The OPTIMA Batteries OneLapCamaro - James, Mary and the 2011 One Lap of America!

[James OLC]

It’s official – the OPTIMA Batteries OneLapCamaro is heading back to South Bend, Indiana and points beyond to defend our Vintage American class championship in the 2011 Tire Rack One Lap of America! With continued support from OPTIMA Batteries, Hellwig Products, and FM3 Performance Marketing - and with new partners Baer Brakes and RideTech helping to up our game – we are starting to put together a game plan for what should be an exciting but grueling week!

For 2011 Mary Pozzi will be co-driving with James Shipka in the 8 day, 3,500+ mile event which will depart Tire Rack Headquarters in South Bend on April 30th before heading south on a schedule and route that makes last years event look down right casual…

Registration and Tech at Tire Rack HQ – Friday May 29th

Event 1 – Wet Skid Pad - South Bend, IN – Saturday AM
Transit 96 miles
Event 2 – Autocross – Grissom AFB, Peru, IN – Saturday PM
Transit 566 miles

Event 3 - Summit Point Raceway, Summit Point, WV – Sunday AM
Event 4 - Summit Point Raceway, Summit Point, WV – Sunday PM
Transit 465 miles

Event 5 – Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw, SC – Monday AM
Event 6 – Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw, SC – Monday PM
Transit 154 miles
Event 7 – BMW Performance Center, Greer, SC – Monday PM
Transit 482 miles

Event 8 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, FL – Tuesday AM
Event 9 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, FL – Tuesday PM
Transit 115 miles
Event 10 – Gainesville Raceway (drag race), Gainesville, FL – Tuesday PM
Event 11 – Gainesville Raceway (bracket race), Gainesville, FL – Tuesday PM
Transit 545 miles

Event 12 – New Orleans (NOLA) Motorsports Park, Avondale, LA – Wednesday AM
Event 13 – NOLA Motorsports Park, Avondale, LA – Wednesday PM
Transit 370 miles

Event 14 – Barber Motorsports Park, Leeds, AL – Thursday AM
Event 15 – Barber Motorsports Park, Leeds, AL – Thursday PM
Transit 700 miles (!!!)

Event 16 – Autobahn Country Club, Joliet, IL – Friday AM
Event 17 – Autobahn Country Club, Joliet, IL – Friday PM
Transit 105 miles

Event 18 – Dry Skid Pad – South Bend, IN – Saturday May 7th AM

This year we will be teaming up with Jimi Day and Steve Kepler who will be joining us in the OPTIMA Batteries Z06 Corvette – cutting their teeth in the ultra-competitive “Big Bore” class. We’ll be towing “the coffin” again stuffed full of just about everything we can think of (including, this time, a cooler so we can avoid dehydration and hopefully exhaustion) and hopefully we learned something from our efforts last year.

As I mentioned earlier – Baer Brakes is helping us out this year with a brake upgrade and a switch to their new floater setup (which should help us avoid killing another set of bearing and seals) and we’re working with RideTech on development and testing of their new Triple Adjustable shocks. SpeedTech Performance has also adapted the ZR1 (SKF) wheel bearing to the ATS spindle so we’ll have some additional support on Daytona’s banking. Time permitting we’ll also be switching out our current Rick’s Stainless tank for one of their new VaporWorx tanks which should also help up on some of the more difficult tracks. I’m hoping to have a couple more announcements about other improvements soon – we’ll keep you posted. I’ll be starting up a thread in the projects section to go through all of the improvements as they happen.

Should be an exciting year!!!

[James OLC]

This years route:

Google Map (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=205261523597368286609.000499d0ac561b533075b&ll=35.46067,-84.089355&spn=21.520094,28.256836&z=6)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/201120OLOA20Route-1.jpg

[James OLC]

Other big news is that we have reached out to some of the most talented artists and designers in our community to help design a new wrap for 2011. Hopefully will have some really cool designs for a new wrap by the end of this month and then we'll set up a way to vote for your favorite look during the month of February and we'll roll out with the new wrap at the Goodguys event in either Scottsdale or Pleasanton.

Stay tuned!

[parsonsj]

Great stuff. Sounds like a blast, and that schedule looks downright masochistic!

jp

[454bug]

Hey James,

Man, that looks like a GRUELING route!!

I look forward to finally meeting yourself, Mary, and the rest of the team when y'all come through Louisiana! I'm really excited the action is traveling as far south as Florida, Louisiana, and Alabama this year. The trip to the New Orleans "NOLA" track must be one of it's first events being held there... As you can see from the attached video from this month, they have a LOT to do over the next 4 months... This Road Race "Country Club" idea is storming across the country!

ePFV_kqIijg&feature=player_embedded

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/5247354010_ccbd72f245_z-1.jpg

GOOD LUCK TO YOUR TEAM!! :wrc:

[James OLC]

I think we are the first event at NOLA but there is some concern that it wont be ready. If the paving is delayed we'll head to No Problem Raceway instead...

[454bug]

That's a good backup plan... It's only about a hour away from Avondale. They have a dedicated road course and drag strip there. If they plan on an autocross, they would have to put one together in the parking lot...

Here's a lap around the track so you can get to know the layout:

RdLj3x0AANw&feature=player_embedded

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[srh3trinity]

Sound like some great upgrades. I am going to have to come out to the Barbers event in Alabama, it is about 20 minutes from my house and a very nice venue.

[musclecarmatt]

dang...yaw coming right by my area....carolina motorsports park is about 45 min drive from my house!

[BonzoHansen]

Mary on the high banks, look out!

[Van B]

This event is definitely on my bucket list. It probably will not become reality though unless one of my good friends needs a competent co driver. I imagine that it takes about four times as much money as you think it will.

[CarlC]

That 700 mile day is going to be brutal! I can only imagine the verbiage that will come out of Mary during and after that transition. We need an in-car 24-hour-a-day webcam!

Good luck toTeam James and Mary.

[LeighP]

Thats a heck of a lot of driving between beating on the car.....tough event! Good luck guys.
If you're going to do another T-shirt for raising money, count me in again....really like last years one.

[James OLC]

That 700 mile day is going to be brutal! I can only imagine the verbiage that will come out of Mary during and after that transition. We need an in-car 24-hour-a-day webcam!

Good luck toTeam James and Mary.

Yeah... I thought the two 500 mile days looked bad until I mapped out the 700. In addition to all of the performance upgrades I think we need to find a stereo shop in the next couple of months. Last year we went without and it was regrettable... On the night the alternator died outside of Tulsa (aka the night our brains turned to mush) I got the course from Smokey and the Bandit (...got a long ways to go and a short time to get there...) stuck in my head... 5 long days of that #%¥€ was enough to scar me for life.

[James OLC]

Thats a heck of a lot of driving between beating on the car.....tough event! Good luck guys.
If you're going to do another T-shirt for raising money, count me in again....really like last years one.

T-shirt's are coming... As soon as we have all the designs in we'll be all over shirts as well.

And thanks for all the well wishes! It should be a blast!

[SicMonte]

I will be more than happy to help out during the Summit Popint, WVA event. I have raced those tracks numerous times!!

[MrAngry]

See you guys there!

[69stang]

Too bad its not a mustang event or at least a mixed event. I used to be stationed at Grissom & lived in Peru in the late 80s. Had a real nice garage there too. I wonder if Bunker Hill still has the drag strip?

[CamaroAJ]

i see you go through columbus again. i will PM you all my info again when it gets closer to May just in case you need anything on your way through.

[Yelcamino]

I'll have to make sure I come out to Summit Point since it's only about a 40 minute drive!