Snails - Racing for Real

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GTLehman
A long time ago, at a race track far, far away...
Circa 1990, I was working on my racing career in a Merlyn Mk.21 Club Ford, then in F2000. I had a great time but didn't have the resources to compete with the doctors and lawyers. Also, the majority of my learning was from library books, how I wish I would have had Gran Turismo back then, I've learned so much from it.

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Crossle, Club Ford at Second Creek Raceway, Denver.


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Merlyn Mk. 29A Club Ford at LaJunta.

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Merlyn Mk.29A at Lajunta

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Van Dieman F2000/Formula Continental at Pueblo Motorsports Park
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Very cool. Thanks for sharing the pictures. I love see "old" pics of racing.
 
GTLehman
A long time ago, at a race track far, far away...
Circa 1990, I was working on my racing career in a Merlyn Mk.21 Club Ford, then in F2000. I had a great time but didn't have the resources to compete with the doctors and lawyers. Also, the majority of my learning was from library books, how I wish I would have had Gran Turismo back then, I've learned so much from it.

View attachment 565952

Crossle, Club Ford at Second Creek Raceway, Denver.


View attachment 565953

Merlyn Mk. 29A Club Ford at LaJunta.

View attachment 565954

Merlyn Mk.29A at Lajunta

View attachment 565955

Van Dieman F2000/Formula Continental at Pueblo Motorsports Park
Click to expand...
Interesting, never seen an RF82 in Formula Continental trim. These cars sure have come a long way... Nice to see a fellow open wheeler!
 
I had another local autocross today at Monroe Community College. I had my best run on my final run of the day, 35.879 to win Street 1 (SS, AS, BC and CS) and 10th overall of 96 drivers. I also got to do a ride along in a brand new Focus RS. Here is my best run and the second video is of the RS.



 
Steer right to turn left, it's the american way!
i-82jNkDV-X3.jpg


Only 3rd in tire class, but the 350z on hankook RS-3s always beats me. Not sure who else beat me this time but I'll find out when they post results online.
 
Today I took a racing friends' Spec Miata out for a few laps... He's a lot shorter than I, so it was a veeery tight fit for a 6'3 gent like myself. First time out was rather successful, with my first few laps showing immediate speed. Only about a second or so off of the lap record. The car was very neutral handling and had gobs more power compared to the vee... I guess I'm hooked because I couldn't stop grinning :lol:
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Here's the car... Ya ya it's a girly colour but it gets the job done
 
RobbiefromBC
Today I took a racing friends' Spec Miata out for a few laps... He's a lot shorter than I, so it was a veeery tight fit for a 6'3 gent like myself. First time out was rather successful, with my first few laps showing immediate speed. Only about a second or so off of the lap record. The car was very neutral handling and had gobs more power compared to the vee... I guess I'm hooked because I couldn't stop grinning :lol:
image-jpeg.567402
Here's the car... Ya ya it's a girly colour but it gets the job done
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That's great @RobbiefromBC, and I like the color.
 
Got a video shot by a friend last weekend, outside view only this time. The go-pro was refusing to cooperate, I think it was overheating.

I've discovered that a nearly-full tank of gas makes the car MUCH more neutral and much easier to rotate with my current setup. I'll probably run it that way just because it's more fun, even if I lose a little time. haha

The first right hander, and the far left were lots of fun to trail-brake into. Perfect neutral steer trail braking right up to the apex is probably my favorite feeling in the world.

 
My fastest run from last Sunday. This lot is 2.7x larger than our normal site, which allowed for a more Pro-Solo style course (or so I was told). Finished 1st in class, 7th in PAX and 17th in RAW out of 79 cars.

 
PAX is essentially handicapping. They factor the car class into the time so the drivers can compare themselves against each other, the car notwithstanding.
 
Took a break from autocross to race at the Circuit of the Americas in a Double 8 ChumpCar race. The track is challenging, but really awesome to race. Here is a video of the best lap I had video of. The GoPro struggled in the Austin heat.

 
@Marcus Garvey , any thoughts on this?

I have only run PCA events, mostly HPDE and some AX. My car was bought in nowhere-near Stock configuration.

Do you have any idea what SCCA class I would be in?

When I purchased the car: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-cars-sale/823347-1988-porsche-carrera-911-targa-sale.html

I have added a 4 point bolt-in cage, harnesses, and HANS for me. Current tires are either my R888 on track, or a Not Yet Chosen Summer Tire on some 16" rims I just picked up. I plan on putting a Summer Performance tread on these as my regular use, and rain tire for HPDE. I am making provisions to haul a tire trailer for the longer trips. Six hours on R888 - no AC, no radio - lots of wear and way too much thrum-thrum-thrum road noise.

My really rainy day car is a bone stock 2015 GTI with Sport package. It was decent the one time I AX'd it.
 
Brand new karting joint opened in Cleveland yesterday. Very nice facility. Good layout, good handling karts. Great fun! Me and a buddy fighting for the top spot early in the day. Several other very fast locals have been there since. I think I'm 9th in the board currently. Need a few tenths still. :)

 
@Handlebar read section

9.4. ROLL CAGES FOR GT AND PRODUCTION BASED CARS

at this link. Click on the August 2016 GCR, it will also give you a rundown of what class your car will fall under at the national level, and also at the regional level if you choose to run a class that isn't recognized nationally
 
RobbiefromBC
@Handlebar read section

9.4. ROLL CAGES FOR GT AND PRODUCTION BASED CARS

at this link. Click on the August 2016 GCR, it will also give you a rundown of what class your car will fall under at the national level, and also at the regional level if you choose to run a class that isn't recognized nationally
Click to expand...

