TGPR October 25th

[87RX7RACER]

For what it's worth, weather.com hourly forecast shows the greatest rain chances tonight through 3pm tomorrow. Starting at 4Pm tomorrow rain chances diminish to 30%, 6PM to 20% and 20% chance continued thru midday Sat. Local forecasters say weather should be good for Friday night football. So hopefully your drive won't be too bad, and things will not be too soggy when we get there Saturday. I should probably put a novice stripe down my back because I am going to be full of NOOBIE questions! Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Hopefully the rain won't be too much of a factor. I see that your from Tuscaloosa and that you are one of the few people that will be there representing the 80's. I think there are only three cars there from the 80's. Yours, mine, and a Beamer?

Good to know that there is at least someone in this "college town" that is into SCCA stuff.

-Vincent.

[VroomGrrl]

Hopefully the rain won't be too much of a factor. I see that your from Tuscaloosa and that you are one of the few people that will be there representing the 80's. I think there are only three cars there from the 80's. Yours, mine, and a Beamer?

Good to know that there is at least someone in this "college town" that is into SCCA stuff.

-Vincent.

Well howdy neighbor! I was beginning to think I was the only autosports enthusiast in town! I have seen ONE other older Porsche in town, and turns out I know its owner, Johnny from Catch 22. But he's not into the sports end of things. Where are all the T-town drivers? Speaking of which, time for me to drive on home - work in Bham, live in T-town. off I go!

[87RX7RACER]

I believe that you and me are it. I have only seen one other second gen RX-7 in town and it was a stocker daily driver. I had a Turbo II, but I sold it. I also have a 91 convertible that I am parting out. If you ever need some work done on your porsche, me and a friend of mine work on cars on the side at my shop.

Most people here are into 22's and stereo's and tv's in their rides. And they wouldn't know the difference between a sway bar and a strut bar...lol.

-Vincent.

[VroomGrrl]

I believe that you and me are it. I have only seen one other second gen RX-7 in town and it was a stocker daily driver. I had a Turbo II, but I sold it. I also have a 91 convertible that I am parting out. If you ever need some work done on your porsche, me and a friend of mine work on cars on the side at my shop.

Most people here are into 22's and stereo's and tv's in their rides. And they wouldn't know the difference between a sway bar and a strut bar...lol.

-Vincent.

I have been looking, and noting the driver lists at stuff I attend, and I don't think I have seen one other participant list Tuscaloosa as their hometown. So maybe we are it. Whaddya know!

My office is in Bham and Bill Mitchell's shop (Porsche specialists) is about 4 blocks from there so it's been real convenient thus far. I have not had any problems to speak of - I lucked out and got an old car with high miles that was very well maintained by its previous owners. And it's not my daily driver. I'm afraid my commute would sent it to an early grave. I leave that to the Honda! I've only had this car since July, and so far I have only had routine maintenance done on it.

You are kind to offer a hand, and when the time comes, you can be sure I will take you up on it - Especially because I am one of those people who can't tell the difference between a sway bar and a strut bar I'm eager to change that, and I am working on setting up my garage, but I haven't gotten very far with this end of things. I got it started, but now we have this house on the market & are looking for a new place in Bham, so pimping out the garage is on the back burner till we move.

I'll get there. My entire Christmas list is garage stuff

[colemab]

Anthony and I are also new to this, so you won't be alone!

This will be my first track event (been doing the solo 2 for a couple of months). So yea, you won't be the only newbie

On a side note this was a great reason for me to buy a new helmet. I finally got a snell 2005 (kbc) and upgraded from the old school plain white one.

See you guy's Saturday at the Track and Sunday at the SOLO 2.

[87RX7RACER]

I have been looking, and noting the driver lists at stuff I attend, and I don't think I have seen one other participant list Tuscaloosa as their hometown. So maybe we are it. Whaddya know!

My office is in Bham and Bill Mitchell's shop (Porsche specialists) is about 4 blocks from there so it's been real convenient thus far. I have not had any problems to speak of - I lucked out and got an old car with high miles that was very well maintained by its previous owners. And it's not my daily driver. I'm afraid my commute would sent it to an early grave. I leave that to the Honda! I've only had this car since July, and so far I have only had routine maintenance done on it.

You are kind to offer a hand, and when the time comes, you can be sure I will take you up on it - Especially because I am one of those people who can't tell the difference between a sway bar and a strut bar I'm eager to change that, and I am working on setting up my garage, but I haven't gotten very far with this end of things. I got it started, but now we have this house on the market & are looking for a new place in Bham, so pimping out the garage is on the back burner till we move.

I'll get there. My entire Christmas list is garage stuff

Haha, I understand completely. I had to practically build my car from the ground up so to speak...lol. I bought it for 150 dollars and the fuel tank was rusted on the inside and sitting in the passenger seat. All of the tires were flat and it was sitting in the woods! We literally dragged it out of the woods with a chain and pulled it up on a trailer and got it home. This was around Nov of last year. The car had 276,000 miles on it and had been maintained by Rotary Performance of Texas. So once I got it running, I realized that the motor was very strong and that all the car really needed was a clutch. So I put a factory Exedy clutch in the car and replaced the factory brake calipers and master cylinder and got it going. So at first it was still just a stock, 5-speed base model RX-7 with working A/C and everything.

