Why is it always esteems and OHCs for track events like drags!!

[fiery enzyme]

Well guys,

In my relatively short career as motorsport spectator, I have noticed that the cars used for races are mostly esteems or OHCs. Now why is that.

For example in the drag in MMSC last week I did not see a single Palio. The numbers of Esteems and OHCs eclipsed every other entry.

Is that because they are mod friendly. In that case why not the lancer(exception being the 'Mivec'ed one).

And a similar trend is rampant in rallying too. Its either Balenos or Fiestas(new additions) and Cedias. I can understand why gypsies are used in rallying though.

Experts please enlighten the uninformed.

[BlackPearl]

One reason is that these cars have very good power to weight ratio being very light.

[reignofchaos]

Its simple... in drags you need great power to weight ratio. In rallys the best handling car wins. Those cars are the best we have in india for those purposes.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by fiery enzyme

Well guys,

In my relatively short career as motorsport spectator

Never knew one could make a career out of being a motorsport spectator. So what's the qualification bala ?

Originally Posted by fiery enzyme

For example in the drag in MMSC last week I did not see a single Palio.

I guess the 'tank-like' build will not allow it to take off.

[narayan]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Never knew one could make a career out of being a motorsport spectator. So what's the qualification bala ?

to the best of my knowledge one track day !!!!

jokes apart - i think power to ratio is one aspect....

ease of modifying a vehicle to a particular requirement
availability of parts
support from manufacturer to an extent

also matter ......

[Torque-ative]

Not to mention both cars go cheap in the used car market.
Spares for busted & blown parts are easily available too.

[madan80]

well , OHCs and Esteems are Jap engines - easy to modify. Palio's power range (from what i heard) is in the 2500- 3000 - so till it gets there, the other car would have left it too far behind to catchup.

[nitrous]

Correct.
Jap cars have aftermarket parts off-the-shelf and also are cheap to come.
This is where Ford,Opel,Chevrolet,Hyundai,Fiat,etc.. lag.

[mclaren1885]

Originally Posted by madan80

well , OHCs and Esteems are Jap engines - easy to modify. Palio's power range (from what i heard) is in the 2500- 3000 - so till it gets there, the other car would have left it too far behind to catchup.

Madan, on a drag strip or a track no vehicle falls below 3,000rpm at any point. So that is the least of the worries. To summarize what everyone have already said:

1. Ease of availability in the used car market.
2. Ease of availability of spare parts.
3. Ease to tune and availability of aftermarket parts.
4. PTWR factor.
5. Basic handling characteristics from which further developments can be made.
6. And also the fact that most of the Jap cars are reliable even when the engines are thrashed continuously is just an added bonus.

[n_aditya]

I agree with you MCL. Another point to add is that Jap engines revv more freely and smoothly than their american or european counterparts. This is why modifications are easier and relatively hassle free on the jap engines.

[nitrous]

Originally Posted by Naditya

Another point to add is that Jap engines revv more freely and smoothly than their american or european counterparts. This is why modifications are easier and relatively hassle free on the jap engines.

What does free-revving have to do with modding???
Nothing!
Currently, the 1.8T RS engine has the most off-the-shelf performance goodies in India. But, at heavy price tags.

[narayan]

factoring in all the above points , still does not explain why no balenos participated...? pure coincidence maybe .....

anyway enuf reason for mcl and supreme baleno not to miss the next drag !!

[theMAG]

Japanese cars are more affordable to modify compared to US/Euro cars.

[Jaggu]

Power to weight ratio.
Easy access to parts and tuners, cheaper parts anyday even for goodies.
Usually very simple internal designs also.

[mclaren1885]

Originally Posted by narayan

still does not explain why no balenos participated.

Infact, the reason I hear you don't see many people do up Baleno's is because it looks ugly to most. The OHC looks a class apart, specially the ones floating all over the town with 17'' bling rims & simple bodykit. Not to mention the ease of performance parts available from tonnes of other engines as well. Also, not many indeed know the true potential of the Baleno yet. I guess the only guy who knows is Raj Hingorani who has been devastatingly embarrassing quite a few cars with his B-zen for more than a couple of years now.

Also, from what I have seen, it takes only riots to go all out on a Baleno rather than sticking to the trend. This point to prove that Baleno could be turned into something competitive was started by none other than our very own TBHPian. No, its not me. Its Iceman91. Since then, the trend seems to have caught up a bit. Though not as much as the OHC.

I am hardly aware of any FAST baleno's in the country barring 3. One was Amit's, the other is a car belonging to a famous rally driver which was running turbo. Not anymore, it runs NOS I hear. The other is Vinod Ratnam's, the scooby look alike that won countless number of drags in the Bangalore edition of Speedruns. But almost every other modded OHC is as quick as each other. So, it only gives a few of us the exclusivity .