Trackside-Brandy
03-20-2015, 05:42 PM
Scottsdale Kicks-off the Season Opener to the Goodguys Autocross Season
Scottsdale, Arizona
March 13-15, 2015
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_1864_zpsvgsfezuq-1.jpg
The autocross was packed first thing Friday morning with all sorts of vehicles waiting for tech. Chad and I flew in Friday morning after covering the RideTech 48 Hour Corvette build, which delayed the autocross about an hour, but allowed for everyone to get situated before racing.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5590_zps81dbuf5n-1.jpg
One important change in the Goodguys Autocross schedule is that the times have changed to allow for longer track days. Friday and Saturday the track goes hot from 8am-5pm with a break between 12-1 for lunch. Sunday the start time is 8am, but the track shuts down at 1pm to allow for awards and clean-up before the venue closes. You can find further details on their website at: https://www.good-guys.com/goodguys-autocross
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_1955_zpsvevckcgc-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5580_zpsp4wi0cri-1.jpg
The Pro Class included 5 drivers Friday morning. These drivers automatically earned their way into the Pro Class for 2015 by qualifying for the shootout last November in Scottsdale. Drivers such as Kyle Tucker of Detroit Speed and Engineering were familiar to the Pro Class. Tucker was unstoppable throughout the weekend securing a Pro Class and overall win with a 64.850 lap time. We want to congratulate him and Detroit Speed and Engineering for all their hard work. It definitely showed in Scottsdale.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_1912_zpsfwwcjuyx-1.jpg
Others such as Marshall Machado secured their spot into the Pro Class last minute before the Duel in the Dessert Shootout, allowing them to continue to run in the Pro Class for 2015. What are the advantages of running in the Pro Class you might ask? First off, you get to run more often than the other classes. Pros run on the hour every hour. Furthermore the crowds are fairly large when the Pro Class runs, getting you and your car more exposure. One downfall to the Pro Class; running alongside some of the best in the pro-touring community. Many may see this as a huge disadvantage, though running in the Pro Class could definitely help push you to become a better driver by getting more seat time while also learning from some of the best in the industry.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_2029_zpsqrhxhki9-1.jpg
It was an honor to run alongside Robbie and Al Unser Jr. Both were behind the wheel of the Speedway Nova in Scottsdale. They were constantly dialing in the car; making one change at a time to see what worked best for the track conditions and getting faster throughout the weekend.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5767_zpsrgi2pnar-1.jpg
Mark Allen was also present with his beautiful ‘67 Camaro. He was putting down some pretty quick lap times which secured him a third place win in the Pro Class.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5790_zps5nropl9l-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5942_zpsgwo22fs7-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled6028_zpsdstmj9d0-1.jpg
Street Machine Class was obviously the largest class. There were several Cobras, Corvettes and quite a few smaller vehicles that did well on the tight technical course.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled6192_zpswvzkoryt-1.jpg
For those familiar with the Goodguys autocross, your first thought when attending Scottsdale might be the “peanut.” Many were surprised when arriving at the track to see a completely different layout that was very technical. Right off the starting line the course went into a long straight with a right and then left hairpin. The course also included a short slalom, a left sweeper and several other hairpins. It was a much longer course, averaging about 70+/- seconds in duration.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_2225_zpsc1njqozp-1.jpg
Kevin Daigle in his ’65 Shelby Cobra secured his first place spot on Friday in the Street Machine Class. Due to some mechanical issues, Daigle chose not to run on Saturday, but there was obviously no need to with his quick time of 64.993. He also placed second overall which was a huge accomplishment.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_2132_zpso5yzrb4y-1.jpg
Chris Hall was also one to watch in his ’68 Pontiac Firebird. He got down to 66.917 seconds on Saturday, securing him second place. The car photographed beautifully and we can’t wait to see him out again on track.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5888_zpsszmm9e3x-1.jpg
