Danny Popp Wins 2011 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational

[Track Junky]

There are so many variables between the newer/older cars, pro-touring/race prepped pro-touring, that trying to seperate the competition into classes would not be easy.

I do like the fact that the late model cars are running with the pro-touring cars because it reminds us of how the DSE's, Ride-Tech's, Hotchkis's, etc's. engineering is helping our early model machines evolve into some serious contenders amongst the later model cars.

If it was me I would break the classes down to weight/power ratios, have 3 classes, and call it good at that. For example....say one guy is running a 3000 lb car with 480 hp to the rear wheels. That is about 6.25 lbs per each 1 hp. A 3700 lb car running 480 hp to the rear wheels would be 7.7 lbs per each 1 hp. Maybe having a 6:1-6:9 to one class, a 7:0-7.9:0 to one and a 8:0 and up class might help.

Tire width would be one that we should just have to deal with because adding that variable to weight/hp ratio would be very difficult to incorporate and probably create more classes and limit the cars in each class.

Just food for thought.

[SLO_Z28]

Originally Posted by Jimi-FM3

Thanks to everyone for the feedback, keep it coming. We're paying close attention....

Jimi, this is the best event I have ever been to. You and the entire team of organizers and promoters deserve MAJOR kudos for putting on something so spectacular.

I also would like to thank Johnson Controls' Optima Batteries for envisioning this event, and seeing through with it. Without the support of Johnson Controls none of us would even be talking about this, and we would be talking about how cool all the cars looked.... at the show..... standing still...

[Flash68]

Originally Posted by Jimi-FM3

Thanks to everyone for the feedback, keep it coming. We're paying close attention....

Thanks for all that you do Jimi. You guys have created the ultimate super bowl in just 3 short years.

I'm curious to know if the organizers and car "pickers" prefer muscle cars at the core, and then try to fill in the event with a sampling of various imports, Euros, late models, etc. It appears that way in 09 & 10... but 11 looked to be a very different crowd. Nothing wrong with that... call it evolution.... in addition to all of us voicing our opinions, I'd love to hear what the originators have thought and continue to think..... in due time I would suppose.

[Vegas69]

Clearly the points system works as-is. The styling portion is a good handicap for the newer cars and evens the playing field to some degree. With this being said, it's hard to imagine anybody will make a better run at Danny Popp than Mark Stielow.

Brian, I can tell my posts hit you in the gut. In no way was that my intention and I also didn't know your car was window less. You know I'm much more of a racer than a tourer. I 100% agree on the safety factor as well. That thought has crossed my mind many times. Bottom line, your car is bad ass. Congrats on your performance!

I want to eloborate a little more on what I meant with my comments. When I think of the ultimate pro touring car, I think of a car that is as corvette esque as possible. Smooth, compliant, comfortable, reliable, FAST, etc.... Loaded with what we expect in our daily drivers. As much as I like to race, gear whine, vibrations, clunking, chattering, squeaking, etc... gets on my nerves in a street car. I'm not capable of building a car on Stielows level. I'm not afraid to say that in front of the world. Evidentally nobody else is either.... To compete, I need to build a lighter, higher hp/weight ratio, more agressive combo. (Clearly a ton of driving lessons and track time as well) After building one, now I know why he's built 10. You really learn alot building, tweaking, driving, and racing these cars. I'd say the biggest variable is, you figure out what YOU really want. At the end of the day, you are engineering your own car and figuring out what you really want is a huge part of the sorting process. If I ever build another, it will likely be more down Brian's alley but it won't see many street miles.

[Jimi-FM3]

Originally Posted by Flash68

Thanks for all that you do Jimi. You guys have created the ultimate super bowl in just 3 short years.

I'm curious to know if the organizers and car "pickers" prefer muscle cars at the core, and then try to fill in the event with a sampling of various imports, Euros, late models, etc. It appears that way in 09 & 10... but 11 looked to be a very different crowd. Nothing wrong with that... call it evolution.... in addition to all of us voicing our opinions, I'd love to hear what the originators have thought and continue to think..... in due time I would suppose.

"The organizers" consists of a diverse group of industry professionals and we do our best to create a field of vehicles that showcases the best of the high performance street car automobile. We look for pro-touring, import, euro, domestic, trucks, old, new, wild and mild. The real key is "street" car. We are paying very close attention to the rules and will do our very best to keep this competition to street cars and not race cars with license plates. We feel this years field was one of the most diverse and talented groups ever assembled.

[Tom.A]

Fair or not it will push Stielow to higher level. I bet he was penciling out a AWD mod for this winter

Is the 1.42 time correct? If so and Stielow was two seconds off that means he picked up ~4 seconds from last year? I wonder what a big wing like the winner had would do?

[clill]

I think Stielow was 3 seconds faster this year than last.

[Sandbagger]

Hats off to Stielow , only 2 sec. back from that Corvette /Popp
Any info on that Yellow C4 corvette ? How did he do ?

[Stuart Adams]

I think Kyle was 3 seconds faster than last year also. That is alot of time.

Maybe Mark can elaborate on how you make up 3 seconds, that has to be close to driving to the limits.

[Stuart Adams]

Originally Posted by Jimi-FM3

"The organizers" consists of a diverse group of industry professionals and we do our best to create a field of vehicles that showcases the best of the high performance street car automobile. We look for pro-touring, import, euro, domestic, trucks, old, new, wild and mild. The real key is "street" car. We are paying very close attention to the rules and will do our very best to keep this competition to street cars and not race cars with license plates. We feel this years field was one of the most diverse and talented groups ever assembled.

I like how you grouped the cars together. The faster cars ran together on the roadcourse, great job.