speedjunkie

iTrader: (3)

Damn I really hope I can make that trip. I found out today they moved our Christmas dinner to Friday night, so unless I can even get the day off in the first place, then make it up there and back by Friday night, I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to make it. I'm damn sure gonna try though, this sounds like TOO much fun to miss.

camocarl

iTrader: (5)

Greg- Yeah VIR is one of the most challenging track in the southeast, hands down. Ive had a ton of laps there and I still don't have it totally right. Learn new stuff everytime im on the track.

Eric- You better not miss it mang. BTW Happy Birthday. I have the go ahead to borrow my mom's Miata so ill be there.

Here is a buddy of mine's in car camera at VIR. He runs a Spec Miata, and runs up front most of the time. Gives some of you people an idea of what VIR is like, in racing conditions.

http://specmiatavideos.com/Race%20Vi...r_ecr_3_06.wmv

Enjoy

Turbo II

iTrader: (1)

I agree completely Carl. Some of us from the MSCCNC are looking at doing one of the two HPDE meets there next year with the Mazda Drivers Association and were talking about how it's such a long complex course for learning, especially your first few times out.

That is an awesome vid man. Right click... save!

speedjunkie

iTrader: (3)

Well, the final nail was driven into the coffin this morning. At roll call we were notified the memorial service for our TSgt that passed this weekend will be Friday at 1400 and we're required to attend in our service dress, so you guys have a good time. Dammit, I really wanted to make this. And now we aren't even having dinner that night, we're having lunch instead. I'm so pissed.

BTW, that is an awesome vid, I'm gonna save that too when I get home.

IMSA RS 69

Weekend weather report for Danville has upped the temps three degrees just since early AM...

Looking better all the time...

IMSA RS 69

[ Note: I placed this in the 'usual' hangout thread for Rollywood, but this thread would seem to be more appropriate, so please excuse the dupe... ]

Help Folks...

Anybody from around Raleigh, or has to pass through Raleigh, going to be at the Chin HPDE at VIR this coming weekend...

Hard as I try I can't seem to kill these dang MXs I've been testing out... they definitely be giving up some traction, which is ok, I just have to work a tad harder to keep 'er on the track... but I wanna see some cord... so they need some more thrashing... ;)

Only way I can do that this upcoming weekend is if I can get some kind soul from this area to tote 4 tires to VIR for me... anybody from around here going up that wouldn't mind doing that... sure would appreciate it...

PM me if you wanna help...

Turbo II

iTrader: (1)

Man anything warmer than what we had up there Sunday will be better, especially if the wind will stay out of it. When I went up to Oak Tree to get some pictures of you guys I climbed the bleachers and about froze to death from the breeze.

BTW, I'll email you some pics from it if you want. Most of them are from 14 - 17. Let me know how big or many you can handle if needed.

camocarl

iTrader: (5)

Eric- Sorry to hear that man, we will take pics.

Greg- HPDE's are a great way to go. I hope to do some of those in my FD and maybe the SM next year when I have the time, and funds those events are expensive!!!

Steve- I would be happy to tote them up there for ya, but ill be driving a miata also, so we are in the same boat. Won't at least 2 fit in the drivers seat? And you could be hardcore if you wanted by putting 2 behind the seats.

IMSA RS 69

One thing about HPDEs is that you get about twice the track time per $100 spent than at a typical SCCA Race event AFAIK...

It is of course NOT the same as racing, which is worth something... some of the time...


Are you going up for the Chin HPDE, I didn't see your name on the roster... that's when I need them hauled, not the Fri. pace laps...

I thought your Dad might be going up to take a rental car or two... emailed him, but haven't heard back... do you know if he has any such plans?

Speaking of email, I had his bellsouth.net eddress bounce, has he cancelled it?


In the driver's seat... where do the driver sit, on top of the tires.. ;)

Having always driven my SS cars to the tracks with all my stuff inside them, I think I qualify for hardcore... enough to try to carry them in / on the Miata some way, but with the Hard Dog bar there's no way in the back except with the top off and perhaps strapped to the bar... that'd work excepting I need the top, too dang cold and I hate arm restraints... a couple might go on the passenger side as I've carried a couple unmounted slightly smaller tires that way to get them up to Hargrove's to be mounted, but then there's no room for the cooler and that's not acceptable.. ;)

So unfortunately there just ain't no way short of getting a trailer or a 'tire tail'... and that's bucks I ain't got right now...

