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View Full Version : What a summer.. a big thanks to those the made it possible! videos



Steve1968LS2
10-04-2009, 11:58 AM
Man, it was a crazy hectic summer, but worth every dollar.

I shipped my car back east in early May for the Gingerman event and it stayed back there until just last week, nearly 5 months. And while Intercity Lines moved it the big distance I had a lot of people step up to help move the car around once back there. Without them I never would of had this great experience.

Driving the 120 mile tail-of-the-dragon cruise at the RTTH event was a highlight.. even if it was in the rain with no wipers.

So I would like to thank:

Scott and the team at Motor State Distributing for holding my car prior to Gingerman, what a great group of gearheads!

Bill Howell and Yancy Johns for moving Penny from MI to Dayton Ohio. Would also like to thank Dave Schardt at Forgeline for storing my car until the Columbus Goodguys event and for swapping on my tires! Also, thanks to Yancy for storing Penny and always willing to help wth the logisticts. Thanks to Bill for putting on a kick ass event (less rain next time though, ok?)

Mark Bowler and Tom McBride for holding my car at thier shop in IL and especially to Tom for doing such a kick ass job on some wiring issues I had. I looked up under the dash yesterday and it's all as neat as can be. They were also nice enough to haul my car to the Run Through the Hills event and then back to thier shop until Intercity could truck it back to CA.

Mary and David Pozzi who took delivery of Penny. David has been instrumental in getting my car together and working right and Mary has made me a much better driver. Plus they show me what my car is capable of.

Nick Licata for putting up with my wacky ideas and for driving the crap out of Penny at the Run Through The Hills V event and for not rubbing it in too much that he's faster in my car than I am. lol

Intercity Lines for being so easy to work with.

Sorry if I forgot anyone.. the summer was all a blur.

So, we managed to hit the following events:

Motor State Challenge in MI
Goodguys Nationals in OH
Bowler Autocross extraveganza in IL
Run Through The Hills V in TN

Not a bad way to spend the summer. In three of the four autocross events Penny had the fastest lap time. Once with me, once with David Pozzi and once with Nick Licata. That girl sure gets around.

Penny got back home (to the Pozzi's shop) last monday and four days later we had the car at Buttonwillow Raceway for some "find out what needs fixin' laps"

We confirmed our shock valving is jacked up and I confiremed that I should have gone early to do a bolt check on the car. Rear caliper mount came undone and ended our day early. hey, stuff happens. We had put on race pads and thought the vibration was up front, maybe warped rotors. In reality it was the left rear caliper having fits. Hindsight really is 20/20.

Were going to autocross the next day, but Penny is now on the injured reserved list until I buy a couple of brake parts. Oh well, you can't make omlets without breaking eggs. Spent yesterday with the Pozzi's cleaning the filthy car and doing small projects. We also did the bolt check and found the subframe bolts to be less than tight. I urge everyone to check theirs.

It was also great to meet and see some many of you again. Having to work sucked up time I would rather use to BS, but it was still great. All the events were a blast and I can't tell you how tempted I am to ship out my car for some fun next year if I can save up the cash.

Again, thanks to all that helped me out and to all I met over the summer.

Some fun new vids: (the links have better resolution than the embeds)

Myself at the RTTHV autocross:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezMy0h-Tu7o

Nick Licata at the RTTHV autocross: (turns out that first gear was the way to go)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN00aT440MI

David Pozzi and a few laps at Buttonwillow. Even with the problems we he had a fast lap of 2:18.546 and was hitting 120 mph in some of the later laps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrhKJhDHB38

Now we have one month to get the car "ready" for SEMA... In November I'm taking a long nap.

dropit69
10-04-2009, 12:32 PM
Steve always great getting to hang out ..Nick too and man can he drive !!..penny is such an awesome car ..so pretty but so funtional..Jeff Tate couldnt quit talking about it after you let him drive it..next time i want some seat time in it..even though we have winter in the midwest we have some killer events...

Steve1968LS2
10-04-2009, 12:50 PM
Steve always great getting to hang out ..Nick too and man can he drive !!..penny is such an awesome car ..so pretty but so funtional..Jeff Tate couldnt quit talking about it after you let him drive it..next time i want some seat time in it..even though we have winter in the midwest we have some killer events...

Just hit me up next time and can take her for a spin (not being litteral.. lol)

Good seeing you :)

mpozzi
10-04-2009, 01:19 PM
On behalf of Dave, I can say for certain that Steve is one of the most enthusiastic "car guys" we've both had the pleasure of being good friends with. What's cool is that there's always light at the end of the proverbial tunnel and being around such a forwards thinking attitude is never a chore. With Steve, working on Penny becomes "playing with Penny," plain and simple ... it's just fun.

As for the autocrossing, in one year Steve has improved a ton as a driver. He's a definite contender at any Solo event and has proven to have some serious talent negotiating the forest of orange traffic cones. The sport of Solo is so much more than just driving the course and Steve's very knowledgeable when it comes to analyzing driving lines and course management.

As for Penny ... there's more to be had. Yes, more ...

