Roadcourses with at least 1 LX!

[Steve Levin]

Since people tend to think "Yank Tank" and "slow American car" when they first see an LX in the paddock of a road course, I thought I'd fire up a thread to discuss the various high performance driving events where there will be at least one LX going to provide moral support -- and to encourage other folks to bring their LX's to the track! I know that the first time can be a real unknown to people (it was for me!) and that going "with" someone can dramatically reduce concerns and worries.

Nov 1 -Thunderhill (Willows, CA) SL
Nov 3 -Buttonwillow (Buttonwillow, CA) SL
Nov 8 -Willow Springs (Rosamond, CA) SL
Nov 24 - Buttonwillow (Buttonwillow, CA) SL
Nov 25 - Buttonwillow (Buttonwillow, CA) SL
Dec 1 -California Speedway (Fontana, CA) DR
Dec 2 -California Speedway (Fontana, CA) DR
Dec 4 -Laguna Seca (Monterey, CA) MR,Cam,CV
Dec 8 -Thunderhill (Willows, CA) SL
Dec 9 -Buttonwillow (Buttonwillow, CA) SL(likely not in LX though)
Dec 22 - Laguna Seca (Monterey, CA - Green Flag) SL
Dec 29 - Buttonwillow (Buttonwillow, CA - Alltime Racing) SL (not in LX)
Jan 27 - Thunderhill (Willows, CA - Hooked on Driving) SL
Feb 21 - Thunderhill (Willows, CA - Hooked on Driving) tentative date
Feb 22 - Thunderhill (Willows, CA - Hooked on Driving) SL
Feb 29 - Laguna Seca (Monterey, CA - Hooked on Driving)

Index to attendees:
SL - Steve Levin
DR - DanRealtor
MR - MattRobertson
Cam - Cam
CV - CoolVanilla

Organizations:
Alltime Racing: http://www.alltimeracing.com
Hooked on Driving: http://www.hookedondriving.com
SpeedVentures: http://www.speedventures.com
Green Flag Driving Association: http://www.greenflagdriving.com/ (note: this seems to only work in IE, not Firefox)

I know some folks are going to the other dates but I don't want to arbitrarily want to put people's names there. Also, if there's non-Southwest Events please let me know and I'll list those.

For folks at all interested in the dates I'm attending, please feel free to PM me with any questions. Depending upon the size of yer noggin I have a spare helmet you might be able to use.

Steve

[Steve Levin]

I realized that I probably should have noted that (very non-typical) the 11/1 Thunderhill date does not allow novices (except in Mini's...it's a Mini-focused day).

Steve

[ventoracing]

Anyone know of any road course events or car club renting racetracks here in the northeast?

[Steve Levin]

I'm not very familiar with the Northeast, since I grew up on the wes t coast, but a good way to find things would be to use:

http://www.chasinracin.com/track-locator/

Find road courses in your area, and then see if they have a website that lists the days people are running there...and then you can more or less "back into" the event organizers and what tracks they run at.

Steve

[MattRobertson]

You can add myself, CoolVanilla, Cam and Ozzie to the Laguna Tuesday event. We're using my house as a base of operations. Nice long driveway that will probably be where we all swap out our wheels the night before, although I may wait until we actually drive into the paddock and pull the wheels and change the pads while there. The Wilwood track pads are very unforgiving to rotors.

And I *want* to do Thunderhill on the 8th with you but I'm not sure I'll be able to. That is one I will likely wait until the last minute on, or pass if it fills up. But I really want to do that track before they close it for the year.

[Steve Levin]

That makes me sad that I'm still using the F1's :) Almost. I suppose I should look at getting a set of track wheels. Might do that over the winter.

I might do Laguna on the 4th but I'm not entirely sure I can.

Steve

[Steve Levin]

Thunderhill was about as perfect 11/1 as you could ask. No wind, 74 degrees, etc. While it was a Mini-focused day, the rest of us ran in a single group. Sadly, I was near the slowest car out there, but then again, given that I'm on street tires, that wasn't so bad. Only about 14 cars total, so there were no real traffic issues all day -- and we got to run 6 times (although several people bailed after the 5th run).

Steve

[MattRobertson]

Ordered my Bridgestone Pole Positions a couple days ago. Special order. Guess they don't get too many supersized cars running those.

