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View Full Version : Speed ventures Dec 17 Calif Speedway



alcino
10-05-2004, 08:38 AM
Was thinking of going to this. I would rather go to Willow Springs because of the cost and difficulty level, but coming from San Diego the drive seems a bit much and California Speedway is half way. This will be my first time on a road course. Anyone thinking of going or have some tips for preperation (street tires ok, speeds people will reach, etc)? I've done autocrossing so I'm not a complete rookie.

At the moment I'm upgrading my stock 9" rotors and drums to wilwood 12.19 discs all around. Seems everyone recommends good brakes for the road courses.

Alcino
76 Mustang Cobra II

spanky the wondermuffin
10-06-2004, 06:15 AM
have fun.drink a lot of powerade.my big tip would be to run brake cooling hoses.small brakes with good airflow will work better than monsters without.i run 12.19 front and rear.front 1.25 curved vane,rear .810 straight vane.if you are using dynalite calipers get the forged dynalites,much stronger.if your tires are goog enough for autox they'll do for road course.just don't press them too hard.what size are your wheels?i might have some old race rubber you can have.

alcino
10-06-2004, 08:48 AM
My wheels are 15x8 with 205/50/15 in the front and 15x10 275/50/15 in the rear. Am I the only one on 15 inch wheels? At the time they were an awsome upgrade from the 13" the car had, but now I want z rated tires and there are none for my rear setup.

Also my calipers will be the forged kind.

Anyway thanks for the offer and info Spanky.

Alcino
Lakeside,CA(San Diego)

JonB69FB
10-26-2004, 11:25 AM
I will probably be attending this event (as well as the Streets of Willow event).

For your first time I'd really recommend Streets of Willow rather than California Speedway. Cal Speedway is an extremely indimidating track, with lots of walls, super high speeds, and long straights leading up to 90deg turns. I had a lot more fun (and learned more) at Streets even though my car is better suited to a track like California Speedway. The drive to Streets isn't too bad--if you've ever made the haul up to LACR from San Diego it's only another 30 minutes or so to Willow Springs.

Also, Streets is a *lot* cheaper. Either way, hope to see you at the track!

Salt Racer
10-27-2004, 12:36 PM
...The drive to Streets isn't too bad--if you've ever made the haul up to LACR from San Diego it's only another 30 minutes or so to Willow Springs....

Heck, I'm driving 1200+miles to Willow Springs from WA! Come on out!

I'm busting my arse off trying to get my car ready now. Hope to see you guys there.

CarlC
10-27-2004, 03:31 PM
Which "Streets" date are you guys going to?

I'm starting to get withdrawls.... :drive:

Salt Racer
10-28-2004, 05:41 AM
Nov. 12th event.

I don't think I can finish all the stuff I wanted to do in time, but I already paid registration fee so I'll be there no matter what!

JonB69FB
10-28-2004, 07:02 AM
Which "Streets" date are you guys going to?

I'm starting to get withdrawls.... :drive:

Ditto on Nov. 12th. I've got my TKO-600 swap done, and just need to do an alignment, change the oil, check the valves, and flush the brake fluid (basically a weekend's work).

spanky the wondermuffin
10-28-2004, 07:28 AM
i'm going to decline the streets event as i have a date at thunderhill on the 15th.honk and wave katz as the I-5 runs right through my back yard.i have 4 victoracers 265/45/16 to donate if anyone can use them.there is a 33% off first time event and free membership coupon available for the t'hill event if anyone is interested.i'm waiting till the last minute to sign up as the weather has been really wet so far this fall and i don't have extra rims for my rain tires.i can provide shelter for your car katz in case the pass is closed by weather on your way back.i'm in mt.shasta.(i also have a trailer-not that your car would ever break,but you may decide my truck needs tested)

Salt Racer
10-28-2004, 12:31 PM
Thanks John! (or Jon?) I'm heading outta here on 4th and stop by in Vegas to meet few people. I'll stay at my friend's place in Kerman and work on their open road race/Bonneville truck until the Willow event. I'd love to stop by at your place on the way back and meet you in person. I hope I wouldn't break my car but if I did, I may have to take your offer.

Wish I can borrow your tires but unfortunately, I can't fit rims smaller than 18s (due to backspace requirement, tall spindles, and new brakes). This time around, I'll have to run on BFG KDWS with UTQG wear rating on 400 :eek: but I'll have fun!

I'll send you a PM later.

David Pozzi
10-29-2004, 06:53 PM
Nov 12-13 at Willow spr big track will have a vintage race event featuring Can-Am cars. I may go down to watch.

I checked the willow spr web site schedule and it doesn't show anything for the 12th???
http://www.willowspringsraceway.com/eventcalendars/eventcalendars.asp
David

CarlC
10-30-2004, 10:14 AM
David,

Check here http://www.speedventures.net/11-12-2004_event.asp

Let's talk next week.

CarlC
11-05-2004, 09:06 PM
I'm in! :3gears:

How about a semi-final head count?

JonB69FB
11-06-2004, 02:20 AM
I'm there for sure.

angels spear
11-11-2004, 07:25 PM
What time are you guys gonna be there at Willow Springs?
If I can take off tomarrow i would like to come to meet you there. I hope I'm not late posting this.

