gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

on reddit here: https://www.reddit.com/r/RX7/comment...on_pikes_peak/
Couple of good vids.

Congrats, team @rdahm
Nice showing.

boostin13b

This man has come a long way. I remember when so many people were knocking him. I think he has been helping the rotary community with a lot of the testing he has done and for anybody that has been part of any real racing sanction, they know this is no small feat. Glad to hear he finished a clean run and can't wait for his high res and on board videos of the event. I'm also interested to know how well the billet stuff holds up. With the cost of factory engine plates going up, I wonder if going billet will be the way for street builds in the future.

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

^check out 'dguy' experience on billet here: https://www.rx7club.com/general-rota...gines-1166023/

Jeff76

I was curious about people's opinion of him on here. I found a video of his years ago from his garage about a three rotor FD. I didn't search for years and when I did.... He had his own shop and employees.

He absolutely has come a long way. The last video I saw was him talking about high horsepower and rotary reliability. He made some excellent points with the bolts that hold the keg together, in my opinion. I don't think he was being arrogant, etc either.

Buying a machine, if he ever did, to check apex metal composition is next level cool.

He might upset a few apple carts along the way and it's ok and a net benefit, I believe. Kudos on the hard work and not being an insufferable jerk.

TwinCharged RX7

iTrader: (14)

I'm really glad to see him make it. Quite an achievement, completely rebuilding a car with full aero in a few months, not having time to fully test it or learn how it drives, learning how to drive well in general, learning pikes peak in the sim, and then actually doing it and setting a solid time on a hot day when other more experienced builds didn't make it due to overheating or other issues. I'm excited to see what's next. I watched most of the runs, I didn't hear a car that sounded as good as the 3 rotor that's for sure.

Unfortunately jealous haters will persist despite him actually being successful.

Valkyrie

I'm just glad he didn't skid off the mountain.

Montego

iTrader: (1)

He has always been well liked.

BTW- his active and contributing forum membership predates his internet fame.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (2)

31st out of 60, but 49th - 60th were all DNFs

https://ppihc.org/wp-content/uploads...ll-Results.pdf
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TwinCharged RX7

iTrader: (14)

I don't think the "but" is relevant here. Half the battle is building a car that can make it up (some were overheating and spewing water up the track). So a the 3 rotor and all modifications to the car surviving is success. Also, there were crashes, he made it up with a respectable time and did not crash, also success. It's not like he was ever going to place first.

ATC529R

an F150 EV came in 1st

I hear those base model v8 ford 4x4's are unbeatable on the street.

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

A purpose built, tube frame, race vehicle specifically built for racing at Pike's Peak by Ford at a cost of a few million dollars powered by Ford's EV powertrain in a form factor resembling a truck and marketed as an F150 came in 1st.

Rob and his team took a a street car FD and custom fit an engine from another Mazda (3 rotor) and then basically custom built all the power adders and control systems, took lessons to build skills to drive at race pace, raced the car at the event, finished and had a respectable finishing position. Really impressive achievement.

TwinCharged RX7

iTrader: (14)

I hope this was sarcasm. Otherwise, might be worth brushing up on common sense.

Pete_89T2

iTrader: (4)

^Exactly. Not bad at all for a Pikes Peak rookie team

ATC529R

12 second 1/4 mile is pretty damn strong for something that can also haul a load of plywood go off road and be reliable AF. not many sports cars do it and certainly not for less $$.

I looked it up when a raptor surprised me....but these trucks these days!!!! no wonder the good ole boys are laying into em for a little fun from light to light.

boostin13b

I think you missed the part where the truck that came in first only resembles what you described in body style and is not in fact the same truck that people can go to the dealership and buy. If it were the truck you can go get off the lot without millions of dollars in manufacture support, it would be an entire different story. Its just like saying you can go buy a Mazda 3 and break records at Pikes Peak because Mad Mike did it.........never mind that it was a massively sponsored endeavor with a boosted 4 rotor and professional driver. Factory sponsored cars really shouldn't impress you, these home built machines without the backing or teams of engineers should.

Jeff76

I knew that he was bested by 30 sec from another rotary driver last year. I didn't realize it was a sponsorship and a four rotor!
This race even more of an accomplishment than I previously thought. If it were me, I would retire from mountain climbs now.

rdahm

iTrader: (6)

Thanks guys! Yeah couple wild details that dont really matter but i only had 200tw tires. my slicks got delayed until after pikes so i canceled them. I only got one solid run on each section prior to the event. mostly due to our own lack of readiness in the fabrication department but also because storms canceled two days basically. The day of the event it was 90+ in the pits at 10k feet. hotter than it had even been according to safety officials. so the former king of the mountain robin shute strongly recommended i lift and coast to cool the car. i qualified with doing 131mph down the picnic straightaway but only got to 117 and let off. worked well as i overheated crossing the finish line.

I would have gotten alot closer to mad mikes record if i had more seat time and qualified earlier for a cooler day. etc. what matters is the 3 rotor is now the fastest RX-7 ever up Pikes and I was the one behind the wheel. So many cars didnt make it or crashed. I would be ridiculed if i popped the motor so i really did my best just to finish the race. I am so thankful for all the help i got at the last second from other people making sure i could focus on driving the car.

Definitely going to take the record next year. Either with one less rotor or cheating by taking the AWD 4 rotor with everything ive learned and continue to learn. Would be neat to have a privateer dethrown a mazda japan backed team

rdahm

iTrader: (6)

This is the big takeaway. i was willing to grenade my motor if it meant making it to the top. that didnt happen. and i was able to boost and rev for all the rotary fans on the way down. so thankful for how much went right that day.

rdahm

iTrader: (6)

You know that was the most likely thing to happen to me. DNF. i didnt. even though i beat rod millens time, its still an accomplishment that the youtuber somehow finished at all. Passing tech was the hardest race hahah

silverTRD

iTrader: (38)

Good for you Rob. I can't imagine all the work you and your team has put into this endeavor. Keep it up bro!

Valkyrie

I honestly don't see how you could go much faster with a mostly stock chassis without spending a looooooot more money.
As someone with a beat-up black FD, the three rotor is my "spirit build." Hahaha.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (2)

you can think whatever you want

BUT

I was just summarizing the facts as stated in the results link. Nothing more, nothing less.
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Slides

You were clearly sledging, funnily enough haven't seen much about your racing success?

TeamRX8

iTrader: (2)

Sludging? There’s not any more truth in those words than in the assumptions being incorrectly made.

Honestly, I thought he did pretty good considering.

If I was sludging at all, it was to reveal what was in your own and other’s hearts. The same or more hemlock than in the cup Socrates drank from. Poured out all too readily. What’s clear to me is maybe not so clear to others, maybe not even still. Some people think they discern or read open space between the lines and words better than perhaps they do.

Because this was the first link I opened looking for the results; guess they were sludging too when you get down to the bottom of the list.

https://gazette.com/pikes-peak-hill-...1e7b8c01b.html

Think I never finished at the bottom, dnf’d before, or ever denied doing so even, think again. The results sre always the results. I always said that anyone who has any experience racing understands that the fastest car or best driver is no guarantee of winning.
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Slides

https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=to+sl...meone%2C+sport