Mikelly

For the last three years I've been playing in three classes in my 944; 944Spec & ST6 in NASA and SP1 with PCA. The car is to the point where, other than general maintenance and upkeep, she's predictable, fun and competitive. I've got her to where I can scale us at 2530 for ST6 (End of race) and 2605 for SP1 and 944Spec (End of Race). My driving has improved and become more consistent since I started with Petunia in 2017. My thoughts are maybe move her onto SP2 and ST6, but the numbers in ST6 are plummeting in my region, Mid-Atlantic, and 944Spec has withered on the vine. I think Greg Hobbs will do well in reviving it, but it will take at least a year for him to seed it and let it grow.

Petunia in 2020, notice the damage on the driver's side from the last NASA weekend. Contact from another driver over-driving during qualifying. I still qualified P1 in my class and won Saturday's race.



So, my intent is to move to BiBi and see if I can put my big-boy racesuit on.


I know very little about these cars, but I bought it late summer 2019 for $6500, and slowly picked away at the missing bits (Motor/transmission) and I've got it close now to being fired up for the first time. I know enough to know I'm in over my head with chassis setup on this car (unlike the 944), so I'm enlisting the help from the team that built this car back in the early 2000s. The folks at Torp Chassis have agreed to provide chassis setup and support, and come to the track as needed for testing/tune. The car previously turned 2:00 flat at VIR with much more motor. I've decided to start out with a mild motor and get used to everything else associated with a 17 ft. long, 7 ft. wide dinosaur.

To this point, all in I'm at $10,400. I'll need two more sets of wheels and some spares for the brakes and suspension.My intent is to make the season opener with NASA in either ST3 or ST2 depending on how the power and weight work out. I may also check out SCCA's series for these cars. Finally, because I know enough to know I don't know jack ****, I'm finally going to enlist the services of a driving coach.

Gonna get exciting for me and Mike's Sports Car Hobby Shop in 2021.

Someone else inquired about me selling the 944. I'm keeping her. I intend to run the PCA Rock-The-Summit next year in SP1 and (hopefully) defend my trophy!

Matt Romanowski

Congrats! You have to update your sig to include BiBi. I'm guessing it's a full perimeter chassis? That is the basic style of a TA2 car. As you change things, I would look towards what TA2 does for real tested parts to see what is available. What brake package do you have? Shocks? You'll have a blast in it - but it will be completely different that the 944.

Mikelly

Brakes are Wilwoods up front and Sierra setup in back. The shocks were just rebuilt right before I bought the car (along with an overhaul of the complete suspension) and are double adjustable coil overs on all four corners. I think they're Penske racing.

Mike

Matt Romanowski

Nice. Penske are a great damper for that style car. The Wildwoods are real popular and have a ton of pad options. Your going to have fun!

gbuff

Earplugs.

Mikelly

Right? 1 7/8th headers to 3.5 inch exit pipe. I’m sure I’ll “get used to it” but wow!.

85Gold

I approve.

Peter

TXE36

You did verify it can turn right?


Seriously, it looks like a very fun car - enjoy.

Mikelly

Previous owner ran it with CHIN and Dave Murry events at VIR at Sebring for several years. Seemed to? Hahahaha

TXE36

There was a guy out here too who used to run one with Chin at TWS. There was also a very young kid who looked like he was about 12 that could seriously pedal one around the track.

Cars and drivers were seriously fast and it looked like a hoot.