Formula Rolon

Infobox Automobile


name=Formula Rolon Chevrolet
manufacturer=Super Speeds(Pvt) Ltd,India
class=Open Wheeled Formula Racing Car
production=2006 - Present
Engine= 1600cc Chevrolet,Rear Mounted,Longitudinal
Chassis= Spaceframe

Formula Rolon ChevroletFormula Rolon, also known as Formula Rolon Chevrolet is an open wheel single seater Formula Racing car made and raced in India. They run in the single make championships held in the tracks of Coimbatore and Chennai. The car is similar to Formula Asia and is powered by Chevrolet engine with a racing gear box. The car was launched in Mumbai December 2005 and made its debut in Coimbatore track on September 2006.

Name

The name Rolon stands for Rolon chains and sprockets, the main sponsor and parent company of Super Speeds. The suffix Chevrolet is to denote the engine supplier.

Design

The car is built around a monocoque steel space frame The body panels are of Fire retardant FRP and aerodynamic aides include a massive front wing, and adjustable Flower type rear wing.JK tyres supply the tyres with a grooved semi-slick and a un grooved slick version.The car was entirely designed and constructed by Coimbatore based Super Speeds, the same company that designed the Formula Maruti in mid 80’s, which is now a division of L.G.Balakrishnan and Brothers, the manufacturers of Rolon chains and sprockets. The Chief designer of the car is B.Vijaykumar, a racer himself. The car has a very high indigenous content of over 97%.

Engine and Gearbox

The Engine is supplied by General Motors India. The Chevrolet 1600 cc engine produces 120 Bhp in race trim as of 2006 with a re-chipped ECU; otherwise it’s the same stock engine as used in Chevrolet Optra model sold in India. This also makes a first for Chevrolet’s involvement in Racing outside USA.The only change from the car is re-chipped ECU, K&N Air filter and tuned Exhaust pipe.

The Gearbox is a Racing gear box, with straight cut-dog ring gears with in-built LSD (Limited Slip Differential) built entirely in-house in Coimbatore by Super Speeds.

Tyres

JK tyres of India makes and supplies the tyres specially designed for this car. JK Tyres also sponsor the National championship and few drivers in this series. The tyres are available in Wet and Slicks.

Costs

The entire season of 12 races (6 Double races) would cost less than one tenth compared to a full season in or Formula Asia in other South East Asian countries or Formula Ford in UK, and is considered the best way to select racers for the Formula Asia and Formula BMW series.

Championship Races

The cars were built for LG Sports, to run in the JK National Road racing championship, which is the breeding ground for young racers in India.

The Cars are sold with the Engine on lease or the complete car leased with three different springs supplied per car. All engines are sealed by LG Sports with the maintenance of the engine by Super Speeds.

The class in which the car races is a single make championship class, with the cars sold or leased to several teams, who in turn engage or hire drivers. The races are annual championship series held in Kari Motor Speedway in Chettipalayam, Coimbatore and in MMSC track in Irungattukottai in Chennai. The Drivers with most number of points accumulated from his wins and finishing positions becomes the Formula Rolon Chevrolet champion for the respective year.

Teams

* NK racing –Narain Karthikeyan’s handpicked Four car driver team with Speed Petrol (Bharat Petroleum) and Amaron Batteries as Team Sponsors.
*WSRF - Karun Chandok’s team with all cars tuned by ex-rally champion N.Leela Krishnan.
*Meco Racing - Akbar Ibhrahim’s team
*Rams Racing - Chennai
*Prime Racing - Coimbatore
*Gemini Racing - Hyderabad/Chennai based Team

Drivers and tuners

Notable drivers include ex-formula 3 champion Akbar Ibhrahim,ex Karting champion Amaya Walwanker, Gaurav Gill (rallyist from Delhi), ex-formula Maruti champion Gaurav Dalal, 2005 Formula LGB Champion Reo Banajee.

Champions

ee also

*FISSME (a.k.a.Formula Maruti)
*Formula LGB Swift
*Formula LGB Hyundai
*JK Tyre National Racing Championship

Links

* [http://www.chevrolet.co.in/content_data/AP/IN/en/GBPIN/001/BRANDSITE/racing.html General Motors India Site]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN2LxpXAH-A Donuts in Formula Rolon by Ameya Walawanker-VIDEO]
* [http://www.bsmotoring.com/bsm/wcms/en/home/events/other/chevyracer-061105.html;jsessionid=50FE02CFB1B59A75600C1F4BFBC200EB BS Motoring Article]
* [http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/08/19/stories/2006081901520400.htm Article from The Hindu]
* [http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42540 GM Insider News]
* [http://www.chevrolet.com.my/id/89/chevrolet-india-formula-rolon/ My Chevrolet Article on Formula Rolon Chevrolet]
* [http://www.rddreams.com/rddreams/html/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=15052 More Pictures]