New Atom Eligible US Race Series

[Kim]

A prominent national auto race sanctioning body is about to announce a new series that will include Ariel Atoms and may have a separate Atom class. Everything is still speculative, but here's the preliminary scoop:

After almost two years of confidential negotiations, Pathfinder Motorsports LLC is on the cusp of confirming the Pathfinder Challenge Cup Series. As part of a large multi-class full-blown race weekend (with classes for 962s, Trans Am, Can Am, and other race cars and categories), the Challenge Cup will feature a variety of select vintage and contemporary race-oriented but mostly street-legal cars, including Ariel Atoms. Pending a sponsor, of particular interest is the desire to create a separate Ariel Atom class that will compete for a year-end Ariel Atom Cup. Both street and the new Spec Race Atom will be eligible.

A key element will be that the Challenge Cup cars will compete against the clock – despite being on the track together. Each car will be required to have an AMB transponder for recording lap times, and passing will be limited to designated zones at each track. In this way, competitors will be able to minimize the likelihood of damage to their cars and reduce the safety modifications require to compete. In some respects it will resemble an advanced HPDE program, only in a high-octane racing environment with trophies for the winners. Some might see it as an entrée to full-blown racing.

The Pathfinder Challenge Cup will offer three races over a typical three-day race weekend. Each day will have a 25-minute morning combined practice and qualification period followed by 25-minute race later that day. Every car must be on the track for 20 of the 25 minute race, including the first and last five minutes, to register a result. Fastest time will be the average of the aggregated time of all of a competitors laps, so a driver will have to push the entire race. An award will be given to not only the top three fastest times, but also to the best time in each sub-series, such as the Ariel Atom class.

Races will include such storied venues as Road Atlanta, Sebring, and and Daytona – some of the most exciting and prestigious tracks in America. And the costs are going to be exceptionally reasonable: about $195 per race or $525 for the weekend. Vehicles will simply require a suitable roll cage and a fire extinguisher, along with passing an HPDE-style safety inspection. Drivers must wear approved nomex suits, boots, etc. and a recent Snell approved helmet – that’s it!

There are still issues to sort out, and of course Pathfinder Motorsports will have to line up some secondary sponsors to help defray some very significant costs. Final details should be concluded by the end of this month with a press release going out in the first week of May.

What do you guys think?

[MadMaxAtom]

Very cool!

[Karl]

Sounds great!

[Gage]

Bout time.

[JohnyQ]

Do you have a link to the source?

[Kim]

Do you have a link to the source?

My brother is the source. He's the president of Pathfinder Motorsports LLC. (I'm hoping that will ensure a few seconds shaved off my lap times ...)

[JohnyQ]

That is very cool. I bet it would be a ton of fun to participate or even watch the Atoms race around.

[pdxmac]

I'd love to see someone do this type of thing on the West Coast.

[Norm]

Yes, that would be very cool. Even though for most of us it will mean that we get to see Darin drive around us time and time again, on second thought let's make it right coast only

[DarthChicken]

Most of us? The guy came to PIR and on his first session put down a time that made Palatov buy him dinner when he put down the challenge of a minute 25 lap.