Oops. Fixed it
Just add them in before the deadline on the 28th and you’ll be good
One week left for entries! Be sure to get them in before noon US Central time on the 28th!
Five days left for final submissions!
Three days left for final submissions! Be sure to check the OP for guidelines on how to submit!
(gonna ping all our entrants so far here to ensure they’ve gotten the message)
(also @Lorgot)
[FINAL] 2005 Bruna ST+
Despite being marketed as a budget “sports sedan” the only aspect of the Bruna that would make you think it’s a sports car is the rear legroom. Being a fairly cheap way of getting a car with a 2.2L engine (putting out a thrilling 103hp) they sold better than they deserved to. As they got old they depreciated fast and became a very cheap beater on the used market.
A used one was bought for $1000 by the writing team of a regional motor magazine, intent on making the car remotely worth writing about. They bored out the engine to 2.3L, it now puts out 167hp and has had its auto swapped for a more entertaining manual. The front sway bar was thrown in a skip, and the rear stiffened substantially alongside stiffer and lower suspension to try to salvage the handling. The paintwork was reworked to intimidate any driver unlucky enough to end up stuck behind them into staying there. After removing the interior and replacing it with a racing one very with a heavily built roll cage, it was still below minimum weight requirements, so to comply they rewelded some rusty panels in the rear with steel thick enough to class as armour plate, also bringing the centre of mass backward and generally reinforcing the chassis to reduce flex.
The team cares more about getting a good series of articles out of it, but would prefer not to be embarrassed by their performance.
1 Like
[FINAL] (Sevan Pulse SE-i)
Sevan Pulse SE-i — The Car of Tomorrow, Today.
The joy of driving does not need to be loud or extreme. It is measured in the quiet confidence of a car that responds perfectly to every touch, that balances agility with comfort, and that carries you forward with effortless grace.
The Sevan Pulse SE-i was conceived for drivers who want performance without compromise. Its 2.1-liter engine with multi-point fuel injection brings smooth power to your fingertips, while the 5-speed manual transmission lets you enjoy every shift. Weighing just over 2,485 pounds, the Pulse SE-i is light enough to feel nimble, yet reassuringly stable, making each journey a pleasure rather than a chore.
From the morning commute to the open road, the Pulse SE-i offers a harmonious blend of sportiness and refinement, all for $11,000. Innovation, comfort, and economy — finally, a car that understands the way you drive.
Sevan Pulse SE-i — Drive the Future, Today.
12 Years and a lot of abuse later in an interview before the race
"Yeah, so I got my hands on this old Sevan Pulse SE-i. Sun-bleached, kind of sad-looking, but I loved it. Bought it off this old guy for cheap, and I had just enough left over to start making upgrades.
To make it race-compliant, I first tackled all the required mods like removing the lights, glass, and a few other bits. Then I spent the leftover funds on the essentials, a proper roll cage and a compliant racing seat. After that, I put all I had left into the suspension and engine to give it a little more punch on the track. I mean the engine is basically new now.
Once it was race-compliant and my money was gone, I got to the fun part of cutting, taking off the rear bumper and stripping out some interior pieces to save weight. Maybe you saw the open sunroof, it was stuck close so I decided to pry it open. I figured maybe it could help with a bit of extra downforce or at least airflow, not scientific, just guts-and-hope.
Finally, I didn’t have any money left for actual decals, so I went with what I had, trusty duct tape. Slapped the number 13 on both doors and the roof. It´s the same tape I used to secure the hood, trunk, and passenger door shut. It looks rough, but it stays in place, and honestly, it adds a little charm.
I’m just excited to finally get to take her out onto the track and see what she can do.
Wish me luck!"
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One day left for final submissions! As a reminder, you must submit your finalized cars to me after posting here! All final posts must be marked with [FINAL] at the top!
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@neonbot2721 @PistonHead @stocazzoo @yesnt4060 Still waiting for your final submissions
[FINAL] Cirelli Orion
The Cirelli Orion was introduced to the market in the late 1980s as a compact 3 door hatchback, designed to compete with other fuel-efficient city cars. With an impressive 42 miles per gallon, it quickly gained traction among urban drivers and young families looking for practicality on a budget. Light on power but agile in handling, the Orion was praised as a fun and approachable hatchback for everyday use.
Over time, however, its weaknesses became apparent. Pushed hard or driven for extended periods, the early Orion’s engine suffered from overheating, excessive oil consumption and premature valve wear. These reliability issues gave the Orion a reputation for fragility and by the mid-1990s it had disappeared from the spotlight.
In the 2000s, Cirelli revived the Orion with a major facelift and a new 2.2L inline-four. While fuel economy dropped to 32 mpg, the engine delivered a stronger 150 hp and 170 Nm of torque, along with far better reliability. The refreshed design and improved durability transformed the Orion from a struggling economy hatchback into a respected all-rounder, winning back commuters while also finding use with small businesses, government fleets, and car enthusiasts.
