2021 Mach 1, Wins SCCA F, Solo National Championship

[WCRookie99]

Your argument is the Mach 1 is the reason he won, and all other cars are inferior.

You are basically saying the reason Tom Brady dominates the NFL is because of his shoes and pads. Not because he puts in the work in the off season.

All credit goes to Sam and everyone who helped him. They put in the work, and they were rewarded.

How did he end up driving the Mach 1?

Even at this level, every advantage helps.

Brady, he’s a master of doing everything he can to win and yes it matters. Remember Brady deflated the balls so his receivers could catch a softer ball. Shoes, absolutely have you ever played on a wet field, different spikes do matter.

Yes the car matters, remember George Russell jumping into Hamilton’s car when he was sick for the first time ever and basically dominated the race until his tire was cut.

Yes yes yes, the Car matters as long as the Driver is top notch.

Don’t get fooled, “oh my gosh that guy can drive” the car needs to be competitive too.

The Thread title is correct

2021 Mach 1, Wins SCCA F, Solo National Championship.

Congratulations, Car, Team and Driver

Sponsored

 

[RobZ71LM7]

Wait until our Mach 1 fanboy here finds out that Sam tossed Magride dampers for passive Koni/Penske combo - is it still stock Mach 1 then and is it the car ? LOLOL Such a bummer....

He had 1/LE previously but had a little bit of an issue with brakes on it.... And in the past - from what I know (it would be best if he talked about it but I think he hasn't logged in for a while) - ran Mustangs (Shelby GT - odd SN197 creation that was FS legal at the time) and Camaros (still brings his F-body to CAM challenge).

You beat me to it. I was about to post that he ditched magneride due to FS rules not allowing DSC. I'd bet money Sam would've been just as fast, probably faster in a 1LE.

Here it is straight from the horse's mouth:

(1) Mach 1 vs Camaro SS 1LE | Page 2 | 2015+ S550 Mustang Forum (GT, EcoBoost, GT350, GT500, Bullitt, Mach 1) - Mustang6G.com

 

[WItoTX]

You beat me to it. I was about to post that he ditched magneride due to FS rules not allowing DSC. I'd bet money Sam would've been just as fast, probably faster in a 1LE.

Here it is straight from the horse's mouth:

(1) Mach 1 vs Camaro SS 1LE | Page 2 | 2015+ S550 Mustang Forum (GT, EcoBoost, GT350, GT500, Bullitt, Mach 1) - Mustang6G.com

Thank you for finding the thread. The DSC rule was 100% the reason I left FS actually, because what Ford made, and what Tim could develop, it was night and day difference on course. The Mach 1 HP magneride tune is, well, not good, from my limited experience (one lap). And it makes perfect sense both from a tuning perspective, and overall performance perspective, that someone would ditch the heavy magneride for simple/light koni's.

 

[WCRookie99]

You beat me to it. I was about to post that he ditched magneride due to FS rules not allowing DSC. I'd bet money Sam would've been just as fast, probably faster in a 1LE.

Here it is straight from the horse's mouth:

(1) Mach 1 vs Camaro SS 1LE | Page 2 | 2015+ S550 Mustang Forum (GT, EcoBoost, GT350, GT500, Bullitt, Mach 1) - Mustang6G.com

Of course he did, all part of the game. He probably changed 20 other items on the car.

 

[RobZ71LM7]

Of course he did, all part of the game. He probably changed 20 other items on the car.

Read the link I posted, Sam pretty much says the cars are equal.

 

[TeeLew]

Yes, the car needs to do its part, but Auto-X is about 80-90% driver. Sam does a great job behind the wheel, but he clearly has the other 10-20% figured out as well.

 

[kz]

Of course he did. My guess he changed the gearing too, as you want to minimize shifting. He probably changed 20 other items as well.

All part of the game.

No, he did not change the gearing - it would be illegal in F Street. Neither he changed 20 different other items.

 

[WD Pro]

Damn, can you imagine the uproar if this was a 2022 with the -10bhp … ?

WD

 

[WCRookie99]

Read the link I posted, Sam pretty much says the cars are equal.

Hum, so would I, in fact that’s exactly what you would say. You’re not going to tell the World, the Mach 1 is such an Overdog, that my Grandmother could drive it and beat everyone!