For Autocross also? I am not looking to fully cage this car. I have other plans that I am working on... :dopey:
 
Handlebar
For Autocross also? I am not looking to fully cage this car. I have other plans that I am working on... :dopey:
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D'OH! Well, I guess it never hurts to read up on some road racing rules... I would think you don't even need a cage for autox, pretty much arrive and drive
 
Yeah, AX just requires a safe car. I thought I was gonna start this year, but I need to replace my windshield and I'm currently missing a side view mirror.
 
RobbiefromBC
D'OH! Well, I guess it never hurts to read up on some road racing rules... I would think you don't even need a cage for autox, pretty much arrive and drive
Click to expand...

I can't figure out my class. Maybe "F Prepared" ? But in other links it also looks like a "CS" - but with the modified cam and 3.4 liter rebore, I have no idea how that is handled. Maybe just not allowed?

Where my car is a CS baseline, the GTI is FS, as is the E36 328is. I was surprised they were in the same ballpark- I expected the BMW to be higher.
 
Handlebar
@Marcus Garvey , any thoughts on this?

I have only run PCA events, mostly HPDE and some AX. My car was bought in nowhere-near Stock configuration.

Do you have any idea what SCCA class I would be in?

When I purchased the car: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-cars-sale/823347-1988-porsche-carrera-911-targa-sale.html

I have added a 4 point bolt-in cage, harnesses, and HANS for me. Current tires are either my R888 on track, or a Not Yet Chosen Summer Tire on some 16" rims I just picked up. I plan on putting a Summer Performance tread on these as my regular use, and rain tire for HPDE. I am making provisions to haul a tire trailer for the longer trips. Six hours on R888 - no AC, no radio - lots of wear and way too much thrum-thrum-thrum road noise.

My really rainy day car is a bone stock 2015 GTI with Sport package. It was decent the one time I AX'd it.
Click to expand...

As described, your 911 fits into Super Street Modified(SSM). The engine modifications and removal of the rear seat bump the car out of the Street and Street Touring categories.

Unfortunately, this is a perfect example of what happens to a lot of people with otherwise 'mildly' modified and otherwise streetable cars. SSM is the lowest class that allows the engine modifications you have, but along with it comes allowances for a lot of things like huge wheels, Hoosiers, and the associated ridiculous springs rates to control them. As such, beyond the local level a lot of the cars in SSM are NOT streetable at all and will have huge advantages over a car that is. It's a fairly classic example along the same lines as the kid who shows up in a bone stock 1995 Civic with only an ebay carbon fibre hood and gets thrown in with 500hp 3-rotor RX7s and turbocharged widebody 240sx coupes. This has been a problem for a long time in solo. It is true that there is a 'place' for nearly everything on four wheels, but that doesn't necessarily mean a 'competitive place.'

Some local clubs offer an indexed category for street tyred cars that otherwise fall into the higher classes, and some offer an exhibition class as well. However, if you are just looking to take the car out for some runs for fun you can run the car in SSM and not bother with the results.

The GTI fits into G Street(GS) and is rather competitive there.
 
With the list of mods to the car you shouldn't run that Porsche in any standard street category. Definitely not FS. The standard street class is for as is from the factory. Don't think your car qualifies there. Depending on if the motor that's in it now was optional or not at time of manufacture you could slide all the way out of any street category, prepared or modified and all the way into the full on "Prepared" or "Modified" classes.

One of the things I noticed when first diving into the SCCA classing rules is, one mod can bump your car into a higher level class but it won't make it competitive in that class until you've done more than half the mods that class allows. Understanding the class rules is a bottom up process. Read sections 13-18. Each class above "Street" you're allowed to pile on more mods. So, you'd have to know what each class below allows.

Yeah, what Marcus said.
 
Dragonwhisky
With the list of mods to the car you shouldn't run that Porsche in any standard street category. Definitely not FS. The standard street class is for as is from the factory. Don't think your car qualifies there. Depending on if the motor that's in it now was optional or not at time of manufacture you could slide all the way out of any street category, prepared or modified and all the way into the full on "Prepared" or "Modified" classes.

One of the things I noticed when first diving into the SCCA classing rules is, one mod can bump your car into a higher level class but it won't make it competitive in that class until you've done more than half the mods that class allows. Understanding the class rules is a bottom up process. Read sections 13-18. Each class above "Street" you're allowed to pile on more mods. So, you'd have to know what each class below allows.

Yeah, what Marcus said.
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That's part of the reason I've decided to just stick with Street. You can change tires, 1 sway bar, exhaust from the cat-back and suspension, which is usually Koni Yellows as the popular choice.

IMO, beyond Street, if you're not going to for full bore on suspension, don't bother. But if you are, then there are numerous other mods to do for Street Touring.
 
I am mostly just wanting to have a few more AX events in the fall and spring. While it is fun to be in a class, I found a peer group across classes at my home club, and that has been fun to compare times with. I figured all the mods would do something wonky to classes, but I am not plowing $$$ into a stock configuration nor lots of $$$ for anything to be better at AX. If I am allowed at all, then I am good. BMW club won't let me track with them without a full cage. Just wanted to check.

Thanks for all the replies.
 
Handlebar
I am mostly just wanting to have a few more AX events in the fall and spring. While it is fun to be in a class, I found a peer group across classes at my home club, and that has been fun to compare times with. I figured all the mods would do something wonky to classes, but I am not plowing $$$ into a stock configuration nor lots of $$$ for anything to be better at AX. If I am allowed at all, then I am good. BMW club won't let me track with them without a full cage. Just wanted to check.

Thanks for all the replies.
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You can certainly run with SCCA, as there's a class for any safe car, even if it's XP. If you showed up and registered in SSM, I doubt anyone would question it.
 

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