Riley Technologies Track Day Car
02-18-2010, 01:04 PM
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Riley Technologies Track Day Car
What GrandAm should look like
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/a...y-mk-xxii.html
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/a...y-mk-xxii.html
Riley Mk XXII
Riley Technologies discuss the race winning track day car
Le Mans 2009
"This is their weekend at the golf course, or the country club" smiles Ron McMahon (Job Title) at Riley Technologies.
But the weekend McMahon speak of features rather a lot more horsepower, Riley is the latest racecar constructor to enter the lucrative trackday market.
Its new Mk XXII is aimed squarely at the wealthy weekend warrior.
"Bill became aware of the size of the market" continues McMahon.
"So we did some market research looking at the tracks and the people who use them. From talking to people who run Ferraris and Porches we found that they could not run them as hard as that they would like to, because if they have an accident then getting them repaired is a really difficult situation."
Riley decided that a car with similar performance was the way to go "it would be good if they could buy a purpose built racecar with high horsepower and good handling, one you can go out and run hard, that would not cost half the cost of a new car to repair. Bob did some sketches and the reaction was pretty good" adds McMahon.
"The biggest challenge on this car for us was making it affordable. We are used to building cars that are $400,000 or $500,00 and this one cost under $200,000 - it means each piece must be value engineered and the cost of the car is determined by the design once you have a design its very hard to get cost out of it."
Riley Trackday carRiley Trackday car
Whilst the look of the car is something akin to a Daytona Prototype but is made of fibre glass. Bodywork experts Five Star do the fabrication. "Whilst keeping the cost down was paramount, aero design was a consideration because in future this may become a competitive car" explains McMahon. "It looks cool and making it look good was more important than making it 100% aero efficient for example its got an off the shelf rear wing. For us drivability, reparability, and affordability are all key factors those are the really important things."
Whilst the car is suitable for a number of racing classes such as ASR and NASA Super Unlimited the staff at Riley Technologies envisage something a little different "maybe a spec series for them, the Riley Series, going to the really cool tracks making a nice three-day event. But that's for the future" concludes McMahon.
Riley Technologies discuss the race winning track day car
Le Mans 2009
"This is their weekend at the golf course, or the country club" smiles Ron McMahon (Job Title) at Riley Technologies.
But the weekend McMahon speak of features rather a lot more horsepower, Riley is the latest racecar constructor to enter the lucrative trackday market.
Its new Mk XXII is aimed squarely at the wealthy weekend warrior.
"Bill became aware of the size of the market" continues McMahon.
"So we did some market research looking at the tracks and the people who use them. From talking to people who run Ferraris and Porches we found that they could not run them as hard as that they would like to, because if they have an accident then getting them repaired is a really difficult situation."
Riley decided that a car with similar performance was the way to go "it would be good if they could buy a purpose built racecar with high horsepower and good handling, one you can go out and run hard, that would not cost half the cost of a new car to repair. Bob did some sketches and the reaction was pretty good" adds McMahon.
"The biggest challenge on this car for us was making it affordable. We are used to building cars that are $400,000 or $500,00 and this one cost under $200,000 - it means each piece must be value engineered and the cost of the car is determined by the design once you have a design its very hard to get cost out of it."
Riley Trackday carRiley Trackday car
Whilst the look of the car is something akin to a Daytona Prototype but is made of fibre glass. Bodywork experts Five Star do the fabrication. "Whilst keeping the cost down was paramount, aero design was a consideration because in future this may become a competitive car" explains McMahon. "It looks cool and making it look good was more important than making it 100% aero efficient for example its got an off the shelf rear wing. For us drivability, reparability, and affordability are all key factors those are the really important things."
Whilst the car is suitable for a number of racing classes such as ASR and NASA Super Unlimited the staff at Riley Technologies envisage something a little different "maybe a spec series for them, the Riley Series, going to the really cool tracks making a nice three-day event. But that's for the future" concludes McMahon.
Last edited by BrianCunningham; 02-18-2010 at 01:06 PM.
02-18-2010, 08:44 PM
#5
I wonder how it compares to the Radical SR8 LM. Personally, I prefer the open cockpit.
The Radical is less expensive, lighter (600 kg vs 1050 kg), but makes 455 bhp (compared to 500-600 for the Riley). Would love to see a head to head. Power to weight 0.76 hp/kg for SR8 and 0.57 hp/kg for the Riley (with 600hp).
The Radical is less expensive, lighter (600 kg vs 1050 kg), but makes 455 bhp (compared to 500-600 for the Riley). Would love to see a head to head. Power to weight 0.76 hp/kg for SR8 and 0.57 hp/kg for the Riley (with 600hp).
02-19-2010, 04:13 AM
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St. Jude Donor '03
02-19-2010, 08:39 AM
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St. Jude Donor '03
02-19-2010, 09:11 AM
#9
Drifting
I think Phil Simms did a 2:01.9 in an ex Gentilozzi Jag a couple years ago.
Jeff Emery has run 2:03's at Sebring with a winged late model stock car,
Charles Wicht, as fast as 2:05's with Kevin Harvick's ex Sonoma winning South West Tour Monte Carlo (with wing and 16 rubber). These are not expensive cars. They use typical late model stock car chassis like Howe and Port City, used...freshened SB2 small blocks with Jerico 4 speeds and weigh about 2900# with driver.
02-19-2010, 10:01 AM
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The Riley track day car cleaned house at the Ultimate track car challange in 2009.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/events/utcc-2009/
Handly beating a GT-1 car in the process., very cool car.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/events/utcc-2009/
Handly beating a GT-1 car in the process., very cool car.
02-19-2010, 10:24 AM
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St. Jude Donor '03
The Riley track day car cleaned house at the Ultimate track car challange in 2009.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/events/utcc-2009/
Handly beating a GT-1 car in the process., very cool car.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/events/utcc-2009/
Handly beating a GT-1 car in the process., very cool car.
Maybe the appeal is that people just like to spend money?
02-19-2010, 11:31 AM
#14
Melting Slicks
That Riley is a bad ***** for sure and was 10sec/lap faster than my NASA ST1 Corvette which is not slow....
02-19-2010, 12:46 PM
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02-19-2010, 03:21 PM
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St. Jude Donor '03
At the UTCC, Marc Goosens was driving the Riley and Mike Skeen was driving the TransAm/GT1 car. I think that there was a 4 sec difference between the two the Riley being faster. Skeen in the GT1 car was no slouch as I believe he qualified in the top 3 or 4 at the TA event @ VIR earlier in the year...
That Riley is a bad ***** for sure and was 10sec/lap faster than my NASA ST1 Corvette which is not slow....
That Riley is a bad ***** for sure and was 10sec/lap faster than my NASA ST1 Corvette which is not slow....
02-19-2010, 03:34 PM
#17
Melting Slicks
I am with you on the gauging the competition. I dont know who owns that car, but my guess he is no where near as fast as some of the "national" or "pro" drivers.
The comparison at VIR last July was apples to apples I can tell you ( besides that fact that there were different drivers in each car) and that the Riley is faster than a GT1 car.
Both are way faster than mine I can assure you and would love a turn at the wheel of either a good GT1 car or that Riley
02-19-2010, 06:30 PM
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the car itself is definitely very fast. of course you can build a cheaper car but remember to look at operating cost as well.
02-19-2010, 07:51 PM
#20
Melting Slicks
I for one don't see why it is so difficult to believe the Riley can beat a GT1 car - it has more downforce (no strict rules it has to meet) and it has a better power to weight ratio;
