I was standing in the trailer watching you take those pictures, not knowing who you were. A Miata layed down oil going thru T7. I saw the corner worker picking up the yellow flag and was looking for the reason for it when car turned around. It sucked, but its racin'.
No matter how careful you are.......But we got a lot done. The car was real good. We got all the photos we needed for Pepsi and Pro Tint.
Bruce was right about the way these new cars drive. I have to tellya.
I was standing in the trailer watching you take those pictures, not knowing who you were.
I kept asking those guys that were working on your car: "Is Rob around?"
The very big guy (and I am 6'1"; 190 pounds): "Hell no".
Me: "Can you tell him I am looking for him?"
Big guy: "I am busy".
I am not the sort of guy that argues with a guy that is 6' 3" and 260+ pounds. Where did you find him? In the world heavy-weight championship fights?
Nonetheless, I clocked you at a 1:37 at Road Atlanta. You were flying. I knew something crashed you into the tire wall (it's worse than the pictures). It's hard to tell which Maita since there must have been 50 of them in the paddock. You had the only Mustang.
I did meet Scott for the first time. He has won the bike race at Daytona five times (and second, twice). He once had million dollar contracts from the motorcycle manufacturers before he was almost killed in a race. He now just races in the Koni Challenge (in a Porsche and a Mustang) while also providing commentary at all SpeedTV bike events.
There is no doubt that any SCCA ARCA event is not for someone that can not drive a car very well. And don't bring one that you may be worried about wrecking.
I asked this guy why no Porsche 911 cars were there?
He explained to me that all 911 guys were "too chicken" to bring their cars to this event. He was not worried about wrecking his car (although he blew-up). I didn't tell him that I owned two 911's and a few Mustangs.
those guys are patrick dempsey's crew. the two main guys, the short round guy, the crew chief/team manager. He is the guy bent over the engine in the engine bay shot. The tall guy with the ear ring, chief mechanic(I dont see him in the pictures), are starting their own koni challenge team with my car as the principle.
i am surprised that either of them would talk to you that way unless it was after the crash. The other guys I would not be so surprised particularly if he was well over 6'. He is not really crew and he doesnt really know me either. He might be the tall guy to the right infront of the car showing the tape. His known as um....Tiny. Was that who it was?
If it was after the crash, they picked something up in the engine they didnt like and that changed their mood significantly more than the sheet metal.
Up to that point they had been ecstatic about how the car had run its first time out. They were unsure about the quality of the car until they got it on the track. Getting me under 1:40 sort of lit them up. They know I am slow.
We had so much traffic through our paddock all weekend with people asking about the car. The paint job was a real hit. It could get really busy. I didnt mind talking about the car and keeping people away from them while they worked, but after the crash I wanted to cool down and was not there to protect them from the curious.
those guys are patrick dempsey's crew. the two main guys, the short round guy, the crew chief/team manager. He is the guy bent over the engine in the engine bay shot. The tall guy with the ear ring, chief mechanic(I dont see him in the pictures), are starting their own koni challenge team with my car as the principle.
I am sorry if they were rude. We will be back in December for the NASA event.
Rob,
They weren't rude at all. They had a job to do, and there were a lot of guys milling around your paddock. I fully understood their concentration on the project in front of them. I was just giving him my respect.
I have an old friend named "Tiny". He was the nose tackle for 3 years on our high school football team. He was later our bodyguard when we went to GA honytonk bars.
I'll be in Sebring with your former car in December. GJM has done a lot of modifications. I'll take pictures.
There is a local guy looking for a Koni ride. He has some (very good) experience in SCCA Trans-Am and finished second in the only two IROC races that he started.
I am aware that Koni challenge requires Koni dampers. The SCCA doesnt have the same requirements and this was a shakedown cruise.
For all I know racing this car at Daytona is a pipe dream. Right now I know that the car runs correctly and the gear ratio sucks for Road Atlanta....oh and that I loved driving it.
I am aware that Koni challenge requires Koni dampers. The SCCA doesnt have the same requirements and this was a shakedown cruise.
Glad to hear it, I was just trying to help in case you weren't aware. This past season was the first year it was a requirement after all.