You work in the tech industry and wanted to spice up your life with an exiting new hobby. After looking at what’s available in your local community, you landed on Oval racing. Being able to find an Orion on Facebook market place for cheap and having the intention of turning it into an oval racer. Your bored out the engine turning it into a 2.3L. With some ECU adjustments and higher quality parts you were able to produce 180 horse power. To match the added performance, the suspension was stiffened, the chassis was reinforced and the interior stripped down for weight savings. Happily naming your car Red Eyes after replacing the headlights with red plastic.
You eventually started recording your races and doing live streams. After gaining a relatively large community you started seeking bigger sponsorships. Having connections in the industry helped you secure deals with multiple tech companies and further improve the quality of your videos. And of course you had to strike a deal with your favorite restaurant Mooters.
P.S, If anyone can tell me how i can combine the photos into slides I’d really appreciate it!
1 Like
[FINAL] 2003 Syclone Furia Mark-II GT (SMG-PX23-F Platform)
When Syclone Motor Group unveiled the second generation of the Furia in 2003, it quickly became known as a no-nonsense compact hatchback: affordable, sturdy, and with just enough character to stand out in a parking lot full of Civics, Focuses, and Corollas.
The GT trim took things a step further. Under the hood sat a humble but honest 2.2L Powertec inline-four, delivering 140 hp to the front wheels through a five-speed manual. It wasn’t built to win drag races—but it was built to take punishment. Cheap parts, simple mechanics, and a chassis that could take cornering abuse all made it a favorite among tuners and grassroots racers.
Fast-forward to today, and that makes the Furia GT the perfect candidate for the four-cylinder short oval class. With the rear stripped out, a cage welded in, and the headlights deleted, the Mark-II transforms from quirky commuter into a snarling Saturday night brawler.
This particular build stays true to its roots: light, simple, and just raw enough to feel like something you’d actually see lined up at your local track, door-to-door with Civics, Neons, and Cavaliers. It may not be the most powerful car in the paddock, but if history has taught us anything, it’s that the Furia’s strength isn’t about brute force—it’s about durability and rhythm. And on a short oval, rhythm is everything.
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i already posted the final one??
Entries have now closed! Thanks for your submissions, everyone, and good luck!
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Judging will begin Sunday at 12pm US Central, in case anyone’s wondering
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And now, here are your results! Thanks to everyone for your submissions; this was awesome fun, and I seriously might host another one of these. Let me know if you’d be interested! (Maybe even a 4C4F online race league? That would be fun!)
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PistonHead – 2010 Cirelli Orion
Laptime: 17.692 (10/10)
Interior detail: 7/10. The full-containment seat is something you see a lot of in these races, and the roll cage is generally pretty good. However, the lack of a switch panel, the incorrect door bar arrangement, and the addition of an aftermarket hydraulic handbrake drag it down a bit.
Realism: 9/10. This is exactly the type of inexpensive hot hatch you see at so many of these races, and the semi-matted paint really does a great job illustrating how so many of these competitors choose to spend their money: fresh paint doesn’t make the car go fast, but billet conrods do!
Livery: 4/5. It’s basic and filled with sponsors placed haphazardly wherever they can fit, which evokes the image of a small team of hobbyists going around and gathering as much sponsor money as possible to fund their ambitions.
Exterior detail: 4.5/5. The window nets and removal of mirrors are great choices that make the car feel believable. However, the rating is impacted by the presence of non-steelie-type wheels, the number panels (short tracks in the US don’t require number panels, and you can run any font you want), the presence of one too many window nets, and the lack of a side-exit exhaust.
Total: 34.5 -
Kijoou – 1986 Sevan Pulse SE-i
Laptime: 17.771 (8/10)
Interior detail: 6.5/10. Execution is generally okay here, but the door cards, door bars, and lack of a fire extinguisher drag this down. The door cards are almost always (if not always) removed so that the door bars can point outwards rather than inwards toward the driver. The lack of a switch panel and presence of stock stalks also count against it.
Realism: 9.5/10. The exterior is rough and ugly, with matted paint, taped-on numbers, and that same tape even holding the panels together, which I thought was a great idea. Even better was the fact that you left the plastic for all the light surrounds, but removed the glass and bulbs for compliance. Not only is it something a lot of people would do, but it really shows us how the road car’s sausage is made, so to speak, since you can still see where the bulbs go and even where the front lenses snap in! Brilliant work. Only docked half a point because all the places I know require the doors to be welded or bolted shut, and for the hood and trunk to have hood pins.
Livery: 5/5 – You nailed what you were going for here: a guy who’s just bought the car on a tiny budget and gone racing with some extremely light mods. There are no sponsors, the paint has visibly washed out from the base version, and again, the tape numbers are definitely on-brand.