I always been pretty good at getting a lot of stuff in most cars... to get on topic, in my SSA RX7 I carried 4 tires, luggage, sleeping bags, tent (for 2 people), cooler, tool box, etc. without having anything in the forward cockpit... try that some time... even had to carry the rear bumper back from LR in the car once because it got tore off when I got punted from 1st place on the 1st lap into the outside W-section at the really fast Downhill Turn going on to the front straight... we did have to lay it between the seats running fore / aft from the dash to the rear hatch... no problem just had to work around it to shift.. ;)

I really do appreciate the offer though... and I know you would help me out if you could...

redneckvtek

im psyched about this guys

fyi i think i talked my dad into bringing the 76 camaro.. its fast on the straights, but im sure yall will want to be IN front of it on the "pace laps" so that yall can run faster.. its got brand new swaybars,shocks,springs,bushings, ect but its still a 4300 lb car with front discs and rear drums.

IMSA RS 69

It was really pretty nice most of the morning while the sun was out, but as soon as even some clouds started shrouding it things started turning around really fast...

Update on the temps this weekend... they've upped 'um 1-2 degrees for Sat. & Sun.... AND ti's gonna be SUNNY, which will help a bunch... sorry, but Fri. ain't been keeping up... still showing 41 deg... at least they ain't gonna be no rain...

A buddy and I have been to at least 4 recent events, from WV to SC, with relatively low temps, but most days were sunny and it got to be T-shirt time a couple afternoons...

I'll PM you a gmail eddress that will take any size and any number of files AFAIK... however, I'd just as soon the files be keep in the 300-500kb range...

camocarl

iTrader: (5)

Sorry I meant to say the passengers seat! I was going to go up to the Chin Motorsports event, my name was on the waiting list but now I have some other plans for Saturday and Sunday and won't be able to make it back up there. My dad won't have any cars there either.

HPDE's are a great way to go, and may be a better bang for your buck, but I enjoy the racing competion part of the SCCA events. And hopefully ill make it out to some HPDE's for testing some new suspension setups next year.

IMSA RS 69

Greg...

Speaking of pics, I thought I asked you about if you'd taken any pics of the Vegrant the time we raced it at Road Hotlanta in '76, but may not have... if so I never got a reply... anyway did you; I've got a few pics but they've gotten real yellow and faded... :(

The guy in France that has the extensive IMSA GT Blog site wants to put up some pics of it, since it was actually the very first AAGT built and put on the track...

When we took it to the '75 24 Hours of Daytona I truly believe that given we built the motor and mechanicals to last, not be super fast, that we may well have finished in the Top 10 (since we eventually ended up finishing 17th, the highest placed American made car, with Amos's RS Gremlin)... Hell, I qualified that $5K hot rod 19th out of 65 cars right behind Milt Mentor in a NART Ferrari... if only the damn Schaefer clutch hadn't inexplicably failed... happened as I was backing it out of the garage to go out for final practice Fri. night before the race... Schaefer gave us the complete clutch set-up... it was the same as the IROC cars ran so we were surprised to say the least... the diaphragm fingers simply gave up while I had the clutch pedal depressed; I could feel the pressure against my foot just fading away... :(

As I mentioned we were able to get IMSA to let us run Amos's RS Gremlin... and even nursing a slipping clutch (from tranny lube) for the last 9 hours we still finished 17th...

Anyway, you got any pics or have any idea who might have taken them... Dennis perhaps, or Mikey...

IMSA RS 69

Any of ya'll really serious about wanting some full chat hot laps in the right seat... you can get 'um... if you can fit in a stock seated Miata that is... with a helmet on...

