Hey everyone,

This is one of my first posts on ScoobyNet. I'm very excited to find another extensive group of knowledgeable Scooby folks!

We race a 2002 US spec WRX in the US Touring Car Championship. We are backed by Subaru of America with several associate sponsors. This is a new racing series in the US that is growing in popularity. The cars have stock engine internals, but significant suspension, intake, exhaust, engine mangagement and aero modifications. The main goal, though, is inexpensive and competitive racing. It's turned out to be a lot of fun!

Here's a pic of our car.

http://www.teamSMR.com/ontrackweb.jpg

If you'd like to read a driver's perspective of our last race at Sears Point on Nov 11th, click here. (http://www.teamsmr.com/html/sears_point_race_report.html)

It's not WRC, but we're trying our best to win this championship!

See you around,

Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
#72 Subaru WRX USTCC
www.teamSMR.com

Hi Gary and team

Pretty cool. Good luck for the season. I'd certainly be interested to see how you get on...Not interested in rallying then? :D

Amanda

[Edited by ScooBabe - 11/27/2001 8:11:55 PM]

ScooBabe,

Thanks for the luck. We're going to need it!

No plans for rally right now. I have an acute case of dendrophobia.

We're taking a hard look at Speedvision World Challenge for 2002. The world needs to see Subarus winning road races too, where most of us spend our time.

Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
#72 Subaru WRX USTCC
www.teamSMR.com

Hiya gary plus all the team! awesome mate! looks pretty cool, always wondered when someone was going to run one in a touring championship!
i used to follow the British touring championship when audi were in it as i used to be a die hard audi fan.
but it would be very interestinng to see our uk impreza compete in touring. suppose its rallying what sells cars over here and subarus make good rally cars.
how does your engine last in race situation as it is on stock internals? obviously a race series is the best way to test relabilty of these motors.
good luck!
cheers Lee :D

Lee,

As you may have guessed, the engine has been very reliable. We did one engine rebuild near the beginning of the season because we had poor leakdown numbers on two of the cylinders. This car was one of the first US spec WRX's in the country and was one of several used as press mules in Florida when all of the journalists were beating the crap out of them on that rally course they have down there.

We tore the motor all the way down, had the heads freshened and the block honed and put it all back together. Since then, it's been holding compression and leakdown steady. Even with the additional power from our intake, exhaust and engine management modifications.

I just wish the sheet metal was as strong as the motor is...
http://www.teamsmr.com/WRX%20crash.jpg

Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
#72 Subaru WRX USTCC
www.teamSMR.com



[Edited by teamSMRgary - 11/29/2001 6:24:09 PM]

:cool: nice to see a competition scoob doing something other than blasting down a gravel track.

Good luck with the remaining rounds, let us know how you get on :D

Duncan

Holy sh1t gary that wasnt a nice move by another competitor!
think with that carry on you need armoured plating! :D
Lee

Gary, glad to see you in here. I loved the last race and what can you say except its a Honda driver, wheat would you expect ;)

Been following you from up here in Seattle :D

Good luck with the rest of the Season!!

Excellent I shall look out for details of what yuou do with enthusiasm

Best of luck :D

Michelle

Too bad USTCC doesn't make it to this side of the country....

Why is only one foglight missing in the top pic? I expected both or neither.

Carl,

At the time, we were using the right fog light hole to feed the air intake for the motor. We left the other one in to reduce drag. Now we have blowers in both fenders that feed ducts to the brakes, so we pulled both foglights. Now it looks like this:

http://www.teamsmr.com/Luca 34 Web 2.jpg

Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
#72 Subaru WRX USTCC
www.teamSMR.com