I realize Koni's aren't required in other race groups, the Dynamics are much better shocks anyways from what I have heard. There is a reason we run them on our AI cars.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TXPD
For all I know racing this car at Daytona is a pipe dream. Right now I know that the car runs correctly and the gear ratio sucks for Road Atlanta....oh and that I loved driving it.
I am pretty lucky
Ah, it sounded more definite than that in your previous post about it. Glad you are loving the car, hopefully I'll see you around the Koni races this year
Since you are a racer you know that intends to do and actually doing are two different things. I am a regular guy. In Grand Am terms I am in the poor house. The only reason racing Koni Challenge is even on the table is that a group of qualified people wanted their own race team, but couldnt afford a race car while a guy with a race car didnt come close to having the resources to race.
The two halves make a shoestring budget race team. Shoestring budget race teams go off the rails if the wind blows too hard. We are going to try. Its their dream and I am buying into it. Hitting the tires on Sunday could have been all it took to kill our chances.
We were unlucky to have the incident. Lucky that the incident damage was not a big deal.
We have a couple of legit sponsors that have some interest and a couple of legit drivers that have some interest. The guys put the car together very well and its a good car. Those that know a little something about these cars think it might be a real good car.
In any case its better than most thought you could get from cast off Zippo/TF junk.
So, it could go either way. Its an adventure at least.
I hope it all works out. If it doesnt, I still have a great club race car and some great new friends.
Are you coming with Team Dean to Atlanta in December?
Since you are a racer you know that intends to do and actually doing are two different things. I am a regular guy. In Grand Am terms I am in the poor house. The only reason racing Koni Challenge is even on the table is that a group of qualified people wanted their own race team, but couldnt afford a race car while a guy with a race car didnt come close to having the resources to race.
The two halves make a shoestring budget race team. Shoestring budget race teams go off the rails if the wind blows too hard. We are going to try. Its their dream and I am buying into it. Hitting the tires on Sunday could have been all it took to kill our chances.
We were unlucky to have the incident. Lucky that the incident damage was not a big deal.
We have a couple of legit sponsors that have some interest and a couple of legit drivers that have some interest. The guys put the car together very well and its a good car. Those that know a little something about these cars think it might be a real good car.
In any case its better than most thought you could get from cast off Zippo/TF junk.
So, it could go either way. Its an adventure at least.
I hope it all works out. If it doesnt, I still have a great club race car and some great new friends.
Yeah, I understand that. Hopefully you guys can make it work. If you have questions or need some help with anything don't be afraid to ask. If the suspension isn't bent, run it The prettiest car isn't necessarily the fastest. We won the championship this year with a car that looked pretty bad once you got up to it. The bumper covers had several holes in them, but we didn't have the money to change anything that wasn't necessary.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TXPD
Are you coming with Team Dean to Atlanta in December?
Probably not. I only have a day or two of vacation left at my "real" job so I can't afford to work for free and I doubt Dean will want to pay me.
Joe told me that "you didn't hit any of the expensive parts" and the suspension and other internals are all fine.
I think Joe talked to Dean today, in fact.
Well, if I don't see you at Atlanta in December, here's hoping to seeing you for test days at Daytona in January.
Until you said Joe, I didn't recognize him in the picture. Big Joe is a good time, pretty sure Dean and I met up with him at a bar the weekend of the 45th. He's got some pretty good stories He knows his stuff and is really good with these cars. I'm pretty sure he and Dean talk somewhat regularly.
Good luck! Not sure about Atlanta but I should be at Daytona. I just got my paperwork the other day to renew my Grand Am credentials and work has agreed to let me have the time off again. I am probably going to see Dean this weekend to make sure we are on for the year Hopefully I'll see you at both
Last edited by BlackBolt9; 11-10-2009 at 07:56 PM.
a trans am driver with iroc races? neat. you have my contact info?
Dickson (one of GJM's clients) has the contact. They both live near me.
I asked Dickson about the details. The guy actually needs a fully funded driver (he asked Dickson to join him). He has a car and a team lined up and needs a teammate with about $300K to race next year.
He raced an old Riley and Scott Mk III at Daytona last weekend which Dickson said was clocked at 204 Mph on the banking.
He knows his stuff and is really good with these cars. I'm pretty sure he and Dean talk somewhat regularly.
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