If you come up to VIR this weekend for the Chin HPDE, I'll let any of you take a ride as many times as I've got the right seat open... and I'd bet there are other drivers willing to take folks out also... sometimes all ya gotta do is ask, and they'll let ya hop right in... I however ain't taking no responsibility as to how that might go... ;)

I may well have a fair amount of free sessions if it goes like last event with them when I only had to work Sat. morning checking out some Yankee rich dude in a rented GT3 Porsche... as an aside that started out pretty funny when he accidentally hit the foam fire extinguisher about 10 mins. before we were to go out... fortunately it only discharges on his side... the aplomb with which the pro crew guys went about cleaning it up like it was a just another regular kinda screw-up was amazing, especially with him cuss'n and fuss'n the whole time... I could hardly keep a straight face... still made it out in time... great crew...

One caveat is...

While they will let non-participants go for ride alongs (unlike many of the events such as the PCA one this past weekend)... they do charge $20 and have you sign an additional waiver for you to get an arm band to be allowed to go out... now we could try faking it if they're not paying too much attention, like the first time out with my advanced student this past event... he'd forgotten to put his band on, and not wanting to lose any more time I told him to just hold his arm up like he had one and they waved us on out without stopping for a real check... I could likely get away with it without too much grief if we get caught by pleading ignorance, at least the first time, but that would be the end of doing it any more... ;)

Now if there's someone who could tote a set of tires up there and back from Raleigh for the weekend I'd be inclined to pay their $20 even though it'd stretch my budget...

Wanna see T10 at 100%, you'll get it... and I promise they won't be no turning over like was suggested is easy to do there 'cause I know how to 'drive off the track' when things go awry... plus there's about 40 acres of open space down there...

Wanna enter the 'Hurry Downs' and 'Hog Pen' like you're jumping off a cliff... you'll get that too... ;)

Any takers...

If so, it'd help to let me know ahead, but if not, just show up with a helmet, find me at the right time and you can jump in... buckle up... and hang on... ;)

camocarl

iTrader: (5)

You could be going flat out through there sideways 10-20 MPH slower . And it is easy to rollover for people that try to over correct, seen it happen several times. But for the Friday Holiday laps, no one needs to be trying to attempt that! I'm seeing about 105 (if the speedo is accurate) before I tap the brakes going into T10. But I'm flat from T4-T10 carrying much more speed I'd presume since the car is more modified.

IMSA RS 69

Got to get this straightened out... perhaps start using a different term, 'cause they got the same idea over on THSCC or Tri-Z, I forget which...

100% does NOT = Flat Out... I never said it did... 100% is as fast as that car on that day under those conditions can carry the highest speed throughout the turn... and in general, and especially T10, using the whole track... which requires an earlier apex than one can imagine til they've done it... I sure as hey didn't do it right off after coming out of retirement... I knew what could be done, but it takes awhile to convince oneself that it's not too early to turn in, and especially to get it consistent lap to lap... you feel like you're gonna be driving off into 'nothing'...

Not surprised... several fellows that run 'vettes and other high power stuff won't use the whole track there, hence leave a lot in the table 'cause they're afraid of dropping a wheel off and spinning it back across the track... Key words are 'drive it off the track'...

Rollovers there are most likely due to going off sideways and having the wheels dig into soft earth and 'trip'... if they are prone to tripping theyselves on the asphalt then they got more tire'n they need or too high a center of gravity...

You'd be carrying more speed into T10, but I'll bet you won't pull me after the turn in... might even lose some til we get to the Oak Tree complex... and that's on non-R compound tires... been a lot of folks in faster, better braking and handling cars that I've pointed by out of T6, have 'um put a hundred feet or more on me before the Esses, only to run up they **** at the apex of The Oak... no brag, just fact...

OCTJMO... ICBW...

Turbo II

iTrader: (1)

Steve I don't remember having any of the Vegrant, might have some of the Formula when we had it at Mike's garage working on it. I'll check and see though. Dennis seems like the best shot for those although Mike may have some.

I'll send some to you of the PCA in the next day or so, I'm gonna try and resize and crop a few of them. I might just upload all 150 of them somewhere so you can go through and pick out any you want.

IMSA RS 69

10-4... I'll try to think to ask Dennis next chance I get...

Either way... I'm not too much into collecting a lot of pics unless they have some particular interest, like showing the attitude of the car in a turn... or are particularly well composed... my buddy with the 350Z got one taken of him at the The Oak Tree that had the whole tree in the shot with his car right under it exiting the turn and perhaps another car in the back ground coming into the turn... now that looks pretty neat... of course his car looks a lot better than mine anyway... the Ratty Red Rac'r don't seem to photo very well...

