If you guys want to come out and watch these guys race, IRDC - International Race Drivers Club at pacific raceway. I'll be hanging out there w/a few guys around noonish. Sunday is suppose to be nice! 
Sunday 3rd
- Thread starter nsx#75
- Start date
I might make it out there I will have some old time friends out there this weekend and I should turn in my lisence form while I'm out there.
Cool! We have so many questions to ask you about club racing! :smile:
Not a problem I will plan on being there by noon, my first formula ford will be there also in the hands of my best racing friend Mike Allen who bought the car a few years ago a 1985
Reynard originally owened by Jan Beekhus. I was the third owner in 1990 and Jan gave me great advice over the years.
Reynard originally owened by Jan Beekhus. I was the third owner in 1990 and Jan gave me great advice over the years.
Thanks a bunch Rick and Debbie for coming out! Bill and I had such a great time, learned a lot. Bill couldn't stop talking about you on the way home...you guys are so cool. Nice home and awesome racing machine you have! :smile: I hope to meet you guys again soon.
Hey we had a great time also, there were a lot of old friends we hadn't had the chance to see in awhile. The smell of high octane fuel, buring fiberglass, burning rubber and clutches we miss after a 2 year hiatus and are itching to get back. It was fun to have you over and bench race (racer talking sessions) . Buy the Carrol Smith books and dog ear the sections you need to reread, start with "Prepare to Win" as you have to finish the races first to learn how to get to the pointy end of the grid. I enjoyed watching you guys drool over my Atlantic and can't wait for you to join me in a session becuase once you hear this monster lit off you will get the biggest smile you've had for a while! This is the first step to getting in a race car your self and enjoying the crap out of it. Remember keep the shiny side up and you are welcome anytime, we will be there to help you through the learning stage and becoming self sufficient. We really want to see you guys compete and we don't care what type of car you choose just get out there!
Question: Is Arnon being turned to dark side??
Arnon when you are ready to get to IRDC, I'm interested to tag along, maybe we could share a race miata or civic, something inexpensive. I know I can't do alone with my mortgage and my work.:wink:
Arnon when you are ready to get to IRDC, I'm interested to tag along, maybe we could share a race miata or civic, something inexpensive. I know I can't do alone with my mortgage and my work.:wink:
Hey I like the dark side comment:smile:!
Really though I think Arnon has just found out that racing is cheaper than you think! I spend about 5K a year to run my Atlantic engine wise that is and about 3K for the rest of it (6 races). Arnon and buddy saw my ex - formula ford purchased for 10K in 1989 and the cost to run that puppy was 3K a year for 8 races West coast. Much cheaper than my Atlantic and cheaper than some of the stuff we buy for our NSX's. I willing to help any one of you guys get started and maintain your cars, if you are willing to maintain it yourself it is probably the same amount you spend tracking your NSX.
Oh and by the way in 1998 I paid 11K as a roller for my Atlantic at a fire sale for a poor guy getting divorced, so even though new cars are (100k)wow money! You can get a good used car formula car for 10 - 15K and then enjoy the heck out of it. But it must be a good car. That is where I come in teching you how to find a good car. Now most of you will go all out to find parts or a NSX so guess what you already have the hardest part down. Next an IRDC driver school is cost effective way to get started and a novice (racing) permit to test at Seattle and Portland cheaper than than your track days!
Test and tune days for a club member is $200.00 for the first driver and if you share a car it is $150.00 for the second driver. now I'm talking formula car prices here and cars with doors tend to cost a little more to purchase but can be just as inexpensive to run. The tuning and setup of a car is not that hard as Arnon saw I have all of my own equipment including alignment gear. Buy Carrol Smith's "Prepare to Win" and read this puppy to digest what you have not already figured out and you are on your way, everyone is friendly out there and will give you a helping hand it is a club for goodness sake! I started with a Longacre castor camber guage(I still have) and ruggle scales (300 bones) and four jack stands and fishing line to align my car and won my third novice race tuning and running my car by myself! I did this for 10 years before getting the Atlantic and still tune my car my self except for race weekends when my friend and crew chief Mike Demski runs my car to let me focus on driving this monster. This is required for this type of car because it is NOT a Hobby Car! I really stepped into with this unit but you cannot wipe the smile off my face for weeks after a race or a test session as my wife will attest! But really gusy you can do this and man will you really be able to drive your NSX in anger once you learn these techniques, these are the closest to a formula car feel you can get on the street and I wished I had gotten one sooner!
Really though I think Arnon has just found out that racing is cheaper than you think! I spend about 5K a year to run my Atlantic engine wise that is and about 3K for the rest of it (6 races). Arnon and buddy saw my ex - formula ford purchased for 10K in 1989 and the cost to run that puppy was 3K a year for 8 races West coast. Much cheaper than my Atlantic and cheaper than some of the stuff we buy for our NSX's. I willing to help any one of you guys get started and maintain your cars, if you are willing to maintain it yourself it is probably the same amount you spend tracking your NSX.
