UpdateBot at 19:56, 21 September 2021

2021-09-21T19:56:36Z

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{{Infobox automobile
|image =
|name = Formula Rolon Chevrolet
|manufacturer = [[Super Speeds]] (Pvt) Ltd, India
|class = [[Open wheel car|Open Wheeled]] Formula [[Racing Car]]
|production = 2006–2010
|engine = 1600cc [[Chevrolet]],Rear Mounted,Longitudinal
|Chassis = Spaceframe
}}

'''Formula Rolon''', also known as '''Formula Rolon [[Chevrolet]]''' and later '''Formula Rolon 2010''' 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 was powered by 1600cc [[Chevrolet]] and later [[Suzuki]] engines with a racing gear box. The car was launched in Mumbai December 2005 and made its debut in [[Kari Motor Speedway|Coimbatore track]] in September 2006. The 2010 season was its last season as LG Sports announced that it will not enter Formula Rolon for the 2011 season.

==Name==
The name Rolon is the brand name of automotive chains and sprockets, owned by L.G.Balakrishnan Brothers Ltd. [[Coimbatore]]. They are the also the main sponsor and [[parent company]] of [[Super Speeds]].

==Design==
The car is built around a [[monocoque]] steel [[space frame]] and the body panels are of Composite Fire retardant [[Fibre-reinforced plastic|GRP]]. Aerodynamic aides include adjustable front wing, and adjustable Flower type rear wing. The Racing Tyres are from [[JK tyres]] and the cars have a choice of grooved semi-slick and ungrooved slick version on the Race day.
[[File:Formula Rolon car of Prime Racing.jpg|thumb|A Formula Rolon car of Thrivikraman team in [[Chennai]] MMSC track Pits]]
The car was entirely designed and constructed by Coimbatore-based [[Super Speeds]], the same company that designed the [[Formula Maruti]] in the mid 80's, which is now a division of L.G.Balakrishnan and Brothers. The Chief designer of the car is ex-racing driver B.Vijaykumar and aided by his team of engineers and designers. The car has a high indigenous content of over 97%.

===Formula Rolon Chevrolet===
The Formula Rolon Chevrolet (2006–2009) cars were powered by a [[Chevrolet]] 1.6 liter engine during the years 2006 till 2009 and the car was known as Formula Rolon Chevrolet, as supplied by [[General Motors]] India for a three-year contract. Over 18 cars were manufactured of which 15 were supplied to various teams while three chassis were retained for development activities.

===Formula Rolon 2010===
For the 2010 season [[Super Speeds]] launched a short wheelbase version and equipped with the in house race tuned 1.3 liter Suzuki engine with a race tuned EFI. The 2010 model was simply known as Formula Rolon 2010. The short wheelbase has a new exterior design and the car was made 100 kg lighter than the earlier model to improve the power to weight ratio.

===Engine and Gearbox===

==== Chevrolet 1600 engines====
The 1.6 liter engine was supplied by [[General Motors]] India for the Formula Rolon Chevrolet versions during the years 2006 till 2009. The [[Chevrolet]] 1600 cc engine produced {{convert|120|bhp|abbr=on}} in race trim as of 2006 with a re-chipped ECU; otherwise it was the same stock engine as used in [[Chevrolet Optra]] model sold in India. Notable race modifications from the passenger car engine include a re-chipped ECU supplied by [[General Motors|GM]] India, [[K&N]] Air filter and tuned Free flow Exhaust pipes while the Head, Block and Camshaft remained the same as in [[Stock]].This was also a first for [[Chevrolet]]’s involvement in Racing outside United States.

====Super Speeds Suzuki 1300 engines====
For 2010 season, the short wheelbase version was called Formula Rolon 2010 and used a 1300cc 16 valve engines from [[Suzuki Swift]]. The 1.3 liter Suzuki engines had modified cylinder heads, race tuned free flow exhausts and high lift cam shafts modified to race specifications producing over 40% more power than the factory stock versions. The engine management systems were supplied by Race Dynamics of Bangalore with a programmable Fuel Injection system.

