OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car to air on SPEED

[Doug Cooper]

before 500cid pro stock NHRA used a weight break formula to even the field...

[YancyJohns]

I agree, I think every event needs an E.R. Doctor present and we pay her very very well...................hehe
All kidding Aside, I'm w/ Albert, it was a Great event, I was pleased to have 2 cars in the challenge, even if I didn't drive either. To me and others, it's all about having a great time with my friends and moving our hobbie forward. Let's not take two steps back to move one step forward. Thanks to Jimi, optima and other event sponsors for a Fantastic Event.

[wicked68]

I was talking about their lawsuit laws.. you can crash when driving on a racetrack and then sue the track because you were overdriving.

You can here..

oh got it. yeah they have loser pays laws also - which would cut a lot of crap lawsuits out as well.

here you can sue regardless and its very tough to get attorneys fees. there are attorneys that engage in legal fee settlement threats just to get a quick 50K to make it go away when there was really no basis to begin with. Its a total crock.

[Larry Callahan]

I was talking about their lawsuit laws.. you can crash when driving on a racetrack and then sue the track because you were overdriving.

You can here..

Think I can get my car re-painted? LOL!!!! Just kidding, just kidding.

[mpozzi]

That's it, Larry ... I'm suing you for that OPEC Exxon Valdez oil slick you generously slathered my windshield with which greatly affected my driving for the remainder of the day. I've suffered emotional distress, mental trauma, pain and of course, the suffering that goes along with all of this. We need a "pain and suffering" smilie.

My attorney will be in touch ... ... LOL.

,
Mary Pozzi

[barraza]

no one is going to sue anyone if something happens to them

All well and good to think this, but when someone dies because of being encouraged to partake in stupidity, you can just about guarantee their SURVIVORS, ie kids or spouse, will be talked into suing everyone involved.

A couple of years ago, at RTTH, the autocross was inside the banked oval. I took a look at it and remarked to several people that it was a poorly designed course and would never be allowed where I used to do SCCA autocrosses. During the event, someone hit the wall. Thank goodness he wasn't hurt, except his pride, but it could have been much worse. I would bet that RTTH wouldn't have survived if Bill got sued.

I hate to be a killjoy, but it is stupid to have high speed events in cars without cages and proper safety equipment.

Safety equipment commensurate with the HP and speed potential of a car should be PART OF any pro-touring car. Going without makes as much sense as adding HP to an old car and not upgrading the old 4 wheel drum brakes.

We aren't reinventing the wheel here, there are already templates to go by, using SCCA or NASA rules.

[Finch]

All well and good to think this, but when someone dies because of being encouraged to partake in stupidity, you can just about guarantee their SURVIVORS, ie kids or spouse, will be talked into suing everyone involved.

A couple of years ago, at RTTH, the autocross was inside the banked oval. I took a look at it and remarked to several people that it was a poorly designed course and would never be allowed where I used to do SCCA autocrosses. During the event, someone hit the wall. Thank goodness he wasn't hurt, except his pride, but it could have been much worse. I would bet that RTTH wouldn't have survived if Bill got sued.

I hate to be a killjoy, but it is stupid to have high speed events in cars without cages and proper safety equipment.

Safety equipment commensurate with the HP and speed potential of a car should be PART OF any pro-touring car. Going without makes as much sense as adding HP to an old car and not upgrading the old 4 wheel drum brakes.

We aren't reinventing the wheel here, there are already templates to go by, using SCCA or NASA rules.

Make optima another SCCA race and see how many folks drive accross country spending $2000 or more to attend it.

[barraza]

Make optima another SCCA race and see how many folks drive accross country spending $2000 or more to attend it.

Or leave it they way it is, and see how many people continue to drive across the country to get spanked by purpose built race cars, and semi pro drivers.

The whole discussion is getting a bit ridiculous. With no rules, the typical PT camaro/mustang/any domestic car doesn't stand a chance against that cobra. And the typical driver doesn't stand a chance against Mary, an 11 time national autocross champion. More power to Mary, she shouldn't have to apologize for talent and experience. With enough practice, you might get close to her, but no amount of practice or effort will rearrange the laws of physics to allow you to compete with a car that is 1000 lbs lighter.

I have a feeling the tracks insurance certificate holder will have some input into safety requirements now that they have seen 600hp cars with no tops or roll bars doing hot laps on TV. Track insurance is expensive enough, they will get a handle on it.

