PetersonPeleRx8

Hey guys!! This is my first post... as you can see.

I'm a semi-college student from the Boulder area and I read this thread and got all excited. I've actually "dropped" out of college to pursue the investment side of real estate with my step-dad... So my most immediate goal with the money I make from that is to get my very own Rx-8.

So, I would love to tag along with you guys if that's cool (or if all the passenger seats are still available). I'll definitely pitch for gas and whatnot.

I test drove an 8 last week and I loved it. And while I was there I got to talking with my salesmen from the dealer on Havana street and we exchanged numbers and all that. So, point being, maybe I can talk him into letting me bo-jangle (sorry, that's my fav word) an rx-8 for the day or some kind of deal like you guys were talking about. The only reason I can see this being possible is that they were so laid back... I mean they actually let a 19 year old wannabe racer take their car out for a spin... granted I did have my step-dad and mother with me.

Anywho, can't wait to hear back from you guys. And for the record, I'm very good at sitting quietly in the passenger seat squealing with glee in hot cars... so I'm not too annoying lol.

Thanks,

Brit

Omicron

Sent you a PM Brit with my contact info Brit... be glad to have you!

Omicron

Woo hoo! This thing is SHAPING UP! So far we've got eight and maybe 9 RX-8s and at least 4 ride-along-soon-to-be-RX8-drivers! Oh, and one hopped up Miata we're bringing along as our Mascot. :D (Sorry Sput, couldn't resist!)

Also FYI, we have a dealership possibly interested in sponsoring this. :D

I've tried to PM or email everyone on the list below, but if you haven't gotten anything from me yet, please drop me a PM with you name, email addy, and phone numbers so I can get more directly in touch with you about this meet and possible pre-meet. Also don't be surprised if you hear from "Doc" (doccable) who is co-coordinating this whole event.

------------------------------
Current attendees are:
-Omicron
-Doccable
-Digisan
-JCC
-gpsvorndb
-Dplore
-Muzzleflash
-Sputnik
-Serff (ride along)
-Icanrel-8 (ride along)
-Buger (ride along)
-PetersonPeleRx8 (ride along)
-Switchbacker (Possibly coming up from New Mexico!)
------------------------------

dplore

I'm still in. I'll go in Janurary and later in the spring too.
All of the proposed weekends are okay with me if
we can get sufficient advance notice. I would definitely
prefer something with at least a little interesting drive in it.
Boulder to Estes Park via Peak to Peak Highway could
be nice, and travel back via 36. Makes for a nice drive without
repetition. If that's too long of a drive (2+ hours), Boulder to
Nederland would be a lot shorter and still be fun.

Finally, those routes are biased for northern Denver/Ft. Collins
types. If we have people from South Denver and or
Colorado Springs, we could do something more central.

Having other cars along if we can't get enough RX8's sounds
fine to me. Miata, S2000, RX7, whatever. RX8's are kinda
rare in our area.

By the way, here's a link to Second Creek Raceway:
http://www.2ndcreekraceway.com/

I will be out at the free track days probably at least once.
It's only available to club members though. You must be a
card carrying member of one of the Colorado Motorsports
Council clubs to get on the track on these days. CMC
clubs are listed here: http://www.comosport.org/clubs/clubs.html

Of course, one can visit the track and not be a member.
Just can't get on the track during the "free days" from
Dec 26 - Dec 31

I will offer myself up as a driving instructor at second
creek for anyone who's interested. I have 4 years of SCCA
club racing experience, and 3 years of open track events
before that. I have over 1000 laps at Second Creek.

Best time to go to avoid crowds is on a weekday of course,
or late on Sunday might be good. If you go late enough in
the day (3:30pm), it's not too busy. This is assuming you
only want to drive the track for 30 minutes or so, which
really is plenty for just dipping your toes in.

-Darren

Landon_Starr

I posted in another thread, but this one I think is the most appropriate.

I'd be up for a road trip in the RX-8.......I haven't gotten to take it on any seriously long straightaways....I have broken 150, though. =)

Just as a background check, I bought the velocity red sport, put in aftermarket red/black leather (it was thicker & nicer than stock), tinted windows(20% all around), 20" lexani roma wheels, upgraded aftermarket moonroof, clear corners, and hope to have the K&N intake & exhaust done after Christmas. I'll PM you with my e-mail address, Omicron.