The [[Gearbox]] was a [[Auto racing|Racing]] [[Transmission (mechanics)|gear box]], with straight cut-dog ring gears and in-built [[Limited slip differential|LSD (Limited Slip Differential)]] manufactured in-house at [[Coimbatore]] by Super Speeds similar to [[Hewland]] racing transmission.

[[File:Formula Rolon Chevrolet Rear.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The Engine cover of a Formula Rolon Chevrolet]]

==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 drivers racing budget for a 12 race (6 Double races) annual season was costing one tenth compared to a full season in or [[Formula BMW|Formula Asia]] in other South East Asian countries or [[Formula Ford]] in UK in 2006. This series was considered to be the best way to select racers for the Formula Asia and Formula BMW series and was a stepping stone for graduating into higher series of international single seater racing championships.

==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 points accumulated from his wins and finishing positions becomes the Formula Rolon Chevrolet champion for the respective year.

==Teams==
* NK racing – [[Narain Karthikeyan]]’s team with Speed Petrol ([[Bharat Petroleum]]) as Team Sponsors.
*Mars racings – [[Chennai]]
*Meco Racing – [[Chennai]]
*Rams Racing – [[Chennai]]
*Prime Racing – [[Coimbatore]]
*Red Rooster Racing – [[Bangalore]]/[[Chennai]]
* Team Amaron Pro Racing with MECO
* VA Racing – [[Chennai]]

===Drivers and tuners===
Notable drivers who have taken part in the series and still involved include ex-Formula 3 champion [[Akbar Ibhrahim]], ex-karting champion [[Ameya Walavalkar]], Asia-Pacific Rally winner [[Gaurav Gill]], ex-[[Formula Maruti]] champion [[Gaurav Dalal]], 2005 [[Formula LGB]] Champion [[Reo Banajee]], 2006 [[Formula LGB Swift]] national champion [[Saran Vikram Tmars]], [[Aswin Sunder]] and 2009 [[Formula Maruti]] champion [[Vikash Anand]].

==Champions==
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;"
|-
! Season
! Driver
! Team
! Chassis/Engine
|-
! 2006
| {{flagicon|IND}} [[Gaurav Gill]], [[New Delhi]]
| WSRF with Leela – JK Tyre
| [[Super Speeds]] – [[Chevrolet]] [[Optra]] 1.6L [[DOHC]]
|-
! 2007
| {{flagicon|IND}} [[Adithya Patel]], [[Chennai]]
| NK Racing – Speed Petrol
| [[Super Speeds]] – [[Chevrolet]] [[Optra]] 1.6L [[DOHC]]
|-
! 2008
| {{flagicon|IND}} [[Gaurav Dalal]], [[Chennai]]
| Red Rooster Racing
| [[Super Speeds]] – [[Chevrolet]] [[Optra]] 1.6L [[DOHC]]
|-
! 2009
| {{flagicon|IND}} [[Ashwin Sundar]], [[Chennai]]
| NK Racing
| [[Super Speeds]] – [[Chevrolet]] [[Optra]] 1.6L [[DOHC]]
|-
! 2010
| {{flagicon|IND}} [[Saran vikram tmars]], [[Chennai]]
| Mars Racings

| [[Super Speeds]] – [[LGB Rolon]] [[Esteem (engine)|Esteem]] 1.3L [[SOHC]]
|}

==See also==
*[[Formula Maruti]]
*[[Formula LGB Swift]]
*[[Formula LGB Hyundai]]
*[[JK Tyre National Racing Championship]]

==External links==
*[http://www.chevrolet.co.in/content_data/AP/IN/en/GBPIN/001/BRANDSITE/racing.html General Motors India Site]
*[https://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]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071001044316/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]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070703172850/http://www.chevrolet.com.my/id/89/chevrolet-india-formula-rolon/ My Chevrolet Article on Formula Rolon Chevrolet]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930071851/http://www.rddreams.com/rddreams/html/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=15052 More Pictures]

{{Class of Auto racing}}
{{Indian motorsports}}

[[Category:Formula racing series|Rolon]]
[[Category:Formula racing|Rolon]]
[[Category:Indian racing cars]]
[[Category:One-make series]]
[[Category:Auto racing series in India]]

Formula Rolon - Revision history

UpdateBot at 19:56, 21 September 2021