[Todd TCE]

Really? lol!

You'll appreciate this:
http://web.mac.com/johndougherty/iWeb/Site/Blank.html

[Trojan]

you can add me to LS on the 4th. Ill be rolling up with Cam, Ozzie.
Then Thunderhill on the 8th as well. Nothing like powering 4000lbs
at WOT sideways and living to talk about it. It just dont get much better.

[Steve Levin]

Ordered my Bridgestone Pole Positions a couple days ago. Special order. Guess they don't get too many supersized cars running those.

Okay, I'll admit ignorance...tires? :)

Steve

[Steve Levin]

Oh...It looks VERY unlikely that I'll be at Laguna Seca on the 4th :(

HookedonDriving just got 4 Panoz GT-RA's and I am thinking of renting on the 8th because I'm pondering getting one instead of running my 300. My wife's not entirely happy with me being out on track without a roll cage.

Steve

[ChargerGirl]

Argh... I'd be going to all of these, but can't. :(

Maybe next year. ;)

[MattRobertson]

You'll appreciate this:
http://web.mac.com/johndougherty/iWeb/Site/Blank.html
Indeed. Looked like that guy really knew how to handle that car. Unfortunately so far I've seen a grand total of zero Impala SS' on road courses out here. Drag strips yes but not road courses. I've always thought that if you set one of those beasts up right you'd really have a handful.

Okay, I'll admit ignorance...tires? :)Yup. AA traction vs. the F1 Supercars' A rating. I have 3 different AA tires I'm interested in and these are the first I'll try.

[Steve Levin]

There was a gentleman at Reno-Fernely a few weeks ago with an Impala all set up for the road course. He was instructing so I didn't see it out on the track but I understand it gets around quite well. He had it obviously modified, though.

After I poked at the Goog I found the Bridgestone reference...you will have to tell us how they worked out. Which size are you running?

I was looking at Nitto's NT01, but it's only going to work at 245/40/18, which I know I could make work with a set of the Borbet 18" wheels...but by my figuring it would drop the car 1.5" which somewhat concerns me.

Steve

[MattRobertson]

Which size are you running? 255/35/20 on the rears and 245/35/20 on the fronts. Essentially its a shorter-sidewall version of the staggered fitment that you get with an SRT with F1 Supercars on.

The tires are 2" shorter than their larger counterparts, so the car will drop even further from where I have it lowered right now. I'll be slammed down pretty hard, but they are track tires and track wheels on a smooth-surface track. The theory is I will be lowering my center of gravity, increasing my traction rating and reducing wheel diameter for a triple performance whammy (I will also be moving the wheel edges further from the fender wells to maybe finally cure the rubbing I get when I corner as hard as I do).

No one has tried this before so I'll be breaking some new ground with the attempt. Hopefully for the better. If not there will certainly be plenty of witnesses as CoolVanilla, Cam, Ozzie and Trojan will all be there with me.

[Steve Levin]

You are definitely generating more cornering force than I; I've got 255 F1's on the front and I'm not touching (but then again, I'm at stock ride height).

Dropping the car 1" doesn't make me quite as nervous as dropping it 1.5" but I wonder if I'm just being a ninny. I would expect the Nitto's to be much sticker than anything else, so it might still be worth it.

Steve

[Steve Levin]

And now...sigh...it looks like I might not be able to stay up north for 12/9 either :(

So it looks like just 12/8 at Thunderhill for me.

Steve

[MattRobertson]

If you are at stock ride height, yes you are being a ninny.

:Na_Na_Na_Na:

Lower the car and hit a corner hard and you will never go back. You will also never look at a driveway ramp in quite the same way, but thats the price of performance.

So long as you don't go ape with the tire width, you can lower it quite a bit. I'm down about 2" in the rear and a bit less in the front *right now*. So I'll be 3" down after this is done (hence the 'track wheels only' designation). I lowered the rear more than the front to give me better weight distro when cornering and it works nicely. Rockers aren't level to the ground (when looking at front vs. rear) but they are definitely closer to it.

[MattRobertson]

So it looks like just 12/8 at Thunderhill for me.If Darth holds together on 12/4, and I still have rubber on the rims, I plan to join you. However I will be doing it last-minute IF there are spots available.

