Summit DE to NASA race weekend

[Darren]

fasthonda wrote:

PS darren and i are going to have an epic rematch at VIR full!!! right buddy?

I think so I was planning to basically be done for the year but now with the car working well I think I have to do the rest of the races.

[steveh]

Great videos Todd.

Saturday and Sunday were my first two races in Spec Miata -- what a blast!  I was really impressed by the quality of all of the racers at all levels.  I was solidly mid-pack, but still found some great racing.

I think I need to get a video camera -- in Saturday's race the car in front of me in turn 9 overpowered on the track out and ended up sideways about 5 feet off my front bumper; I'm still not quite sure how I missed him.  On Sunday my left front wheel dipped over the curbing in the carousel, resulting in a perfect 360 pirouette on the wet grass that allowed me to re-enter the track at the beginning of T9.  hock:

It was really interesting watching Todd and Darren and a couple of the other fast PTE's wind their way through the SM traffic.  It was tricky to let them through without losing position. 

[fasthonda]

hi steve!

you and your miatea brethern were scrapping like mad!!!!!  

in the best of all worlds, we'd smoke past you guys on the front straightaway;  unfortunately, most of the time that isn't the case....   i know i try not to F up a race being had by the other dudes out there;  but sometimes, most especially when i am trying to stay in front of someone (and fighting for the lead in PTE, and the overall lead of the Stinger race!), i HAVE to get thru RIGHT NOW, and i will pressure you guys and try to push my way thru....   i've got years of experience which has helped me to know where/when this is possible, without creating an incident.  navigating heavy traffic at speed is one of those 'impossible to teach' kind of things;  the only way to learn it is to do it, and to do it lots and lots!!!! 

i'd have been able to keep darren behind me a while longer on sun's race, if not for traffic;  i caught traffic in a poor location, and darren got a good run, which i couldn't protect from....   and since he was faster, that's all she wrote!   that's racing!

i'm glad you had a good race!  that rain race on sat was hairy for me, cause of the tires i was on, and the fact that the rain was getting heavier!   will i see you out at VIR?   you get basically twice the racing for the same price as a regular weekend!!!!  (and the last race on sun is an hour long!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

 

[steveh]

Unfortunately, I won't make VIR this year, but can't wait until next season.

I may try to finish out the season with NASA-NE at Thunderbolt on Halloween. 

Good luck at VIR!

[Mark Fox]

Great driving to both of you.  Those PTE cars are much quicker than the Miata's. Todd were you in the Probe?  Looked like Darren was in an integra?

[Mark Fox]

Darren for a poo mans racer what do you like having had BMW, acura's ect.

[fasthonda]

Mark Fox wrote:

Great driving to both of you. Those PTE cars are much quicker than the Miata's. Todd were you in the Probe? Looked like Darren was in an integra?

hi mark!

as a matter of fact, last november, in the 1 hour 'fun race', they ran a bunch of us together; as it turned out, the fastest PTE (me) and the fastest Spec Miata (copeland, who is now in the playboy mx5 cup pro series) and the fastest Spec E30 (bennett) all ran 1:27.1xx laps!!! so, we are all fairly similar in lap times, when the best of each class shows up and goes at it.... (last weekend i don't think any of the real Miata 'shoes' were in attendence).

and yes, i'm the pilot of the Probe GT! and darren was in a 2nd generation Integra.

[Darren]

Mark Fox wrote:

Darren for a poo mans racer what do you like having had BMW, acura's ect.

It's part about the car but mostly its about what series you want to race in. Kam and I built this Acura to race in Honda Challenge which is basically non-existent anymore. I switched over to the PT series because I found I was running about the same speed as the PTE guys anyway and there was more competition.

I'd be nervous to race 944 cup because the cars can be very expensive to maintain and fix. I think the two best options now in NASA are Spec e30 (87-91 BMW 325i) or Spec Miata. We have RTR members doing both!

Hondas are great cars though and very reliable for track use. Every car has it's weak points though and you just learn to work around them by replacing those parts more often or modifying things to fix the problem.

Spec e30 is really continuing to grow and there are some really great drivers in that series. That is my recommendation...

[Darren]

bobt993 wrote:

A6's are not good for a heavy car = 993. Illegal in PCA, fine in NASA. Good choice for qualifying if your real smart and get a fast lap in, then get off the track. Will work on getting some video together.

I'd like to try them on a heavy car. Actually last year at the SCCA Nationals, 50% of the cars in all classes were on A6's. Guys are running them even on Vettes!

I have no idea why they are illegal in PCA.