Right….

 

[2022 Mach 1]

Damn, can you imagine the uproar if this was a 2022 with the -10bhp … ?

WD

Appears there are a few 22s who bested other gt350s as well..

 

[shogun32]

I just know that if I waved this set of ZLE MultiMatic shocks over my Ecoboost and sprinkled Holy Water over the radiator I would have won hands down.

 

[TeeLew]

No, he did not change the gearing - it would be illegal in F Street. Neither he changed 20 different other items.

I know he changed the dampers, but gearing would have been illegal.

 

[s2ms]

First off, congrats to the M1 winning the F street division, great accomplishment!

Secondly regarding driver vs. car, if I interpret the results chart listed in post #1 correctly, repeating the link: HERE, there is a bit of an internal control for the whole driver vs. car discussion. Please correct me if I'm wrong...but it appears many of the cars in this event, maybe even most, are driven by two different people with separate sets of results giving at least a semi-quantitative look at this. A quick glance at the results showed some results in the same car very close while others were as much as 10 seconds apart.

 

[Gearz]

First off, congrats to the M1 winning the F street division, great accomplishment!

Secondly regarding driver vs. car, if I interpret the results chart listed in post #1 correctly, repeating the link: HERE, there is a bit of an internal control for the whole driver vs. car discussion. Please correct me if I'm wrong...but it appears many of the cars in this event, maybe even most, are driven by two different people with separate sets of results giving at least a semi-quantitative look at this. A quick glance at the results showed some results in the same car very close while others were as much as 10 seconds apart.

That is correct, many of the cars were shared between two drivers including mine and Sam's. Sometimes there is an advantage to having a 2nd driver especially if it the weather is cold. My co-driver owns a GT350R which isn't in FS but he is a long-time Mustang competitor in FS since the late 70's and really wanted to run against his long time friend who has been running Mustangs since the late 60's. So, yes there was a decent time difference between us, mostly because he hasn't had a lot of seat time in my car and it is set up differently than his and he'll admit that it's harder to be competitive as we get older and he's got a solid 10 years on me.

So, although the Mach1 is a great car that's not why Sam literally walked away with 1st place in FS. Sam Strano was given the SCCA Driver of Eminence award 10 years ago and he's still getting top PAX routinely at National level events and THAT is why a Mach1 won FS. Sam could have just as easily won it in a 1LE or a GT350 or possibly even in the Flintstones car. I think all of us accepted that we'd be racing for 2nd place when he left SSR for FS.

The only changes Sam made to his car were the shocks and I think the front swaybar. He only changed the shocks because he was getting recurring AdvanceTrac errors. I haven't had any issues with mine at all and I really like the balance and response of the MR shocks but I'm not driving at Sam's level.

-Brian Meyer
...keeping my GT350 because I like being the underdog

 

[WCRookie99]

That is correct, many of the cars were shared between two drivers including mine and Sam's. Sometimes there is an advantage to having a 2nd driver especially if it the weather is cold. My co-driver owns a GT350R which isn't in FS but he is a long-time Mustang competitor in FS since the late 70's and really wanted to run against his long time friend who has been running Mustangs since the late 60's. So, yes there was a decent time difference between us, mostly because he hasn't had a lot of seat time in my car and it is set up differently than his and he'll admit that it's harder to be competitive as we get older and he's got a solid 10 years on me.

So, although the Mach1 is a great car that's not why Sam literally walked away with 1st place in FS. Sam Strano was given the SCCA Driver of Eminence award 10 years ago and he's still getting top PAX routinely at National level events and THAT is why a Mach1 won FS. Sam could have just as easily won it in a 1LE or a GT350 or possibly even in the Flintstones car. I think all of us accepted that we'd be racing for 2nd place when he left SSR for FS.

The only changes Sam made to his car were the shocks and I think the front swaybar. He only changed the shocks because he was getting recurring AdvanceTrac errors. I haven't had any issues with mine at all and I really like the balance and response of the MR shocks but I'm not driving at Sam's level.

-Brian Meyer
...keeping my GT350 because I like being the underdog

Thanks Brian, that clears a few things. I assume the (1) or (2) etc, is how many penalties added to the time.

Anyone know who's owns the winning M1? Sam or
Michael Snyder? Just curious.

Sponsored