Category: News

It is with great sadness that PBOC Motorsports Club announces the loss of one of our founding members.

Bob Shuster passed away on Thursday February 28, 2019.  We are all unprepared to come to terms with this loss.

Bob Shuster has been a long time member of the PBOC Motorsports Club and the originator of the Super Solo™ driving events program.

He, along with Bob Varela conceptualized  Super Solo™ and made it the premier run group for our HPDE events. 

Bob Shuster reviewed and approved all candidates for this run group to continue to ensure that is is the safest and most experienced group on the track.

Bob drove his beautiful number 84 red Porsche in a spirited and gentlemanly manner.   

We all will miss him immeasurably.

His service was held March 3rd, but you can sign a guest book for his dear wife and the family at:

Obituaries

Thanks to all for attending the PBOC Winterfest ™ 2019 event at Sebring Jan 16-20, 2019

We all had a great time, and while it was cold on Thursday,  the weather was perfect for the weekend.

Over 300 participants with five days of racing and HPDE venues.

Race Results:  All results are posted at www.speedhive.com  you can search for PBOC to see all the races, practice and qualifying sessions.

They all appear under the grouping 2019 PBOC Winterfest.

PHOTOS:

Your photos are available at www.Motorimages.com  or call Lyndon Fox at 561.531.4715 and the email address lyndon@motorimages.com

Thanks to all the vendors who came to support the event as well as the great Sebring track staff and our

PBOC Corner Workers.  Thanks to Hankook Tires for their support and George at Trackside Sales and Services. 

Special thanks to Audi of North Orlando for the Pace Car.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

The complete PBOC Event calendar for 2019 is posted.

Don’t Forget to mark your calendars for PBOC WINTERFEST™ 2020 at Sebring

Next Year January 15-19, 2020

5 days of Racing and Lapping Days  and 2 days of Drivers Education.

 Registration will be at www.ClubRegistration.net  in late September

Most people know the basic premise of how an internal combustion engine operates. An air/fuel mixture enters the engine where it is ignited, exerting force on the crown of the piston, forcing the crankshaft to rotate, which in turn rotates the wheels via a transmission – all fairly basic. What many fail to consider however, is the means by which the car measures the amount of air it is taking in, in order to properly meter fuel.

In the world of fuel-injected engines, there are two popular methods of measuring airflow – speed density and mass airflow (MAF) systems.

Speed density has been around longer than MAF systems, and use a range of data to calculate airflow. The inlet air temperature and manifold pressure is measured via a manifold air pressure (MAP) sensor, which allows the ECU to calculate the density of the air present. With that data, the correct amount of fuel can also be calculated.

The car’s ECU is equipped with data called a volumetric efficiency table that allows the car to estimate how much air the engine is taking in at a given speed. An oxygen sensor is placed in the exhaust stream that measures the air/fuel ratio and allows the ECU to make corrections as needed.

Because speed density systems do not directly measure airflow rates, they have become less popular for new car manufacturers, who instead use MAF sensor systems.

A MAF sensor sits directly in the intake air stream, in a section of the intake with no bends or turbulent areas – allowing for accurate air measurements. Most MAF sensors operate using a heated wire that is in turn cooled down by the incoming air. The car then sends a certain voltage to the wire to keep it at a constant temperature, and that voltage is directly proportional to the airflow into the engine. MAF-equipped cars typically still use O2 sensors in the exhaust stream as a way to check and ensure the MAF sensor is working properly.

Speed density offers an advantage in that it is better at handling high-revving engines than a MAF sensor is. Most engines – especially those of smaller displacement – that rev above 8 or 9000 RPM are better suited to speed density.

Conversely, MAF systems deal with rapidly changing environmental or engine conditions more effectively than a speed density setup.

Speed density is still preferred by many modified car enthusiasts, because tuning is simplified and because the wire within a MAF sensor can become an obstruction at very high power-levels.

Wheel offset – the deceptively simple mathematical calculation that perplexes both beginning and experienced car enthusiasts alike.

In the simplest of terms, wheel offset is a measure, typically in millimeters, of how far in a set of wheels will sit within a car’s fenders. All wheels have an offset value, but what does that number actually mean in practicality?