Richard Trujillo had prior obligations on Friday, but showed up Saturday to put his Hotchkis equipped ’69 Mustang to the test. His first lap of the day was in the 69 second range, faster than most people who ran on Friday. Trujillo was able to get down to a 67.865, securing him a third place win in the Street Machine Class. I have a feeling Trujillo might be one to watch in the upcoming Goodguys events here on the west coast.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5954_zpsslnheujj-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled6017_zpsxgzbo6wo-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5995_zpsimdce1hs-1.jpg
There were twenty-seven competitors in the Street Machine Class Saturday. The pits were packed, but drivers started to disappear by lunch. By mid afternoon there were only a handful of drivers, which meant tons of seat time for those who stuck it out for the later session.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5875_zpsrbot6xpg-1.jpg
The Truck Class was surprisingly large at Scottsdale. It has been encouraging to watch this class grow over the past couple years. I brought the C10R out to see what it could do on a Goodguys autocross. This was only the trucks fourth event since it’s SEMA debut and I was overly happy with the results. We secured a first place win and moved into the Pro Class. Though we have our work cut out to keep up many of these Pro Class Drivers, I have faith in the truck and that we will only get better with each event.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5636_zpstkquou8q-1.jpg
Rich Damp in his ’61 Ford F-100 and Dan Glauser in his ’69 C-10 put on quite a show as they battled for second place. Damp had some pretty quick laps come Saturday and it showed as he secured second place in the Truck Class.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5927_zpszxgq6eun-1.jpg
Glauser on the other hand was awesome to watch. It was a father and son team that ran the truck in Scottsdale. The truck had a turbo 4.8L LS motor and turned heads every time it went around the track. Apparently the truck is their shop truck, which makes it even better to watch.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5742_zpsa8qvryz6-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5966_zpswbcll9xv-1.jpg
Once again we want to recognize all the other trucks that ran at Scottsdale. We hope to see that class continue to grow throughout the year.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled6242_zpsmxtjyrnh-1.jpg
Cameron Bishop was the loan competitor in the Hot Rod Class with his ’32 Chevy Sedan. Not only did it get a lot of attention because it was the only car running in that class, but you have to admit; it’s pretty cool. Bishop did a great job running and got down to a 73.026 on Saturday. We were glad to see that the Hot Rod class did not go without a win.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_2420_zpsc1bqrnp9-1.jpg
Sunday brought the late model cars out to the track. I know there has been some heated debate about All American Sunday, but one thing to keep in mind is that by doing this, it continues to grow our sport and our industry. There were quite a few late model vehicles out racing and honestly, they did pretty well compared to the other competition throughout the weekend. Though almost half of the thirty-seven late model competitors were in the exhibition class, those who were eligible to compete held their own. Marshall Machado, who ran Friday in his ’70 Corvette, brought out his ’04 Corvette that he had just purchased and got down to a 66.033 second time; almost three seconds faster than his time on Friday. Needless to say he secured the win for the All American Sunday Class and went home very happy.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_1939_zpsm2alaqs5-1.jpg
Overall, Scottsdale was a great way to kickoff the Goodguys season. As the year continues we will see more competition, new builds come out and race, and some drivers get better (like myself- I hope…). I will be at all the west coast Goodguys events this year, so if you are out, feel free to stop by the autocross and say hello. Pro-Touring.com looks forward to a great year. Make sure to check back for more coverage across the country on our social media sites and right here in our forum.
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s385.photobucket.com/user/protouringdotcom/embed/slideshow/Pro-Touring%20Events%202015/Goodguys%20Scottsdale%20March%202015"></iframe>
Lastly, I want to apologize for the delay on getting this out. We are slowly getting back in the swing of things with the start of the pro-touring race season. I want to thank Terry Lysak who was out shooting for the forum in Socttsdale while I took another role and raced my truck. Needless to say the recovery between the 48 Hour Corvette Build and Goodguys was longer than expected. I also want to thank Chris Hall for getting the results up on the forum. In case you missed the results, I've posted them in a reply to this post.