Then after a few months of driving I kinda got bored with the car and thought about selling it. But then when I realized I could turn it into a nice track car, I decided to go in that direction. Now with LOTS of stuff that has been done to the car, it has really turned out into something special. I even bought a parts car so that I could use some of the newer S5 stuff on my car to make it even better. So now it is basically an ITS car, minus the cage, one piece drivers seat, racing slicks, 5.12 rear end, and gutted interior.

Has it sits right now, the car is still streetable-but rather loud and bumpy...lol.

Okay, enough bragging about my car!

-Vincent.

[87RX7RACER]

As far as your Porsche goes, the best advice that I can give you is "slow in, fast out". Porsche's are known to have oversteer issues because of all of the weight over the rear tires and can get a little tail happy on corner exits. I would imagine that this would be especially true if your car is a turbo. From what I understand, we've got some great instructors at this event, and I'm sure they'll have you navigating the course like a pro in no time!

-Vincent.

[VroomGrrl]

As far as your Porsche goes, the best advice that I can give you is "slow in, fast out". Porsche's are known to have oversteer issues because of all of the weight over the rear tires and can get a little tail happy on corner exits. I would imagine that this would be especially true if your car is a turbo. From what I understand, we've got some great instructors at this event, and I'm sure they'll have you navigating the course like a pro in no time!

-Vincent.

Thanks, Vincent! No turbo here, just your basic stock 3.2 with G50 tranny. The only mods are spacers in the rear wheels and an anti-sway bar in front (that takes up all the potentially usable space in my "trunk"). Well, and a totally cheesy stereo (Kenwood 10 disc changer) with big speakers (Boston Acoustics) cut into the back and holdling the rear seats in permanent folded-down position (but man, the stereo kicks azz!). And the window tint (HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE!).

The whole "rear end stepping out" is the one caution I have heard repeatedly, and I'm looking forward to learning how to deal with it. I got to run some laps with my coach at TGPR a few weeks ago and it was great to finally get out there and JUST DO IT. Racing books and smack talk only go so far I had a great first outing, and have done some cornering drills since then, but not in my car. I'm really looking forward to working through the challenges and finding out what my car and I can do.

I have my DE Checklist here and I just finished collecting some of the stuff out in the garage so that I can quickly pack up the car tomorrow night. Are you doing the Solo thing on Sunday also?

[VroomGrrl]

This will be my first track event (been doing the solo 2 for a couple of months). So yea, you won't be the only newbie

On a side note this was a great reason for me to buy a new helmet. I finally got a snell 2005 (kbc) and upgraded from the old school plain white one.

See you guy's Saturday at the Track and Sunday at the SOLO 2.

Yay! More noooobs!

This will be my first ANYTHING event as a driver, and I'm psyched! I am thinking about also doing the Solo thing on Sunday. We'll see how ready for another "first" I am after my first DE on Saturday.

I was a total geek and got my helmet the week after I got my car! but mostly so I could be ready-on-the-spot as a track worker to hop into cars for ride-alongs without having to scramble for a helmet to fit my fat head.

See you Saturday & maybe Sunday!

[EWaugh]

As far as your Porsche goes, the best advice that I can give you is "slow in, fast out". Porsche's are known to have oversteer issues because of all of the weight over the rear tires and can get a little tail happy on corner exits. I would imagine that this would be especially true if your car is a turbo. From what I understand, we've got some great instructors at this event, and I'm sure they'll have you navigating the course like a pro in no time!

-Vincent.

"Speed comes from using every bit of the available grip of you tires, at all times. This means blending maximum braking, dead straight, into pure cornering at the extreme, and then full circle into flat-out acceleration. Filling the friction circle. These transitions are very dilicate at the absolute limit, which is where we live - right heroes?"
-Randy Pobst

[VroomGrrl]

"Right heroes?" Love that. I sure felt like a doggone hero when I kept up enough speed to make the tires sing through my first "done right" turn.

But I think I like your sig line even better!

[X-RAT]

one of the few people that will be there representing the 80's. I think there are only three cars there from the 80's. Yours, mine, and a Beamer? -Vincent.

Don't count out the RAT.

(And the VW and the other 2 BMWs)

[87RX7RACER]

Yeah I went back and looked and noticed that there were more than a few of us representing the 80's.

Yeah, Porsche's are pretty cool...I had a friend who's family use to do club racing with them...

I also like the qoute from Randy, Evan. Pobst is the man...

-Vincent.

[VroomGrrl]

Yeah I went back and looked and noticed that there were more than a few of us representing the 80's.

Yeah, Porsche's are pretty cool...I had a friend who's family use to do club racing with them...

I also like the qoute from Randy, Evan. Pobst is the man...

-Vincent.

Well the 80's well be well represented after all. As for the Porsche marque? I will do my best!

[chuck schultz]

Near-perfect weather, a great group of participants, and no catastrophes (except for one expired battery.)

Thanks to the volunteers who made this event possible, especially the "draftees." Great job, all.

We need to do this more often!