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944-spec.com racing on the West Coast is growing!

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Old 03-05-2003, 10:55 AM
  #16  
M758
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I just sent an Email to the 18 or so local Arizona 944-spec guys about some racing in May and June.

Around here it gets hot in those months and we really don't race much.

This is really an FYI for the rest you guys. Especially you california guys. Maybe we can meet up for a joint event some where.
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">
Hey guys,
Looking at the schedules I see some open time in May and June. I have been limiting myself to one race weekend per month in an attempt to limit costs. Looks to me like there is no clear May / June Events so I figured I would sent out some ideas for a road trip or two. Now that there are a few more PCA club racing people around maybe do an event or two.
My main purposes are as follows
1) Visit new tracks (elevation change is nice!)
2) Have a "big Event" experience
3) Support the SoCal 944 racers.

So here are some proposals
May
May 2-4 PCA Club Race in Las Vegas (Big ALMS track)
May 2-4 NASA (SoCal) at Las Vegas (small outside track)
May 24-25 - NASA (SoCal) at Willow Springs

June
June 6-7 PCA Club Race - Calif Speedway (event with Grand-Am)
June 21-22 - NASA (SoCal) at Buttonwillow

Here are my leanings

May.
PCA Event at Las Vegas (rather do big track with PCA rather than outside track with NASA)
Or
NASA Willow Spring and the end of May.
Tim Comeau from San Deigo came out to our last event (black 924s #22) and I borrowed a video of him at Willow Springs. Really seems like a fun course and we can help to "show the flag" for the Arizona guys at the SoCal event and try to help the SoCal 944-spec series off the ground. He know this track well and I am sure would give us some tips on doing it right!
I am open to either event. (Give me a reason to chose one over the other!)

June
PCA at Calif Speedway. - I really like the idea of being at "spectator" event with the big boys. Seems to me like it will be a really BIG event. It is close and should be fun.
(plus I need more PCA events to complete my rookie license!)
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Old 03-06-2003, 02:36 AM
  #17  
Tim Comeau
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Can't wait to have our first event where we join the 2 biggest groups of 944-spec.com race cars!!! What a starting grid!!!!
Buy your chassis NOW and come join us!
Tim Comeau # 22 924S
Old 03-11-2003, 05:22 AM
  #18  
Tim Comeau
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Hey 944-spec. group!
Fontana (California Speedway) was great! Huge event by NASA. Those guys are pros! Over 250 entries. Many classes. Great track. Serious pucker factor in a couple areas, courage testers. Very tight tech inspection, good organization, stuck to schedule. Driver's meetings were begun with a roll call and racing license check! Serious. Sunday was same schedule as Saturday, which was great. Good corner workers. Timing and scoring was really on top of things. Same transponder system as PCA, POC( AMBX 260). It's awesome just to stand inside the speedway complex and look around. It's huge.
The 924S ran without problem to the track, Sat, Sun, and back home! The drive there was about 1.5 hours. Man, that little car holds alot of stuff !! On both days we had a warm up session-20 mins, a qual session-15 mins, and a 30 min race. I ran uncontested in the 944-spec class, but still got some dicing in. If I saw cars in the same class fighting for position, I just waved them by. But some of the other guys had to earn their way by me! Though the car didn't get hot, during Sunday's race I decided to help the engine cooling a little by turning on the heater full hot with the fan just a-blastin' away! It dropped the temp down a bit more and I was already sweatin' my butt off any way. Award ceremony on Sunday was great. Got 1 plaque for each class win on Sat, Sun. and 2 small stickers for the car that say,"Winner." Even got my picture taken with a little hottie in short shorts while accepting the awards on the podium! Now that's cool!
We picked up 2 more drivers over the weekend! That makes 8 in the SoCal group now! Both 951 drivers, presently. Jeff Horner of Orange County and Joe Anselmo of SSF Auto parts(Long Beach). It's our rules that bring 'em in!! I handed out another 6 or so 944-spec cards with info to other guys and girls interested. Jeff Grow (San Diego) was there with his beautifully prepared 944. So was David Ray(Oceanside). Both were entered in the HPDE part of the event because neither has their racing license yet. But they were out there on California Speedway, going through the banking and the infield and loving it! Eric Sorensen (Fullerton) showed up on Sunday just to come meet me, say hi, and have a look around. His 944 has been purchased and he'll be # 70. He's also a former 951 driver.
It was a great learning experience to drive this track. My car is still heavy, not corner balanced, or aligned well. With me (160lbs with all gear) and about 1/3 tank of gas, the NASA scales showed 2743. So I can still remove another 150 lbs, 10 of those coming off my beer belly! I want to be right at 2600 lbs. The new Toyos were great. They stuck well and wore very nicely. No flat spots! So with all my excuses out there in front of you...........the time to beat at Fontana for the 944-spec racers is 2:07.898.
I'll talk you through a lap quickly. Go to the California Speedway web site and find the 2.88 mile ALMS course. Roll through start/finish, green flag, full throttle. 5th gear into the banking(turn #1) about 110mph, stay low because we don't have the power to go higher on the banking. Even though you're at full throttle, you don't go any faster because of the turning. Car drifts 1/2 to 1 car width up the banking by the end of the banking(turn #2). Small straight, Up to about 120mph, brake hard, downshift to 3rd for turn #3, which is 90 to the left. Immediate 90 to the right,#4 which puts you onto a short straight. Wind out 3rd gear to the braking zone of 180 left(turns 5 and 6) Trail brake in, car rotates, go to throttle, late apex onto straight. Up to 4th gear, flat out through a lane change chicane (hairy!) with just enough time to flatten the chassis back out and brake hard for the slowest turn on the track( # 9). It's a 3rd gear decreasing radius onto a long straight. Get outta there clean, short shift up to 4th so you're not shifting through another fast lane change chicane taken flat out and down to turns 12-13. 3rd gear here with another very late apex. If you don't get 12 right, you'll be screwed all the way to 16 and get a bad launch onto the front straight, which is the most important segment of the whole track because it's the fastest.
Trevor Myrus, # 04, reported that he and Chris Benbow represented the 944-spec class at the PCA autocross at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego. We're growing next year's crop of wheel-to-wheel racers! Now that we've made 944-spec an official class for PCASDR autocrosses and time trials, hopefully, Zone 8 will follow suit next year.
I picked up a handfull of required NASA and Toyo Tires decals for you guys. I also picked up 6 or so Toyo Tires credential hangers for you guys to wear around your neck if you need one. I'm always looking out for you guys, ain't I?
Hope to see everybody together on the 15th at the stadium for the next autocross.

