Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

[C3]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

This event was a blast. Sort of puts autocrossing in perspective :-/

[hancheyb]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

Cody helped?? He always complains about Fair's house being too far, I would have never imagined....

[Redwood]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

Cody helped?? He always complains about Fair's house being too far, I would have never imagined....

It's called working for an airline and having a free flight.

[hancheyb]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

It's called working for an airline and having a free flight.

Yeah THAT is the only way to go to VIR.

[Fair!]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

So... WTF happened? Did Costas get a time? Did the repaired lower rear control arms hold? Why isn't Coasts' name on the list below? Cody - you were there. What happened!

Overall (36 entries)
1) 1:28.401 Tommy Archer Dodge Viper CompCoupe
2) 1:31.072 Danny Popp Chevrolet Corvette
3) 1:33.794 Chet Fillip Mosler MT900S
4) 1:35.973 Derek Whitis Noble M400
5) 1:35.990 Ryan Hampton Nissan 300ZX TT
6) 1:36.157 Robert Fuller Mitsubishi Evo 8 MR
7) 1:37.024 John Meyers Stalker SuperStalker
8_) 1:38.767 Rob Morrison Acura NSX
9) 1:39.228 John Freeman Dodge Viper
10) 1:39.684 Chris Kimmelshue BMW M3

Varsity Shop (10 entries)
1) 1:28.401 Tommy Archer Dodge Viper CompCoupe
2) 1:33.794 Chet Fillip Mosler MT900S
3) 1:35.973 Derek Whitis Noble M400
4) 1:35.990 Ryan Hampton Nissan 300ZX TT
5) 1:36.157 Robert Fuller Mitsubishi Evo 8 MR

Varsity Independent Study (19 entries)
1) 1:31.072 Danny Popp Chevrolet Corvette
2) 1:38.767 Rob Morrison Acura NSX
3) 1:39.228 John Freeman Dodge Viper
4) 1:39.684 Chris Kimmelshue BMW M3
5) 1:39.938 Brian Cates Factory Five Cobra

JV Shop (2 entries)
1) 1:40.703 John Whitaker Acura Integra Type R
2) 1:53.668 Kirk Knestis VW GTI

JV Independent Study (5 entries)
1) 1:40.523 Chris Drabouski Honda Civic
2) 1:42.099 Scott Burns Honda S2000
3) 1:44.885 Tim Nagy Porsche 924S
4) 1:54.236 Ken Brewer Toyota MR2
5) 1:54.656 Roy Armstrong Datsun 510

[C3]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

Well I only put in 3 days of work on the car prior to the event - Frank, Wade, and Nick did a LOT more, but yeah I had my hands in there too. Was a great learning experience for me and also very rewarding to see the car fly by at 150+ knowing there was stuff on there I did

I'm always game to help with stuff, just usually not on weeknights at 2am when you guys do all your work!! There is also a bit of a difference between helping a fully independent effort and volunteering to help someone else make a profit, too

As for the rest of the story - rights of first telling belong Costas so I'll let him chime in when he's done writing it all up.

[Shortcutsleeping]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

The official short story:

It was run as a time trial event which means if you go 4 off in any session all your times for that session do not count. The first session also does not count. At the end of the first session, with NO completely clear lap we were fourth overall and 2nd in class. The second session I went off due to a steering rack coming loose (not all the way, just wiggling) at the very end of the session and we had put down times to keep us 2nd in class. The third session I only got a lap and a half when I threw a wheel weight on the front straight and got an evil vibration (at over 150 in the braking zone) that apparently loosened/shook the oil pump pulley and the belt worked its way off half a lap later and I pulled off. I don't think the motor is hurt bad or anything (it spins and makes oil pressure) but I've got to redo the rack mount and the motor needs to come out anyway (slight front trans leak also). Also need to lengthen the wheelbase by moving the pumpkin back (will need longer links, lengthen driveshaft and move watts-link pickup points), change the radiator mounts to lay the radiator forward and vent the hood (downforce baby!) and put on a front splitter. Scratcher V2.0 should be back in action in a few months.

So we never got an official event time and thus a DNF/DNS.

UNofficially, we scared a lot of folks. The car is stupid fast and handles very well and brakes great. I'm stoked as can be and grinned like a baboon the whole way home. It goes from 60-120 in less than 5.1 seconds while a c6 z06 takes 7.5 seconds (and runs an 11.5 quarter). That is with conservative timing and running rich. The brakes are great, the steering is light and has good feel, the handling with matched tires was awesome and the car responds well to wing and rake changes. It is a beast, but not that tough to drive. It inhales pavement at a voracious rate. On the back stretch at VIR (running the long course) I was passing through 165 with about half the straight left and eased out of it as I was out of gear. On the front straight I was past 150 before the first bend. OMFG. In second or third when you drop the hammer whatever you are focused on is fine, but everything else gets blurry. Simply amazing.

I wish we had got a time in the second session as we easily had 2nd place in class, but I'm not all about the woulda/coulda/shoulda. We took a huge risk with an unknown car that had never been ran on a track and we took a long-shot gamble. Sure it would have been sweet had it paid off, but looking at the big picture I'm fine with it. The car survived (no wrecks or damage) and it is a joy to drive. It will only get considerably faster and more reliable as time goes on and hopefully they have one next year and we get invited. We'll go back and redeem ourselves.

We were (as is typical with a new car) making huge strides with minor tuning. Cody diagnosed real-time tire temps and we make some changes to the front end and balance for the third session and even though we only got the lap and a half we were SECONDS faster for the first portion of the track before the oil pump belt ejected. Amazing.

Anyway, the long story will be up soon...but now you know the short story.


Costas

[Fair!]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

I'm always game to help with stuff, just usually not on weeknights at 2am when you guys do all your work!! There is also a bit of a difference between helping a fully independent effort and volunteering to help someone else make a profit, too

Profit... ha. What's that?!

I think you are confused... the E30 318is is just a fun toy. The M3 is my and Amy's autocross car and daily driver. The STi is Hanchey's. White 325is is going to be a fun track/solo car... someday. None of these are going to be prepped or sold "for profit."

Sure, we use them to test fit some stuff we sell, but we use lots of cars for that, including McCall's, Pauls, Seans, etc., etc. The Beta LS1 car is for someone else, yes, but much of that work is free so we can hopefully develop a good LS1 swap kit.

It might be hard to separate a business from a hobby, but in reality, the cars we work on are a lot more hobby than business.

Thanks to Jason for spending Saturday night detailing the E30 motor going into the '91 E30. Looking good! Hanchey and I got it installed Sunday afternoon. Thanks to Sean and Doug for coming by for suspension/wheel test fits, too.

[Shortcutsleeping]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...92644408864175

My second time going into T1 at VIR.

Missed third going to Nascar Bend...shifter ball came loose in my hand. My rig in the center (all black) at the beginning. Crank the sound.


Costas

[C3]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

My camera card was still full from the NYC trip, but I managed to snap a few pics when I wasn't busy. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ccase/s...7601109274810/

[Paul]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...92644408864175

My second time going into T1 at VIR.

Missed third going to Nascar Bend...shifter ball came loose in my hand. My rig in the center (all black) at the beginning. Crank the sound.


Costas

AWESOME!!!!! I am spent....

I am always talking about wanting to do it, you are out there doing it...

[Shortcutsleeping]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

Buy a third gen, build a CMC car, have fun and go w2w and not have to spend too much.



Costas

[Shortcutsleeping]

Re: Please vote for me. GRM UTCC

Glad you liked the vid tho....driving that car = instant w00d.

And it's w00d that lasts...not like autocross wood.



Costas