Oh and by the way in 1998 I paid 11K as a roller for my Atlantic at a fire sale for a poor guy getting divorced, so even though new cars are (100k)wow money! You can get a good used car formula car for 10 - 15K and then enjoy the heck out of it. But it must be a good car. That is where I come in teching you how to find a good car. Now most of you will go all out to find parts or a NSX so guess what you already have the hardest part down. Next an IRDC driver school is cost effective way to get started and a novice (racing) permit to test at Seattle and Portland cheaper than than your track days!
Test and tune days for a club member is $200.00 for the first driver and if you share a car it is $150.00 for the second driver. now I'm talking formula car prices here and cars with doors tend to cost a little more to purchase but can be just as inexpensive to run. The tuning and setup of a car is not that hard as Arnon saw I have all of my own equipment including alignment gear. Buy Carrol Smith's "Prepare to Win" and read this puppy to digest what you have not already figured out and you are on your way, everyone is friendly out there and will give you a helping hand it is a club for goodness sake! I started with a Longacre castor camber guage(I still have) and ruggle scales (300 bones) and four jack stands and fishing line to align my car and won my third novice race tuning and running my car by myself! I did this for 10 years before getting the Atlantic and still tune my car my self except for race weekends when my friend and crew chief Mike Demski runs my car to let me focus on driving this monster. This is required for this type of car because it is NOT a Hobby Car! I really stepped into with this unit but you cannot wipe the smile off my face for weeks after a race or a test session as my wife will attest! But really gusy you can do this and man will you really be able to drive your NSX in anger once you learn these techniques, these are the closest to a formula car feel you can get on the street and I wished I had gotten one sooner!
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Sure Ferran, you have got to meet Rick! Bill was interested in racing and I was just tagging along and set him up with Rick(i don't even have a car yet)...Bill is checking and will let us know when the next novice class is taken place. We also p/u a phone number of a guy that build race ready car for these events.
Rick, I saw Bill today at work...he still have smile on his face from yesterday. You made an old & grumpy man happy :biggrin:
Rick, I saw Bill today at work...he still have smile on his face from yesterday. You made an old & grumpy man happy :biggrin:
Thanks Arnon, that brings a warm feeling to me, I remember my early days at Fort Ord when my Dad was stationed there and he took a seven year old to see a Can Am race and the same warm feeling from the racers there talking to a wide eyed kid digesting everything said to me about learning science, math to prepare me for a career allowing me to afford to race and the knowledge base to race a car or be involved in motor racing. Today I would be neck deep in the sport as an occupation instead of aerospace but race careers have evolved greatly since my career started and the job opportunities today would have changed my career path.
I look forward to seeing the car selection you guys come up with and the class selection, remember this is a big chess game and do your homework well, the race is one in the shop with excellent preparation and seat time not just money! anyone who tells you otherwise has not been in the sport long or doesn't get it. Calibration of your mass accelerometer (your butt) is the key to driving fast you must feel the car and become one with the machine. The "Drive to Win" book will give you excellent insights and "Prepare to Win" is a must because the vehicle dynamics aspect is important to your driving skills. When you are at the track and someone blows you off the turn, go talk to them about their approach they will more than likely expalin it to you! My friend Mike you met and I were racing down the hill into 3a and Mike outbraked me into 3a and our cars had identical braking system per the rules, his simple comment was were you in gear braking? I went off and thought about it and the light bulb illuminated in my mind I was braking against the engine also and not in neutral so my system had extra work to overcome and his didn't. Mike never outbraked me again!
I look forward to seeing the car selection you guys come up with and the class selection, remember this is a big chess game and do your homework well, the race is one in the shop with excellent preparation and seat time not just money! anyone who tells you otherwise has not been in the sport long or doesn't get it. Calibration of your mass accelerometer (your butt) is the key to driving fast you must feel the car and become one with the machine. The "Drive to Win" book will give you excellent insights and "Prepare to Win" is a must because the vehicle dynamics aspect is important to your driving skills. When you are at the track and someone blows you off the turn, go talk to them about their approach they will more than likely expalin it to you! My friend Mike you met and I were racing down the hill into 3a and Mike outbraked me into 3a and our cars had identical braking system per the rules, his simple comment was were you in gear braking? I went off and thought about it and the light bulb illuminated in my mind I was braking against the engine also and not in neutral so my system had extra work to overcome and his didn't. Mike never outbraked me again!
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i totally agreed seat time and right learning is very important...
and then most of the race happens in weekends. So my agenda is tagged along with someone, and then at the mean time trying to find a job that I can take weekends off. (which is unlikely)
nothing will make you faster in racing environment, not to mention it being fun. I can't wait to have a chance to attend my first race.. (dream on dream on again.)
and then most of the race happens in weekends. So my agenda is tagged along with someone, and then at the mean time trying to find a job that I can take weekends off. (which is unlikely)
nothing will make you faster in racing environment, not to mention it being fun. I can't wait to have a chance to attend my first race.. (dream on dream on again.)
Well my license form is going off today after talking to to license director last night. So I will be back in the saddle for the September Portland race with the goal to finish and not break to much that weekend:wink:, should go well if anyone is inerested in attending:smile:!