cdbtx

Hey... He's alive!!!! You and Constatine get a special category!

Mike Frye

I think there's serious and then there's SERIOUS. John, you are one serious dude on the track, and in your track prep and car setup. But somehow when bad stuff happens you're like a zen master, 'Well, that's racing...'.

dr bob

I think MK forgets or at least fails to relate all the "casual" time and effort needed to keep his drive-it-to-the-track racecar going. Think about all the Amsoil changes, for instance. Does dumpster-diving for tires count as "prep time"? Most folks who race as Mark does end up with lots of unaccounted-for hours related to car and other race prep. Many are in denial about the real time comittment numbers because they can be staggering. I went through that for a while, and eventually quit the effort because of the money and time it seemed to chew through. So I'm a recovering race car owner. Kinda like a recovering alky, who keeps a bottle in the cabinet to prove daily that the recovery process is still working, recovering car owners keep a race car (or three) in storage, knowing that addiction is only a few $thousand and a month of prep time away.

Hi, my name is Bob and I'm a race car addict!

mark kibort

There are always variables, chances, etc. HOWEVER, ive seen a lot at the track and have been a student of the sport. What i have seen, is about 90% off all track incidents could have been avoided. If im faster than a " red mister", i leave just enough room incase he bites off more than he can chew , for example. that way, if he does, he runs by late braking, out of control, it only delays my turn in and i just grab the position going underneath him on the exit.

Knowing the cars you compete against is important. Everyone has a personality on the track. So, yes, this is all about reducing risks. Yes, there is luck, but you can make your own luck for example. ever notice the guy like anderson and fan and other top racers, can race their heart out and rarely ever even get a couple of wheels off track. IN the pro ranks, why does Galati and Pobst, run the same porsche GT3, yet Galati is about 1 second slower,and always seems to end races with his car destroyed! (or beat up pretty bad, especially if its raining )

I dont think that Ive been that lucky on the track. I do think that the Holbert car is a miracle car! (very lucky) for a car to be 21 years old and to have an engine that runs as strong, for as long (91 race days, 7 SpeedGT world challenge starts, no DNFs) , and not even leak, is pretty "Lucky". (the lack of leaks, that is )

Ive had a few bumps in 6 years, but nothing too serious with the Holbert car.
And, if something serious does happen, there is always AAAplus!!

Mk

mark kibort

Actually, there is no time upkeeping the Holbert racer. This season, little work was done. I think i had one time at the shop to repair that broken swaybar mount. I did spend about 30min installing another alternator. (big year for repairs by the way, second only to the cam change 3 years ago) Other than that, the car goes to the races, starting in late March. I bring the car home, unpack it and put it in the garage. before the next race, ill dust the car off, and pack it up and off to the races we go.
Dumpster diving takes about an hour while im at the Speed GT race once or twice a year, then i stack them in the garage. on the way to the store on saturdays before some races, ill bring some rims to the tire guy to change the tires.

Oil changes, well, 2 "Amsoil" oil changes per season is not a big deal. some street guys change their oil more. I did fiddle a little bit this year with the splitter, adding some "layers" to it. I think i have about $40 in aluminum and rivets in that.

Take this season for example, i had a full 13 race season, and a few open track or time trial events. (Like the TimeAttack event ) I pulled my car into the garage last weekend after Buttonwillow. a week later, i unpacked and cleaned the car up. (an hour or two) its all clean, car is ready for next season. I do need to change those rotors out after a tough season, but i might wait unitil after the first race or two next year.

The 928 is an amazing car. just think, i havent even had an alignment in 6 years! However, i do think the shocks are now dead, we have a stroker engine coming, so this winter could be a busy one, but we will see. If i had a race tomorrow, im ready to go, as the car and I have been ready all season long. (or if i need somethings at the grocery store. which im looking forward to as soon as i get an hour to burn!)

mk

edit: My name is Mark, yes, i am a racing addict. it has been 8 days since i have been on track ...............

