Fabian Okonski Wins SCCA Regional at Infineon RacewayCongratulations are extended to our very own Team Radical West member Fabian Okonski, as he took home the first place trophy in his class (CSR) at the SCCA Season Opener Regional Race on April 3-4, 2004 at Infineon Raceway in beautiful Sonoma, California. Fabian drives a Radical SR3 and was one of the original members of the Radical West Team. The following is Fabian’s personal account of the race:
Sport Racer tally: 5 DSR, 4 CSR
Group tally about 25 total
Race Report, INFINEON, April 4, Group 2 (FA,FS,FM,FC,DSR, CSR)
Qualifying did not go to well for me. I was not in the zone at all, and it seemed like everytime I started to put together a good lap, I´d be blue flagged for a Formula Atlantic or Formula Continental to go by3;.ie losing a lot of time. The best I could muster was 1:44, which I was quite disappointed with. I was gridded about mid group. One CSR, and two DSR´s were gridded ahead of me. The CSR (Mike Downs) had a scorching fast qual of 1:34 and was actually third fastest of the group. The two DSR´s ahead of me were just tenths faster so I wasn´t too worried about them. There were about 4-5 other sports racers gridded behind me.
The start went well, and I gained a few positions. A few laps into things, the FA, FC and FM´s that were gonna get away were gone and what was left was a DSR (driver unknown to me call him DSR#1), another DSR (my friend Les Oldenbrook) followed by a FM, followed by me and the rest of the field. This train rolled for about two laps when suddenly the FM in front of me lets go of a huge splash of water/oil/fluid between T1-T2. Bummer place to suddenly have no visibility, let alone no grip. I struggled to keep control of the car and somehow found myself still on the road between T2-T3, but while the guy ahead was still spewing fluids, he was still running hard3;3;so in order to get out of the muck I had to slow and go offline as I watched the DSR´s ahead pull away. Between T4 and the carousel I finally managed to get a tear away pulled off, and could see again just as the FM car pulled off the road. I had a lot to make up now3;..but fortunately there ended up being a full course yellow, which allowed me to group up again with the other DSRs. Somewhere along the way, the ultrafast Mike Down´s CSR dropped out
At the restart, I got boxed in a little but was able to work my way back up to Les´ car. For the next 10 laps or so it was almost nose to tail DSR#1, Les, and myself. Each of us with a little advantage at different places. I was able to pull a bit down the front straight, so when I hit T11 correctly I couldn´t nearly get alongside Les going down the front straight up the hill. One time he squeezed me pretty tight at the K wall on the left, enough that I had to lift a bit3;3;but the karma came around3;..with 3 to go, traffic in the carousel, combined with a new misfire on Les´ car worked to my advantage, and I got by him. I also had a good run at DSR#1 and almost did the badass formula 1 outbrake maneuver into 7 but couldn´t make it stick., and that´s how it finished with DSR #1, followed by myself and the other finishers.
Fun was had by all!
Autosport Magazine Cites the Rapid Growth of the Radical
The Impressive 50 Radical Grid at Donington Park’s Season Opener
The new season of racing in the U.K. for the Radical Championships kicked off on the last weekend in March with two bumper grids sporting 4 different models of Radical Car. With over fifty Radicals on the track and beautiful weather, the Radical season in the United Kingdom looks set for an exceptional start.
Recently AutoSport Magazine recognized Radical’s incredible growth in an online article entitled “Radical Thinking.” Excerpts from the article are below.
Phenomenal. That’s perhaps the only way to describe the rise of Radical Extreme Sportscars. To even contemplate setting up a race car manufacturing company in an era when the industry’s giants were failing, was held as madness.
Yet founders and club racers Phil Abbott and Mick Hyde made it work, achieving an ambitious 50-grid at Spa in remarkably short order. In just seven years, almost 400 machines have rolled out of Radical’s Peterborough factory. Last year it made a record 150 cars - more than veteran market leader Van Diemen, which celebrated its 30th anniversary!
Here’s what the author had to say about the SR3 Supersport:
“Sleek and slinky, the SR3 Supersport is a scaled-down World Sports Car which deserves to be out to play with the big boys. It curvaceous high down-force aero kit is well tuned to the stroked 1500cc Hayabusa engine which belts out more than 250bhp with instant throttle response. That’s 500bhp per ton!
