asked if they can start in the back with me, we will see if that actually happens at the next event. It would definitely be an interesting epidemic to see people fighting for who gets to start dead last and win hard charger...

 

Now, skipping qualifying isn't really a big issue for me, much lower on our priority list in terms of net fuel usage. Starting from the back will just be entertaining for both myself and followers, and attract people to the channel, which will help achieve our primary goals, listed below.

 

The most important part of the channel is convincing people to minimize and streamline their towing setup. I am saving 150 Gallons per year with my new setup, and that is just for regional races (only 2500 miles per year). Include NASA Champs in Ohio (additional 5000 mile trip), I will have saved 350 gallons ($1400 for me in California) relative to my old 7.3 Powerstroke and 20ft TPD trailer. I am running a $30,000 towing setup, but will explore more budget friendly options ($5k or less) as well.

 

If you want to see what an 18-22MPG towing setup would do for your wallet and the environment, use the calculator on my website.

 

I got inspired when I saw some behind the scenes footage of Group B Rallying in the 80's, teams showing up with $300,000 Lancia Integrales on single axle open trailers, with one support van. If things go right, I would like to take this same mindset to the professional level.

 

Starting from Pit Lane

 

I like this idea, and may try it at some point. Will need to calculate my fuel usage, idling to warm the car up (low fuel rate, longer duration), versus warming the car up on the out lap (high fuel rate, less duration). Would help me avoid the greatest risk of starting DFL as well, people stacking it up in the first 4 turns.

 

 

Pit Bike

 

Not a rotary, 4 strokes can brap too! I will use this bike to make runs to restaurants, parts stores, walmart, etc while at the track, and get 100MPG in the process. Instead of taking the truck.

 

Video

 

First event onboard footage coming soon.

 

Race 1: 38th (DFL) to 11th

Race 2: 11th to 6th

Race 3: 5th to 5th (need a motor to run with the top dogs, already on its way)

[Alberto]

Cool project.

 

I've actually been contemplating running one of those metal core, aftermarket, high-flow cats on my SM as well.  I had previously run one on my FD RX7 track car and dyno showed no difference in power.  Granted it was different days and what not but... 

 

The stench of open exhausts while on grid is nauseating.  I had been looking at the one from Vibrant. 

 

Where are you thinking of placing it?  Same location as stock or further back?

[gerglmuff2]

rather than ecobrap, i think it might be more useful to see a cheapobrap team. ie, someone running at the front off an open trailer, an off the shelf motor etc.

you know, like the rest of us shlubs. my first 4 races i brought my car to the track with truck i paid 500 dollars for (f150, 300ci). lol

 

interesting project though, cant wait for further updates. 

[ECOBRAP]

Hey Alberto,

 

I would be surprised if there was a trackable difference in HP. The thing flows really well. I ordered one from summit, only $120, PN MPE-59925. This is a metallic core, which as you stated is what you should get. Just remember that they do not ship non-CARB cats to California, so I had this shipped to a friend who dropped off for me when he visited California.

 

The dyno doesn't lie, and we will be doing a video on that in the next month or so. Back to back testing on dyno AND smog machine to see both power and emissions deltas.

 

As for mounting the cat, see attached pic. I put mine right at the back of the pipe, for two reasons:

 

1. I wanted easy access, so that I can inspect the cat regularly without detaching the whole exhaust. One 13mm Vband and the whole cat comes off.

 

2. This is the stupid reason. I wanted to see if I could get the cat visibly glowing red hot from the rear, just for cool looks and cool pictures. Unfortunately it has not done so 

 

That being said, if I had to do it again, I would probably put the cat right behind the midpipe flange (in place of the resonator), and straight pipe all the way to the back. No muffler required IMO.

Attached Files

•  cat2.jpg   53.39KB   1 downloads

[ECOBRAP]

rather than ecobrap, i think it might be more useful to see a cheapobrap team. ie, someone running at the front off an open trailer, an off the shelf motor etc.

you know, like the rest of us shlubs. my first 4 races i brought my car to the track with truck i paid 500 dollars for (f150, 300ci). lol

 

interesting project though, cant wait for further updates. 

 

We will be exploring some more cost effective options, i.e. $1500 minivan and $500 open trailer.

 

When I started racing, I would drive the SM itself to and from the track. If it weren't for California, I would probably be doing the same.

 

As for an off the shelf motor, unfortunately won't win any races with that. But we are trying to prove that you really don't need a huge paddock setup to run competitively in this series. And that you don't need to run sticker tires every session (Toyo only) to be competitive. These tires seem to be competitive until cording, which is what every race tire should strive to be (thanks Toyo MVP engineers!!!)

[Steve Scheifler]

Interested to see dyno and emissions results. Substituting the muffler with an efficient cat is not unreasonable, but you may be disappointed with the results under full load and with it mounted that far back.

[powerss]

Hey Alberto,

 

I would be surprised if there was a trackable difference in HP. The thing flows really well. I ordered one from summit, only $120, PN MPE-59925. This is a metallic core, which as you stated is what you should get. Just remember that they do not ship non-CARB cats to California, so I had this shipped to a friend who dropped off for me when he visited California.

 

The dyno doesn't lie, and we will be doing a video on that in the next month or so. Back to back testing on dyno AND smog machine to see both power and emissions deltas.

 

As for mounting the cat, see attached pic. I put mine right at the back of the pipe, for two reasons:

 

1. I wanted easy access, so that I can inspect the cat regularly without detaching the whole exhaust. One 13mm Vband and the whole cat comes off.

 

2. This is the stupid reason. I wanted to see if I could get the cat visibly glowing red hot from the rear, just for cool looks and cool pictures. Unfortunately it has not done so 

 

That being said, if I had to do it again, I would probably put the cat right behind the midpipe flange (in place of the resonator), and straight pipe all the way to the back. No muffler required IMO.

 

 

Matt

 

You definitely need to move the CAT up closer to the engine.  The CAT needs a certain temperature to be effective.  That is the reason Manifold Catalysts are on every car nowadays so they can light off quickly and start working for cold start emissions.

 

Steve

[Steve Scheifler]

Alberto, I’ve never noticed an open exhaust smelling worse than one with a cat. What are you smelling? If anything, it is cats that stink like hell (brimstone) when they start to fail.

[Alberto]

Alberto, I’ve never noticed an open exhaust smelling worse than one with a cat. What are you smelling? If anything, it is cats that stink like hell (brimstone) when they start to fail.

 

Valid point - under load, a cat being burned out does smell terrible.  I notice that regularly on my commute.  Usually from BMWs.

 

I'm smelling the exhaust from the cars around me on grid.  Some people like to idle for a good few minutes to get their cars up to temp.  

[Alberto]

We will be exploring some more cost effective options, i.e. $1500 minivan and $500 open trailer.

 

When I started racing, I would drive the SM itself to and from the track. If it weren't for California, I would probably be doing the same.

 

 

You must race NASA

Larry Murdter has been towing his SM to the track on open trailer with a Nissan Quest for the last 7 years.

Brandon Miller has been driving his SM to the track since 2011 and podiums regularly in SSM.  He has the Sharpie car.  At least 4-5 others in the SM field drive their cars to the track.

This is all in SFR SCCA