Cobalt SS Teams Start the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series Season this Friday @ Daytona

[Ming]

Note: The "Grand Am Cup", a series that was often confused for the similarly named Grand American Rolex Series (its big brother, so to speak), is as of the 2007 racing season with its own major sponsor, and now called the "Grand Am KONI Challenge".



Cobalt SS Teams Start the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series Season this Friday
by Steve Smith, Kristyn Sobier
Florida Racing News
Wednesday, January 24, 2007

DAYTONA, Fla. -- Chevrolet Cobalt SS Supercharged Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series teams will start their 12-race series at Daytona International Raceway on Friday. The Cobalt SS Supercharged teams are headed by last year’s front-running Georgian Bay Motorsports team, which logged four wins and finished third in season ending ST points. Also campaigning Cobalt SS racers are Team Cobalt California’s two cars and GS Motorsport with their single car entry.

Source: http://www.whowon.com/Results.asp?Tr...StoryID=211343

Also:

Rich Rewards: Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series Offers Record $100,000 Race Purses for 2007


http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsr..._pressreleases

ORLANDO, Fla. – The 2007 Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series will offer the richest purses in series history with today’s announcement at the 2006 Grand-Am Cup Series Awards Celebration that each of the 12 races will pay out $100,000 per event, including up to $10,000 for a victory in the Grand Sport (GS) class.

The GS winning team will earn a minimum of $5,000 for a race victory, but could double its winnings to $10,000 if the team uses KONI shocks. Second place in GS will pay $3,750 for teams not using KONI shocks or $7,500 for teams using KONI, with $2,500 going to the third-place finisher in GS without KONI or $5,000 for teams using KONI.

The Street Tuner (ST) class has a similar structure, with $3,750 going to the class winner if the team does not use KONI and $7,500 for a winning team with KONI, followed by $2,500 or $5,000 for the second-place finisher and $1,750 or $3,500 for third in ST. Both classes will pay out to the top-20 positions, with double the purse for any top-20 finisher using KONI shocks.

“Clearly, our competitors are already seeing the benefits of KONI’s new sponsorship of the KONI Challenge Series,” said Grand American Road Racing Association President Roger Edmondson. “Teams will have until the 2009 season to convert their race cars to KONI shocks, but the opportunity to double their earnings by using KONI should be tantalizing to a considerable number of our competitors. Certainly, KONI’s involvement in the series has been significant in allowing us to offer the largest purses we’ve ever had.”

Prior to the 2007 season, the Grand-Am Cup Series purses were based on a percentage of fees from entries that started each race. As a result, this number fluctuated throughout the season depending on the number of cars that took the green flag in each individual race. At no time in series history, however, did the race purse total anywhere near $100,000, which is guaranteed for 2007.

[Ming]

A primer:

http://cars.ign.com/articles/709/709635p1.html

The GS Class (as well as the ST class) is a production car-based racing series. According to the GrandAm literature, this class was created to show the reliability and durability of production cars in a racing environment. The cars competing in this class are more or less stock. While major modifications are allowed when it comes to safety, the engine and the rest of the car remains as it did when it was still on the showroom floor. In other words, this is real stock car racing.

So all these body panels you see are factory sheetmetal. No carbon fiber or non-OEM fiberglass or aero pieces are used here. While safety rules dictate that the driver and passenger door glass must be removed, all other greenhouse pieces are OEM glass. No Lexan allowed!

Modifications can be done to the suspension, provided the parts bolt up to the standard mounting points. Brakes can be replaced, but the discs can't be more than 5% bigger than the stock units, and no special ducting is allowed. The engines can be blueprinted and balanced, and some stand-alone engine management systems can be used, but crazy overbores and headwork isn't permitted. Still, this "minor" tuning can still get 350-400 reliable horsepower out of these engines.

Even the gas tanks must be stock, unless safety rules dictate that another unit must be used. All the fuel lines can be upgraded, of course, but this means that the cars have wildly different fuel capacities. The Porsche 966s used have 16.5 gallon tanks while cars such as the Ford Mustang are permitted to have 20 gallon tanks. Teams must really plan ahead when it comes to fuel consumption here!

Due to sponsorship reasons or something, all GS Cup cars must run approved Hoosier tires. However, as Hoosiers are known for their stickiness (and grip), we're sure that this is one mod that everyone is happy with.

For the GS Cup, all cars are required to have at least two drivers. Of course, this means that at least one driver change has to occur during the race.

Of course, the cars used in the ST class have smaller-displacement 4 and 6-cylinder engines. Forced induction cars are allowed to keep their blowers, but they cannot be modified to make more power (no cranking up the boost...). Cars in this class make between 170 and 240 horsepower and have a top speed of about 135 miles per hour.

