This past weekend I did my first wheel-to-wheel race and I think I've just started to tap the Go Fast Crack Pipe. I've never had so much fun behind the wheel of a car! (or in general for that matter! okay, *some* things are better than racing )

While I'm working on getting my paperwork done for my SCCA Comp license and getting signed up for my drivers schools, I am currently racing in a locally sanctioned series called the COMMA Challenge. (see avatar) It's 8 races, all at the same track outside of Tulsa, Hallett Motor Racing Circuit. It's a great track, about 2 miles and 10 turns and lots of elevation change. Their low red-tape atmosphere for getting involved and getting your license is also nice and easy (maybe a little too easy, hmmm ). It's also affordable to race, a little under $200 for a weekend which gets you tons of track time - a little over 2 hours typically. There are 5 classes that all compete on the track at the same time, kind of like Honda-Challenge. GT1, GT2, GT3, PS, PA. (I'm in PA)

Anyway, I'll spare you all the long boring details of each session/race (that I've memorized and played back in my head all week) and let you just check out the little video I put together from mostly in-car footage (link below).

Autocross, time-trials, HPDEs, it's got nothing on actual wheel-to-wheel action. I am for sure hooked. I finished 2nd in my class and 12th overall in a group of about 30. That, with the lowest-HP car on the track and one of only 2 (I believe) FF cars. I for sure know it was the only Honda! lol

I look forward to getting my SCCA license and then submitting it to NASA for a Honda Challenge license. I would like to make it to at least one Honda-Challenge race this year. Thanks to everyone in the Competition forum and Honda-Tech in general, I'm not sure how far I'd be now without you all - seriously, this board, even with its occasional flaws, is a great resource! And thanks to all of you that I've bugged and bugged through IM's seeking advice on EF setups and rules and regulations when I should have just pulled out my GCR, hehe. You guys know who you are!

Anyway, on to the pics and video:

Rolling start of the feature race, about half the field shown here, me in the middle


Does this guy look excited or what? (chicks dig Sparco suits, or so I'm told)


Me chasing one of the 4 rookie Spec Miata drivers - and yes, they all felt the fury of the Si hatchy by the end of the day, a 914 Porsche was the only person in my class ahead of me


And of course, no good race-weekend-post would be complete without some in-car video footage, edited, and set to some kick-*** music:

Right-click-save here to download the 20mb, 3:45min AVI movie and burn my webserver to the ground!

edit: updated video - divx encoder not needed now




[Modified by uncleben, 12:21 PM 4/8/2003]

 

You Suck! (The Go Fast Crack Pipe that is).

Scott, who feels sorry for suckers like you....and me....enjoy the pipe while you can...

 

I'm sorry man. Really.
Poverty is now your only cure.

But on the bright side, chicks do certainly dig the Sparco. You're hooked up now

 

Seriously? You can recognize the Sparco just like that. Tha's F'd up!

On the other hand, it's usually the racers that aren't wearing Sparco that don't have a girlfriend.

Scott, who if he wore Sparco would be "too secksy"...


[Modified by RR98ITR, 2:13 PM 4/3/2003]

 

I just had this vision of Rinde singing "I'm... too sexy for my Sparco. Too sexy for my Sparco."

Somebody shoot me. Make it stop.

 

Is that the transponder under the front bumper? or some tow hook?

Sure looks like an AMB unit. Dude, you might want that in a more protected location... AMB's don't like bump drafting or flying rocks.



[Modified by bulldog_RS20, 10:56 PM 4/3/2003]

 

Scott(s): I bet you'd actually be surprised how cheaply I built this car. Though I have done basically ZERO internal engine work, which means if I want to be competitive in IT I'll probably double my expenses so far (not to mention the OPM LSD and FD I want). I was actually thinking of posting my Excel spreadsheet of the costs on my car - it has every single purchase, from painting supplies to tranny fluid and my race gear too. At least I can say it's well under 10K so far

BullDog: yeah that's the transponder, the track was testing out a new system for the 6-hour Enduro that they held the day/night before, and let all us COMMA guys test it out too. That's just where the Mirage Racing guy stuck it - I'll be installing a permanent unit that will not be in a "crumple zone" haha...


[Modified by uncleben, 5:14 PM 4/3/2003]

 

Congratulations! Finally you get that thing out on track.

