I race a 4wheeler in a local cross country(XC) series. Didn't start until I was 40; my wife says it's a mid-life crisis, but I'm working on my third year. I just got tired of watching everybody else having all the fun. I'll keep on racing in the woods and bouncing off trees as long as my body can hold out; it sure is hard on the old bones and muscles. My 3 daughters have now started racing too, makes for some fun weekends with the family at the track.
anyone else actually race?
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I did AMA/WERA motorcycle roadracing in the 70's and a little bracket racing with the same bikes. I did SCCA autocrossing through the early 90's and helped a friend with his roadracing Mazda sedan at the same time. I stopped for a couple of reasons.
I got tired of spending $1000+ every year on tires and assorted expenses to race for cheap trophies.
I got tired of needing a new car every couple of years to remain competitive. I keep my cars far longer than most people I guess.
My son is building up an 80's GM G-Body to do some bracket racing. I've been helping him with that car to satisfy the urge.
I got tired of spending $1000+ every year on tires and assorted expenses to race for cheap trophies.
I got tired of needing a new car every couple of years to remain competitive. I keep my cars far longer than most people I guess.
My son is building up an 80's GM G-Body to do some bracket racing. I've been helping him with that car to satisfy the urge.
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Originally Posted By: ffracer
Race karts
Used to racing Formula cars - road course
Formula Fords (guessing from your username)/F2000??
My local mechanic used to race Formula Continentals.
Race karts
Used to racing Formula cars - road course
Formula Fords (guessing from your username)/F2000??
My local mechanic used to race Formula Continentals.
I road raced motorcycles in Florida, Southeast and one year Mid Atlantic regions from '95 to '01
The class names changed but basically middleweight supersport and superbike. This was CCS (pace) and occasionally AMA/WERA. I was sponsored by a few different companies that covered my tires and most of my consumables, but I still rarely won enough to cover my expenses.
I did dirt bike hare scrambles and enduros from the mid 80's until the late 90's. Lots of fun, rough on the body.
Now I do occasional track days in florida (moroso, homestead, sebring Jennings) or Georgia (roebling rd), but they are getting to be fewer and farther between.
My favorite track is VIR, my least favorite track is Summit Point. Both long drives from where i live.
I spent a lot of time at the dragstrip, but usually only on test&tune night at moroso. Sometimes on a bike, sometime in a car. My times were never great but I was consistent.
The class names changed but basically middleweight supersport and superbike. This was CCS (pace) and occasionally AMA/WERA. I was sponsored by a few different companies that covered my tires and most of my consumables, but I still rarely won enough to cover my expenses.
I did dirt bike hare scrambles and enduros from the mid 80's until the late 90's. Lots of fun, rough on the body.
Now I do occasional track days in florida (moroso, homestead, sebring Jennings) or Georgia (roebling rd), but they are getting to be fewer and farther between.
My favorite track is VIR, my least favorite track is Summit Point. Both long drives from where i live.
I spent a lot of time at the dragstrip, but usually only on test&tune night at moroso. Sometimes on a bike, sometime in a car. My times were never great but I was consistent.
I used to drag my project Z28 back in college. But now I mostly build dirt track motors. My cousin, uncle and aunts husband are running my motors.
Currently leading the SCCA ProSolo National Series points in my class (STX) in the Subaru WRX, national championship racing weekend in early September. Can't wait!
Whats the rest of your schedule look like this year?
Originally Posted By: azsynthetic
I bracket race every month at Firebird Raceway during the summer. I quit racing my bike and now just my Corvette. I am getting old and my reaction time is no longer competitive but I do have a lot of fun with my kids.
At the drag strip I work at(also race at)there is an 83 year old guy who races and he still has a good reaction time and goes rounds.
I bracket race every month at Firebird Raceway during the summer. I quit racing my bike and now just my Corvette. I am getting old and my reaction time is no longer competitive but I do have a lot of fun with my kids.
At the drag strip I work at(also race at)there is an 83 year old guy who races and he still has a good reaction time and goes rounds.