Wheel offset is a value given in ET, or einpress tiefe, which translates from German as “insertion depth.” If you have any experience with aftermarket wheels, you’ve likely seen that they have an ET value stamped on them already. Being able to calculate this value on your own is important, however, because not all wheels are stamped with their ET values. Additionally, building a set of 2- or 3-piece modular wheels will require this calculation before assembly to ensure they fit as expected.

When measuring offset, you first need to measure the wheel’s overall width. Take that value, divide it by two, and you have the center point of the wheel’s width.

The next step is to measure from the wheel’s mounting flange – where the wheel mates up to the car’s hub, to the rear edge of the wheel. The resulting value is called “backspacing.”

From there, simply subtract that backspacing value from the center point figure to get your offset value.

• The more positive the offset number, the deeper inside the fenders the wheels will sit. Too far positive and the wheel may foul on brake or suspension components, depending on the overall width of the wheel.
• The more negative the offset number, the further out the wheels will sit. Wheels with offset that is too low may sit outside of the fenders, causing the tires to rub and potentially cause damage to the car’s body work.

All cars are different in terms of suspension components, fender clearance, and overall room inside the wheel wells. Using the measurements from your factory wheels is a great place to start when considering the size of your next set, but it is always a smart ides to check with people who own the same car as you to get a feel for what works and what doesn’t.

The latest iteration of the iconic Porsche 911 is finally here, and message boards and social media outlets everywhere are ablaze with comments about how it looks ‘the same’ as the last one. Porsche’s constant tweaking and refinement of the classic shape is part of what makes a 911, a 911. When you get it right the first time, why change it? This most recent 992 chassis certainly looks more aggressive than the outgoing model, however.

Exterior

At first glance, the oversized front grilles make the front-end look meaner – but keen-eyed Porsche fans will also notice that the entire car is incredibly wide. In fact, the previous 991 chassis was significantly wider than the 997 before it, and this new 992 is 45-milimeters wider than that up front. Additionally, new Carrera 2 models will receive the same wide-body treatment that the higher level trims get, which is a departure from Porsche’s usual practice.

The 992’s shoes have been upsized along with the rest of the car’s proportions. The standard wheels are 20-inches in diameter up front, with massive 21-inch units out back.

Performance Figures

The base Carrera power figures haven’t been released yet, but the Carrera S leaves the factory with 444chp – mated up to an eight-speed PDK transmission and a manual transmission in the near future.

The Carrera 4S sees 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds, with the RWD-only Carrera S at 3.7 seconds, respectively. Top speeds are reported to be 191mph for the RWD Carrera S, and 190mph for the Carrera 4S.

Interior

The physical gauges in the main cluster have been partially replaced by multi-function displays that are becoming increasingly popular in new cars. There is still a traditional tachometer, and a 10.9” infotainment system graces the center control stack.

Prices for the 992 911 start at $113,200 for a Carrera S, with the Carrera 4S coming in at a base price of $120,600.

The world is moving in the direction of the electric car, there’s just no way around that. General Motors (GM) has begun to embrace the eventual shift, and has announced that they will be stopping production on six of its worst-selling models – resulting in the closure of five factories.

These closures will result in as many as 14,000 lost jobs on top of the cancelled GM models.

The Detroit-Hamtramck factory – which is iconic but has been at the center of intense controversy – is scheduled to close, along with five others. Assembly plants in Warren, Ohio and Oshawa, Ontario will be closed, a plant in Baltimore that produces transmissions will get the axe, and the Transmission Operations site in Michigan will be closing as well.

Though much of the workforce at these sites will likely be facing unemployment, negotiations are underway to find relocation options for as many people as possible.

A statement from GM reads:

“The company is transforming its global workforce to ensure it has the right skill sets for today and the future, while driving efficiencies through the utilization of best-in-class tools.

“Actions are being taken to reduce salaried and salaried contract staff by 15 percent, which includes 25 percent fewer executives to streamline decision making.”

Here are the six vehicles being dropped from GMs range due to poor and worsening sales:

• Chevrolet Impala
• Cadillac XTS
• Buick LaCrosse
• Chevrolet Volt
• Cadillac CT6
• Chevrolet Cruze

Notice that all of the above models are traditionally-configured sedans or hatchbacks – highlighting a shift in consumer interest.

The shift towards electric cars is certainly an indicator of a bright future for the auto industry and the world in general, but it will not be without its growing pains and casualties along the way.