Oh and one other thing I been meaning to ask about again... and not trying to tick anybody off who may have a good reason to do it, but how come you all don't use the thumbnail feature when you post pics, or large sigs, or at least crop them down so they don't make that whole page so wide that some of us have to scroll back and forth to read every msg.... 'specially those of us OFs that like large fonts that we can read, so we use 800 x 600 resolutions... no squinting to read all the really fine print that way... ;)

Thanks...

Turbo II

iTrader: (1)

You mean this old red ratty thing?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...PCA/CPA119.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...PCA/CPA044.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...PCA/CPA074.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...PCA/CPA053.jpg

and one of the Z at Oak Tree.... not the best picture.... it was cold, I was freezing in the breeze, I had to pee... and another at the coaster.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...PCA/CPA154.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...PCA/CPA115.jpg

camocarl

iTrader: (5)

Good that makes sense, my definition of those terms were different then yours. I'm sure you'll go 100% then, and try to get some lap times, id love to see how they compare. T10 is the hardest turn on the track for me, I seem to give up a little bit and regret doing it after the turn. T10 on hoosiers wouldnt be a problem.

I wouldnt ride with you, id be too skeered I've heard stories about how aggresive your driving was back in the day. You were not afraid to do some rubbin. But in HPDE's and track days should be pretty safe.

IMSA RS 69

They aren't that good most times... I'm braking pretty early generally for the slower turns (even more than I did racing, when not being challenged that is)... I'm short shifting and using 5th on the long straights... I could care less if I'm doing 100, a 105 or 108 or whatever at the end... That and when out with the big boys I do a lot of slowing down on the straights quite a bit and sometimes for quite a distance in order to let a whole gaggle by at one time...

If I can get it to work right I'll have my buddy's MaxQData rig this weekend, and will be able to plot G's, speeds, interval times (really important IMO), etc...

Actually I'd bet it's not really the hardest (to get right)... just intimidating...

Well don't beat yourself up about it... I'd bet you ain't leaving much on the table... As for 100%, it'll come and don't bust something trying too hard... Like I said though there is plenty of run off room for those who know how to drive off the track... I'd hope you're pretty good at that by now... Not saying you run off a lot, but that you've got enough savey to know when to do it, and how to do it...

Dial yourself in to it by turning in earlier and earlier until you've hit an early enough apex to force the car to have to track out to the curb. It'll help 'catch' you if you over do it a tad, and even running up on the gators ain't that bad. And of course if you realize you're gonna run outta room soon enough you can get off the gas (some) and try to scrub off the speed... I find that I need to turn in right at or before I can see the leading end of the gators at the apex... now that's early as hey...

Hey now... of course I ain't doing no rubbing fenders, or punting turkeys into the tulies... but I go as hard through the turns as I can... and them early, blind turn ins can be a bit disconcerting to riders the first few times, it is for me when I'm riding with a student doing it... like the one I had this past weekend... boy, he was getting T10 and 'Hog Pen' really good, and I mean the scary way I showed him... ;)

That said I've had several strangers ride with me (a free lance writer for GRM mag 3 weeks ago), in addition to students and friends and I ain't seen any of them get out of the car with they knees shaking... no matter how hard I try... ;)

IMSA RS 69

That'd be it's ugly ****...

The (slightly fuzzy) pic in the right hander leading into the 'Hurry Downs', and the rear shot going into 'Hog Pen' are revealing, especially the one at 'Hog Pen"...

The one at Oak Tree... if you'd had the camera aimed a tad higher to get all the tree in, and got the speed right that would be a really neat shot... similar, but further around the corner than the one I mentioned...

Thanks...

Johny zoom

iTrader: (5)

Temp tomorrow High 38 Plenty of boost. see you guys there


Johny

IMSA RS 69

It's up to 48 and 55 for the Chin event Sat. and Sun.... ;)

My source says 40 for Ya'll on Fri.... and Mainly Sunny... if the wind stays light and the clouds stay away it won't be too bad...

camocarl

iTrader: (5)

Better wear your long underwear, 38 is cold. I'll be at CB in the morning around 8:30AM before 9AM for sure. See you guys there.