Increasingly at your service,(!!)
Tim Comeau
NASA SoCal 944-spec Series Director

Driving.....for the love of it!
Old 03-11-2003, 11:30 AM
  #19  
M758
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Tim,
Sounds like a good time! <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" />

I got chance to check out the new track at Arizona Motorsports Park.

Man that looks like a really cool track!
Not very good sight lines for spectators, but looks great for drivers. Expectation for lap times will be in the 2:00 range based on the SCCA ITS times (all 3 cars)!

Next weekend AMP!
April AMP with NASA
May Willow with NASA?
June Fontana with PCA!

This is going to be fun! <img border="0" alt="[jumper]" title="" src="graemlins/jumper.gif" />
Old 03-12-2003, 12:13 AM
  #20  
Tim Comeau
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Bigger and better! We have the best rules AND people!
TIm Comeau
Old 03-12-2003, 11:08 AM
  #21  
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Yep!
Old 03-14-2003, 01:20 AM
  #22  
John Anderson
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Tim,

I'm finally able to spend some time online again :-)

I just read your post...you type alot, but my hats off to you man, your getting it done. I cannot tell you how many people I'va talked to at the POC race that are inline for a 944 to join the series..good job. Its a lot of hard work, but it's nice to see your putting everything behind the program. Its nothing but racing, simple and pure.

Take Care!
Old 03-14-2003, 02:59 AM
  #23  
micklongley
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This sounds like SO much fun. Id love to get involved. are there plans to come further up california? like maybe up to laguna seca? there are a couple rules that arent clear to me but it sounds really inexpensive and an easy way to get into racing. Thanks for the info.

Mick
Old 03-14-2003, 10:20 AM
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If any rules are not clear I can probably help out as I have been involved with this thing for a while now and understand the wording and intent of many of them.

