^ I hope you're bringing the R100 out Joe. I want to see that thing run. (and possibly get a ride. ) I'd still give my left nut for that car!

 

Anyone want to cruise up together from the West side with a stop at Kennedy Commons to pick up people midway?

 

^ Yeah, a few of us are pre-meeting at Kennedy Commons Chapters parking at 7:45am or so, then cruise maybe leave at 8:15am or so.

 

Wow, so early. You guys planning to have breakfast or something?

 

That's really early!
I can't wake up that early on a weekend.. lol

I should be at the gates for 10 or so.

 

The registration opens between 9:30am - 10:30am. So leaving Kennedy Commons at 8:15am or 8:30am

 

I'll meet you guys at Kennedy Commons at 8:15, see you guys there!

 

I'll be there to spectate since the list is full and also because I don't know my new car yet!

 

Thanks everyone for coming out.
As usual, always a pleasure.

Big thanks to Al for giving us this opportunity. All in the name of charity.

Let's hope we can carry on the tradition.

 

Thanks Al, I had fun. I was supposed to be spectating only but due to the noshows I got an opportunity to test out my car that I've only had for 3 days! I was unprepared but was glad I could keep up with the group. Hope to see you all at the next event!

 

Al, thanks for setting this up one last time, much appreciated.

The comliments IS350 F was a lovely car .... going to do some more research on it to see if it could be a successor to the MS6.

Rick, aren't we glad the run off on turn 2 is paved now :P

 

Was an awesome time. Anyone get good video? Please post!!

 

I think Footman from the RX-8 club got some...

 

Thank you everyone who participated other than our one friend who did the spin lol. As for this being the last one, this was the last one that I am going to organize and we don't know what is going to happen next year with the regional racing series etc. After 8 years or so its time to pass the torch to someone else to continue if everyone so desires.

We had 26 out of the 35 confirmed spots show up, so we only raised $640.00 for Sick Kids, special thanks to those who donated above the $20.00 minimum! Still good money but about $400.00 short of the previous 2 events.

I was a little miffed at some people taking shots at Lexus considering they supplied us with a vehicle. Sometimes you have to keep you comments to your self for the better of everyone around you. Since its inception Scion, Mitsubishi and Lexus are the only manufacturers who have supplied NEW vehicles for this cause and regardless of personal opinion its amazing that they would considering we are only a group of around 30.

Having said that the Lexus was an amazing car to drive on the track. It did remarkably well considering were driving it at only about 60% of what it would be capable of if really pushed hard. I certainly would have no complaints about its performance and comfort for dollar value.

 

If I can second what Al is talking about in his post. When I started this about 10 years ago, it took a lot of work adn a receptive organizing club to make this happen. This is not a right, but a privilege to do. Al has been great and taking it way above what it started as, in raising money for a good cause, getting manufacturer support in supplying cars to lead the groups and also keeping the relationship with BEMC in good stead so that they continue to allow this to happen and letting All take you guys around the track as fast as possible.

First, I am disappointed to hear there were negative comments about the Pace Car (small minds just like to attack rather than build) and especially to find out that only about 2/3rds of the people who said that they were going to come showed up. I would like to hear from the people who said that they were going to show and didn't as to why they didn't. With you guys saying yes, then bailing it prevented more people from showing up and doing it. It wasn't a no harm situation, you directly reduced the donation to Sick Kids.

Thanks for your efforts Al. I for one appreciate what you have been able to do for the last 8 years for Sick Kids and the RX7 and general enthusiast community.

Eric

 

Big thanks to Al and the ones who helped out the event. Thumbs up!

 

Al & Eric,

I'll admit, I was one of the people who was taking "shots" at "Lexus". I was keeping things to my friends and myself until the Lexus guy (who made public he had no idea about the car, was just a numbers guy, and only wanted to bring the car out to the event. Not to mention get some hottish laps with Al behind the wheel) started to say it was way better than the competition and what not. And of course it being new, would run circles around any of the vehicles who are going to be following it.
I understand how things get at the track and how alot of people end up talking great things about certain cars and what not. But you can't say a Lexus running on Touring tires, weighing almost 1000lbs more than some of the cars on the parade lap, will easily out class and out run anyone. This coming from the guy who said flat out he knows nothing of the product and he was just a finance guy (????)
Not to mention the fact that Lexus, in their great wisdom, decide to sticker the car with advertisement making sure everyone can read that it was a Lexus being driven around the track pacing us, and miss spells compliments with "comliments" (another thing the Lexus guy took no responsibility for...)

This all started with the BEMC club allowing us to run through their lunch hour. It was never meant to go full blown charity supporting cause. It's nice that we've done this, but it was never our intention. Not to mention getting factory support from Toyota or Mitsubushi. We never asked for that either.
I found it always strange how a group of Mazdas (majority of them being rotaries) are following around a sedan or a non Mazda car. We could've easily managed to do this with someone's RX-8 or RX-7.
Instead we got the support of some car manufacturers who want to get some more exposure for their brand. If the cause is going to a good charity, then I'm all for it. But again, it was never our intention to do that.

This being said, I congratulate Al for organizing everything over the years and a big thanks to BEMC for letting us run on their time. I know there are more than a few people who refuse to pay $300 for a track day simply because they don't want to spend that type of cash. Doing this little lunch hour tracking at $20 is kinda a deal.

I hope we can pick up the torch for next season and continue the tradition. Thanks everyone!

 

Hey does anyone know who the other fellow with the Mazda RX8 R3 is? The man who was leading the "intermediate group". Is he on this forum? I want to get in touch with him to discuss some RX8 stuff.

With regards to the Lexus-bashing...Al is right. The bottom line is that Lexus provided a car and let Al leads us on the track with it. It doesn't matter who/why/where. The fact is that there was a free Lexus pace car and their representative. No one paid them anything. Obviously it's for charity and also for some Lexus PR, but all 3 groups - Lexus - Sick Kids - RX7/RX8Club benefitted and that's all that matters. Sometimes just gotta let the organizers do some trash talking, especially to save face from being embarrassed about the typo on the door decals. lol. Afterall, Al WORKS FOR Lexus and he is the organizer so we should show him and Lexus a little bit more respect. The organizers are entitled to boast however they want, even if you disagree with their "facts".

I hope this doesn't end like this. Al, keep doing it! Might I suggest paying upfront next time so there wouldn't be any no shows? The last-minute buy-in Porsche guy ruined the back end of the intermediate group!

Cheers.

 

"I hope this doesn't end like this." I agree. The main thing is we all had fun and raised a chunk of change for sick kids. Stop the nagging and POST your PICS, links and VIDS! sheesh!

 

Neo you completely missed the point. Even if if the car is the biggest piece of crap out there, the correct thing to do is to say to the person providing the vehicle "Ya its an awesome car and I'm sure it will be the fastest thing around". Then after the event when he and the car is gone say whatever you want. I haven learned this lesson the hard way and it has cost me plenty of time and money.

And as far as the way the event is run, your are welcome to take over as of next year I will send you all the information of who to contact at BEMC, you can supply them with your car for the weekend (yes the car is theirs to use from Friday until Monday that is how we got the track time). I truly apologize if the event has not been run the way the people who have supported it wanted it run.

 

Thanks again Al for organizing. Appreciate the effort!

 

G_man (Glen) on the RX-8 Forum. PM me I'll give you his email after I talk to him and get his OK.