[DanRealtor]

WagonDoc & I are running in the red group at California Speedway on 12/1. I can't wait to run the banked turns, since the "ROval" encompasses the road course and the oval.

I will be running the Toyo Proxes 4's (255/45/20's all around) again. While they aren't the stickiest tires available, they do stick well, handle well, and they're inexpensive.

Our run group includes a bunch of Z06's, some M's, some Porsches... I hope those guys don't slow me up too much:mrgreen:

[Cam]

OK dudes, the 4th is a done deal and I'm shooting for the 8th as well. I'll know in a couple of days if I can make that one for sure.

BTW, I was looking at Matt and CV profiles...................hehehehe, youse all some optomistic sumamumbitches ain't ya!!. :Na_Na_Na_Na: :thumbs_u: :wink:

[Trojan]

Whooo hoooo! Im locked in for the 4th.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007 Run Group: Black
Timing: Renting Transponder
Instruction: none
Extras: none
Car:
2006 Chrysler 300C (black)
Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 (Street)
Flywheel HP: 500
Class: 0 (http://www.speedventures.com/members/setcarforeventdate.aspx?id=-1999999738)

[krcossin]

Sounds like a fun track day, wish I could attend.

[MattRobertson]

Whooo hoooo! Im locked in for the 4th.
Flywheel HP: 500
(http://www.speedventures.com/members/setcarforeventdate.aspx?id=-1999999738)

youse all some optomistic sumamumbitches ain't ya!!. :Na_Na_Na_Na: :thumbs_u: :wink:They asked for flywheel horsepower? Oops I better go bump it up. I thought it was RWhp. Thanks for pointing that out Cam.

:loser:

:mrgreen:

[Cam]

They asked for flywheel horsepower? Oops I better go bump it up. I thought it was RWhp. Thanks for pointing that out Cam.

:loser:

:mrgreen:

OMG, if I could only stop laughing.....................but here, I think this says it all. :Na_Na_Na_Na:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2VDn5mVF6c

[Steve Levin]

I'm looking more likely but not yet locked in for the 4th.

I've sort of decided not to get another set of wheels and tyres right now and stay focused on getting maximum track time.

But if I do go with tyres, I've been thinking the 18" Borbet TS wheels, and Nitto NT01 245/40/18's.

Steve

[MattRobertson]

Meister uses them for track wheels and they fit over his Brembo's.

$200 a pop and 26 lbs each. Thats a helluva track wheel.

[Cam]

Meister uses them for track wheels and they fit over his Brembo's.

$200 a pop and 26 lbs each. Thats a helluva track wheel.

Chez, that ain't saying much.








Meister would throw his grandma down for traction if he had too. :Na_Na_Na_Na:

[Steve Levin]

Willow was awesome! The weather was perfect; like being in your living room. No wind...it was the kind of day that would almost make you move there :)

Sorry there weren't any other LX'ers out there -- hopefully next time!

Steve

[MattRobertson]

I am thinking of doing Willow the weekend following Laguna. I know I was talking about running Thunder Hill with you, Steve, but Magnum8r hollered at me and when I stop to think of it, I have never run that track, and I think I am the only one in the CA track 'crew' who says that.

We'll see. I still gotta get the motor put in and tuned.

[Steve Levin]

Willow Springs is a lot of fun, and it is a very fast track, that's for sure! I've always done it with Tim Herren's Alltime Racing, which is more money ($255) but he only does 25 cars, so there's a lot of track time and lots of clear time.

He hasn't put out a schedule for next year, but one thing to think of it trying to get a bunch of people to bring LX's there; I know they did that at least once in 2007 with good success. There are definitely a few SoCal'ish people that we might be able to get out there.

Either way, though, you'll have fun...it's a great track as long as you respect it.

Now, sadly, I must replace a tire. I ran over a kerb edge or something that Buttonwillow that sliced into the tread blocks, and while it was okay at Buttonwillow, the higher and farder loads at Willow caused it to chunk off tread blocks at the end of the day. :(

Steve

[Steve Levin]

I've had to rethink the NT01 thing because I didn't realize that the radial grooves go away at 4/32...and that's too much of a slick for me since with a 300 I can't really fit the tires in the car to take with me to the track -- I need to drive there. I know some folks run the Goodyear F1 GS-D3 on the 18" wheels, but I'm afraid that I wouldn't be gaining much doing that other than the hassle of changing wheels.

