www.CagleRacing.comCagle Racing

1995 Phantom F500

1995 Phantom F500 Formula Car

Our Formula 500 open wheel racecar uses a two cylinder two-stroke snowmobile engine with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to propel the car up to 145 mph when geared for a road course. Lack of aerodynamic devices, such as wings, and the use of rubber pucks as a substitute for springs and shocks contribute to keeping F500 costs down. Properly equipped, an F500 car can be used in SCCA autocross, time trials, hill climbs or wheel-to-wheel racing.

Many drivers in the F500 community are switching over from the two-stroke/CVT layout to using 600cc motorcycle engines and paddle shifters. Although not yet approved in F500 class, these cars are very similar to Formula SAE cars built by college students.

There are plenty of opportunities for tinkering with open wheel formula cars. A data acquisition system can be used to provide feedback helpful for optimizing gear ratios, CVT spring & counterweight selection, jetting the carburetors and much more.

The car weighs around 600 lbm and is easily towed on an open wheel aluminum trailer behind our daily driver, a Honda Accord V6. I recently modified the trailer to allow use of a 2000 lbf capacity removable winch for loading the car onto the trailer.

The F500 community predominately hangs out online at Formula500.org

1996 Chevrolet Corvette

1996 Chevrolet Corvette

The 1996 Corvette has been autocrossed in A-Stock class and used for a PDX event at Roebling Road Raceway. Although not ideal for handling, the Michelin Pilot A/S Plus tires are barely showing signs of wear. Lesser street tires would have likely chuncked tread after 2 hours of accumulated time at Roebling Road on a hot August day.
 

1977 Chevrolet Corvette
1977 Chevrolet Corvette

This car was autocrossed in B-Stock and later B-Street Prepared back in the late 80's to mid 90's, and occasionally drag raced. Steven Cagle built a 383 cid engine for this car while working for Sonny's Racing in Lynchburg, VA.

Over the past decade, work and family priorities have transformed this Corvette into a project car. It currently needs windows and window regulators installed, Holley carburetor rebuild, body work, interior work and repairs to all fluid containing systems; all of which currently leak, including battery depleting electrical leaks.

1991 VT Motorsports FSAE Car

1991 Virginia Tech's Formula SAE Car

While at Virginia Tech, Steven Cagle was on VT Motorsports Formula SAE engine team. The car used a 600 cc Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle engine that was fuel injected, turbocharged and intercooled to provide power allowing the car to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. A Polaris snowmobile clutch (CVT) was calibrated to keep the engine speed at maximum power while the car speed varied on course. Because the driver did not need to shift gears, the car was quicker than an equivalent car using a manual gearbox. The chassis was a very stiff all aluminum monocoque design.

The FSAE car, named F.OOPS, took first place in the National competition in 1991 and third place in 1992. In regional autocrosses, our car always took FTD; beating Formula 440, Formula Ford and Formula Vee race cars.