[jmonte345]

I really wish they had a few Ion Red Lines racing in this series. Oh well, I guess I'll have to root for the SS. Anyone know the TV schedule for this year?

[coaster.n3rd]

Originally Posted by jmonte345

I really wish they had a few Ion Red Lines racing in this series. Oh well, I guess I'll have to root for the SS. Anyone know the TV schedule for this year?

Same car.

No doubt, this is one very good race car.

[jmonte345]

Originally Posted by coaster.n3rd

Same car.

No doubt, this is one very good race car.

I know it is. But I drive a Red Line so I'd like to root for the Saturn.

[coaster.n3rd]

Originally Posted by jmonte345

I know it is. But I drive a Red Line so I'd like to root for the Saturn.

I'm with you on that. I'm really hoping for a sweet Astra RL with DI.

[Ming]

I found the new KONI sponsorship of this series and much larger purse a nice surprise. Good to see "stock car" racing isn't dead in the USA. Here's the TV schedule for now jmonte, but its very preliminary/unfinished (there are more than 3 races in the season - 12 actually):

Fresh from Florida 200 TBA Speed Channel
Grand-Am GT Classic at Lime Rock Park GS - Tape Delay June 10 3:00 PM ET Speed Channel
Miller Motorsports Park Tape Delay September 23 3:00 PM ET Speed Channel


Event Schedule Entry List
January 25 - 26, 2007 3 Hours
Full TV Schedule

Fresh From Florida will sponsor the 2007 Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series at Daytona International Speedway, DIS officials announced today. The Fresh From Florida 200 at Daytona will run at the World Center of Racing on January 26 prior to the prestigious twice-around-the-clock 45th Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 27-28.

[unkillsam]

Of course, the cars used in the ST class have smaller-displacement 4 and 6-cylinder engines. Forced induction cars are allowed to keep their blowers, but they cannot be modified to make more power (no cranking up the boost...). Cars in this class make between 170 and 240 horsepower and have a top speed of about 135 miles per hour. __________________

It's a good thing the Cobalt has a top track speed of 143 mph.

[GotAWD]

I was watching a race i think it was at Pheonix. GM had to put the stock exhaust back on the SS since it freed up more power and the SS was just running away with the races. i wonder if GM made this exhaust stock or an option from the dealer.

anyone know?

[jwrebholz]

The Cobalt SS dominated this series last year. I expect nothing to change.

[jmonte345]

Originally Posted by GotAWD

I was watching a race i think it was at Pheonix. GM had to put the stock exhaust back on the SS since it freed up more power and the SS was just running away with the races. i wonder if GM made this exhaust stock or an option from the dealer.

anyone know?

The stock exhaust hasn't gone through any changes as far as I know. I thought the Cup cars were using a 3" inch Corsa exhaust originally but switched to a 2.5" since it made more power.

GM Performance Parts also sells an exhaust for the SS. It is a 2.25" made by Borla.

[gopedxr7]

everytime i see the cobalt racing with mustangs and rx8s i laugh. while its amazing that its in there and i am happy that its competing so well. its just that its like herbie the love bug racing with the big boys. i dont know.

but seeing a cobalt race in this race makes me want a cobalt more than seeing a monte carlo, impala, fusion in a nascar race

Alan

[Kappa]

If GM can put more money into the Cobalt and find someway to make it eqaul or surpass the Civic, 3, Coralla on the streets. Then refine the racing SS version more and GM will have a win-win situation if they put more money and focus in the car.

With the racing though, I find it all too funny the the Cobalt SS is the one beating RX-8s and Stangs around the course. Good work GM, now keep it up and updating it.

[OhioGM]

Originally Posted by gopedxr7

everytime i see the cobalt racing with mustangs and rx8s i laugh. while its amazing that its in there and i am happy that its competing so well. its just that its like herbie the love bug racing with the big boys. i dont know.

but seeing a cobalt race in this race makes me want a cobalt more than seeing a monte carlo, impala, fusion in a nascar race

Alan

And the Turbo is comig

[jmonte345]

Originally Posted by OhioGM

And the Turbo is comig

There has been much debate about this on the Cobalt forums. Some are positive a turbo is next while some are positive it's staying supercharged. I can't wait for some official word from GM. I've heard an announcement is coming soon.

I really like the supercharged motor. The whine of the roots blower sounds much better than the hiss of a turbo, to my ears at least. I understand there is much more potential with a turbo but I like being different. There are plenty of sport compacts with turbos but how many are supercharged? Not many.