UFO 2 at Marina tomorrow. Looks like good weather will bless us in Central Cal again. Should be a great day! Preps and mods run in the PM.

I'm going a little early so I can setup new config for the day.

How did it go?

weather was great. T shirt weather, I couldn't believe it. Wewere the first run group after lunch. there were so many cars there that we were lucky they let us run. They were talking of limiting entries. The car felt great. The course was fairly tight. One section had a series of very tight offset lanes. I don't think I had one clean run. I think the Boxster is wider than my 914. Vic was there with his bimmer and I think he had TTOD witha 59.xx My times without counting cones wre in the 64.xx and Grant got down to a 63.xx. Byt the time the last group was done it was getting dark. they must of had over 200 cars!! We ran the old cantis up front with the new tires in back. Gotta figure out how to get those new wheels/tires to clear up front. That car is so much fun to drive!

Sounds like a great day.

Sounds like you are going backwards with the car Grant. You used to be with 2secs of the TTOD if I remember correctly. Come on, I beat Vic.

-Britain

Ouch.
Running a tire set up like that is not conducive to good development particularly when you're fighting a push. Oh well, it's just air hockey.

Very fun day and great weather. Rumor of over 250 cars! Everyone showed up for this one! Huge mod and prepared grid - think we had 4 or 5 full lanes with cars. There were 6 or more XP cars.

Yes you did! Great job!



Not sure where you or JP got confused that my 2200lb car with stock 2480cc 180 WHP motor would be a contender for TTOD with national class SM cars? I dont think I have ever been confused that this poorly prepared FP class Boxster would be a TTOD contender around national class SM or XP cars. I'm dragging around 500 lbs more car and a 100 lbs more driver than your 914-6 with you in the car. Not to mention less HP. I'm sure a driver with talent of Vic in my car would have taken a second or two off my time. I'm surely no benchmark for cars capability to turn fast AX times.

Funniest thing is car was just pulled together day before this January event. I didnt have time to do anything to fenders to go with a different setup - The call to go with big rear tires wasnt a development decision it was a practical call as canti's on back were almost corded. We litterally just hoisted up car and slapped new tires on at event - checked for clerence which was tight and ran it! Figured we could still get some good learning from how tires performed on the back ..and it actually worked out much better than we had expected.

Thanks to both of you for encouragement and support though!

Sounds like a blast Grant. Now we just need some more photos of it. I almost bought a Boxster but decided against it due to the grenade factor and ended up with an ass dragger instead Can't wait to see where this car goes as I think it is probably the most developed AX Boxster in CA if not the whole US at the moment and that in and of its self makes it pretty cool.

The first event for my 993 is only 20 days away and I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks Evan.

Here are a few shots my wife took. She calls me cone head now. The new helmet is funny as hell! I ordered what I thought was a red helmet. Its safety cone orange.

now that is funny no matter who you are

TC sure did make sure you had helmet clearance with the tall roll bar ..

now that I see how your front is sitting .. I could bring a baseball bat and make you flares at the event Grant .. car is looking mean btw

Yeah I may just try the old baseball bat approach. Boxster fenders are much easier to work than 914 fenders I may just be able to strech them over the new tires. In talking to owner of previous wheels today he indicated he did extensive "roll" to get tires to fit in front. I will probably do similar with rear as I'l like to run a real thin spacer as clearance is very close. Sometimes I forget my 914 roots. LOL!

All I have to say is could you imagine this car with a massaged 3.4? It would be a freaking rocket!

Yep he had me sit in car and did a mock broom stick measurement. I'd rather have extra margin of clearance. No guessing with Tony.

The car looks hot even with the "swing set". I think it is because it is asymmetrical that it still looks good but no passengers or ride alongs. I guess that works if you already have a race license but I have to put a passenger seat in my car for check out rides with instructors.

One thought how do formula drivers get certified? See my problem is I was certified in a Formula car. Still kick myself for not getting my license 5 years ago when I met all criteria, I just didnt follow through with physical and paperwork.

And I figure if a 5 year old can get around AX course by himself I'm OK.



Look at sticker on that kart. Future AX champion?

Is that Vic's son? Future autocross champion for sure if it is. I kinda wish I had been exposed to carts at 5 or 6. I did start racing a Sabot at 6 though so I learned all about slip angles at a young age

A Sabot is a 8' horribly designed sailing dingy that does not track at all and almost sails better backwards but it is a darn competitive race class.

