Any experience with the Radical SR3??

[attila]

Originally Posted by Malakas

There a group that runs/maintains Radicals at MSR Houston. You should give them a call to investigate further about running costs... Here's their website. http://www.specracersports.com/

Thanks, I will give them a call!!!

[lutfy]

Last year I took some time off and instructed for the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi as a professional instructor (paid for... it was fun and got a chance to instruct some celebrities as well). One of the commercial line of cars was the Radical (which they called the SST or SuperSport).

Our job was to give hot laps to paid passengers but mostly instruct (majority of the drivers were green as in zero track experience). The car is very easy on the consumables (if memory serves me right, has AP brakes and the discs and pads would last a long time).

We'd run full slicks. The transmission was stout (flat upshifts, clutched downshifts) and the motor would go on and on.

There were a few times where the motor/tranny blew but it was through money shifts (crash and driver error would be picked up by the Govt of Abu Dhabi as it was their facility... imagine but thats another story).

We did have a few failed drive shafts. Apart from that, the bearings on the car required annual replacement and the mechanics would tighten/check bolts here and there mostly preventative. Cars are fairly reliable if driven properly.

The only issue we would have is the front splitter would crack here and there. The car is very low and you have to budget for this. Go over the pylon and you can damage it (its inevitable).

After driving the Radicals, jumping into an Aston Martin GT4 (Nurburgring 24 Hour spec race car, one of the commercial cars) which was no slog, would feel like a BOAT. Radical has been the most satisfying 'real' race car I have driven to date. You wont be disappointed.

Resale value holds as they are desirable and FIA spec so ready to race all over, so you are not resticted to just the US market. Hope this helps.

Lutfy

[Car54]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

I know at Mosport I have to short shift to not run over the 4 cylinder ones going up the 3/4 mile straight but once we get to corner 8 which is about a 100 mph entry in our cars they are almost flat on entry and run laps 7-9 seconds quicker than we do.I do not really like running with them in the same group as I am always afraid of getting into one if one of us makes a mistake as they are hard to see.

Occasionally a student would point one by to pass coming out of a corner, then proceed to be confused why it doesn't pull away. I use that time to remind them to not follow the car and drive their own lap. Too many times lightweight race cars suck street cars into a corner. They're really challenging to follow and disrupt the normal acceleration and deceleration of street cars.

I'm sure in capable hands they would just disappear, but when they're not...it's tricky to be around them.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by Car54

Occasionally a student would point one by to pass coming out of a corner, then proceed to be confused why it doesn't pull away. I use that time to remind them to not follow the car and drive their own lap. Too many times lightweight race cars suck street cars into a corner. They're really challenging to follow and disrupt the normal acceleration and deceleration of street cars.

I'm sure in capable hands they would just disappear, but when they're not...it's tricky to be around them.

Yep a novice in the Radical mixed with fast street cars is just bad news in traffic.We had a v8 Radical out with us last year and it was almost embarrassing to see how much quicker we were on a tight track in the M3's.But on the big track he eventually got down to times 6 seconds quicker than my fastest laps.

[adc]

Why not an atom? I'm curious...

I got a ride in one at Summit Point, and cannot imagine a more exciting track car. Made the 360CS seem dull lol.

Unless you want to get into aero cars...

[signes]

I got a ride in an Atom on the street and it was a blast, but seemed very nervous. I've heard they are a real handful on the track, very hard to get a quick lap. Maybe the Atom 3 is more stable.

[Erhan]

Originally Posted by signes

I got a ride in an Atom on the street and it was a blast, but seemed very nervous. I've heard they are a real handful on the track, very hard to get a quick lap. Maybe the Atom 3 is more stable.

Very short wheel base & not much weight.

[signes]

Yeah, that goes for nearly every mid-level and below open wheel race car. I've driven lot of different varieties of those over the years and nothing felt as jittery as the Atom (even the ones like FF without any aero.) Maybe just need more time in one!

[attila]

I have never driven an Atom. Thought about it but it seems more expensive than the Radical and less of a "race car". The upside would be that it can be made street legal and could be driven to the track.
Would be nice to drive one. Will drive a radical SR3 in late June and take it from there.

[signes]

I have to say it is brutally fast, a nice middle ground short of a full race car. Basically a 4 wheeled bike. Would give you a good pucker passing an 18 wheeler on the interstate on the way to the track.

[adc]

The Us version is made near VIR and they offer test drive sessions on track to potential buyers. I'm thinking of taking advantage of that next time I go to VIR.

[LucaRadicalGPitaly]

Hi everybody.

I'm also a RADICAL owner. hope to help you with any question and hope to see everyone of you driving my radical in racetracks.............

Luca