So the question is...is there a really good 20" tire, or must I go down to the 18"? Because I have very very limited space to work at home, I'd honestly rather have a 20" set of tires that I can get around on (even if they wear out in 5-6 thousand miles) rather than tire shuffling.

I guess Matt's gonna find out for us? :)

Steve

[MattRobertson]

I guess Matt's gonna find out for us? :)


Well the F1 Supercars are a great tire, but physics and a 4400 lb car work against us. There may be something better for hard cornering and thats what I'm working on. Two very expensive options and one cheap one.

I talked to all the major tire manufacturer reps earlier in the year at a convention and none of them were ready to consider 20" R compound tires.

[Steve Levin]

I wonder if everyone's position will change once the Nissan GT-R comes out, as that uses 255/40/20's on the front.

At least we can hope :)

Steve

[lilguyhemi]

Hey all! It's good to see interest in the LX group running road courses. Ferret and I have been running our LX's at the NASA HPDE (Hi Proformance Driving Experience) events in Az. We have run at both Firebird Raceway on two different road courses, as well as at Pheonix International Raceway. It would be great to see more of the LX cars attend the events. Come join the fun, it is relatively inexpensive and loads of fun.
http://www.clubracingaz.com
Cheers....and.....brake late

[DanRealtor]

I'm looking more likely but not yet locked in for the 4th.

I've sort of decided not to get another set of wheels and tyres right now and stay focused on getting maximum track time.

But if I do go with tyres, I've been thinking the 18" Borbet TS wheels, and Nitto NT01 245/40/18's.

Steve


PM Northern Rider about the Borbet's. I think I remember someone having an issue with them.

[Todd TCE]

Hey all! It's good to see interest in the LX group running road courses. Ferret and I have been running our LX's at the NASA HPDE (Hi Proformance Driving Experience) events in Az. We have run at both Firebird Raceway on two different road courses, as well as at Pheonix International Raceway. It would be great to see more of the LX cars attend the events. Come join the fun, it is relatively inexpensive and loads of fun.
http://www.clubracingaz.com
Cheers....and.....brake late

You guys should stop by and eye some BBK options if you have time.

[Trojan]

Northern Rider bent his Borbetts running road courses. There not recommended for this reason

[Cam]

A bent Borbett.............well doesn't that blow.


Yo Lilguy, long time to hear, hows it hanging buddy???.

Looks like we might have to run out there and check your track out.

Whatta ya say T??.

[Trojan]

A bent Borbett.............well doesn't that blow.


Yo Lilguy, long time to hear, hows it hanging buddy???.

Looks like we might have to run out there and check your track out.

Whatta ya say T??.

Count me in! :racing:

[MattRobertson]

PM Northern Rider about the Borbet's. I think I remember someone having an issue with them.
Holy crap... Anyone know how he did it? Knowing NR he was going 100%. Maybe they died on the rumble strips? If it was an off-track impact ... c'est la guerre ...

[Trojan]

I got a pm in to Pat as we speak and will find out the details, Pat and I were gonna do a wheel trade awhile back and then he bent his up and had to back out of our trade. When he reply's to me Ill let y'all know how he bent them.

[Trojan]

Just heard from Northern Rider, Heres what he had to say

"Hi Chris,

I ran my Borbets through Mexico after the Spring Fling. I think the speed bumps (topez) did a number on them. I know that I bent one at California Speedway (http://www.300cforums.com/forums/private.php?do=showpm&pmid=318975#) because a rear control arm came off the car (wasn't tightened properly after installing the Quaife) and twisted the left rear wheel.

I doubt if anyone would bend one racing. Jim Edwards has run them for some time now.

Hope this helps.

Pat"So with this I guess running them would be ok. :racing:

[Steve Levin]

I haven't been to that area of Mexico, but I've been to Puerto Vallarta (my folks winter there) and I will attest that at least there, some of the speed bumps, etc., are absolutely brutal and teeth rattling, even in an SUV.

Steve

[Steve Levin]

I added my new Buttonwillow dates for Sat/Sun of Turkey Day weekend, as well as Dec 22 at Laguna Seca and Dec 29 again at Buttonwillow. I'm going to bow out of Dec 4th at Laguna mainly because I'm not totally thrilled with SpeedVentures at the moment.