Exterior detail: 5/5. Again, what you’ve done with the lights is amazing, and all the other details are top. You even removed the glass from the right mirror, but left the surround itself which was an awesome detail. The additional pipe bracing under the car was great, as was the cut-off exhaust. There are many different ways to get a full score here, and your choice to go 100% for the banger aesthetic worked really well.
Total: 34 -
Iastr_0 – 1992 Hossack Kingfisher ES
Laptime: 17:764 (9/10)
Interior detail: 6.5/10. The rollcage looks reasonably well-made, but the door bars are slightly too low and there’s no fire extinguisher, as some others have gone for. The bigger issue is that the center console is intact, complete with wood grain that would likely have to be removed in accordance with the rules that some tracks have regarding the presence of flammable materials in the cockpit.
Realism: 9/10. On the surface, this might not be the type of car anyone would necessarily associate with this type of racing. However, FWD sports coupes like this one tend to dominate modern four-cylinder fields here in the US, whether it’s the Chevy Cavalier, Ford Escort ZX2, or Saturn SCs like my own SC2. While I haven’t seen an Eclipse like this one in person, I wouldn’t be surprised to see one turn up and it would fit right in with other cars like it.
Livery: 5/5. This a more intricate design than anything else that got the green light, but it manages to pull off what it was going for in its own way. The tire marks and messed-up numbers absolutely tell a tale of a car that’s from a decently-funded team, but they still run on a tight budget – hence the battle scars smattered around.
Exterior detail: 4/5. Overall, the car looks solid and well-detailed. There’s tape holding on both bumper covers and you’ve illustrated what the rear light surrounds look like when you simply remove the glass and bulbs but don’t cover them. However, the fact that the windows and rear glass are still in breaks immersion slightly.
Total: 33.5 -
Yesnt4060 – 2000 Tsubasa Frenzy S
Laptime: 18.105 (6/10)
Interior detail: 8/10. This is easily the best interior of the competition, and there’s no contest. The gauge cluster delete looks fantastic, the full-containment seat is a great touch, and the amount of passion here is evident through and through. The addition of Easter eggs in the interior is also great! The beer cans got a smile out of me for sure, as did the bull horns. However, the rollcage does lose a bit for being overdone to the point that it might be a safety issue in the event of a fire, the stock door cards are still intact, there’s no way to start the car, and there’s no fire extinguisher.
Realism: 9/10. This strikes me as a Civic Type-R competitor, which isn’t something you’d often see at one of these races; in fact, some tracks outright ban high-performance models like that. However, what it loses in the “Would I see this at a local Saturday night track?” factor, it quickly gains back via the fact that this mostly looks exactly like what such a car would probably look like if someone did show up with one. A lot of hatchback drivers in series like the DIRTcar Four-Cylinder Sportsman division replace the rear glass with solid metal, like you have, and their metal headlight caps fit in rather seamlessly like yours do.
Livery: 3.5/5. It gets the point across and feels like a front-running entry, but it’s a bit plain and lacks character compared to other entries. However, the decals on the metal rear window fillers are unique and look pretty solid!
Exterior detail: 4/5. There’s a lot to love here! Again, the solid rear side windows do you a lot of favor in this category. The steelies also look right in place and fit the car’s design flawlessly. The only demerits are the fact that the license plates still exist and that there are rollcage bars on the outside bracing the windshield; this isn’t something you see in serious competition.
Total: 31 -
Dog959 – 2005 Bruna ST+
Laptime: 18.037 (7/10)
Interior detail: 5/10. There really isn’t much to this one. The addition of a race display is definitely appreciated, as are the halo bar down the middle of the roof and the properly-spaced door bars. However, there’s no fire extinguisher, full-containment seat, or really much else.
Realism: 7/10. I’ve never seen a car quite like this enter a four-cylinder race, but it doesn’t feel too far off from the Saturn SLs and Chevy Cobalt sedans I’ve seen here and there.
Livery: 3.5/5. It’s basic, but the ladybug theme is oddly cute and does get a grin out of me. The eyes behind the mesh light lenses are fun, as are the teeth in the rear license plate surround. I also like the mismatched sponsors on the left and right sides; my car has a version of this where it has the same main sponsor on both sides, but the colors are different, so it feels oddly appropriate!
Exterior detail: 3/5. It’s passable, and the mesh over the light cutouts is a unique touch. However, there’s also not a lot that truly stands out, and it does lose a bit for still having the front license plate frame.
Total: 25.5
Here are your top three, all of whom were separated by just one point from first to third. What an incredible effort by all three!
And your winner, the Cirelli Orion, crossing the line!
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(forgot the darn pings lmao)
oh nice i was expecting worse
nearly on the podiums not bad
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I honestly wasn’t expecting 2nd place. More than happy with the results.
Good stuff everyone!
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Was my Furia thay bad? Lol
Anyways, congrats for the winners! Pretty amazing and cool cars with great designs!
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