Anyone coming out this weekend? BMWCCA is running a 2 day at Sears. I've got all new suspension and I'll be like a 6th grader with a new mouthful of braces trying to learn how to smile again. Perfect opportunity for some hotshoe to swoop in and wrest the FMOD hat from my clutching fingers. Will it be you??

 

Damn it
have to miss my chance at the hat.

TH was great last week. Sandbagger and I went toe to toe...wont be long till we take you all, hes very quick and with suspension and brakes, he had me by about 5 car lengths. Damn stock pads :(

 

Thanks for all of the replies. The web site list was very helpfull. I've read through the NASA site and got alot of good info. I'm thinking about trying to make the TH event March 10-11th if I can get my car ready by then. After 90,000 miles I could use new brake pads. It looks like Mr FMOD will be there, is anyone else planning to make this event? With NASA o you do both days or can you just sign up for one day?

 

Sign up for either day or both. I think kmickey will be there too. Maybe apriorism. Dunno.

 

Jerry i'll see you Sunday, i'm not driving but bring my wife up to see you run.

 

After reading throuh the NASA web site I have a question about the tech inspection. Do I inspect it myself and then have it inspected at the track or do I need to have a "Qualified Shop" do an inspction? Also I had a rock hit my windshield and a crack has formed from the mid passenger side top coming down several inches then turning 90 degres and going under the rearview mirror and just poking out onto the drivers side but not interfering with vision. Will this pass tech? thanks for any advice and hope to be at TH this weekend.

 

Where are you?

Griffin Motorsports on San Pablo in Berkeley is an approved NASA tech inspection station. It's free. Check the NASA website for the approved tech station nearest you.

You need to get it done prior to the event somewhere.

If not, the onsite tech takes way too much time and costs $40. You don't want to do that.

No worries about the crack. I've got one too.

 

I live in the foothills outside of Marysville. I didnt see the tech list on the NASA site I will look again. Good to know that the crack is OK. Yakkity Yak Don't Do Crack!

 

Not going to be able to make Thill for 3/10 & 11 due to work constraints.
Looks like great weather too. Have fun!

Jerry,
How are those Koni's and new rear control arms working out for you?

Kmickey

 

Dunno yet. Had to miss the BMWCCA events due to a lack of rotors. This will be my first event with the new setup. I expect it to be squirelly and nasty. Good opportunity for someone to take the hat away until I get it sorted.

 

Here's a list of NASA HPDE tech shops:
http://www.nasaproracing.com/events/...chstations.htm

Looks like REC Motorsports and Ground Control are sorta near you, Cameron Park and Shingle Springs.

 

ok can someone give me a map/how to get there and how to sign up for this TH event for 10th/11th?

 

Here's a link for NASA's web site and registration:
http://www.nasaproracing.com/nasa_event/list_events

and for Thunderhill Raceway Park directions:
http://www.thunderhill.com/html/location.html

Looks like they are sold out for group 1.

 

I've never been to a NASA event so I'm signed up for group 2 on Sat.
I didn't know I had to have the tec inspection done by a shop.
That's cramping my schedule a bit...
See you guys there!
-G

 

Signed up for TH, sat and sun. I will be in Group 2, hopefully I will be able to get an instuctor since group 1 is full. Prepped my car today. Went up to Mini Mainia and picked up stuff for oil change, brake pads and spark plugs. It was alot easier than I anticipated. The only snag was trying to get the filter housing to thread back on, I was getting really worried since it kept wanting to cross thread. After about fifteen minutes it decided to cooperate. I checked the list of tech shops. None are very close and I will be working all week. How early should I arrive to get tech done on Sat morning? Thanks again to all who have replied.