There's an outside chance I'll be at Cal Speedway but it'll be in a 350z and not in my 300 if it happens.

Steve

[Steve Levin]

I'm at Buttonwwillow right now -- great weather! Lots of V8 power here...not much of a turbo contingent at all. Ya'll should be here!

Steve

[MattRobertson]

With the news of the delayed delivery of my motor, the last shred of possibility for my making Laguna on 12/4 disappeared. I canceled yesterday. Talked to Cam and Trojan and the both of them are cancelling also and moving their fees to the Streets of Willow Springs on the 8th I believe it is.

I will see if I can make that but it will be close and is doubtful. I am not signing up for anything until my car is freaking done and in my garage. My best chance is Buttonwillow on 12/29 if I can get in.

[Steve Levin]

Man, what a bummer. I can understand the frustration.

From what I've seen of Streets, though, I'm not in a big hurry to drive all the way down; it's a very tight track that I suspect wouldn't be a whole lot of fun in our cars.

I might be at Buttonwillow on Sunday the 9th testing an SRF car, but I'm not sure yet. Given the price of gas I might take the mighty Scion down there, even though it doesn't have Sirius. :)

Steve

[Cam]

Steve, Saturday and Sundays events at Willow are full. Are you saying there is one at Button on Sunday???. Man, Trojan and I are jonesing to run bud.

[Ozzie]

From what I've seen of Streets, though, I'm not in a big hurry to drive all the way down; it's a very tight track that I suspect wouldn't be a whole lot of fun in our cars.Au contraire mon jeune ami. Tackling the Streets at Willow is about as much fun as you can legally have in "our cars." Yeah, it's tight, technical, and very challenging, but, like that sweet young thing you recall every now and then, worth every second of it.

I love this track. Throwing our beasts around it is an absolute blast. If you ever have the chance to run this course, DO IT!

[Cam]

Au contraire mon jeune ami. Tackling the Streets at Willow is about as much fun as you can legally have in "our cars." Yeah, it's tight, technical, and very challenging, but, like that sweet young thing you recall every now and then, worth every second of it.

I love this track. Throwing our beasts around it is an absolute blast. If you ever have the chance to run this course, DO IT!

Well that sweet youngs things dance card is full for that weekend. :sad:

[Trojan]

??? The buttonwillow spot isnt a speedventure thing

But I know where theres a sweet young thing.....................:Na_Na_Na_Na:

[Cam]

??? The buttonwillow spot isnt a speedventure thing


I dun't care who's it is.................I just wanna dance.:boohoo::chickdance::hammer:

[Steve Levin]

Buttonwillow's running a "Holiday Test session" at I believe a $200 cost for both days...basically, it's like the Friday open tests, but run on Sat/Sun.

They split things into two run groups: Open Wheel and Closed Wheel. Lather, rinse, repeat every 20 minutes or so.

I'm actually thinking about getting an SRF car for track days (and maaaaaaaaaybe some racing) and I might have a chance to try one out on Sunday the 9th -- in which case I'll drive down. My wife actually has to be home on the 9th, otherwise I would have likely done both days up at Thunderhill.

Buttonwillow's a super-technical track. But open enough that the 120" wheelbase doesn't totally bind the car up and you can really go after it.

Steve

[Steve Levin]

I know some folks were at Cal Speedway this weekend, how was it?

Steve

[1fastsedan]

I know some folks were at Cal Speedway this weekend, how was it?

Steve
In short, it rocked. Here's more.
http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php?t=91433

[Steve Levin]

I'm suffering from remorse that I didn't go but I just didn't feel like giving SV the money right now.

That said, for those who will be home for the holidays it appears that GreenFlag will be running at Laguna Seca on the 22nd. Good news is that it's a Saturday, bad news is that a lot of people are out that weekend for the holiday.

I ran with GreenFlag over Thanksgiving at Buttonwillow and found it a decent group with a very low quotient of turbo 4 cylinders and the teenagers that seem to drive them.

Steve

[MattRobertson]

Who is this Green Flag?

I may be able to stop by that day. I live very near. But I'll be driving the car you see in my avatar. Just got back from SVS and I'll be lucky if my car is ready by the New Year.