What is it about us guys who have raced sail boats that find our way to AX? I started on Lasers and was doing offshore races before long. But I'm a much better AXer than sailer! I cant tie a knot and my navigation skills suck, but I can man a winch better than anyone. And if you ever want a hilarious offshore race story buy me a beer.

So not Dennis Connors' Stars and Stripes of 80's America's Cup fame? Either way that is awesome, I am far too small to be a grinder and not nearly experienced enough to be much else on big race boat. I had an internship with Morelli and Melvin who were on the team that built the Catamaran for Connors and then started their own company and were the ones that built Play Station for Steve Fossett, man was that a fun place to hang out. My biggest racing sailboat claim to fame was going for a day sail on Roy Disney's Pyewacket. Now that is a crazy crazy boat. With the keel fully canted over, the bulb surfaces when healing and it has a rudder/trim tab on the bow that is independently controllable from the main aft rudder to mitigate weather helm. There are so many neat and interesting things about that boat I could go on forever. It is really sad that both Roy and Steve are no longer with us.

I was fortunate enough that from age 8-11, my family and I lived on our sail boat in Mexico. That was an experience I will never forget and am so grateful that my parents took my sister and I on. When we got back, I too moved up to a Laser and raced that every summer from when I was 12-17, taught sailing lessons, and ran our small local yacht club (BIYC) and then well cars kida took over there and I don't get out on the water much anymore other than at work where I park boats. If any of you are down this way though let me know as my family still keeps an Erickson 25+ at my grandparent's house for those rare times when a dash over to Catalina Island for the weekend sounds like a good idea. I think it only left the dock a couple times last year and is thus very underutilized; I need more reasons to take it out.

I may be only 19 now but the life experiences my parents have provided for me have been truly extraordinary.

Ha, I racing a Hobie 16' when was growing up....

-Britain

I raced my big sister to the bathroom once when I was 5. She stuck her elbow in my eye and slammed me into the wall so hard the dent is still in my skull, I think. So, that was the last time I tried that. I remember it vividly.

You guys were looking good. The car sounds fantastic. I was not that fast, the free Street TDs either never got up to temp, or are going away. I need to get those slicks on the car to contend with Dennis in Ep.

I did get some in car footage if anyone wants to see just how tight the box slalom was. I was working that part of the course with Bill and we saw so many people kill the same couple cones it was almost funny. I'm not really sure how I managed to not kill any in that section.

Will

Well not the best showing but hey with cars/drivers running there we did OK. Finished mid pack in XP. 16 OA and 23 OA. Thanks Bill for kicking that cone on your fastest run. Most importantly we beat all the D Mod buggies! Thats really all I care about

On the right course we know we can beat at least one of those Evo's - Looks like the other fast evo took us up on the invite to run XP so XP is going to be very fun indeed this season.

Results:

http://www.norcalufo.org/main/attachments/...Jan-31-2010.pdf

That CP Camaro had a 60.35!! and just behind Vic with his 59.15. Vic ran for Fun and I figure he chose his run group to run in the warm part of the day. the Camaro ran with us when it started cooling off. Actually they had a problem and came back and did their best runs in the last run group....even colder.

That car makes 650 hp and it puts it to the pavement. He was saying battery died. He said battery usually lasts 8 runs. Apparently they dont run alternator?

Interesting note he was saying he is considering a 914 to build into an AX car. He asked me if I still had my car. If he jumps into 914 we will see true AX expert developing a very fast 914 platform!

Forgot to mention Sheilah now wants a buggy to ax.

Yeah, I could see Sheilah in a buggy. Then you will need a looong trailer to get both cars to the track. Maybe she could warm the tires for Greg? I still think it would be fun to build a mid-engine buggy with some real suspension.

Know of any cheap mid engine platforms?

Fiero

Formula Vee.


KT

Shifter Cart but probably not what your wife was thinking.

NO it has to be a buggy. She likes fiberglass and the aircooled VW power.

Then, get her a buggy. I'd bet Greg could line you up with one. can't be too expensive. They're simple and still have plenty of parts available. Of course you realize it would be Sheilah's car. No way you'd fit. I barely fit in Greg's buggy and the pedals are too close to be able to drive it.


With all these race cars, I'd build a garage too.

There we go! That would be same class as buggies too!