[Finch]

Our leave it they way it is, and see how many people continue to drive across the country to get spanked by purpose built race cars, and semi pro drivers.

The whole discussion is getting a bit ridiculous. With no rules, the typical PT camaro/mustang/any domestic car doesn't stand a chance against that cobra. And the typical driver doesn't stand a chance against Mary, an 11 time national autocross champion. More power to Mary, she shouldn't have to apologize for talent and experience. With enough practice, you might get close to her, but no amount of practice or effort will rearrange the laws of physics to allow you to compete with a car that is 1000 lbs lighter.

Your missing the point. This event is more than trying to make it fair for our PT type cars to compete against the likes of the Cobra and or pro drivers. It is about the journey and the bonds/friends you meet along the way. Making it some over governed rule heavy race will just take away from the intent and turn most people off.

I for one will be there each and every year they let me to try and close that gap between Mary and the Cobra.

Not sure why you made the comment about Mary having to apologize for being talented. She was well within the rules and is a great asset to this sport.

[mpozzi]

And the typical driver doesn't stand a chance against Mary, an 11 time national autocross champion ....

Oh man ... talk about putting a huge bulls-eye on my back and I'm gonna have to really my butt off now. I need those uber-reflexes of the youngsters right about now and those guys are close enough!! Thanks, though.

I coulda taken that Cobra ... just not in my car and LOL on this one.

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

[Steve1968LS2]

Your missing the point. This event is more than trying to make it fair for our PT type cars to complete against the likes of the Cobra and or pro drivers. It is about the journey and the bonds/friends you meet along the way. Making it some over governed rule heavy race will just take away from the intent and turn most people off.

I for one will be there each and every year they let me to try and close that gap between Mary and the Cobra.

Not sure why you made the comment about Mary having to apologize for being talented. She was well within the rules and is a great asset to this sport.

True story.. while we all go to win what we really go for is to meet and hang out with great people.

People like Mary, Stielow, David Pozzi, Kyle Tucker are builders that just happen to be kick ass drivers.. if they ever made a rule against that then what would be the point. There's always going to be talent differentials between drivers, that's just life.

Can't wait to see your new car Brian, guys like you make me do stupid things like tear my car apart. lol

[barraza]

Your missing the point. This event is more than trying to make it fair for our PT type cars to complete against the likes of the Cobra and or pro drivers. It is about the journey and the bonds/friends you meet along the way. Making it some over governed rule heavy race will just take away from the intent and turn most people off.

I for one will be there each and every year they let me to try and close that gap between Mary and the Cobra.

Not sure why you made the comment about Mary having to apologize for being talented. She was well within the rules and is a great asset to this sport.

If the point is "the journey and the bonds/friends you meet along the way", then why is there so much discussion about who won? If you only want a journey, go on the power tour. If you want to race, it only makes sense to do it against a car that you stand a chance against.

I didn't say Mary needed to apologize, my point was that you can't regulate talent and experience. You can and should regulate physical car configurations so talent and preparation are the measures of winning, not the physics of a car that weighs 70% of it's competitors.

[Steve1968LS2]

Oh man ... talk about putting a huge bulls-eye on my back and I'm gonna have to really my butt off now. I need those uber-reflexes of the youngsters right about now and those guys are close enough!! Thanks, though.

I coulda taken that Cobra ... just not in my car and LOL on this one.

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

Ahh.. you aint much.. you're just lucky that I didn't catch you sabotaging my ps pump.. ;)

It would have been curious to see what you would have turned in Penny on that track (with power steering).. I KNOW you're way better than I am and I did a 42.9 on my first (and only) good lap.

I still think that new sport of Autocussing has promise..

[Finch]

If the point is "the journey and the bonds/friends you meet along the way", then why is there so much discussion about who won? If you only want a journey, go on the power tour. If you want to race, it only makes sense to do it against a car that you stand a chance against.

If I wanted a nap I would go on the Power Tour.

[barraza]

Oh man ... talk about putting a huge bulls-eye on my back

11 championships will do that.

I have known your name from back in the 80's, when I did a lot of autocross. I always followed the national events to see how a local guy in my region, Steve Brolliar was doing. He's still at it, you may have run across him.

