Well, I finally have what you've all been waiting for... and a little more.
The following links are for Videos of the Complete Honda-Challenge Races from last weekend at VIR, from my in-car camera, one Lap at a time.
There is small downside though... I have previously always hosted streaming video from my server, but due to many people streaming the video to their pc, multiple times, I can no longer afford to maintain the server's file transfer bandwidth, and have decided to zip each video. Therefore, you must download and execute the file to unzip it before viewing. I hope this will keep the bandwidth down... it does cost money.
Now, on to the videos:

Saturday's Race
------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday was a great race for me... while it lasted. I felt like I got a decent start, and by the time the race was Red-Flagged, I had gained 2 positions, and felt like I could possibly gain more...could have possibly been my best finish of the season. I really wish we could have finished this race.
Here's the Start:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...-Sat-Start.exe
Watch as the Delfino ITR dives in, too hot, in front of me in Turn7, just after the bridge. A scary moment, and as I watched him spin his front tires, trying hard to save the position and avoid going off, I realized he was going to come right back into the pack to broadside somebody... I didn't like what I saw unfolding... I dropped to second gear and floored it, hoping for traction, which was graciously handed to me, and I made it by just in time... Lyonel Kent, who was right behind me, wasn't so lucky. Here's Lap2:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sat-Lap2.exe
Next Lap was fairly clean, and uneventful as I ended up with a little space in front and behind me. Here's Lap3:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sat-Lap3.exe
Again, fairly clean and uneventful. Here's Lap4:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sat-Lap4.exe
Chad goes Rally-Crossing on the outside of turn3, and I take 7th position now, although we are still really spaced out. Here's Lap5:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sat-Lap5.exe
Another clean and clear lap. Here's Lap6:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sat-Lap6.exe
Starting to feel like an HPDE... Here's Lap7:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sat-Lap7.exe
We finally begin to lap people, and my tires start feeling a little greasy. Also, Chad has finished playing in the dirt, and appears in my rear-view... closing fast:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sat-Lap8.exe
Chad gets by me, and then we get the Red Flag, due to the incident with the 23 car after the bridge. If only i had known, I might've used a little more blocking with Chad. See how light my rear gets when I lift on the front straight, after seeing the red flag:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...at-RedFlag.exe