Unlike its sibling, the SR3 dispenses with chain and sprocket in favour of a gear drive set-up custom developed by Radical’s Powertec division and transmission specialist Quaife. Super-effiicent brakes sit inside the big wheels , with four-pot Super-efficient gripping ventilated discs.
Sitting within its longer wheelbase, I felt lower in the SR3’s cockpit than in the other cars, and immediately felt as one with it.”
Radical Motorsport’s Impressive Factory
A TRIP to Radical’s bright and airy 25,000 foot nerve centre will leave the customer hugely impressed. The assembly shop is a hive of activity, where red-coated technicians scurry around attaching parts to embryonic chassis. Over the course of a morning progress is tangible, as twin lines of colourful cars take shape alongside the works race preparation bays.
L-R: Paul Dujon, Mick Hyde (from Peterborough) and John Morris
Production is running at four cars a week, possible only because of the ordered manner in which everything comes together. A majority of the componentry for each kit is made in-house by sister firm Amicon Engineering. Steel spaceframe chassis are fabricated in the adjoining unit, together with suspension uprights and wishbones. Hubs are forged and turned in the traditional way, while CNC machines whir away milling dry sump pans for Suzuki and Kawasaki engines.
For the complete story, you are invited to read the Autosport News Article.
Radical West Racing Fuels Expansion in Southwest
Radical West Racing in the USA is making a large dent (ouch - no pun intended!) in the effort to expand the Radical market in the southwest. Since the beginning of our relationship with Radical Motorsport six months ago, we have sold well over 20 cars, and have plans to order more Radicals within the next few months of the season.
John Morris, CEO of Radical West Racing, comments, “Naturally, we´re thrilled about our good fortune in Radical sales - especially because we have made so many new friends in the process. The factory has consistently delivered a superior product and the dedicated Radical personnel both here and in the U.K. have never let us down in terms of service and support. We´ve only scratched the surface of the Radical market in the U.S., and we look forward to seeing significantly more cars on the track this year.”
For additional information about purchasing a Radical Extreme Sports Car and participating with us in races and track events, please call us at 1-888-SPEED-RW (888-773-3379).
Radical New and Demo Cars for Sale
Radical West Racing maintains a selection of new and demo Radical SR3’s and SR4’s on the showroom floor, with additional cars being delivered regularly. You are invited to come in to our showroom and see for yourself this incredible racing phenomenon.
Or, one of our consultants can assist you with ordering a Radical from the factory, where your new Radical will be custom built to your own specifications.
Our current inventory includes the following Radicals:
(subject to change without notice)
Totally Awesome SR3 Beauty
SR3 Supersport - Demo model - 1300 cc Engine
Direct from the Factory - SR4 Model
New SR4 with 1300 cc Engine
HOT Yellow New SR3 Supersport
Just Airfreighted in from England
Black Beauty - 2003 SR3
Only a few months old - 1500 cc Engine!
Don’t miss your chance to buy a Radical today! Call us at 1-888-SPEED-RW (888-773-3379) for more information about pricing and options.
Welcome to David Thompson from the Factory in Peterborough
Radical West Racing is thrilled to welcome DAVID THOMPSON as the newest member of our staff in the United States. Coming to us direct from the factory after a lengthy Visa application process, David has worked for Radical Motorsport, Ltd. in Peterborough for two years where his job responsibilities included the production of new race, track day and road cars. In addition, during the last two race seasons David was in charge of preparation and maintenance of the race cars as part of the Radical Motorsport team in the U.K.
David was previously employed by Formula Palmer Audi and Palmer Sport, led by former Formula 1 Driver Jonathan Palmer. While with Formula Palmer, David was part of the FPA race team and was responsible for preparing and maintaining a single seater Audi throughout the full British racing season. At Palmer Sport, David built Caterham and Lotus track and road cars, giving him a great deal of production knowledge and experience.
