[This is kinda long, but you are logged onto Honda-Tech, so you probably don't really have anything important to do, right? ]

So it is now officially "mid season", and about half a year on Honda-Tech, and I thought I would take an opportunity to formally introduce our team to the Honda-Tech neighborhood.

When we started this year, we really didn't know what the hell we were getting into. I just knew I wanted to race, and my crew knew they wanted to crew.
We didn't have a car- or a clue.

I thought I was going to race in H3 with my GSR, but since H3 was non-existant on the west coast, it looked like H1 and H4 were the only viable options. It took us months to figure it out, meeting after meeting we would think: "H4 should be cheeper. But racing a EK Hybrid makes alot of sense. Lets see here, H1 looks like its gonna be about 10k more, if we don't go crazy. But damnit! Their BOTH expensive!"

And, after a long talk with Ryan Flaherty who said "It's better marketing for your business if you race in H1" and alot of convincing from a Corona-powered Andy Hope- H1 was the choice.

Since we were total and complete ROOKIES, what were we to do? Well, commit to racing the ENTIRE 2004 SCHEDULE, DUH!!! Just like most things we do, we jumped in headfirst...

The crazy thing was, we didn't have a car, engine, sponsors, or ANYTHING- AND IT WAS 30 DAYS UNTIL RACE 1! So, after a lot of stressin'- a friend of ours hooked us up with a great price on an EK Chassis, and I got on the phone calling sponsors, while the crew started to strip the car, and research what needed to be done.

Holy crap it was intense. We worked on the car day and night, using Honda-Tech to find out what we needed to change on our Civic DX to make it suitable for racing (which we found out that we had to swap EVERYTHING) We had a limited budget and luckily our sponsors came in quickly to support our valiant effort. TEIN with suspension, TOYO with tire support, and 5Zigen with racing wheels... but 3 weeks into it, time was ticking and we still didn't have a motor. With one week left, Libero USA saves us with a B18CR...

We started the engine for the first time a couple of days before race 1.

Now, 8 races and 7,865 mistakes later (and counting), we are surprisingly in 2nd Place in the Championship. WTF? How we do that? I don't know, and we aren't that stupid to think that we can stay here for too long- especially with Kawano and Davis/Flaherty rapidly approaching, and Andy Hope wanting his place back (Don't worry dude, we're just keeping it warm for ya! ) We are the Underdogs, rookies, and powered by a COMPLETELY STOCK B18CR... so I dont know if we really belong in second, but damn- it's pretty cool.

Now, coming into race 9 and 10, the Honda Challenge has been everything that we expected it to be! It's been great racing with all of the crazy-cool characters in the WCHC! (Like Bota, Kiwi, Tom L., Sam, Andy, Varo, Thomas...and everyone)

And finally, we wanted to thank all of the people that have inspired, supported, and rooted for our team. Thomas Okihisa from Toyo, Philip from TEIN, Yasu from Libero USA, Tsuyoshi-san from 5Zigen, Brian from Hasport, Paul from SPC, and Dave and Tim from Dave Turner's, Thomas from Pann-Auto, Sam Higashi with the ENDLESS EG, Noel with the donor Explorer tow vehicle(R.I.P.), and everyone else I'm missing (you know who you are).

Well, we're heading off to race 9/10 at Willow Springs in about 15 minutes. Got the truck loaded, and car on the trailer and we're ready to go. So if you are heading to the Willow this weekend, come by our garage and make sure you say "Hi." We'll probably have an extra burger on the grill waiting for you...

TEAM AUTOCANNON, WCHC #59
-Dennis Caco, Lee Lim, Sam Rothschild, Tim Torrecarion, and Gabe Bogtong.


[EDIT] "******More PICS ADDED BELOW*********"


Modified by D.CACO at 10:17 AM 10/13/2004

 

 

Nice write-up and congrats! Racing in the southern mid-west sucks, no one wants to sponsor you to the extent you are getting sponsored. Good job on that and good luck with the rest of the season!

 

Sounds good Dennis, hopefully we'll be able to meet again later this year.

