Spec Focus

THE SERIES

Spec Focus (SF) continues to grow as the class enters its fourth season of competition. With more and more enthusiasts driving a Ford lately, on-track competitors are becoming accustomed to seeing the blue oval in the winners circle. With the limited amount of modifications allowed in SF, the hidden potential of the Focus platform has more than proved itself as a valid contender on track. With its superior vehicle dynamics, more than ample power, and plain fun-to-drive character, SF is the best way to race on Sunday and drive to work on Monday without breaking the bank.

Nothing feels better than knowing there’s power available with a push of your foot. The engine and drive train upgrades allowed in SF not only increase power but also help transfer it to the ground more effectively. Over the years the Focus has been offered with multiple different engine combinations. To resolve this, SF rules allow more modifications to some motors to help get the playing field equal.

More power is great, but getting that power to translate into the ultimate lap time needs a little help from the suspension and braking systems, SF has that covered as well. Our engineering staff created affordable brake and suspension packages that not only allow adjustment for aggressive track competition, but is also as well suited for you to enjoy a weekend cruise around your local getaways.

SF cars not only offer a budget minded way to go racing, they also look good as they push the limit. The rule set also allows the use of approved SVT fascias as well as Fords Street Appearance Package which keeps the Focus aesthetics right on par with today’s top vehicles. Mount up four of the series spec tires on a set of 17" Ford Racing Wheels and you have yourself one of today’s most affordable and well balanced front wheel drive vehicles that’s sure to put a grin on your face as you tear up tracks across the country.

THE CARS - Spec Focus (SF)

BODY STYLES - Various Focus body styles are allowed in Spec Focus which allows competitors to choose from 3 or 4 door hatchbacks, 4 door sedans, and the new 2008, 2 door coupes.

SUSPENSION - The allowed suspension modifications in Spec Focus enhance the steering and handling characteristics that helped the car win both the European and North American Car of the Year awards without going to extremes with respect to either stiffness or setup complexity. The production style spring and damper package was developed specifically for this application and provides maximum performance out of the box without requiring extensive setup or testing.

BRAKE - The SVT Focus brake package is legal for Spec Focus and provides 12" front rotors that produce excellent brake feel combined with lots of stopping power. In addition, because the brake kit is production based, spare parts can be obtained through any Ford dealer and racing specific brake pads can be obtained from a variety of sources. The large diameter of the brake package requires fitment of the 17" wheels offered on SVT models, of which there are several different styles with the same physical dimensions.

ENGINE - The engine packages and allowances in Spec Focus were developed to allow the different engines offered in the Focus over the years to be competitive with each other without excessive penalties in terms of weight or power. All engines offered in the North American Ford Focus are legal for Spec Focus except for the 8 valve SPI engine. This includes: 2.0 Zetec (2000-04), 2.0 SVT Zetec with VVT (2002-04), 2.0 Duratec (2005+) and 2.3 Duratec (2003+).

Engine modifications are specific for each engine variant and are designed to balance the combination of horsepower and torque to allow parity among all 4 engine variants on the track. Modifications range from minor bolt-ons allowed for the 2.3 Duratec to relatively extensive engine work for the 2.0 Zetec such as a ported cylinder head, more aggressive camshafts and performance intake and exhaust manifolds.

SERVICES

Capaldi Racing, Inc., is a professional race team with 30 years racing experience. We offer a wide range of services and products for your racing needs! Our goal is to provide you with the best services, equipment, crew and results to insure an enjoyable and rewarding experience for our drivers and their guests.

Services provided by LCR:

• Pre-race preparation & set up of car
• Transportation to & from track in an enclosed transporter
• Set up of shaded paddock area
• Race mechanic(s), data engineer & crew chief
• Driver & crew chief radio communication
• In car data acquisition with post track evaluation with data engineer
• Coaching & assistance from the team manager/crew chief, engineer & crew
• Complete maintenance of the race car at event

RENTAL PROGRAMS

Capaldi Racing, Inc. offers “ARRIVE & DRIVE” services for our rental fleet. We bring the cars to the track, provide the crew and parts. Technical support from our experienced staff makes driving your only concern. We offer two different rental programs

Mustang Challenge
NASA Spec Focus

Each package is developed and tailored to each driver’s or team’s needs. Please contact us with your requirements for a detailed racing program.

GETTING STARTED

HOW DO I GET MY LICENSE?
In order to be considered for a license, you will need to have participated in a NASA HPDE 4 open passing group or bring documented proof that you are qualified to drive in an open passing environment. If you are not already a regular NASA participant and can't provide proof of experience, you will be required to start the process in the HPDE environment to verify your experience level. If you are not able to prove your skill level, you will have to spend some time in the HPDE program working up to the required level.

Once you have achieved or proven the required skill level, you will find that each region has slightly different programs for their competition schools. All NASA regions have an in-house competition licensing programs that prepare new drivers to join our competitive racing series.

You will have to participate in a region's licensing program to obtain a Provisional License. Contact your Regional Director for more information about programs in your home region. Optionally, you may also obtain a Provisional License by taking a course at one of NASA's accredited professional schools. You can find more information on these schools and their licensing processes by visiting http://www.nasaproracing.com/schools

PROVISIONAL LICENSE HOLDER INFORMATION:
Once a driver has been issued a Provisional License, he/she will only be allowed to compete in those events hosted by the Region of issuance (special exceptions may be granted upon request). Each time a Provisional License holder completes a race without incident, he/she must obtain the signature of the Race Director, or the Race Director's appointee.

Once four races have been signed off, the Provisional License is complete, and may be submitted to the NASA National Office to obtain a National Competition License. The provisional book must be filled out and turned in to the Race Director at the beginning of an event and collected at the end of the event.

Note: NASA Provisional License holders are defined as "Rookies" (according to the CCR) and will remain so until they have finished eight races without significant incident, even thought the provisional book is completed after four races without incident. Rookie drivers must comply with the requirements in section 13.2 of the CCR.

Further instructions are on the forms and you can call the National Office at 510-232-6272 with any questions you may have.