February 2006 - Posts

Wednesday, February 15, 2006 3:23 PM

Practice, Practice and more Practice

It turns out we didn't get much practice with the Tarheel Sports Car Club last weekend at VIR.  Our RX-8 wasn't ready, but the ROAR guys brought up the #26 RX-8.   It was 35 degrees, and poured rain from the start.  Then the snow started heading in, so the driver's school was cancelled after the first on-track session!  So I don't have any good material to post on that.  

Danny and I are plotting how we can get more seat time in the RX-8 before the upcoming VIR race.  Pro racers on the top teams are probably getting on track every week, so we need to do the same, or at least more than once per month.  You can't compete with the Michael Jordans of the sport if you don't put in the time.  Driving the car has to be second nature, and for us its not (just watch our video and you can see that!).  Plus the car has to be sorted out some more.  Not only do we have to solve this fuel problem, but we have many small improvements to make.  Getting the car on track will allow us to test our fixes.

Before the VIR Grand Am race, we'll probably just do some "drivers ed" type events - we're not sure we want to risk the car in a club race (but we haven't ruled that out).  There are dozens of opportunities for such events, as you can see from Coco Strayer's website, www.trackschedule.com .  

Therefore the next event for us will be the BMWCCA drivers ed event at Roebling, the weekend of February 25/26 ( http://www.firstcoastbmw.org/  ).  We expect to have the #63 car there.

If all goes well, I'll most likely post another story on the main site, www.GrandAmAdventure.com/ga_main.html 

Thanks for reading,

Mark

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Thursday, February 09, 2006 10:21 PM

Ranger Danny's observations about the Daytona Race

IT'S TIME I MADE A FEW STATEMENTS ABOUT OUR ADVENTURE.
 
The purpose of any quest for a championship or competitive challenge is not the end results of the winning or the championship itself, but the journey and the road you traveled, the friends and enemies you make and kill.  And most important the lessons learned.
 
    WHAT I LEARNED FROM DAYTONA....I learn that I'm a lucky-sumbitch just to be able to be there.  I learned that Mark is as driven as I am to excellence.... and I learned that the reason that we were not one of the front running cars in our class, is not the car ...not the crew... not the weather..the tires...no..the reason that we are not a front running car is the front running cars have better drivers driving them.
 
Look, I have been instructing for the BMW CCA and several other club and professional organizations since 1988; participated in my first driver school in 1982; have held every position, from chief instructor to instructor mentor,...wrote an instructor handbook, student handbook and deployed the use of, student driver log books.  I have raced every type of car you can think of, too many to list here.  I used to be at the track 42 weekends a year.  I used to have the edge on getting to the edge and could dance gracefully on that edge.  Well, I'm far from that edge now. 
 
    While given the opportunity to drive door to door with the leaders of the Sport Touring class late in the race I found that the car was up to the task.  In the corners I could keep up and sometimes catch up; in the straights I could keep up and on some of the cars (not the Honda or Acura) catch up; but I fell behind inch by inch with mistake after little mistake.  Bobble after little bobble, missed shift, early brake... I could go on but you get the drift.  The front runners are front runners because they are very consistent smooth drivers.  I can say without hesitation that I was far from consistent or smooth in that car.  I think Turner or Salama or Tremblay could have climbed into the #63 and ran up front and maybe better than their own rides.
 
As painful to admit to my monster ego. I have a lot of work to do. It's me not the car that needs tweaking.  If I was coaching another hot shoe want-to-be I would say "it's not the nuts and bolts on the car...it's the loose nut behind the wheel."  I need many more laps in that car to get comfortable and yes consistent.  I need to get consistent slow, to get consistent fast.  Sound familiar!!!
 
The last thing I learned is that no matter who you are, and what you're driving, the car behind you will run you over to get the next spot.  It is a blood sport.  The carnage was overwhelming.  This is not club racing.  98 cars took to the track 69 finished under power.  (I included the #63 car in that.)  And what would this be without a cliché.  The more I learn, the more I know; I need to learn more.  Say that three times fast.
 
Danny
ps  (anyone calls me Danbo will get the @#$% kicked out of them)
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Sunday, February 05, 2006 1:21 PM

Roar coming to VIR for testing

The Roar Racing team will be at VIR next weekend (Feb. 11-12) at the Tarheel Sports Car Club Driving School and Time Trial.   Mark Vitacco, of THSCC, and Stacy King, of the Triangle Z Club, has put together one heck an event that allows both novices and experts to hone their track skills. 

We'll probably have an RX-8 or two there for testing, and I plan to bring my ex-World Challenge Car along for the occasional thrill ride. 

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Saturday, February 04, 2006 1:02 PM

Daytona Race to air on Speed TV

The TV air date for the Daytona Race has been announced.  Since we didn't finish up front, I don't know that we'll be seen too often, however I think you can expect the highlight of Danny getting clouted by the Porsche to make it,  somewhere around lap 55.

SPEED TV Airdate:  Saturday, 3/4/2006, 11:30 AM ET

Its a long time to the next race (April).  Hopefully we'll get the car out for a practice or two to sort it out.  If so, I'll write about it and post an update.

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