My 2023 in SCCA, Brief recap

[Sam Strano]

Can't ask for a lot more from my 2023 over all the SCCA Events, except for hoping they split F-street out of S3 for ProSolo in 2024 *OR* fix the index. I won a couple of ProSolos. I won a lot of National Tours. I won SCCA Time Trial Nationals in Sport 2. I tried a bunch of different brake pads for track. I tired even more tires (sigh). I found weaknesses in some products, at the worst possible time (Nationals).

It was a long year. I drove the Mach 1 from PA to CA and back to run the ProSolo and National Tour at Crows Landing.

I had to replace a rear hub during the Pro Finale. I had to fight a very ill handling car when the rear sway bar I was running snapped, I think at the Finale, but was broken on Day 1 at Solo Nationals, and somehow I managed to get out in 2nd spot. Had some help from the leader who coned time away on his 3rd run. I tried another tire change for run 1 on day 2, which was.... a mistake. And had to get something down on run 3 to have any hope, and managed to come from behind to win F-street for the 2nd year in a row.

I tried a new brake pad combo, AND two different sets of tires for TT Nationals. Had a great battle with Brian Smith in his GT350, Tim Mason had issues which weren't helpful to his weekend, but he was hanging around. John Li was in that mix too in his M1 HP. And Michael DiGiorgio in his C5. I was off what I ran last year, on tires that should have been slower, until one magical session on Sunday, where we all found time. I found a LOT of it. And then the next session it was all gone, for all of us, again. No idea how or why, but it was pretty much top to bottom in the class regardless of tire, or car. But I'm pleased to take my as setup Mach 1 in F-street trim, and be competitive in Sport 2 where cars setup for Sport 2 specifically can run bigger wheels, change both swaybars, spring sets and the like. In fact 3 of the top 5 are F-Street autox cars, two Mach 1's and a GT350. All have slight changes to the rear sway bars, I have changed shocks too. 27th overall for the event.

Doing stuff like this is fun, but it also is invaluable in helping me help customers of mine. Finding out what works, what doesn't. And being able to prove it too. Only 3 other Sport category cars were in front of me, and they were all Sport 1. A GT4 and two guys sharing a C8 Z51 Corvette. I'll take it.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Sam sells fun stuff , but the best thing is he really does test a ton of items. Heck, my son has Strano stuff on his EVO 9 and with all of Sam's wins we do figure the Hood Decal is worth 10 HP. The concern we all often have is whether things really work on the cars we own, as we are all smart enough to realize many items are tested fairly thoroughly before hitting the market, though some items we also know are copies. Sam beats the crap, er, tests all his products and he is well respected because of this. The only thing we all need is for him to post here more often!

 

[blacksheep-1]

Dude, write that combination down for the newbs, just like the old PWC s197 stuff.
Here's the base, it works, pat them on the butt and send them on the way.
They won't forget it.

 

[Sam Strano]

Erm. I am not at all shy about helping people. But more and more, with the way so many opinions pop up and folks want to argue about EVERYTHING, I don't really find it worth the time. Would rather spend the time talking to folks who want to know what I know, not writing books and photo shoots and such.

My Mach 1 is on Koni Sport fronts which netted me 2022 CAM Championship in ProSolo too on top of 2022 Nationals and this stuff. Penske 7500 rears I speced and had built. I have played with various sway bars, and current am on a solid 22mm adjustable in the middle position. A bar I used to make, sold very few of, because...... people don't want to know about thing that don't fit their narrative. I made and sold 10, after snapping a less than 1 year old hollow 22 from someone else, a person with this bar, who was retiring from Autox offered to give it back to me. I, in fact, bought it back. Been considering making that bar again, simply because a hollow 25 I have to run full soft, and a hollow 22 I need to run full stiff. I need something in the middle, and my old bar is that. But I already have one. I would love to make more but need to see some case for a run of them.

I have BC forged wheels, which are 9 pounds each lighter than stock, and not made by Communist China, and not twice the price they need to be because of a name, and I think better value because they are *custom* forged wheels vs. just one or two styles or colors. For instance my RS45 in Royal Gold are very different looking than my RS41 in Matte Graphite and there about 50 other choices too.

Aside from knowing what oils don't work when the car is hot, from testing, and knowing what I prefer in things like brake fluids on these tanks, and various other things to dial things in like a Schroth harness, it has far less parts than many might think, and it works. Some love to do massive projects, that's cool. Not my thing really. Happy to sell parts or talk about options, but really I want the car to work the best it can for the owner and their needs, which includes where the car is most competitive classing wise if competition is part of the equation.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

BC Forged Wheels are like Apex , both are built in Taiwan , not mainland China , just in case anyone has a question. Both are used by many autocrossers.

Sam has been quite helpful to many of my friends ( especially autocrossers ) over the years and that includes my son Ryan. He has chatted with Sam, on the phone and at autocrosses and purchased items from him over the years.

 

[RedSVT95]

It was nice meeting you, Sam. Kudos for the win at NCM - and thank you for keeping the Vette out of 1st . I’m sure I’ll be seeing you quite a bit this season. I’m still up in the air about the opener at VIR, but I plan on being at a number of events.

Brian

 

[blacksheep-1]

Erm. I am not at all shy about helping people. But more and more, with the way so many opinions pop up and folks want to argue about EVERYTHING, I don't really find it worth the time. Would rather spend the time talking to folks who want to know what I know, not writing books and photo shoots and such.

My Mach 1 is on Koni Sport fronts which netted me 2022 CAM Championship in ProSolo too on top of 2022 Nationals and this stuff. Penske 7500 rears I speced and had built. I have played with various sway bars, and current am on a solid 22mm adjustable in the middle position. A bar I used to make, sold very few of, because...... people don't want to know about thing that don't fit their narrative. I made and sold 10, after snapping a less than 1 year old hollow 22 from someone else, a person with this bar, who was retiring from Autox offered to give it back to me. I, in fact, bought it back. Been considering making that bar again, simply because a hollow 25 I have to run full soft, and a hollow 22 I need to run full stiff. I need something in the middle, and my old bar is that. But I already have one. I would love to make more but need to see some case for a run of them.

I have BC forged wheels, which are 9 pounds each lighter than stock, and not made by Communist China, and not twice the price they need to be because of a name, and I think better value because they are *custom* forged wheels vs. just one or two styles or colors. For instance my RS45 in Royal Gold are very different looking than my RS41 in Matte Graphite and there about 50 other choices too.

Aside from knowing what oils don't work when the car is hot, from testing, and knowing what I prefer in things like brake fluids on these tanks, and various other things to dial things in like a Schroth harness, it has far less parts than many might think, and it works. Some love to do massive projects, that's cool. Not my thing really. Happy to sell parts or talk about options, but really I want the car to work the best it can for the owner and their needs, which includes where the car is most competitive classing wise if competition is part of the equation.

Been down this road if they don't listen, well you just can't help the helpless

 

[bnight]

I tried a new brake pad combo, AND two different sets of tires for TT Nationals.

I want to know about your brake pad combo's and what works doesn't work for you ? Great job on winning again ! Good luck in the new season as well.

 

[mavisky]

Totally understand not having the energy to argue people away from their pre-conceived notions. I'd just put together a suspension bundle and sell it and if people want to win they can buy it, if they want to finish outside of the top 5 and re-invent the wheel then they can do that too.