Originally Posted By: dkmura
Currently racing in SCCA National and NASA events. Nissan 350Z built to SCCA T2 specs.
That looks like PPIR
Currently racing in SCCA National and NASA events. Nissan 350Z built to SCCA T2 specs.
That looks like PPIR
Originally Posted By: postjeeprcr
Originally Posted By: dkmura
Currently racing in SCCA National and NASA events. Nissan 350Z built to SCCA T2 specs.
That looks like PPIR
Given his profile location, I would say you are correct sir!
Originally Posted By: dkmura
Currently racing in SCCA National and NASA events. Nissan 350Z built to SCCA T2 specs.
That looks like PPIR
Given his profile location, I would say you are correct sir!
Well, my first track lapping experience on Sunday was "interesting"...
After spending my Saturday switching the front springs, front strut mounts, front pads, rotors, and front bumpstops, I was feeling pretty beat. Some rusty nuts on the top of the struts and having to manually crank my spring compressor with a wrench made the job take a while.
At about 8pm I went out for a test drive and everything seemed to be fine with the suspension but my new brakes wouldn't bite hard at all... Even after a half dozen 60-0 stops that had the pads smoking, I couldn't lock the front tires even using both feet... I wasn't happy and was considering switch back to the old pads but I thought I'll leave them in and see how they do on the way to the track. Well the next morning it took dragging the brakes on the highway a dozen times to finally get the pads working only a half mile from the track.
Good news is that my car and transmission seems no worse for wear, trans fluid looks and smells the same as before. I was expecting my cooling system to be a bit marginal and it was. It was around 225-230F for the morning sessions, but in the afternoon I was getting on the gas more and not watching the gauge when I heard a warning beeper go off in the dash. I looked down and the stock temp gauge was nearly pegged and my scanguage was reading 240F... I pulled off at the pits and there was no boiling so I cranked the heat on full and temps stayed around 225 after that.
The bad news is that my buddy was starting to push abit more in our second session in the morning and finally lost it on a blind highspeed kink. This was the result...
He went sideways into the grass and the tires cut hard into it and onto its side the car went. He was fine and the car was mechanically undamaged, but the bodywork on that side isn't happy... and I imagine neither is his wife!
Anyways it was a good reminder not to go off, I found the higher speed cornering addictive as my car has pretty much neutral balance, but if I got the car too sideways the back tires would give up and I'd have to do some quick counter steering. My Neon isn't as tippy as the Vibe but I didn't want to test the theory out sliding sideways across the grass.
Here's a pic of the Peon in action.
I've got some old old yokohama A001R and A008R 205/60/13" tires which seemed to warm up and grip quite well after a couple laps.
I took a ride with a more experienced driver and started working on using his lines in the afternoon and starting to push harder but be consistent and not get the car sliding too much, but just the right amount
I did miss having lap times like in autocross but I can see myself doing many more lapping events in the future!
After spending my Saturday switching the front springs, front strut mounts, front pads, rotors, and front bumpstops, I was feeling pretty beat. Some rusty nuts on the top of the struts and having to manually crank my spring compressor with a wrench made the job take a while.
At about 8pm I went out for a test drive and everything seemed to be fine with the suspension but my new brakes wouldn't bite hard at all... Even after a half dozen 60-0 stops that had the pads smoking, I couldn't lock the front tires even using both feet... I wasn't happy and was considering switch back to the old pads but I thought I'll leave them in and see how they do on the way to the track. Well the next morning it took dragging the brakes on the highway a dozen times to finally get the pads working only a half mile from the track.
Good news is that my car and transmission seems no worse for wear, trans fluid looks and smells the same as before. I was expecting my cooling system to be a bit marginal and it was. It was around 225-230F for the morning sessions, but in the afternoon I was getting on the gas more and not watching the gauge when I heard a warning beeper go off in the dash. I looked down and the stock temp gauge was nearly pegged and my scanguage was reading 240F... I pulled off at the pits and there was no boiling so I cranked the heat on full and temps stayed around 225 after that.