If anyone else has videos or photos they'd like to post from last weekend's event, please feel free to do so in this post as well.
Scottsdale, Arizona
March 13-15, 2015
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_1864_zpsvgsfezuq-1.jpg
The autocross was packed first thing Friday morning with all sorts of vehicles waiting for tech. Chad and I flew in Friday morning after covering the RideTech 48 Hour Corvette build, which delayed the autocross about an hour, but allowed for everyone to get situated before racing.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5590_zps81dbuf5n-1.jpg
One important change in the Goodguys Autocross schedule is that the times have changed to allow for longer track days. Friday and Saturday the track goes hot from 8am-5pm with a break between 12-1 for lunch. Sunday the start time is 8am, but the track shuts down at 1pm to allow for awards and clean-up before the venue closes. You can find further details on their website at: https://www.good-guys.com/goodguys-autocross
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_1955_zpsvevckcgc-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5580_zpsp4wi0cri-1.jpg
The Pro Class included 5 drivers Friday morning. These drivers automatically earned their way into the Pro Class for 2015 by qualifying for the shootout last November in Scottsdale. Drivers such as Kyle Tucker of Detroit Speed and Engineering were familiar to the Pro Class. Tucker was unstoppable throughout the weekend securing a Pro Class and overall win with a 64.850 lap time. We want to congratulate him and Detroit Speed and Engineering for all their hard work. It definitely showed in Scottsdale.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_1912_zpsfwwcjuyx-1.jpg
Others such as Marshall Machado secured their spot into the Pro Class last minute before the Duel in the Dessert Shootout, allowing them to continue to run in the Pro Class for 2015. What are the advantages of running in the Pro Class you might ask? First off, you get to run more often than the other classes. Pros run on the hour every hour. Furthermore the crowds are fairly large when the Pro Class runs, getting you and your car more exposure. One downfall to the Pro Class; running alongside some of the best in the pro-touring community. Many may see this as a huge disadvantage, though running in the Pro Class could definitely help push you to become a better driver by getting more seat time while also learning from some of the best in the industry.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_2029_zpsqrhxhki9-1.jpg
It was an honor to run alongside Robbie and Al Unser Jr. Both were behind the wheel of the Speedway Nova in Scottsdale. They were constantly dialing in the car; making one change at a time to see what worked best for the track conditions and getting faster throughout the weekend.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5767_zpsrgi2pnar-1.jpg
Mark Allen was also present with his beautiful ‘67 Camaro. He was putting down some pretty quick lap times which secured him a third place win in the Pro Class.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5790_zps5nropl9l-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5942_zpsgwo22fs7-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled6028_zpsdstmj9d0-1.jpg
Street Machine Class was obviously the largest class. There were several Cobras, Corvettes and quite a few smaller vehicles that did well on the tight technical course.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled6192_zpswvzkoryt-1.jpg
For those familiar with the Goodguys autocross, your first thought when attending Scottsdale might be the “peanut.” Many were surprised when arriving at the track to see a completely different layout that was very technical. Right off the starting line the course went into a long straight with a right and then left hairpin. The course also included a short slalom, a left sweeper and several other hairpins. It was a much longer course, averaging about 70+/- seconds in duration.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_2225_zpsc1njqozp-1.jpg
Kevin Daigle in his ’65 Shelby Cobra secured his first place spot on Friday in the Street Machine Class. Due to some mechanical issues, Daigle chose not to run on Saturday, but there was obviously no need to with his quick time of 64.993. He also placed second overall which was a huge accomplishment.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_2132_zpso5yzrb4y-1.jpg
Chris Hall was also one to watch in his ’68 Pontiac Firebird. He got down to 66.917 seconds on Saturday, securing him second place. The car photographed beautifully and we can’t wait to see him out again on track.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5888_zpsszmm9e3x-1.jpg