 

I'd like to know how many laps before you passed the cobra.

 

He might not have caught the Cobra, but you gotta give him mad props for outqualifying the Cavalier .

Wheeeeee!!!

 

Actually, I'm more interested to hear how Ben did vs. the mr2. I'd like to know if my daily beater mr2 would be competitive b/c I get the w2w bug every time I see Ben post about his Comma participation.

 

Great job! I really liked the video...the editing was great for the start of the race. Right when the drums came in you nailed it for the start. Nice!
If you dont mind emailing me that song, that would be hella tiite! My email is jacob.keiner@furman.edu

 

You forgot to mention the new found respect all the RWD redneck racers have towards a FWD Honda now. Is that thing turboed?

 

Awesome. Makes me wish I could afford a house and racing. Maybe the realestate market will slow down soon and I can, but for now its save save save.

 

unKLEEben! Hey, you are the envy of THIS board too! Bastard.

I think the chicks dig the BAR Honda shirt. Next time, stay at Grubby's place and we'll crew for 'ya. The only thing you need to be thinking about is driving.

Kick *** Seabass!

 

I knew there was something disturbing in that top picture. I finally picked it out.

The paint job on the #68 RX7 is Fugly. Ick.

 

Whatever, dont be a hater y0!

 

I'd like to see this spread sheet if you don't mind. I am thinking of preping a '93 Integra for road racing and am vary curious about the cost break down. my email: roldan@u.washington.edu

The race series looks cool too, I wish we had something like that around here.

 

Looks like it was a blast! Wish i was there maybe by next year...

That spreadsheet would be cool to see...I think it'd help about anybody thinking of building their own racecar, civic or not.


[Modified by DSC240sx, 9:19 AM 4/4/2003]

 

There were two MR2's there, one was turning faster times then the other. I passed both qualifying, but in the feature race, after about 7 laps of the black and grey one gaining on me, he finally got me. His car is the reason I bought some nice ear-plugs this week. I think it was straight header to one of those tunable disc exhausts (forget the name) and it was loud as ****. I edited out the part in the video where I'm cursing loudly as he passed me, it was literally deafening! I think both MR2's were in GT3, not sure why one was quicker, maybe just the driver.

 

Thanks, I thought it was kind of cool too, heh.... I made another video with misc. autocross/track footage from the Type-R set to a Sum-41 song, but never got finished with it. You can get that Boy Sets Fire song off Grokster/WinMX/Kaaza/etc. If you're school (I noticed .edu) is blocking those services, I'll email it to ya

Heh, that reminds me of the time I setup a Socks proxy server on the net so friends at a college that blocked those TCP ports could still connect to Napster... ah the good 'ol days of beating the system... but that's another story

 

"What kinda engine is that there hun-duh got in it? a FOUR?? is it turboed??, yuck yuck" (added the "yuck yuck")

Shawn: I don't think I'm the envy of anyone on here, this board has a lot of experienced racers, even the Foo-man visits here from time to time to talk to all us mortals. And thanks for the offer on helping me "pit" though I'm not sure I'm at that "level" yet, haha... though I wouldn't want to get the chick-magnet-Sparco dirty having to kneel down and check tire pressures, lol.

 

That RX7 and his brother are like a freight train, they drive end-to-end around the track passing whoever gets in their way, and they both do decently well in ITS too. Nah, the fugly award would have to go to that puke-brown Datsun Z in the back! (is that what that is?) Holy crap that car was a beater... when he got close to me, I backed off, because from the looks of his car, I didn't figure he had anything to lose by using me as a brake. We had a little duel and I eventually got him and stayed as far away as I could afterwards

 

On the spreadsheet of costs - I'll send it or convert it to something postable and put it up later... though I'm not sure if I want the wrath of the Comp forum looking at how much I paid for everything, and what I should/shouldn't have bought, lol

okay - I'm done post whoring now (just trying to be thorough in my replies, heh)

 

I'm not jealous, really I'm not... really

Most Excellent Post! Thanks for sharing.

I think it gives all us track ****** motivation. OK, I'm not even a track *****, but as buget constraints dictate, for the moment I'm an autocross junkie, who'd like to be a track *****.

Really, the occasional track day is enough... really. I have to tell myself that for at least another year...