Who's doing the work on Checkers, Randy?

 

Edge Motorworks. I've had them do a couple of thinks, they do a good job and i get the car back a lot faster. I like Bay Bridge but some times i dont have time to wait for the car. But like everything i do to my car, i ordered the new head and exhaust and low and be hold the valve springs are on back order. WAITING AGAIN.

 

Yeah, I sympathize. Sad Arthur is in the shop as well. I've managed to cook all the wheel bearings.

 

Yeah I know. I call Bay Bridge Motors today and they said you've been driving your car pretty hard. I hope mine will be ready in 2 weeks. Then I'll go to thunderhill and try it out. Then I should be ready to hook up with you guys and see what i can do. By the way what group are you running with now and how can I join up?

 

I run Time Trials with NASA. You get invited to join TT once you qualify for HPDE Group 4. Mickey's in Group 4 but seems reluctant to move up to TT. Or maybe I didn't hear his explanation . . . I'm not hearing that well anyway. Vince is in Group 3. Bob runs the USTCC races.

That's all the Minis turning out for NASA these days. Sad. All that potential for fun and no one is doing it. Oh well. I'm used to being lonesome out here on the cutting edge.

 

Let me know when your next couple of events will be and may be i can at least show up and watch. That is until my car is ready.

 

Next up for me is:

June 30-July 1
NASA at Sears Point

August 11-12
NASA at Thunderhill

Something in September - Maybe Buttonwillow on the 14th or 21st (both are Testing Days) for a NorCal-SoCal MINI Challenge if the SoCal blowhards care to back up what they claim. That would be fun.

 

Ill be at the 2 day HOD event in July if you want a non NASA experience. Im sure its going to be hot, but 2 days in a row is fun. I will probably join the NASA group later this year (read when it cools down)

Jerry, is the Sept event NASA? Ive been meaning to head south and check out that track....

 

I'm persona non grata with HOD.

The events at B-Willow are just open test days. anyone can run. I'm trying to get some SoCal Mini guys to come up and run me since I can't find anyone in NorCal who will. So far, it's just been braggadocio and hot air from them, no commitment.

In the meantime I'll just have to keep duking it out with the NASA Instructor in his all-wheel-drive, 240 HP R32. I've been ahead of him until the last event at T-Hill. He added a sport suspension and clipped me by a half second. But I was on bald tires. They'll be fresh for Sears. I think I'll be able to take him. Should be interesting. It would be more interesting if there were more Minis on the track, though; where's the glory in subduing a Dubber?

 

I dont think I'll be ready to track it by June 30th but i'll be there. I think I'll need a little more time to sort out my car.
Katmeho i've been thinking about tring TH on the 27th or so of July, maybe I'll see you there.
Jerry i'm not that fast, but i should be able to make B-willow in Sept.

 

Woo Hoo! There's a NorCal/SoCal MINI Challenge in the works. No details yet, still in the planning stage. Stay tuned!

 

details details!!!

Come on out checkers, we can work together and I promise you'll be happy at Thill because its pretty safe and fun. I can save you a few bucks by sending you an email from their website, email me if interested..

 

So who's on for NASA at Infineon June 30 - July 1?

Siddhartha
Stuttgart1
??
??

Matt: It's rarely hot at Sears Point.

 

I'll be racing the kart at infineon on Sunday just up the hill. I need to get a set of track wheels and tires before my next track day. I've gone beyond the limits of the street tires. Anyone have a cheap set of ugly wheels they want to get rid of? Pretty don't matter to me. If I can come up with wheels I would be able to run on Saturday.

I'm up for a NorCal/SoCal runoff. For open track days do they require a lisence and roll bar?

vince

 

I have a spare set of used Kosei's, silver, 17X7, 14 lbs, $199 new. if you want them, PM me and we'll talk price.

 

PM sent or just call
530 635 4057

 

Thanks Katmaho i'm signed up for t-hill on the 27 or 28 of July. I'm still waiting for some more parts. Then i need to brake them in and then I'll be ready to go.
Jerry showed me how to run at t-hill a couple of months a go and i have a free ride coming with HOD so if my car gets done i'll be there.

 

I will try hard to make the July event at T-Hill. It will be my 1st time so I'll be with an instructor in group 1 or A or whatever they call it.

 

Excellent news on the TH July attendees, Ill be there both days, DS/W, red helmet....come find me, I can give rides and those in A may have me instruct...

 

hope the weather is not going to be too hot this weekend...

 

It'll be in the 80's at Sears Point, which means your best runs will be in the morning. But that's not hot. katmeho and his group will be running at T-Hill in July where it is usually over 100 degrees.

 

Siddhartha i should be there sunday to see you run. My car needs a little getting used too. I seem to have increase the torque a little, also the noise from the exhaust.

 

By torque, I assume you mean torque steer - when you get on it, the car wants to dart to the right? I've read it's a common problem when modifying Mini engines to increase horsepower.

I'm not sure there is any correlation between a louder exhaust and better performance although it seems to be a very popular conception and I am sure it has its advocates, especially among aftermarket vendors..

 

The NASA event June 30 - July 1 at Infineon Raceway will be a landmark. The CHP will be there to try to determine whether a "Take it to the Track" policy could be a viable deterrant to street racing.

Infineon already runs the very successful Wednesday Night Drags, a run-what-you-brung event that attracts all kinds of drag enthusiasts and offers a safe alternative to late night, industrial park drag racing.

I would love to volunteer my time to show some of the crazy slammed Civic drivers I see racing each other through traffic on the freeway or the nutty togue chasers I've met coming sideways around blind canyon corners how much more fun it can be on the track where there is experienced driving instruction available, a very much larger margin for error than on the public roads and trained safety crews standing by in case of an incident. Cell coverage can be spotty at the bottom of a ravine in the mountains if you overcook a corner and push off into the weeds, as some of my SoCal friends can verify.

 

You are right about the torque steering, but the loud exhaust is due to the high flow system. I'm not sure how much the HP went up ,but you sure can feel the increase in the torque.
By the way, what time does the gates open Sunday and can i park down by the race cars in the pits?