TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

no such luck my butt, you're only committed for one day at the school, get your weak heiney over to Mather on Sunday for a real autox

mwood

I thought your house in AZ was rented? If I don't sell mine in Alamo by the end of June, I'll rent it out...only problem is, I have so much equity in the place that I either make a very small % return on the rental income (cash return on invested equity), or refinance, pull out equity and go flat on cash flow...either way, unless prices start to go up again significantly (doubtful, over the next 1-3 years), it's a losing investment

mwood

Nah, once I'm into the Candlestick weekend, I'm going to finish it off...besides, I need the regional points

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

he steals candy from babies too ...

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

well you didn't miss much from what I gather

we only went Sunday AM and I was disappointed

apparently they had 200 entrants for Saturday on a course that was just a bunch of straights connected by tight 180s, didn't get done until 7 - 8 pm that night

Sunday was supposedly a bit better but we still had to downshift to/drive 1st for five of the six 180s, kind of the same crap we've been getting locally. My setup works great for asphalt, but pushes on concrete. It wasn't worth changing over a couple of runs

mwood

Yep, I didn't hear many good comments about the course.

Candlestick, on the other hand, was an awesome course with both tight stuff (boxes, offsets etc.) and a couple of 2nd gear buzzer events, including a section which had two linked slaloms...good times.

You and DKNV considering coming down to the Marina event on the 17th? I know it's a hike, from up country...there's also a BMWCCA event on the 16th. I may just go down Sunday mid morning and run in the afternoon.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

I think that's a local event weekend for our area, not that we (or perhaps "I") wouldn't consider running somewhere else if the local course design situation doesn't improve. To their credit, most are open-minded about reviewing & discussing the situation. As always though, there's a few who want to preserve their status in the small pond ...

as long as it's asphalt I'm game, there's no sense in me pursuing concrete events anymore

mwood

Well, Marina is concrete, so I guess that isn't going to work. Not only is it concrete, it also is one of those surfaces that will make even a very neutral car push, so you definitely wouldn't learn anything, there.

Cooper47

Are you saying there is better BS competition where you are?

He might be making it look easy here in the SFR region but I doubt he'll find much better competition anywhere outside of a tour.

BTW - Are your times faster then BS?

mwood

We have lots of good drivers in the region, for sure...of course, our BS guys don't have to wait for a Tour to run against the two of the best, all we have to do is go South or North

Actually, SFR is kind of soft this year, compared to the last few years. We do have some real up and comers and current National Champs we are running with, but we haven't been seeing a few of the really established National Champs like Sias and McKee much this year...too busy having babies and doing life, I guess

GULAMAN

Hey Team, so that was *you* at Mather yesterday, ehh??? glad to have met ya, even tho i din't know who you were at the time. slick setup you have, and glad the morning group ran long, so I could catch a few of yours and your co-driver's runs after my arrival.

the afternoon groups were smaller than the AM groups; unfortunately, they didn't give us back our 4th run, even tho there was plenty of time to do so. Guess it was a fairness issue (bah!!).

I ran OK, but as you mentioned, was challenged by the slow corners. I know I lost time downshifting on a couple corners, but staying in 2nd woulda been slow too. I would've liked to see a longer slalom(s) too.

Mwood: out of curiousity, what is yr house in Alamo listing for? we are wanting to move to the 680 corridor if we can get our Tracy house sold. Pricing in that area seems more sane than 12 months ago, but still quite expensive coming from where we are now. (u can PM me if you prefer)

Cooper47

I guess what I am trying to get at is where else are you going to find local competition where you get 6-8 competitors together in comparable cars and similar comitments? Heck, SCCA cannot even get that at most of their events I think it's pretty cool we have the type of competition we have have locally. It sure beats most of the other classes I have competed in over the years.

As for not having the hotshoes come and run with the local boys.....I can understand why they get tired of it. To me, most of them have lost the spirit of the sport....They've taken it to very high places but unfortuneatly created a pond where only few can swim.....The best chance they have to find competition is to travel thousands of miles. What fun is that?

ULLLOSE

iTrader: (1)

I know you are not talking about me... I run in BS and stay away from PAX just to show my love for all the "local boys". I also steal candy from kids just like wood.

Cooper47

You may be better prepared and more experienced then your competition but at least you run a reasonable set up. Besides your cheater wheels and constant supply of fresh tires it's pretty easy to copy your formula

Plus, your competition can go around saying that they were beat by the National Champion....Who know's, maybe they're the second fastest BS drivers in the country?

I'm not trying to stir the bucket any more then it needs to be stirred but I think Mike is driving pretty good right now and I do not see his competition locally holding him back from getting better. If nothing else it's pushing him forward becuase they're starting to get faster......Present company excluded

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

I proposed a PAX-based Pro class for 2007, which is where I run; only the first 3 runs count for class purposes, all runs count for the Overall event PAX challenge. Even then, I have no interest in regional points/championships. My interest is simply to get myself and the car running in synch for National purposes. Only DKNV runs BSL on R tires, the other BS drivers run on an additional street tire factor. Further, they scheduled regional 2-day events on the same weekends as all the west coast National Tour/Pro events, including Nationals. It makes it almost impossible for a National competitor to win a hotly contested regional class or the Overall PAX on a points basis.

mwood

Baggy in a PAX class?

That's about the funniest thing I've heard in a looooooooooong time

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

I don't believe in PAX for serious competition, but it's OK for fun which is all a regional event is to me ... in this case it preserves the standard class trophies and championship for the people whom it matters.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

yeah, afterall there are so many STU RX-8s out there just like mine <-- j/k

I almost asked if you were familiar with the forum, but just assumed you weren't since you seemed not to have been familiar with the car that has been documented so well here

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-racing-25/some-goodies-arrived-today-86994/

GULAMAN

I recall the thread, but for whatever reason any of the exterior pics of ur car didn't register in my memory. maybe u need to wear a paper bag in real life too, to aid the recognition process

anyway, glad u made it out to our Sac chapter event. Cheers....

dknv

Sias' were at Mather, along with some other notables.
Which is kinda cool, because you can potentially benchmark how you are driving compared to how they are driving. Potentially. For example, the McCormick/Elder-mobile was there, and if I had been able to get near their time (which, STU should be beating their time), I would've been feeling like I may be improving. With my 3rd run spin, 'twas not to be. Ego beaten back down, I'll humbly attempt to kick *** back in my own pond this weekend at Reno-Stead.

dknv

Nice to have chatted with you. Maybe we'll catch you at some other event sometime.
-dk

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

We're actually open that weekend, but concrete is not exciting me enough to pursue running another consecutive weekend in a row not to mention the drive ...

BryanH

So Mike, is it much like Atwater? It's been sooo long since I've run at Marina (2000, maybe 2001). Hopefully Marina isn't too understeery, there's only so much adjustment in my setup.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

Well I beat Woody on the house selling race, closed on mine yesterday

mwood

Congrats, bagged one.

We are in contract and the buyer lifted all contingecies yesterday, so my downside if they walk is I get to keep about $30k in hard money deposit

Scheduled to close July 9th...where's that "crossing fingers" smiley?

Back on topic, anyone going to the July 7-8 AAS event at Atwater? It's the Larry Park Memorial, so expect a very fast course. Last year there was plenty of 3rd gear action, including one left taken flat in 3rd...in the Z06

I'm driving a C6 on Saturday and (probably, unless I wangle a modified or prepared ride...may have a shot at a very fast BP ride) a BSPV '69 Corvette on Sunday...good times!