2012 Atoms On Track

**Steve** · February 14, 2012, 05:01 PM

Photos of Ariel Atoms being driven in anger, or just hanging around in their natural racetrack habitat.

**RandyLamp** · February 27, 2012, 08:10 AM

Tom Smurzinsky, Dennis Radowick, Tim Webb (in car) on a cold day at Hallett, testing the Unique Fabricating billet uprights.

**RandyLamp** · February 27, 2012, 08:32 AM

Bonneville

**silver** · March 4, 2012, 08:33 PM

**FourFather** · June 8, 2012, 08:47 PM

Eddie FourFather Hill's 2012 Ariel Atom 3 "company car" demonstrator, chasing an Indycar at Hallett last weekend

I had a best lap of 1:21.3, which I believe was the best of anything there except the ex-Jim Hall yellow Pennzoil Indycar, which was well into the teens, with one of Bondurant's instructors driving. It was an honor and a rare privilege to be on track chasing an Indycar, but I did not get to see it for very long!

Eddie

**MadMaxAtom** · June 9, 2012, 04:04 AM

Wow..you have a lot of angle on that front spolier.Did you modify the brackets? I know mine won't go that extreme. I hope you got some shots of the Indycar..

What tires are you running? They don't look like the FA Hoosiers. (sidewalls too short)

**FourFather** · June 9, 2012, 01:30 PM

The front wing angle is just the way it came from the factory- I haven't moved it, or even looked to see the adjustment range.

I did get some HD GoPro video showing the Indycar leaving the pits and then me and my Atom leaving next and keeping him in sight for a short while, while he was warming his tires, etc., but the indycar is faster in the straights, and faster in the corners, and it had a better driver, so that didn't leave me much of a chance to watch him from behind for very long--

Mark at TMI told me there is no shame in getting outrun by an Indycar--

When somebody in the pits asked me what the deal was with the Indycar being that much faster, I joked it must be the extra weight of the license plate!!

**FourFather** · June 10, 2012, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by MadMaxAtom

What tires are you running? They don't look like the FA Hoosiers. (sidewalls too short)

The Track wheels and tires that I now run, and sell to my customers, is an 8x15 front and a 10 x15 rear wheel, with the Hoosier Autocross tires. The wheels are made for us, to our specs, by Keizer and they are ultralight, three piece, with real magnesium centers and spun aluminum rim halves. About 10 and a half pounds each! In my case this wheel/tire combo saves me forty-two pounds!! of unsprung, rotating weight, from the original equipment. They make a dramatic difference in the car.

We sell the full set of four wheels, identical to the ones I run, for $1959.00 delivered.

Or the full set of four wheels with the tires, mounted and balanced, and ready to bolt on, for $3255.64, plus shipping, and tax if required.

The Formula Atlantic tires that I tried worked pretty well, but they were a bit expensive, wore the shoulders to the cord too quickly for my taste, and I had a hard time getting them up to temperature. I have so far run five different wheel combos, and six different tire brand/types, and the Keizer/Hoosier Autocross I'm currently running and selling is what I prefer and have settled on, for both my Atom II and my Atom 3's.

Eddie

**MadMaxAtom** · June 10, 2012, 07:51 PM

I found I have had to run 5 degrees of negative camber in the rear to wear the FA tires evenly,and flip them every event as well. (I've been running the FA's and Keizer wheels for three+ years now) I've been buying my FA tires used,with one heat cycle and >80% life left (one heat cycle) as fresh FA SCCA take-offs. $140frts,$180rears for a pair,shipped..so very cheap. They have been serving me well. I do know they are fussy about pressures and track surfaces.
Interesting about the A6's getting up to temperature faster.I'll bet that short 35 series profile really makes the car feel the road vs the FA gumbo walls. Hmm...may have to try a set on some spare wheels. Thanks Eddie..