Spec Focus

[MarcV]

The car belongs in ITA as classed. These cars can make weight if you try hard enough. From having autocrossed acr neons, focus and protege's all in DSP/FSP or STS trim, I can tell you that if someone builds a Focus to the limit it would be a front row car and possibly the best car in the class.

So, using Andy's paper napkin math, you would need to be able to remove ~550 lbs from a ZX3 Focus in order to make ITA weight of 2305.

This assumes ~300 lbs will be added with cage, driver, and fuel.

The question is if that is achievable, within the IT rules?

[Chip42]

never underestimate the weight of a modern interior. particularly one designed in europe.

that said, I agree that weight will be difficult to impossible to get a ZX3 2.0L + cage + driver - IT allowed removal down to 2305#, but that's OK in the rules; no promises of competitiveness and all that.

[dhardison]

My '00 Focus ZX3 (2.0L Zetec) weighs in at 4580 with driver and 1/2 tank of fuel. It's completely gutted/caged, has coilovers and is legal for ITA, well, except for that pesky supercharger which is why I run in ITE.

[jhooten]

It would hlp to know where you are. In SOWDIV you could run it in ITE. If my 2800# 175 HP pig can finish second in ITE 2 years in a row you should be able to make a go of it.

[RedMisted]

I have an SVT Focus street car so this discussion has been interesting.

At the NASA championships a couple years ago at Mid Ohio, the fastest lap time recorded in Spec Focus was in the 1:48s. (Do not know if they ran the pro course or the chicane.) Does anyone know what the lap time of such car might be if run in IT trim?

In order for the car to be a world-beater in ITR, the Focus would need to run 1:41s on the chicane configuration. In ITS, maybe 43s.

[cjb25hs]

I have an SVT Focus street car so this discussion has been interesting.

At the NASA championships a couple years ago at Mid Ohio, the fastest lap time recorded in Spec Focus was in the 1:48s. (Do not know if they ran the pro course or the chicane.) Does anyone know what the lap time of such car might be if run in IT trim?

In order for the car to be a world-beater in ITR, the Focus would need to run 1:41s on the chicane configuration. In ITS, maybe 43s.

You have to take into consideration that the spec focus suspension is far from an IT level suspension would be. IIRC they don't even run adjustable shocks, just the SVT shocks and different springs and bars.

[RedMisted]

You have to take into consideration that the spec focus suspension is far from an IT level suspension would be. IIRC they don't even run adjustable shocks, just the SVT shocks and different springs and bars.

Also that in Spec Focus they are required to run Toyos, which give up a lot of grip versus Hoosier R6 rubber.

I think the Focus in full IT trim could be a terror in ITS and make the front runners in ITR nervous. I've got an ITR Mustang, and no way is a stock V6 Mustang as good as a stock SVT Focus. I believe the latter has more upside and should be a better candidate in ITR than the Mustang. Just my $.02

[joeg]

I have owned an 04 SVT and an 06 ST with the 2.3.

Loved the '06; disliked the SVT.

It's all a weight game because either would make a good race car. Both are kind of oddballs though.