[Steve Levin]

Green Flag driving (http://www.greenflagdriving.com/ is their lousy site that doesn't display in Firefox for me) is actually a pretty decent group of people.

There are a lot of race cars (vintage NASCAR, etc) as well as things like race prepped Vipers, etc. Unlike Speedventures, there's not a huge Evo/S2000/WRX contingent (not that those aren't good cars, but often they are driving by 18 year olds with way more money than brain cells). Broadly as a 40 year old nerd who lives in a house in Sunnyvale, I felt like I fit in pretty well (if on the low end of the financial scale).

You have more patience than I...I can't stand my car being out of service for a couple of days, much less a few months.

Steve

[nevinsrt]

Since people tend to think "Yank Tank" and "slow American car" when they first see an LX in the paddock of a road course, I thought I'd fire up a thread to discuss the various high performance driving events where there will be at least one LX going to provide moral support -- and to encourage other folks to bring their LX's to the track! I know that the first time can be a real unknown to people (it was for me!) and that going "with" someone can dramatically reduce concerns and worries.

Nov 1 -Thunderhill (Willows, CA) SL
Nov 3 -Buttonwillow (Buttonwillow, CA) SL
Nov 8 -Willow Springs (Rosamond, CA) SL
Nov 24 - Buttonwillow (Buttonwillow, CA) SL
Nov 25 - Buttonwillow (Buttonwillow, CA) SL
Dec 1 -California Speedway (Fontana, CA) DR
Dec 2 -California Speedway (Fontana, CA) DR
Dec 4 -Laguna Seca (Monterey, CA) MR,Cam,CV
Dec 8 -Thunderhill (Willows, CA) SL
Dec 9 -Thunderhill (Willows, CA) SL
Dec 22 - Laguna Seca (Monterey, CA) SL
Dec 29 - Buttonwillow (Buttonwillow, CA) SL

Index to attendees:
SL - Steve Levin
DR - DanRealtor
MR - MattRobertson
Cam - Cam
CV - CoolVanilla

I know some folks are going to the other dates but I don't want to arbitrarily want to put people's names there. Also, if there's non-Southwest Events please let me know and I'll list those.

For folks at all interested in the dates I'm attending, please feel free to PM me with any questions. Depending upon the size of yer noggin I have a spare helmet you might be able to use.

Steve

Steve i would love to go on the 2 left in the year but its too late of a notice and with Xmas around the corner but it you throw up roadcouse events starting in January it would give me a chance to plan ahead

I roadcouse out here in Albuquerque but there are no 6s, 8s, or 10s
that come out and play.
but there are 4 srt-4 that have driven the local course here but have not come back :loser:

i hate to say it but out here in the Abq area im the only SRT roadcousing

[Steve Levin]

Good point; to be honest I haven't fully planned out -- or at all January, really, but since you mention it, I'll at least toss some basic stuff I feel pretty confident about doing in there.

Steve

[nevinsrt]

Yea!!!!!!!

[Steve Levin]

Just made some cheanges by adding the organizations to the list; also, had to take myself off the 2/29 at Laguna Seca because I'm planning to be at the SCCA driving school at Thunderhill that weekend assuming all goes well.

Steve

[SRT8U]

I just did the Moroso Road Course event with the Porsche and BMW Owners club with my SRT8 yesterday...lets just say there were some surprised BMW, Porsche and Mustang owners out there lol. If you havent tracked your car you havent really driven it!

[Steve Levin]

You go out with folks like that and they tend to catch the "I *must* be faster than that American Sedan" syndrome...an illness which tends to lead to braking far too late to make the corner, spinning out on exit from the corner, and generally going off course, followed by asking you in the paddock "Please tell me that thing's modified?"

:)

Steve

[Steve Levin]

If anyone's going to be at Laguna tomorrow (Saturday the 22nd), I will be there...never done an HPDE there so I'm not sure how they lay the paddock out.

Steve

[Steve Levin]

Just thought I'd bump this thread for the 1/27 Thunderhill date.

I haven't added a lot of HPDE events because I've decided to focus on racing the Spec Racer Ford in 2008, but I will be at Thunderhill testing on the 27th, and then again in February, just because I need seat time in the car.

Steve