--Landon

Omicron

Hey Landon, welcome again. Sure sounds like you've got a nice ride!

I got your PM, and either I or Doccable will be in touch about the meet. Fort Collins is indeed in Colorado, just North of Denver. Feel like making a road trip out here in the spring? :D

serff

Damn...how much did that cost? I would love to see it. So that would be awesome if you came out for a meet. Sorta a long way for you though, but that is all part of the fun of it. I can let you know of a fun road to come down if you want to drive through Wyoming and then down through ft. collins. Guess we'll talk more when it gets closer.

serff

Landon_Starr

Yeah, I really like the leather. It just looks more high quality. Yeah, I think I'd be interested in making the road trip. I haven't had it on a good long road trip, yet.

It'll be interesting to see long-ride comfort levels, etc. Sounds like it will be a fun meet.

I can't wait to see the rows of RX8s lined up. =)

--Landon

Landon_Starr

In regards to cost, I have a buddy that owned the styling shop, so I had it done for basically cost. $1100.

Omicron

Nice? Can you post pics of how it came out?

Also FYI, there is someone who just started a "Utah?" thread here in the Mountain forum... thought you might be interested.

Landon_Starr

Immaculate would be a better word. =) j/k. I really like it. The leather seems more high quality and less prone to keys ripping holes in it. I'll take some pics and post here. Probably tonight.

--Landon

Omicron

Way cool, Darren.

So I'm thinking we might just do the drive to Estes Park thing, then all head down to Second Creek Raceway and do a little race driving. I for one would LOVE some free lessons, and I'd be fairly willing to bet others would too.

Folks, if you're interested in the above idea, please chime in here.

But one thing I have to ask though is how hard will this be on my RX-8? While I love to drive fast sometimes, I never rag on my car, and would not want to put too much stress on it racing it. Also, what happens if I spin out at the track? Am I apt to run into a wall or otherwise wreck my car? (Perish the thought!)

As for admittance to the park, Doccable and I have been kicking around the thought of making this a "real" club, registered and whatever else needs to be done to make it official. Looks like Colorado Motorsports Council clubs is a good starting place, so by the time we have this meet, we may just be the real deal. We'll see.

Last thing. Darren, can you plz PM me with your name, email address, and phone number? Doc and I are collecting list of everyone who will be attending, and plan to make more direct contact as the meet date approaches.

Thanks!

Sputnik

There is a difference between ragging a car out, and just running it hard.

For example, there was a little contest held by Honda to see which performance magazine could modify a Civic the best for a certain amount of money. Paul Tracy, who gets paid millions to do what he loves, was contractual required by Honda to test drive those cars on a road course. The spoiled brat was insulted by having to do such menial work, so he went out an overdrove the cars, rode the rev-limiter, and otherwise abused them. 3 out of 4 cars literally did not survive to the next round. That's ragging a car out.

On the other hand, I ran my turbo MR2 for 1500 miles on road courses over two years, starting after she had clocked 80,000 miles. The car was not ragged out, but was run hard (while running on street tires, it outran a pack of M3s on racing tires). I had to accelerate the maintenance schedule of course, but the most major fix I had to do was have a couple of oil seals changed. She was sold at 110,000 miles, running very well.

As far as danger from spinning out, that depends on the track. There are some tracks with certain corners that are hairy, and there are no guarantees, but on the whole, race courses are the best place to go off. On my first outting with the MR2, I was going into a corner too fast. Out of habit driving my front-wheel drive car, I lifted. That was the right thing to do in my Pontiac Grand Prix, but the very wrong thing to do in a mid-engined car. The back end stepped out and like most novices, I over-corrected, so the back-end stepped back around the other way. I ended up doing a 360 on track at 80 mph, left the track, and did another gentle 360 while mowing through a football field's worth of Texas bluebonnets, until the car slowed down enough to gain control on the damp grass.

I've seen only one car damaged by going off. It had rained hard the night before, and an M3 went off of a very fast corner, and was about stopped when it hit this deep mud puddle, and ripped off it's air-dam. I've seen much more damage when people got greedy with boost, or ran when the car was not up to snuff.