Cheers,
Mary Pozz

Steve1968LS2
10-04-2009, 01:26 PM
As for the autocrossing, in one year Steve has improved a ton as a driver. He's a definite contender at any Solo event and has proven to have some serious talent negotiating the forest of orange traffic cones.

I still suck on the road course though.. lol.. But I'm working at it :)

Thanks again Mary.. oh, and the cookies were great. :yum:

And a cool picture snapped by the track photographer of Dave digging in through a sweep (Riverside?)...

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/ejssas-1.jpg

formula
10-04-2009, 02:47 PM
hope it won't be toooooo long before you get to come back out our way, Steve... I was very sad when Frank and I decided to pull the plug on bringing my car up for RTTH, but in retrospect I wish I'd come up anyway.

Glad to hear you had fun though--how many years in a row is penny going to be at SEMA?

Like they always told us at BMW driving school: Keep those eyes up! You can only get faster the more experience you get--you're already better than me, that's for sure!

Steve1968LS2
10-04-2009, 02:59 PM
hope it won't be toooooo long before you get to come back out our way, Steve... I was very sad when Frank and I decided to pull the plug on bringing my car up for RTTH, but in retrospect I wish I'd come up anyway.

Glad to hear you had fun though--how many years in a row is penny going to be at SEMA?

Like they always told us at BMW driving school: Keep those eyes up! You can only get faster the more experience you get--you're already better than me, that's for sure!

This will be the third year it will be a display car.. back indoors this time.

I wonder what the record is? lol

Hope to see you at the event next year

dadto2jays
10-04-2009, 04:52 PM
That sure sounds like a great summer....Great to know that there are a bunch of great people in the world that help when in need. I saw the videos and I can see why alot of guys in here really love the tru pro touring....thks for sharing

yellowrallys
10-04-2009, 05:09 PM
Steve, I'm sure glad that I finally got to see Penny. It's everything I expected, and it goes like heck too. Really cool for folks like me to come out and hang with such an awesome group of cars and people as we did at RTTHs.

I'm looking forward to next year in Pigeon Forge.

Hope to see you and your car again.

Damn True
10-05-2009, 07:32 AM
Nobody takes it out and plays with it as much as Steve!

Steve1968LS2
10-05-2009, 07:38 AM
Nobody takes it out and plays with it as much as Steve!

Hey, I let others play with it too!


Wait, I don't like how this is sounding.... :help!:

Ron S
10-05-2009, 10:39 AM
I have to agree Steve.

I did that Atlanta event put on by David Sloan,where I had a ball,and got my first try at AutoX, before we got rained out.

Then I did Motorstate which I got my first try at a road course, where I lost my brakes and almost went into the trees.

Bill's event in Pigeon Forge kind of ended with a BANG,but I had a good time,and am slowly working the (expensive) bugs out of this car.Can't wait till next year. Ron

https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=32848&d=1253808971

JEFFTATE
10-06-2009, 09:49 AM
..penny is such an awesome car ..so pretty but so funtional..Jeff Tate couldnt quit talking about it after you let him drive it..next time i want some seat time in it....

Yep !
I told everybody ( twice) about driving Bad Penny !!..!!
Nobody belives me .
They think I'm a liar....
What can I do..???
Everbody thinks I'm lying about my friends...

no bags
10-06-2009, 11:56 AM
Hey Steve,

Thanks for making the trip to Gingerman and to the last couple of RTTH events that I was actually able get up close and meet you and see Penny. Means a lot to us regular guys out here when we can get just small talk with you and many of other "BIG Guns" from the car world. Not to slight any of the number of great every day people that I have met along the way too. I'm glad to be part of all this where big egos and attitude are nowhere to be found, and all share a common interest.

Thanks again,

Bob (you know me by my avitar!)

P.S> Where does the line start to be able get a ride or drive Penny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YancyJohns
10-06-2009, 12:10 PM
Steve, thanks for letting me drive Penny from Indiana to Dayton,OH(under the circumstances) and while Penny stayed at my house for RTTH5. The great thing about Steve is he really does like for others to enjoy Penny, just ask my son Aaron who knows how to drive a 5 speed now...lol I just hope You, Nick and Penny make it back for next year! :1st:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Steve1968LS2
10-06-2009, 12:16 PM
Hey, Aaron needs to take that picture to school to impress all the ladies.. "yea, that's my ride..."

lol

Steve1968LS2
10-06-2009, 12:19 PM
Hey Steve,

Thanks for making the trip to Gingerman and to the last couple of RTTH events that I was actually able get up close and meet you and see Penny. Means a lot to us regular guys out here when we can get just small talk with you and many of other "BIG Guns" from the car world. Not to slight any of the number of great every day people that I have met along the way too. I'm glad to be part of all this where big egos and attitude are nowhere to be found, and all share a common interest.

Thanks again,

Bob (you know me by my avitar!)

P.S> Where does the line start to be able get a ride or drive Penny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heck, I'm just a regular guy.. If it wasn't for my car and job nobody would know me from Adam...

Nice seeing you out there Bob... and next event just say hi and you can have a ride or take her for a spin (no litteral) through the parking lot if there's room.