Austin

 

Well you may be Rookies... But you and your team are doing a damn fine job!
It's a pleasure to race against guys like you! You and your team are proving to everyone that H1 is the way to go if you want to make a name (or a reputation)for yourself before moving on to bigger things. Your team is an example to everyone that there are sponsors to be had and if your team conducts it's self in a professional manner you can achieve anything!
The thing that I love about H1 is that there are so many conflicting ego's, personalities, and goals. But at the end of the day, nobody takes it too seriously! We can all have a beer and a laugh together afterward and tell lies about each other. The other good thing about West Coast H1 is that it's kind of Self Policing... no one really gives a **** what rod's he's running, or if someone has a wing that's 1/2" too big or if a car is 12 lbs underweight. We sort everything out amongst ourselves.
I hope you guys are coming to Mid Ohio with us? With the crappy luck our team has had this season we must be due for some luck and respect at Mid Ohio???

Keep up the good work Dennis and congratulations on your team's effort so far.

Kiwi

 

Congratulation, and nice write up. Inspiring story !

 

One of those extra burgers has my name on it...see you Saturday.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by STN_Pat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Congratulation, and nice write up. Inspiring story !</TD></TR></TABLE>

very!

question, how much money do you have in everything minus the price of the car, tow vehicle and trailer? how much do you spend each weekend, and what have you done that you would do differently? do you wish you wouldve started with a different car? suspension? tires? what....
I would like to see a write up from a rookie with all of the
'I wish I wouldve done this, or dam-it, why did I do that!'' things....

your story is very inspiring!

 

good stuff, any more detailed pics of your car ?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DewMota &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">good stuff, any more detailed pics of your car ?</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

I'll post some pics when I get home from work.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Outrun &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'll post some pics when I get home from work.</TD></TR></TABLE>


SWEET! We always look forward to your pics Reg...


Thanks to everyone for your replys!
When I'm done working today, I'll post up a post-race review.
Thanks so much for all the kind words from everyone, we appreciate your support!

 

racing kicks ***

 

Its been a great half year....

We had a great weekend and learning experiance as always!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DewMota &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">good stuff, any more detailed pics of your car ?</TD></TR></TABLE>




Willow Springs race 9 and 10





Our custom roll cage built by us, a Sam Rothschild special!

96 B18CR... completely stock.





TEIN N1 aluminum dampers and racing springs. MMMmmmm. Yummmy...

Gotta love the Hasports.





A close look at the SPC adjustable toelinks. Very nice.

Forged Aluminum 5Zigen FN0-1R, and Dave Turner's Wilwood Brake Kit.


Some collected pics of our car, hope you guys like em. As you can tell, we have been very conservative with the car... nothing more than what is need.

We're having a team dinner meeting in a few minutes to download our weekend. So, off to Sam Woo's Chinese Food in Kearny Mesa we go...

 

Anybody who comes by with the secret pass-word "Shift Gear" gets a free scoop of chili peppers

 

It was nice meeting you guys and I cant wait to get on the track with you soon!!!!
DC, we need to get together, i got your magnet..hahaha

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Styles &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It was nice meeting you guys and I cant wait to get on the track with you soon!!!!
DC, we need to get together, i got your magnet..hahaha</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks for coming down and hookin up with us! We are going to apply your super dooper JDM aerodynamic conversion method to our racecar, thanks for the tip!

But, I don't know if I'm good enough of a driver to deserve a magnet yet. I think I should probably get more track time before I can wear the badge of honor that you so proudly represent on your EK. I do not want to deface the sanctity of it's most distinguished meaning... I am not worthy. I am not worthy.

Seriously though, thanks for hangin with us during dinner, and you still gotta sign my mounts. haha.

BTW, do you know anyone with an extra EMS lying around? :looks to the sky and starts to whistle:

 

Dennis, if you dont mind me asking, how much $ do you have in that car???
(and dont say, if your askin, you dont need to race...)
What would you change?


Modified by junkyard racer at 9:56 PM 7/13/2004

 

That would depend on the price of sleepless nights....