Richard Trujillo had prior obligations on Friday, but showed up Saturday to put his Hotchkis equipped ’69 Mustang to the test. His first lap of the day was in the 69 second range, faster than most people who ran on Friday. Trujillo was able to get down to a 67.865, securing him a third place win in the Street Machine Class. I have a feeling Trujillo might be one to watch in the upcoming Goodguys events here on the west coast.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5954_zpsslnheujj-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled6017_zpsxgzbo6wo-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5995_zpsimdce1hs-1.jpg
There were twenty-seven competitors in the Street Machine Class Saturday. The pits were packed, but drivers started to disappear by lunch. By mid afternoon there were only a handful of drivers, which meant tons of seat time for those who stuck it out for the later session.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5875_zpsrbot6xpg-1.jpg
The Truck Class was surprisingly large at Scottsdale. It has been encouraging to watch this class grow over the past couple years. I brought the C10R out to see what it could do on a Goodguys autocross. This was only the trucks fourth event since it’s SEMA debut and I was overly happy with the results. We secured a first place win and moved into the Pro Class. Though we have our work cut out to keep up many of these Pro Class Drivers, I have faith in the truck and that we will only get better with each event.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5636_zpstkquou8q-1.jpg
Rich Damp in his ’61 Ford F-100 and Dan Glauser in his ’69 C-10 put on quite a show as they battled for second place. Damp had some pretty quick laps come Saturday and it showed as he secured second place in the Truck Class.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5927_zpszxgq6eun-1.jpg
Glauser on the other hand was awesome to watch. It was a father and son team that ran the truck in Scottsdale. The truck had a turbo 4.8L LS motor and turned heads every time it went around the track. Apparently the truck is their shop truck, which makes it even better to watch.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5742_zpsa8qvryz6-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled5966_zpswbcll9xv-1.jpg
Once again we want to recognize all the other trucks that ran at Scottsdale. We hope to see that class continue to grow throughout the year.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/untitled6242_zpsmxtjyrnh-1.jpg
Cameron Bishop was the loan competitor in the Hot Rod Class with his ’32 Chevy Sedan. Not only did it get a lot of attention because it was the only car running in that class, but you have to admit; it’s pretty cool. Bishop did a great job running and got down to a 73.026 on Saturday. We were glad to see that the Hot Rod class did not go without a win.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_2420_zpsc1bqrnp9-1.jpg
Sunday brought the late model cars out to the track. I know there has been some heated debate about All American Sunday, but one thing to keep in mind is that by doing this, it continues to grow our sport and our industry. There were quite a few late model vehicles out racing and honestly, they did pretty well compared to the other competition throughout the weekend. Though almost half of the thirty-seven late model competitors were in the exhibition class, those who were eligible to compete held their own. Marshall Machado, who ran Friday in his ’70 Corvette, brought out his ’04 Corvette that he had just purchased and got down to a 66.033 second time; almost three seconds faster than his time on Friday. Needless to say he secured the win for the All American Sunday Class and went home very happy.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/03/IMG_1939_zpsm2alaqs5-1.jpg
Overall, Scottsdale was a great way to kickoff the Goodguys season. As the year continues we will see more competition, new builds come out and race, and some drivers get better (like myself- I hope…). I will be at all the west coast Goodguys events this year, so if you are out, feel free to stop by the autocross and say hello. Pro-Touring.com looks forward to a great year. Make sure to check back for more coverage across the country on our social media sites and right here in our forum.
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s385.photobucket.com/user/protouringdotcom/embed/slideshow/Pro-Touring%20Events%202015/Goodguys%20Scottsdale%20March%202015"></iframe>
Lastly, I want to apologize for the delay on getting this out. We are slowly getting back in the swing of things with the start of the pro-touring race season. I want to thank Terry Lysak who was out shooting for the forum in Socttsdale while I took another role and raced my truck. Needless to say the recovery between the 48 Hour Corvette Build and Goodguys was longer than expected. I also want to thank Chris Hall for getting the results up on the forum. In case you missed the results, I've posted them in a reply to this post.
If anyone else has videos or photos they'd like to post from last weekend's event, please feel free to do so in this post as well.