The bad news is that my buddy was starting to push abit more in our second session in the morning and finally lost it on a blind highspeed kink. This was the result...
He went sideways into the grass and the tires cut hard into it and onto its side the car went. He was fine and the car was mechanically undamaged, but the bodywork on that side isn't happy... and I imagine neither is his wife!
Anyways it was a good reminder not to go off, I found the higher speed cornering addictive as my car has pretty much neutral balance, but if I got the car too sideways the back tires would give up and I'd have to do some quick counter steering. My Neon isn't as tippy as the Vibe but I didn't want to test the theory out sliding sideways across the grass.
Here's a pic of the Peon in action.
I've got some old old yokohama A001R and A008R 205/60/13" tires which seemed to warm up and grip quite well after a couple laps.
I took a ride with a more experienced driver and started working on using his lines in the afternoon and starting to push harder but be consistent and not get the car sliding too much, but just the right amount
I did miss having lap times like in autocross but I can see myself doing many more lapping events in the future!
Kind of surprised they let a Vibe out on the track. I guess it is a car, technically. It doesn't look particularly stable, though. Of course, looks can be deceiving. Glad your friend is okay and his car is mostly okay 
robert
robert
In hindsight it does seem a bit of a risk to run the Vibe... The car has remarkably little body roll and seemed very stable but he was running square edged 50 profile tires which cut into the grass right away unfortunately. There was a Honda Fit there too which looked much less stable but he didn't slide off into the grass at 70mph either.
Anyways, it made me glad I was bombing around in a $800 beater that feels like your sitting on the ground.
Anyways, it made me glad I was bombing around in a $800 beater that feels like your sitting on the ground.
Lake Worth, FL, huh?
I'm on Job and Hypoluxo, technically in unincorp west Lake Worth, but with county utilities!
Most people don't like it, but I'm kind of a fan of the new road course at PBIR, just wish they had a paddock or some garages to work on cars.
I'll be at Homestead on the 28th with ERME as well.
I'm on Job and Hypoluxo, technically in unincorp west Lake Worth, but with county utilities!
Most people don't like it, but I'm kind of a fan of the new road course at PBIR, just wish they had a paddock or some garages to work on cars.
I'll be at Homestead on the 28th with ERME as well.
At least the vibe didn't roll onto the roof. I imagine the car would be totaled then.
for some reason i find that vibe on its side to be quite a humorous picture
Originally Posted By: ddombrowski
Lake Worth, FL, huh?
I'm on Job and Hypoluxo, technically in unincorp west Lake Worth, but with county utilities!
Most people don't like it, but I'm kind of a fan of the new road course at PBIR, just wish they had a paddock or some garages to work on cars.
I'll be at Homestead on the 28th with ERME as well.
I am up just north of West Palm Beach. I have spent lots of time at PBIR back when it was just Moroso. Homestead too. . .
and Sebring.
This internet is a small world.
My favorite local track is in Georgia - Roebling Road
Lake Worth, FL, huh?
I'm on Job and Hypoluxo, technically in unincorp west Lake Worth, but with county utilities!
Most people don't like it, but I'm kind of a fan of the new road course at PBIR, just wish they had a paddock or some garages to work on cars.
I'll be at Homestead on the 28th with ERME as well.
I am up just north of West Palm Beach. I have spent lots of time at PBIR back when it was just Moroso. Homestead too. . .
and Sebring.
This internet is a small world.
My favorite local track is in Georgia - Roebling Road
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: postjeeprcr
Originally Posted By: dkmura
Currently racing in SCCA National and NASA events. Nissan 350Z built to SCCA T2 specs.
That looks like PPIR
Given his profile location, I would say you are correct sir!
It's sad that track was shut down in hopes of getting another one built further north.
Originally Posted By: postjeeprcr
Originally Posted By: dkmura
Currently racing in SCCA National and NASA events. Nissan 350Z built to SCCA T2 specs.
That looks like PPIR
Given his profile location, I would say you are correct sir!
It's sad that track was shut down in hopes of getting another one built further north.
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