CarlC
11-11-2004, 09:37 PM
Check-in starts at 7:00 am. It should run most of the day.

alcino
12-02-2004, 01:08 PM
hello,
HAH! looks like my thread got slightly highjacked. No biggie. Just wanted to let you guys know that I'm signed up for cal speedway this dec 17. I will be in the yellow group, since this is my first time road coursing. Who else will be there? JonathonB, you got your rig back together?

Anyway if you see some one in a blue 76 mustang sliding around the track on street tires, come say hello.


Alcino

Salt Racer
12-02-2004, 01:37 PM
Damn you CA guys! The season is over up here in north and I'm freezing my arse in chilly 35*F temp! I'm so jealous of you guys in south...

Alcino,
SV changed yellow group into Performance driving school type deal starting on last SOWS event, and this is mandatory for track newbies. You'll start off with classroom lectures, ride along in instructors' cars, ducks in a row (following instructor in your own car), then you'll get two 15-min solo sessions. Obviously you won't get as much track time as W, B, R groups and I was initially bummed about it, but the school was well worth the trade off. And if I'm not mistaken, they'll let you bump into W group in the afternoon if you get comfortable enough (I should have known...)

Before you head out to the track, read Ross Bentley's book "Speed Secret" if you haven't done so. It's an excellent book, and will get you much better prepared both mentally and physically (another thing I really should have known...)

You guys drive safe and have fun!!

JonB69FB
12-03-2004, 11:08 PM
Alcino, I'm not going to make it. Just got my head gaskets yesterday and none of the power steering stuff has shown up. I'm too busy at work to take a Friday off anyway.

Did you get the pictures we took of your car?

dennis68
12-04-2004, 04:10 PM
My buddy at work is at Willows today and heading to Cal on the 17th, anybody know exactly what is being run at Cal. They something like the whole track plus the bowl? The tri-oval is 2.0 miles and they are saying the whole track plus the bowl is 1.9 or something. Just trying to figure out if the SV event is the inner track and the tri-oval or just the inner track or ?????

I guess SV had a Mitsu event scheduled for this weekend and not enough entries so they turned it into an open track event. I should have some good video of a 400+ RWHP true road course 1st gen next week. Funny, he actually techs and instructs on occasion for the Nevada high speed runs, the guy at SV said since it's his 1st time running with them he would have to hot lap with an instructor before they turned him loose. He laughed and said "good, I get to scare the **** out of somebody 1st thing Sat morning".

CarlC
12-04-2004, 04:51 PM
I won't be there either. Work has me buried.

Jon has some video of the CS event somewhere. FAST FAST FAST.

alcino
12-04-2004, 05:52 PM
jonb- yes I did get those pics of my car you took. Those are the best pics of my car yet. BTW I tried playing a video link you made of you driving around cal-speedway viewed from the stands, but it did not work.

All- So is it going to be lame since this is my first time and I'm in the yellow group? I don't like the idea of someone holding my hand while I sit in the passenger seat, I came to drive. I guess I will prepare mentally to be irratated for my few minutes that they let me loose on the track. Can't believe that I will get to go on the banked oval that the nascar greats get to zoom around on.

CarlC
12-05-2004, 09:57 AM
If it's your first track day I highly suggest using the experience of the teachers as much as possible. It will make your learning curve much easier. Going fast around the track is much more mental than it is right foot. Since they don't know who you are it's understandable that they want to qualify your abilities. You would not want some thrasher on the coarse at the same time as you, right?

Attend the drivers meeting. Ask questions. Be polite. Let people pass. Ask for help from the Red group. See if you can go on multiple passenger seat rides in the Red group to learn the lines. :wrc:

alcino
12-21-2004, 10:42 AM
Just wanted to update everyone, I'm back from my first ever road coursing adventure. And was it an adventure. I woke at 3am to drive from San Diego to Fontana. When I finally got to the track I was overwhelmed with the size of it.

The JGTC(Japanese Gran Touring Circuit?) cars had stolen our designated garage spots and also proceeded to irritate us for the rest of the day with there needing track time and parking spaces for all their equipment and to satisfy the crews of media, making us move our cars and stuff more than twice. I was part of the school of speed and because of that I lost a round of racing for classroom lecture on driving. In the room JGTC drivers kept entering and distracting the class. Then we got completely booted out when JGTC announced they needed the room for their drivers meeting which ended our classroom session abruptly. Also since the schedule was almost an hour behind thus axing the Ducks in a row. At least I got the instructor to drive my car with me. I was amazed at how well he adjusted to my cars quirks to show me the line. He was very helpful in showing my mistakes and helping me correct them. I would say it is worth having an instructor on any new track.

This is a fun track, but defiantly a horsepower track. My car at the moment is lucky to be pumping out 200hp and I was a sitting duck on every straightaway. Even though my car was the slowest (speed wise) I was able to beat out a few people in overall time with some skills and wilwood brakes in the corners. There was this 2003 ss camaro that I had to slow down behind just to frustratingly see him blow my doors on the long banked straight.

The day was great and now I'm hooked even though the JGTC tried to sabotage the event. There was one more round at sunset but my engine had developed a vibration and a slapping noise from the bottom end. Probably my higher than normal g-loads on a stock unbaffled oil pan was the cause. So I called it a day and limped her home at 50mph. I think I was the only pro-touring guy out their. No other vintage American iron.

Salt Racer
12-21-2004, 01:38 PM
I was reading the conflicts SV guys and JGTC guys had over at SV forum. Didn't realize it was that bad. That sucks.

But good to hear you had a good time. We do need more PT guys out there. OT event is really fun. Once you do it, there's no turning back!