Well this is not a drivers ed class but I gess it fits under lapping. It is open track nights at Gingerman in South Haven, MI. Last year it was on Wedneday nights ( I heard they expanded it to more nights this year ) $50 sign the waiver and you are good to go. Usually is from 4 p.m. or so until dark. I learned alot just pushing the car and trying to keep up with the fast guys.

 

Man, that's a good deal on track time...I wish I can get that deal at Putnam Park...

 

Just saw Todd last weekend at a Land Rover offroad event (now that was a different kind of fun

Heh, if you let him drive, just remember to have him leave it running when you get back to the paddock-- he hasn't owned a turbo car since his old R1...

Oh yeah, make sure that catch can is working

 

Jim, Actually I'm having the catch can removed, and going back to the stock setup. Mid Ohio was never really a problem with oil spray, only Putnam Park...

The leaking filler neck gasket, rear main seal, oil cooler lines and oil pan gaskets have all finally been replaced, so the Rx7 R1 shouldn't be leaving anymore puddles

I'm having all the catch can parts put in a box...next Friday, so they'd be available for sale...

 

But Manny, why take it out? Won't you still have the problem when you get to a track with some nice high-g right handers?

 

Jim,

Actually, I've never really had a problem with oil sprayage until recently. I suspect the failed filler neck gasket, in comination with the other leaking seals (oil cooler line, oil pan, oil filter O-ring, and rear main seals) were all contributing to the oil sprayage. Now that all those have been replaced, I'm certain the oil catch bottle won't be needed.

Besides the catch bottle got to be a PITA, because I was limited to 20 minute lapping sessions...the little 1-pt bottle fills QUICKLY, and if I didn't empty the bottle, the oil catch bottle overflow would make a real mess!

 

Hey Manny, how was Mid-Ohio? I didn't see any updates at Tracquest.com or here. Always love to hear track stories...

 

Has anyone on the forum gone to Summit Point Raceway in WV? http://www.summitpoint-raceway.com/

I'm curious about Friday at the Track and the other driver's events.

 

artowar2,

Todd's Mid Ohio event was a blast. Gobs of track time! As an instructor, I thoroughly enjoyed passing anywhere on the track TracQuest's open track events are as good as everyone on the left coast says they are Todd plans to invite me back to instruct at his October 7/8 Mid Ohio event. I've burned up my vacation days, so I'll probably be "sick" Mon/Tues Oct 7/8, recuperating at Mid Ohio

rotary-tt,

I've done the Summit Point full course back in April of '99 for the Spring MADS event. Fun track. A bit bumpy. The "S'es", and the "Chute" are favorite turns. BTW, in a healthy FD Rx7, you'll do 140 mph into the increasing radius turn that is Summit Point's Turn 1, IF you come out of Turn 10 REALLY WELL

 

Hey, that's great that you enjoyed the event. Those are Todd's standard passing rules and from what I can tell they work fine. When I've seen people go-off at an event, it usually has nothing to do with the passing rules anyway...

I think someone got a picture of your car. Go to the message forum at Tracquest.com, look for the guy that posted Mid-Ohio pix, and check out his webpage-- wait, a minute, here's the link:

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kilsen/MidOhio.html

sixth row, third column-- is that you?

 

Fridays at the track at Summit Point are worth going to. Its pretty laid back with 3 passing zones. The track is lots of fun but not the safest. You get 4 sessions that are 20 minutes each with instructors if desired ( sometimes required depending on the group) and two class room sessions. And you can go to the skid pad to practice your oversteering and understeering as well as your spins

 

So Manny, you took it out? I guess I am the only one left with the Pauly Special. Unfortunately, with all the trouble I have had this year, I haven't had much time to worry about the catch bottle.

Hopefully all will be better soon. I have Putnam twice, Mid Ohio and Watkins Glenn on my schedule before the year is out.



I need to get those new turbo's and ported motor out for a real spin!!!!!!

 

artowar2,

No that's Jim Phend's red FD. I had SSR Comps on my car, but the pic shows an FD with stock wheels. There was another red FD owner that came along with Jim and me, and that was Charlie Williams. Charlie's FD has BBS mesh wheels with gold centers. We were the ONLY 3 red FD Rx7s at the TracQuest Mid Ohio event. There was also a red 2nd Gen '86 NA that belonged to Jack Cruse. I had two student cars. Charlie's red FD, and Jack's red FC...

borch,

Yes, I had Shane remove the catch bottle. No sprayage on the engine during Mid Ohio and Putnam Park. Very slight oil moisture up front near the radiator at last Friday night's Putnam Park event. I can only guess the oil's coming from the one oil cooler line Paul didn't replace (and did not appear to be leaking at the time he did the diagnosis). Oil leaks are like playing the squashing molls game...you smack one down, another one appears During normal daily driving my FD Rx7 is DRY though, and that's what matters. FWIW, Putnam Park is really much harder on my FD than Mid Ohio has ever been. Putnam is so fast, and you're cornering all the time. Mid Ohio has a fewer long turns, and has more left handers, and switchbacks (the Ses down through "Thunder Valley").

 

artowar2,

Here's a pic of our paddock "campsite" at Mid Ohio during the TracQuest event August 13/14 (just last week I guess?).

The pic is courtesy of Charlie Williams

 

Pic?

 

Resized to 70% reduction to make the byte limit

 

70% makes the byte cut-off

My car's on the far left, car number I-73 (with Hoosier bumper decal). I'm on the far right with white long-sleeve shirt and red sparco racing shoes (I'm starting my logbook appropriately titled, "The Red Shoe Diaries")

 

Nice pix Manny. Looks like you guys had a comfy setup!

 

yeah, this is the ONLY way I'll do an "away" driver's ed now...