One of David’s career highlights was in the Autumn of 2003 where he and the Radical works team traveled to Magny Cours in France to take part in a 12-hour endurance race along with 52 other cars. The car David was placed in charge of finished in second place. Out of the top 10 cars, 8 were Radical SR3’s.
When David is not working, he spends as much time as possible enjoying motorsports. In England David played soccer at nearly a semi-professional level for two different local teams and also enjoys indoor karting. His dream for the future is to be part of a high level endurance racing team. Upon his arrival into the United States, David purchased a Honda CBR Motorcycle and will soon be seen driving the streets of southern California on his new red bike.
David’s duties here at Radical West Racing will include race and track day support, along with general mechanical duties. David is also experienced in the software program that diagnoses the Radical systems and he was instrumental to the team this fall when he was sent out to assist during the delivery of the SR3 Turbo in November. We’re so happy to welcome David as part of our Radical West support team.
Team Radical West Attends Racer Factory Event
at Spring Mountain Motorsports Park
Radicals lined up on the Grid at Spring Mountain Motorsports Park
What an enjoyable weekend for members and friends of Team Radical West! On March 27-28, 2004 the team traveled to Spring Mountain Motorsports Park in Pahrump, Nevada, to participate in Racer Factory’s latest event. Team members who were in attendance were John Morris, Ken Melgoza, Marc Futterman, Tim Day and Glenn Dulaine. Radical staff members Marc Brewster and Todd Joyce were also on hand to work with the team, along with Radical wives and girlfriends Jerra Morris, Kristy Melgoza, Lorrie Futterman, and Naia Blanco. Also enjoying the festivities were extended family members and friends of the team.
Our friends from the local Ferrari Club of Las Vegas invited their members to participate with our drivers in ride-alongs on the Spring Mountain track in their Radical race cars. We would like to thank Bob Lebenson and Jeff Wenger (Jeff is webmaster of the Ferrari Club website) for setting up the ride-alongs and for their gracious hospitality. For additional Ferrari Club News and photos of this event, click here.
Team Radical West had a great time driving with the Racer Factory Organization, and hopes to participate in many of their events in the future. More about Racer Factory below.
Radical West Racing Partner - Racer Factory
Radical West Racing is pleased to participate in events sponsored by some of the most renowned event companies in the industry. This month we are featuring Racer Factory - a group of automotive enthusiasts and industry veterans that come together twice a year to provide a chance to exercise their vehicles in a safe and productive environment.
Racer Factory Events are intended to be very low-key, high adrenaline and lots of FUN. The emphasis will be on vehicle dynamics, driving technique, car control and overall safety. The participants are grouped by level of driving and track experience, and most participants will have between 4 and 5 hours of track time, more than double what many time trials or race weekends offer.
Rich Barker is the founder of Racer Factory, he runs a few events each year. Their next event is scheduled for September 3-4, 2004 at the Arizona Motorsports Park in Phoenix. Team Radical West members plan to participate in Racer Factory’s events this year, and we always have a fun and high energy experience with the participants.
Be sure to visit Racer Factory’s Website to view their 2004 Event Schedule. We’ll see you at the racetrack!
Radical West Racing Welcomes New Members to the Team
Radical West Racing is pleased to announce the addition our newest members of the team - James DiIorio and Roy Sciortino. James and Roy will be participating in track events and races along with the rest of their teammates this season. We look forward to spending time on the track with our latest Radical owners. Welcome, James & Roy!
Upcoming Events in April 2004
Below is a list of our April events at Radical West Racing. Don’t hesitate to call us or send us an email for more information about signing up and participating in any of these
upcoming events. See you at the track!
April 14, 2004 - All Time Racing Event
Willow Springs Raceway
April 17-18, 2004 - Tracquest Event
Buttonwillow Raceway
April 24, 2004 - Dali Racing Event
Spring Mountain Motorsports Park (Pahrump, NV)
April 25, 2004 - Private Track Event
Spring Mountain Motorsports Park (Pahrump, NV)
Call us if you’re interested in attending this exciting event!
April 30, 2004 - Speed Ventures Event
Streets of Willow
Thank you for reading the April Issue of Radical West Racing News. We appreciate your support, and hope to see you soon at the race track!
Call TODAY! 800-391-6891
