• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

¿Dirt Track XJ?

juryrigjalopy

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Monterey, CA
Went to the hillbilly clay oval at Ventura Raceway last night. Great racing! The sport compact class was quite interesting and in my opinion was in dire need of some XJ representation. An integra won against civics, pintos, nissans. I dont have time The class mandates that the vehicle has to be completely stock, NO modifications except for safety.

I believe a 4 cyl, 2wd, 2dr XJ or MJ would be classified as a station wagon or truck. A mini spool and gearing is an option for the rear end and I think that playing with the ratio could make a winning car. Fuel cell is $100 through Summit, alluminum racing seat is another $100, seat belts $100, and [SIZE=-1]+/-$200 for a simple 6 pt cage.

Whatta ya think?Possible?Competive?Fun?Legal?
[/SIZE]
From the Ventura Raceway pdf Rulebook

MODELS:
a. Competing models, any compact sedan, station wagon or pickup truck foreign or domestic 1995 model year or older. No two
seater sport cars or rotary engines allowed. Four (4) cylinder motors only. No factory limited production or after market
specialty car models allowed.
b. All cars must remain stock for make and model as produced and sold by manufacturer. All replacement parts must be stock or
equivalent.
c. Wheelbase no less than 95 inches, not to exceed 110 inches as produced by the manufacturer.
d. Weight must be no less than 1 lb. per cc including driver for rear wheel drive cars and 1.3 lb per cc including driver
for fuel injected cars.
e. No all wheel drive cars. Cars must be driven from the front wheels or back wheels not both.
 
A 2.5L will run, it just won't run up front.....I don't care what gear is behind it.....it's turd...that's why they gave them 4.10's from the factory, and they still can't keep up.
 
I have seen yotas that are competive at other tracks with the 22R. What is the difference in horspower. The Jeep 2.5L makes 117hp@5000 and the 22R makes 108hp@5000.
 
but the 22R is a better motor....it will actually get out of it's own way, and then some.....not to mention a 22R can handle high rpm driving.....a 2.5 will not...
 
Irwindale Speedway also has a Mini-Stock class (on asphalt) where the dominant car is the Pinto. Fun to watch!

As the former owner of a Pinto and the current owner of a 2 door, 2 wheel drive, 4 cylinder, 5 speed, PowerTrax equiped Cherokee, I would definately go for the Pinto. Way lower center of gravity, lighter weight, free revving carburated engine (Holley-Webber). I was suprised one night when the winning driver looked to be 300+ pounds. But, since the race weight is based on car + driver, and the drivers weight is on the inside of the corner, there are certain advantages.

Mike
 
Irwindale is not really a stock class, Ventura, Perris, Orange Show, etc are stricktly STOCK with safety components. The pintos are just a scaled down late model cars and its difficult to find a completely stock pinto these days. The engines in the pintos are high strung and the cars respond well to different suspenson setups. An old renault dominated Irwindale for quite a while. I dont think an MJ or XJ would be the best choice but it would be fun to get squirly on the dirt track for a while.



PhotographerMike said:
Irwindale Speedway also has a Mini-Stock class (on asphalt) where the dominant car is the Pinto. Fun to watch!

As the former owner of a Pinto and the current owner of a 2 door, 2 wheel drive, 4 cylinder, 5 speed, PowerTrax equiped Cherokee, I would definately go for the Pinto. Way lower center of gravity, lighter weight, free revving carburated engine (Holley-Webber). I was suprised one night when the winning driver looked to be 300+ pounds. But, since the race weight is based on car + driver, and the drivers weight is on the inside of the corner, there are certain advantages.

Mike
 
when I was young there was a local dirt track called Ascot race way where my Dad and I would go atleast once a week to watch the insane racing. chain races were crazy and so were the figure 8's. Talking with him last night he remembers a class that was stock v6 and the cars had to be over a certain weight and under a certain length. He remembers a cherokee owning that race for a number of weeks. I was to young to really remember specific cars or rules :( but he remembered the cherokee breaking a axel shaft and rolling during the race once.
 
Back
Top