May 2021. Laguna Seca. Trans Am Speedfest.

[khyndart in CA]

I did not know much about a 1987 Renault Sports Racer before, so I will share this;


Harris Koenig in his 1987 Renault Sports Racer # 37
(Ken H photo..)

Sports Renault
Wheelbase ................... 92 in.
Length ...................... 144 in.
Height ....................... 39 in.
Width ........................ 67 in.
Track, fir ................ 56.5/57.5 in.
Weight (with driver and fuel) ... 1300 lbs.
ENGINE
Position ....... Transverse, amidships
Type ................... In-line 4, ohc
Displacement. ............... 1700cc
Compression ratio .............. 10:1
Bore .................. 81mm/3.18 in.
Stroke ............... 83.5mm/3.28 in.
Horsepower ....... 85SAE @ 5000 rpm
Torque ......... 108 lbs/ft. @ 3000 rpm

Sports Renault (1984 article.)
Think for a minute what most racing should
be. Simple. Straightforward. A true test of
driving skill rather than a seemingly never-ending, never-won, costly process of upgrading
equipment. Great fun. Close. Competitive. And
most of all, affordable.
For over a year SCCA has been developing and
refining just such a concept. Now it's proudly
being introduced as Sports Renault, a technically
advanced, exciting, affordable, one-design class
of single-seat sports racing machine for Region.al
and Nation.al competition beginning in 1984. And
best of all, SCCA is aiming to deliver a Sports
Renault in semi-kit form for under $10,000 excluding
the cost of shipping and a battery.
The concept of Sports Renault is a no-nonsense, long
overdue one aimed at producing a high quality
racing machine. The SCCA will be the sole source
of supply for all Sports Renault vehicles and will
strictly control build quality and compatibility of
replacement parts. Rules will concentrate on providing equal performance while minimizing
expenses and will be strictly enforced by the SCCA.
Sports Renault will run on high quality street radial
tires to help control costs and to further make sports
Renault a comfortable, easy-to-adapt-to racing
experience. Special programs will also be
developed to keep replacement costs to a
minimum. This innovative concept is even being
applied to the method of shipping and building the
· semi-finished racers. The chassis will be bolted to
a large crate; the engine will be placed in its bay;
bodywork in primer will be attached to the chassis;
and all necessary componentry, wheels, tires, and
instructions will be included.

History as per Wikipedia.
" Spec Racer was first conceived as low-cost sports racing class by a director of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), Ted Cronin, in the early 1980s. The car was developed and originally manufactured by Renault/Jeep Sport USA in Livonia, Michigan under direction of Vic Elford. The car, designed by Roy Lunn, was introduced into SCCA Club Racing in 1984 as "Sports Renault." After Renault bowed out of the program in 1989, the car was renamed "Spec Racer (SR)." The original Sports Renault/Spec Racer is now an SCCA Regional-only class and a few Renault powered cars still compete in National Auto Sport Association (NASA), Midwestern Council of Sports Cars Club (MCSCC) and Independent Motorsports Group (IMG) events. By 1994, the supply of rebuildable 1.7-liter Renault engines was drying up in the United States. The SCCA made the decision to replace the original Renault drivetrain with a 1.9-liter engine and five-speed transmission manufactured by the Ford Motor Company.

Now known as Spec Racer Ford.
Spec Racer Ford is a class of racing car used in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and other series road racing events. The Spec Racer Ford, manufactured and marketed by SCCA Enterprises (a subsidiary of SCCA, Inc.), is a high performance, closed wheel, open cockpit, purpose-built race car intended for paved road courses, such as WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Road America, Watkins Glen, and many other tracks throughout North America. With more than 1,000 cars manufactured, it is the most successful purpose built road racing car in the United States.


( Ken H..)