[mpozzi]

Ahh.. you aint much.. you're just lucky that I didn't catch you sabotaging my ps pump.. ;)

It would have been curious to see what you would have turned in Penny on that track (with power steering).. I KNOW you're way better than I am and I did a 42.9 on my first (and only) good lap.

I still think that new sport of Autocussing has promise..

I master the Autocuss course and you all need to to the Goddess of the Four-Letter Word.

I actually turned a mid-42 second run that was going very nicely until I clipped a displaced but still standing apex cone from someone's previous run. Ended up with a 44.1 and THAT was the source of the major cuss-fest left on the cutting room floor. Should have stopped and even thought about it for a few seconds but didn't want to be a pill about SCCA rules concerning re-runs ... *shrug*. I don't remember if the pylons were marked so the courseworkers wouldn't have known to reset it unless it was down.

Definitely agree that Penny is a far superior car now compared to mine for both autocross and track. I'm plotting strategy to get closer ... note to self: must put car and self on diet.

If there's ever an opportunity, Brian and I should switch cars for a few autocross runs as his Camaro is one cool car. He'll be wanting to either change his suspension back to leaf springs after driving mine (not likely ...) or leaning out the window beating the hell out of the quarter panels with a riding crop yelling "GO ... Seabiscuit. GO." We're a bit underpowered compared to you, Brian ...

Somehow that didn't come out right. Brian with a riding crop???

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

[mpozzi]

11 championships will do that.

I have known your name from back in the 80's, when I did a lot of autocross. I always followed the national events to see how a local guy in my region, Steve Brolliar was doing. He's still at it, you may have run across him.

Steve is absolutely AMAZING behind the wheel of any car. He's called the Alien and for good reason. A natural talent and please tell him I've admired his driving all these years. Great guy, too.

I stopped Solo back in 1991 and transferred my attention from the cars to training and showing horses (talk about expensive???) but took it up again in 2006. Got a bit more serious in 2008 and went to Nationals in a Shelby Mustang. Now I'm competing for the enjoyment of driving fun Camaros and for the people instead of trying for more National Championships. I may go back to Lincoln, NE this year but not sure.

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

[Ron S]

Watching this on Speed was the highlight of my week, and changing the event into a non street car challenge kind of defeats the purpose. Fully caged cars are allowed, just not required. I'm with Brian on this one, let whoever was invited run, it makes the rest of us faster. I'm also with Jeff on invoking the Dingleberry rule. Ron

[barraza]

Steve is absolutely AMAZING behind the wheel of any car. He's called the Alien and for good reason. A natural talent and please tell him I've admired his driving all these years. Great guy, too.

Yeah, he was pretty much handed FTD as soon as he signed in, no matter what showed up. I haven't seen him in a lot of years, and last I knew he was in FL, but I think he still registers TVR as his region.

This whole issue is interesting to me because the reason I quit autocrossing was because I hated getting beat by the little cars. Autocross is all about the transitions, and there is no way to ignore physics. My region generally layed out tracks so tight it was impossible for a 3500 lb race weight camaro to beat an RX7. I gave up and went road racing in FF.

In the case of the optima challenge, with enough space; a safe, relatively high speed autocross course could be designed that would better accommodate typical PT cars. Something between a typical autocross and a real road course.

[Steve1968LS2]

I master the Autocuss course and you all need to to the Goddess of the Four-Letter Word.

I actually turned a mid-42 second run that was going very nicely until I clipped a displaced but still standing apex cone from someone's previous run. Ended up with a 44.1 and THAT was the source of the major cuss-fest left on the cutting room floor. Should have stopped and even thought about it for a few seconds but didn't want to be a pill about SCCA rules concerning re-runs ... *shrug*. I don't remember if the pylons were marked so the courseworkers wouldn't have known to reset it unless it was down.

Definitely agree that Penny is a far superior car now compared to mine for both autocross and track. I'm plotting strategy to get closer ... note to self: must put car and self on diet.

If there's ever an opportunity, Brian and I should switch cars for a few autocross runs as his Camaro is one cool car. He'll be wanting to either change his suspension back to leaf springs after driving mine (not likely ...) or leaning out the window beating the hell out of the quarter panels with a riding crop yelling "GO ... Seabiscuit. GO." We're a bit underpowered compared to you, Brian ...

Somehow that didn't come out right. Brian with a riding crop???

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

Your car won't be underpowered for long.. I'm juicing up your LS3 just a bit.