BTW, since this is not a competitive event, but a very carefully controlled instructional situation, insurance still covers your car in 99% of cases.

---jps

Icanrel-8

Good bet, Omicron! Sounds very cool, Darren, count me in with many thanks...

I

serff

umm...from what i have heard ( i don't remember where), if you get hit or hit someone else on a race track most insurance will NOT cover your or the other persons damage...Anyone else heard the same?

serff

P.S. I would love some racing lessons, but i don't really have a car to track. Maybe a ride along with the teacher in the 8 would be fun.

Sputnik

First and most importantly, check with your own insurance agent, or read your policy.

Second, it depends on the "racetrack". Track events like I am talking about have ambulances onsite, are very organized, have very strict rules as to when and how to pass other vehicles, and (most importantly) are NOT competitive events (lap times are not recorded by the track). Technically, legally, it is not considered racing, so the Insurance company cannot deny coverage (unless there is something specifically mentioned in your policy about tracks, and even that can be challenged).

If you took your car to a dragstrip, both the fact that it is timed and the fact that you are normally racing someone down the track, technically and legally qualifies as racing, and you may very well not be covered.

---jps

Bigcat44

Well after reading this entire thread, you can count me in for the main meet you have in the spring. I will make the drive up from Albuquerque and probably stay the night in Col. Springs. Maybe we can get the shirts and possibly some stickers before then and we can get some good group shots of all the 8s!!!

Omicron

Excellent, glad to hear you'll be joining us Bigcat! We'll try to have the shirts at least ready to go, and you can be SURE we'll get lots of shots of all the '8s lined up. :D

---------------------
Current attendees are:
- Omicron
- Doccable
- MuzzleFlash
- Icanrel-8
- JCC
- PetersonPeleRx8 (ride along)
- Serff (ride along)
- Buger (ride along)
- Bigcat44 (NEW MEXICO)
- Switchbacker (NEW MEXICO)
- Landon_Starr (UTAH) = Landon Starr

Said yes to meet, but have not gotten contact info from these folks:
- Digisan
- Sputnik
- gpsvorndb
- Dplore

Unknown (Are from CO, sent invite PM, but have not heard from them at all):
- Bolder8
- Jazzman
---------------------

serff

I realize this is pretty short notice, but I'll just hope you all check you mail as much as I do... And hopefully you have this week off of work too...

A couple of my friends are going up to Second Creek tomorrow to run around the track. I'm hoping to go up around 10:30 - 11:00ish to go hang out for a while. If any of you want to come and meet up that would be great.

If you need directions to the track, there were some breief directions in the Meet in Colorado thread, or you can get them here:

http://www.2ndcreekraceway.com/info/loc.html

I'll be rollin' in my 1990 White Honda Accord with the Pimp *** busted roof rack (either that or my wifes steel grey Mazda 6s...i'll try to bring that one...hehe). My friends that will be there have: A black s2000 with a super charger, a yellow s2000 all pimped out, and a silver 2003 MR2.

Hope to see some of you out there. If you get lost of can't find any one, you can call me on my cell:

(Check your email for my cell number...don't want to post here)

Later
Andrew

Omicron

Durnit, I wish I could.

Spacejunky

My wife and I would love to be involved with this. Only problem is that we are as south as you can be and not be in Texas. Colorado Springs is about as North as we can go. We will be there around the 19th of January, but have not decided if we are going to take the RX-8 or our Toyota Tundra since my wife can not drive the 8 yet.

Omicron

Well, we'd love to have you, but the January event is just a tenative "pre-meet" so we can get together and get to know one another. The "real" meet will be in the spring or early summer... is it possible you can make it then?

Buger

Hi Omicron,

I'm just off of the E-470 Quincy exit. Are you around here too? And when do you expect your Canzoomer mod? It would be cool to see some firsthand results.

Brian

Omicron

Nope, I'm up in the Longmont area.

I should have the Canzoomer mod by the end of the week. If you want to get together we can take a drive. :D (Same offer extends to anyone in the area who wants to see what the CZ mod feels like)

MuzzleFlash

And I live in western Arvada.