Sunday's Race
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday was a good, fun race... Although I did better on Saturday. I really got left out in the cold on the Start, and there were way too many people on my inside during the first few turns... we were 3 wide through turn1. Of course this made for some good video of the front runners. Nice job on the start Chad! How'd you like my exit of HogPen(T17), Ron?:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...-Sun-Start.exe
Second Lap... everybody seems fast today... I try to do a little Rally-crossing with David... following his every tire-print, even though I didn't have to... Ron(from behind me) must have been thinking "What are these guys doing!!"
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sun-Lap2.exe
Lap3... A little drafting with David... just for fun, knowing that if I dive-in on him, he'll just try to pass me again in the twisties, and probably use a short-cut through the yard. So, I hold back and wait... for what, I don't know, but I wait just the same...
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sun-Lap3.exe
I realize it won't be long before David catches Lyonel, and we all know what kind of mixture that could turn out to be by looking at the ingredients . So, again, I wait and watch, also keeping an eye on my backdoor, specifically Ron, who has really picked up the pace during this race and is suprisingly all over me.
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sun-Lap4.exe
Well, I think my drafting gave David a boost, and he dives in under Lyonel at Turn 1. The battle is on! I've really learned a lot from these 2 guys this season, especially about driving the wheels off the car, whether you're still on the track or not... Lyonel could care less whether he's on or off the track... He takes the shortest route to the next turn! . Eventually David gets a good lead, and as much as I'd like to watch Lyonel, I decide to follow:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sun-Lap5.exe
Ok, I'm by Lyonel... Now I need to work on David. Well, David makes a mistake in Turn1, and my work just gets a lot easier for me. So, I get by David and I have Karl in my sights:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sun-Lap6.exe
I'm really catching Karl and his "A" Game, and have no problem realizing that I should be able to pass him in a lap or two:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sun-Lap7.exe
Just when I'm starting to think I'm in my "A" Game, whatever that means, I notice my Gas Light come on... "Oh Chit!" So, I begin to think about the consequences of running out of gas before the end of the race.. possibly sputtering while going through "HogPen" or "Nascar"... Suddenly the goal of passing Karl begins to get put aside, and I begin doing things like going into 5th in places I never have(under the bridge)... we begin to Lap cars:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sun-Lap8.exe
Still behind Karl, my gas gauge is below the red mark and my light continues to flicker... I begin to short-shift, and use less than full-throttle. Delfino goes off at the top of the hill, and then again at the bottom(HogPen), and I get by. Immediately, I have two goals...1)Finish the race on what fumes I have, and 2)Stay ahead of Delfino, since he's actually in my class, and Karl is not. I have a mission:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...R-Sun-Lap9.exe
Karl is right there! and I really want to pass him, but I know it would do two things if I tried... it would definitely force me to use more fuel, and it would slow us both down if I tried, and I didn't want to give Delfino any extra time to catch up. I see Delfino coming to the end of the front straight as I go through turn 3. I play it cool with Karl, and continue my short-shifting and partial throttle routine:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...-Sun-Lap10.exe
Everything is going as planned, but I'm still worrying about fuel... I watch Delfino consistently coming into the front straight braking zone as I enter turn3:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...-Sun-Lap11.exe
The Gas Light is really staying on now, and I think I feel the car sputtering just a tad here and there(NASCAR)... I continue short-shifting to try to finish the race... I'm upset with myself for starting under half of a tank:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...-Sun-Lap12.exe
Yippee! The White Flag is out! I think about how bad it would be to run out of gas on the last lap of the race... I notice that Delfino is still roughly at the same place on the front straight, as I enter turn 3. I also notice that Chad has been working his way back up through the pack after a previous off, and he's closing on me. I let chad know that I'm in no shape for blocking or battling for an overall position, and I wave him by under the bridge. Delfino is nowhere to be seen as I cross the hill, and I know I'll make the checker as I exit HogPen. It's a great feeling. The race is over, and I made it. Now if I can just make it around for the cool down lap:
http://www.primalsoup.org/videos/vir...Sun-Finish.exe

Well, that's it for the Honda Challenge this season. I truly had the time of my life. And I thoroughly enjoyed being on the track with these guys all year! What a great bunch of drivers, and friends. As I have said many times before, Thanks to Karl and Scott, and also to the whole NASA-VA crew and Emergency/Corner workers(F&C guys), for giving us a place to play, and for watching out for us on the track. We owe all of you!


[Modified by XR4racer, 6:08 PM 10/18/2002]

 

holy ***.

 

Did you do something differently this time? It seems I can't view these ones now due to a codec problem of somesorts.

 

 

I used the newest codecs from Microsoft, in order to produce better video... Windows Media Player should have no problems automatically downloading the client from microsoft, unless you've disabled the player's auto update feature somehow... My advice, upgrade your player from Microsoft.

 

Guys, this isn't hard. If Windows Media Player doesn't automatically download and update the codec, as it should, then go here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...ies/player.asp
Choose the player for your operating system (Windows 98second-edition, ME, 2000 or XP) download and install. It will work.
If you still have Windows 95, not only do I feel sorry for you, but you may have to search for Windows Media Player 7 on the microsoft.com site, and download it. It will work also, because I have tested it.

 

Nice vids! I had to download the beta player to run on XP but it was worth it.

 

THANKS! x 100!!! sweet vids!

 

Rob-Thanks for these vids and the dozens in the past.

 

No problem guys. I'm glad some people were able to view them.

 

......however, always better to view in person

 

Troo dat! and TTT for the Week-day WE-TODDS!

 

Damn, it was going so well. Why'd ya have to change things now?

Jason-
whose company is cheap, primitive, and still has NT

 

Better quality video... means it still looks good when viewed at 200%.
Upgrade u lazy bastid.

 

Bumped the rev limiter quite a bit there....