IcemanG17

Its safe to say there are NOT that many dedicated 928 race cars..... a handful designed for the track & even fewer designed for ORR..... Though some started out as ORR and progressed to the track.... Never seen one go the other way though?

drnick

what if you have both? my 86 sees fewer and fewer road miles but ive never entered the car into a competition on the track. my 79 will at some point have a 5.0 hybrid engine and 5spd conversion, hopefully with a drysump - but it will do a lot of street driving.

Shark Attack

you are there week after week, ,the guys know your name. May be street legal but not exactly something you want to go jump in and take to the store. you have spent a few $$$$ on race mods. The reason you have teh car is to take it to the track. you have been on the forum asking questions about piston and you know what a "stroker" is (I have no idea)....

Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net

"week after week" means you are probably fairly wealthy or simply live to race, presuming you aren't a professional

MK will tell you he is happy to jump in his and run to the store. Clearly MK is a serious racer.

I would suggest the criteria of a racer in the 928 world could be much simpler. Is the primary purpose of the car to take to the track? Have you been involved in an event where a winner is determined by finishing time?

The above would include time trials, drag racing, autocross, open road racing and racing where there are other cars racing at the same time as you.

Some people might only consider "wheel to wheel events" as racing, so opinions vary. Have you ever heard of the pyramaid of speed? http://www.devtools.org/rus/mtimages...d_of_speed.htm


P.S. There are real racers who aren't mechanics and might not have a clue as to the internals of the car's motor, so I wouldn't include that as a criteria

drnick

ok i voted yes for the orange 86. the engine and transmission have been replaced for the purpose of speed and the car is not so much fun to go and get grocerys in. i dont like driving it on the street as i think about the expensive brake pads and rubber being wasted but on the track it gets hammered... and i have timed myself round the nurburgring!

mark kibort

I drive mine on the street whenever possible. Maybe im just used to it, but i think its still one of the most comfortable cars to drive. even with a racing-like suspension, the car is not that bad on the street. tires dont wear much on the street, as i remeber using the "B" set for almost half the season for commuting to the track, street driving and all practice, and qualifying at my races. and remember, i race at least once a month. If i had some high quality door panels and the car had a better interior paint job, it would be like one of those ferarris you see on the street. loud, harsh, bumpy, but still a street car. so, its a little rough on the inside, i do have a decent stereo with a big subwofer that is removed at the track. The car is so low, i really have to be careful with driveways and speedbumps.
But, all in all, its still quite enjoyable driving around to the store and back, as long as i can do a few of my 60-100mph timed runs!

Mk

Panzer9

That's some ASTOUNDING **** ,if you ponder on it! That just goes to verify a quote that I read prior to buying mine:" The 928 build -quality is about as bomb-proof as you can get."-- Wow...

mark kibort

I dont think that folks can really grasp how amazing it really is. the 928 is an amzazing piece of engineering. 91 race days, thats like doing the 24hours of lemans, almost 4 times in a row! every season, i would think, how can this car last another beating. This season, after every single race, i was thinking more like, "how can it last another race like that?". Only drive the car home like its a street car! no leaks, no compression degredation, transmission still shifts like new, etc!!! all those gaskets are 21years old too! The list of things ive replaced over the 6 full seasons amount to a ton of racing brake pads and free tires. Then, the things ive replaced fall on a short list.
front and rear wheel bearings, the cams changed to stock 85s, and most recenly the alternator. and the alternator and rear wheel bearing were due to my fault or an on track hit. a few water pumps are on the list, several of them because of defects.

can you even begin to imagine of a car, ever made that can have this double duty, and run as fast for as long as this car has?? Its probably the fastest oldest car with its original engine in the world. (i would even bet, vs cars 10 years newer as well)

mk

Stan.Shaw@Excell.Net

Actually isn't that a bit misleading? Didn't you have cam chain teeth breaking off? The result was you replaced the cams, right?

Panzer9

Even so, I wouldn't consider that "being apart"- as in crank, bearing, piston work, etc. none- the less- some racers tear down their engines every off- season.These cars are the Extreme endurance atheletes of auto motoring.