Green Grand Prix, Watkins Glenn, NY USA - April 20-21, 2012

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by ProDarwin

...
1) Is the EPA combined rating the *new* EPA combined rating? I.E. if you choose a car that was built before the new ratings were implemented, are you classed using the original ratings or the converted new rating?

2) Are there going to be silly speed limits per corner as there appear to have been in the past? How strictly are these enforced?

3) I see the elevation map, but what approx % grade is the steepest hill? This may effect the gearing we would select and/or the cam timing we would use.

1) As someone posted earlier, it's the "new" EPA combined rating. You'd find that if you look up the car now on the EPA site.

2) Last year observers were posted at several inside locations. I suspect you'd get flagged if you went flying through the turns, especially if it appeared to be unsafe - like a bunch of slower vehicles there at the same time or other unsafe situation. The GGP's organizers have always put a big premium on safety. Read a bit of race history and you'll see that one nasty accident can shut down a competition for years, or for good. (This isn't NASCAR, you know.)

3) Google "Watkins Glen Track" or "Watkins Glen Track grade", etc. You'll find articles detailing the track pretty well. Yes, as noted in an earlier post, the GGP uses the shorter version of the track so the "boot" with its hairpin turn and steep grade are eliminated.

[ProDarwin]

I meant to ask earlier... what is the date for 2012?

[sendler]

Green Grand Prix Watkins Glenn, NY USA April 20-21 2012.
.
Welcome To The Official Green Grand Prix Web Site

[ProDarwin]

All over that page it says 2011 everywhere. Completely missed the 2012 GREEN GRAND PRIX right at the top. Doh!

[sendler]

I talked to Bob today. There are still plenty of openings for the track day on Friday in addition to the rally. He is thinking he will end up with about 40 entries. Saturday will be a true SCCA road rally of 140 miles so bring your navigator. Secret maps will be handed out right before the start. He said he won't make it too tricky and it will stay to the main roads and have a fuel economy measurement at the start and finish of course.

[sendler]

The schedule for the 2012 Green Grand Prix is posted.
Friday, April 20


10:00AM:. Rally Registration at Tech Building

10:15 AM Rally Tech Inspection begins

11:30 A.M. Rally Drivers meeting

12 noon. Displays and seminars on sustainability topics begin in WGI Tech Bldg.

12 noon Lunch

1:00 PM Rally Stage 1 - 3 hour SCCA fuel economy rally on WGI short course.

4:00 PM Rally finishes




Evening social activities to be decided in village of Watkins Glen



Saturday, April 21


7:00 A.M Rally Registration and Tech Inspection: WGI Tech Building

TBA morn. NYElectrathon race registration and inspection

7:45 A.M. Rally Drivers meeting

8:30 A.M. Rally Stage 2- . Fuel economy rally starts with 2 laps on WGI circuit and continues onto public highways including 30 min. stops at cities of

Corning and Ithaca



12:30 PM Rally finishes and cars return to WGI Tech Building to be on display for

the public.

1:00 PM Seminars and presentations on sustainability topics begin in WGI Tech Building.



2:00 -3:00 PM Electrathon Race in North paddock area.

TBA Electrathon Technical presentations in Tech Building

4:00 PM- Awards Ceremony in Victory Circle

[JethroBodine]

I probably won't know until April if I am going to make it this year. I wonder if I can get into Class I with my "slightly" modified Jetta. EPA is 25mpg.

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by JethroBodine

I probably won't know until April if I am going to make it this year. I wonder if I can get into Class I with my "slightly" modified Jetta. EPA is 25mpg.

For 2010 and 2011 there were "modded" versions of most classes. Would have been one for each class if a modded car had entered for each.

Your gas log shows ~35-38 mpg in April 2011, and that was without the boat tail. Running in April weather this year I'd expect you will do very well. With the boat tail, I'd say it definitely be registered as modded. All the other mods to the car should also qualify it as modded but they're not quite as visible.

If you register, the organizers will likely ensure there's a class that your car will fit into. I won't guarantee that there will be a class where your car's EPA will be right at the max for the class, with all others in that class having substantially lower EPA #s.


The classes breakdown on this page:
http://www.greengrandprix.com/about.pdf
is from the 2011 GGP. Document Properties: Created 3/14/2011
So far as I can see, the 2012 version isn't out yet.

I'd expect to see a revision to the classifications for 2012. That's based on the fact that the 2011 GGP had the classes revised from the 2010 GGP. It seems the organizers revised the classes after most entries came in, to morph them to accommodate the field of cars entered. Sensible to do, considering that ecodriving and ecomodding are still evolving.

In registering, I'd write in somewhere (I did it in the "Fuel type" entry box) EXACTLY what the EPA #s are and which features of the car determined that EPA #. The reason is that they only ask for year, make and model, nothing about auto/standard tranny or engine type. So they can't reliably determine EPA unless you tell them. Just my outspoken opinion.

[jamesshaw89]

I put this on my calender in hopes nothing comes up, I'd love to check this out...maybe even drive in it just for the experience.

...subscribed

[JethroBodine]

Looking like I'll be competing in Class I(m) if I make it. The 1.6 diesel is junk, so the engine swap is off for a bit. Finishing the tail moves to the front of the list.