Fire away!
Old 03-14-2003, 10:14 PM
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micklongley
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Once i sell my Corrado and really get serious i will hit you up with some questions on the rules. thanks. Whats the possiblitly of 944 spec coming up north a little more to laguna seca? i live about a mile away from the track. ive never raced competetively and it looks like it would be a really easy way to start racing and also improve my driving skill. How do you get started, other than getting a car up to spec then driving down to San Diego (7 hours away)? Thanks

Mick
Old 03-15-2003, 01:01 AM
  #26  
Tim Comeau
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Mick, Skip at PARAGON PRODUCTS said there are 8 or so customers up there who might be interested. NASA has a chapter in Northern California, too. Go to <a href="http://www.nasaproracing" target="_blank">www.nasaproracing</a> .com.
They are the sanctioning body. Also, see the 944-spec rules at <a href="http://www.944-spec.com." target="_blank">www.944-spec.com.</a> Knowing the rules might help you in finding a car that is already partly prepared, without being over-prepared. There are other 944 series out there, but our rules are the best, simplest, cheapest.
Let me know if I can help you with anything at all. timcomeau@***.net
Tim Comeau
NASA SoCal 944-spec Series Director
Black 924S # 22
Old 03-15-2003, 02:44 AM
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micklongley
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Okay, im going to furiously try to sell the corrado so i can get another 944 to race! hopefully there will be some events going on that will be easy to join in on. What are the procedures? first join NASA, then take a driving school, then do you get your liscense to race? thanks for the help.

Mick
90 VW corrado for sell
84 944
85 VW GTI
Old 03-16-2003, 11:48 AM
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Tim Comeau
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First, get on my info list. Email me at timcomeau@***.net. Next, read the rules for the 944-spec class. Join NASA ($35) to get further info about the class and racing/driving in your region through their newsletter. Start shopping for a chassis and looking into racing schools to earn your racing license. Who's at Laguna Seca? Skip Barber?
That's a start.
Tim Comeau
Black 924S # 22
Old 03-17-2003, 06:52 PM
  #29  
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Well Guys...
I had pre-registered for the PCA Race at Fontana (California Speedway) and they sent me some info today on it and was in for big case of sticker shock. Cost.
I figured about $1150 for entry fees & hotel. Not including race car expenses or tow gas money. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> This was for Thurday DE, Friday 3 sesions, Saturday 3 Sessions, Sunday Race Plus 60 min enduro.

So.....
I have decided to Bail on this event. While very cool it was too pricey for me. I have decided to replace this with the Las Vegas PCA race May 2-4. My estimate for same things as Caifornia Speedway come to $650 so for $500 less I can have just as much to even more fun with one less day. Sure no grand-am, but probably a more fun track and more fun atmoshpere.

I still plan on doing the NASA race at willow springs May 24-25.

OK... Who is going to Vegas??? Willow??
Anyone?
Anyone?

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

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Old 03-17-2003, 07:17 PM
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Tim Comeau:
<strong>the time to beat at Fontana for the 944-spec racers is 2:07.898.

Tim Comeau
</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Just finished a Run at Arizona Motorsports Park. Really cool track with nice run off areas. Time to beat is 1:56.3 in qualifying and 1:57.0 in the race for 944-spec.

We had 9 spec cars racing.

Ok the track description
Well you get the green on the back straight and finish on the pit straight kind of like the Mid-ohio routine. Timming lights are on the pit straight.
Ok Blast down the straight get the green. Brake hard form 4th gear between the 2 & 3. Turns 5-7 are a really a just over 180 deg loop right that is third gear. Get power on early to get down the next straight 4th Gear.
This one is late apex increasing radius left of about 170 degres 3rd. Brake at 2 sign hard. Turn in too soon and you will understeer out into the dirt. Get it right and it sets you up for next straight. Got to 4th gear then touch the brake for a fast left. Stay tight on the exit to set-up for a fast right. You will need to brake a little more for right. Hit the apex in 4th and pull full throttle to left side of the track. Then brake hard for an odd shaped over 90 deg right. Got to 3rd and follow the blotchy pavement to the apex and drift out to the left side curbbing. Go down straight to 4th gear. Touch-up for fast right. Again keep the exit tight and break hard for 3rd gear left then right complex. You will need to give-up the exit of the left to get the over 90 deg right. After the right drift the left side of the track and immediatly go back to the right for a medium speed left in 3rd gear still. You may need to touch the brake here. Use the full 40ft track width and exit on the right side. Again come all the way back to the left for the next just over 90 right. Here is where you will cross the timming line and race finish line. This straight may take you to 4th gear or not. You decide. Anyway brake hard for 90+ right and use the full exit. Don't apex too since you will run our of track. This is a 3rd gear corner. The stay on the left of the track for the toughest corner. This is a really really late Apex right. You basiclly must blow this thing to exit on the right side of the track so you can make the next left and gentle right at full power to blast down the starting straight.

Fun track!


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