 

NASA's HPDE schedule for March 10 & 11 2007:
http://www.nasaproracing.com/norcal/...ch10112007.pdf

Looks like they are anticipating a larger than normal crowd (including spectators!) this
weekend due to a radio station promotion for Sunday's races.
Get there early. Paddock area will be full.
Gates are open at 6am
Drivers meeting at 7:30am.
Check out the Participant info page link.
The tech station can be found (under the big awning)

 

Remember when I said my idea of tuning was to wait for your car to tell you what it needs? Well guess what? My car is talking to me.

The front shock mounts are bulging because I put so much stress on them while cornering. Solution: hammer them flat and install a front strut brace.

The front wheel arch is scoring my inside tire in fully loaded corners. Solution: Koni adjustable coil over shocks.

Factory set camber is no longer optimal. Solution: adjustable camber plates.

The rear control arms are fatiguing under load. Solution: high performance rear control arms.

I've warped the rotors of my new StopTech brakes. Solution: new rotors and learn how to brake better so it doesn't happen again.

I'm gonna have a wreck soon 'cause I'm driving so frickin' fast. Solution: bolt in roll cage and a good safety seat with 5 point harness.

This is no longer a grocery getter. It's a full on dedicated track day car.

March 8, 2007
Well, here we go. It's off to Thunderhill with the new setup. I expect it to be squirrelly and nasty. I've made maps of the track and dissected the corners so I can make notes on how it behaves at entry, apex and exit. It's a lot lower now and the pronounced front rake is gone. I just hope there's enough clearance in the wheel wells for the tires. The up side is that it's all adjustable. Finding those adjustments, however, is not so easy. I think someone said it's like tuning a piano while it's going a hundred miles an hour.

I'm bringing the hat, but I have a feeling it will be going home with one of the other hotshoes. See you there.


Ave et vale, petasus fidelis.

 

I did some sorting today and I'm ready. Bring it!

 

Sorry I missed you. I was there and it felt a little lonely with only a couple of us to run down all of those M3s and Porsche GT3s (actually held one off for several laps. Not bad for stratight out of the box 2006 MCS w/ JCW package + JCW full suspension and brace.

1st time with new Toyo RA-1s. Have been teaching at the school for 10+ years and don't think I have ever gone through turn 3 and 3a faster in anything!!!

Hope to see more Minimobiles at the next school.

 

Welcome to another fast MINI! Did we meet at the school at Laguna in January?

 

I wasn't able to make the Laguna school. Hopefully next year. It is one of my favorite tracks. If you see me (dark grey mettalic w/ black roof JCW w/ aero kit) stop by and say hello. It would be fun to get on the track with another mini to see how it looks on the track.

David

 

I am sad to report that there was not one, but two MINIs faster than me today. MINI 1, the #31 car of Jacques Andres and Mini 2, the #4 USTCC car of Bob Scheer. And the new FMOD championship belongs to . . . Bob Scheer, aka Canyon MINI who is just freakin' crazy around this track! Best time: 2:04!

Farewell O hat!

I was going to be OK and still FMOD for my class because neither of them were running with me in HPDE 4. Then Jacques pushed me into the racecar for the Class A race, where it was clearly obvious that even though I did pass some cars, I was the slowest of the three. Alas and lack-a-day.

Oh well, at least now I'm a real racer.





Jerry was a race car driver,
He drove so goddamn fast,
He never took the checkered flag,
But he never came in last.

- Words and music by Primus


A Sad Occasion - well, for me anyway. Bob looks happy about it.





We had a long run, though. It took 6 months for someone to wrest it away from me. But you know what they say, "There's always someone faster, younger, prettier . . ." Just look at Bob. Ain't he pretty? Looks like Borat don't he?

 

Sounds like we have a new person in the group, welcome 06-jcw with the exact same setup as my car

Did you get seat time in the #31 car, or are you just modeling for Toyo Jerry?!?!

 

I got one HPDE session in it and one Group A race! Pix to follow. Today was a great day for everyone. Bob had a 3rd place podium USTTC finish in the #4 MINI race car, Vince moved up from Group 1 to Group 3, and I turned a 2:10 lap.

Pix here

 

WTF dude!!?? What happened?