Contributing to the greying of the Honda Challenge, I got my provisional license at the NASA Comp school at CMP on Friday, and then managed to do the Saturday and Sunday small bore races without bumping anyone or running over any corner workers. I don't think I was too much in the way (Any disagreements with this please IM), and never received the "#1" signal from anyone. I consider this a rousing success for my first time out, and the car's first time on track.

I have to say it's way more fun that I'd even imagined. Being out there with other cars all around really sharpened my awareness and made me feel alive. It's amazing how the things I learned in HPDEs really came in handy when I had to avoid spinning cars or gather the car back up after a "moment".

Thanks to Lionel Kent, John Whitaker, and Keith Edwards, who were pitted around me and provided much good counsel. Also the NASA staff for guiding me through the process.

Post-event analysis reveals several driving skills that need work, so I know I can eventually pick up a bit. Maybe some day I'll even pass someone . Now I just have to find some weight to add back to the car (15 Lb light, even with stock exhaust and full of sand!).

 

Welcome aboard.

 

Great to see you out there having fun, don't worry, once you get some HP and some time on the car, you will be set! Great job on your first time out.. Did you almost puke on your first start?

 

Awesome! Glad to hear you had a good time. So how does the little CRX compare to the Si? Have you done any development of the car yet (last I heard, it was pretty much stock, with safety gear)?

 

Oh so YOU were the only Honda I could pass.... sweet!

Welcome to the green flag jumping, exhaust sniffing, curb bashing, screw point-bys club.

 

Congrats, Jerry!

Glad to hear everything went swimmingly for your first race weekend and that you decided to jump in w/ both feet rather in a race environment rather than just get a feel for the car w/ one of the school groups. Kudos!

Hopefully I'll be out there with you soon enough.

BTW--how much do you weigh...if you're anything under 200lbs I might actually make weight.

 

Me jazzed for you, Jerry. Congrats! You provide hope for a fellow elder tribesman that one day I'll be joining the ranks of those who can call themselves "racers"

 

Congrats! I knew you would like being out on a track!

Hope to see ya around this season... while i'm floating around spectating.

 

And you were just a wee lad in HPDE last year or so.


[Modified by 4WDrift, 1:52 PM 4/8/2003]

 

Not quite. I did my auto-x trick of sitting on grid telling myself that everything was happening verrrry slooowly. Then when we pulled out for the pace lap and the RX7 in front of me spun in turn 1 while scrubbing tires, I was laughing too hard to be worried about the start. The practice sessions with the big sedans and Legends were more worrisome.

Just GC's standard ITA suspension bits, and RA-1s on my 15x7 wheels...plus the safety stuff, and an AEM short ram (so I'd make a <u>little</u> noise). I was surprised how well the car handled with no suspension tuning at all. From checking the tires it's apparent I could use some more camber in front. I have enough clearance to drop that end a bit, and that will pick up some.

 

Yeah really...I remember when I did my first HPDE, Jerry, Chad, and Morgan (and maybe Gregg too and Shane too) were all in Novice with me. They're all more or less racing and I'm still there

 

Awesome, Jerry! You da man!

 

Or that could have been me, in the slower yellow CRX (1st gen.).

I think I qualified faster than two of the 944 Cup cars, that I was searching for... Never caught them.