MCA event at Barger Motorsports

[JoeJ]

Guys,

You sure missed a great open track event at Barber last weekend. There were 6 - 20 minutes sessions on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The cars were broken up into four groups, A,B,C, & D. The A group was the race prepared group. The course is a roller coaster ride with a lot of curves and elevation changes and the facility is unbelieveable beautiful. There was more than 1000 Mustangs in attendence with more than 100 each day on the track. Ford Motor Company came with a new Shelby GT500, a Shelby Hertz Car, and a Shelby GT Mustang (Going into production in December 2006)

As I did not have my 2000 Cobra R back, I rented a 6 cylinder Mustang from a Ford dealer in Houston, put on my Cobra R race tires, loaded in on my trailer and went to Barber to have some fun. And did I have a blast. I sure surprised a bunch of V8 mustangs with that 2006 V6 Mustang. LOL. Hmmm..I completely used up the brakes on the car. Wore out the stock pads and worped one of the front roters. Seems like the brakes got a bit hot..lol..I will attach a picture of the car.

Hope to see everyone at Gingerman in a few weeks. Sure hope I get my car back in good shape. Houston Performance say it should be ready sometime this week. Hmmm..May have to retire it and find me a dedicated race prepared track car.

 

[ac427cobra]

Great report Joe! Sounds like it was an awesome time?

Just out of curiosity, do you just plead the 5th when you return the car or do you do the brakes for them? oke:

Barber is on my "To Do" list and would like to get there possibly next year with some fellow "R" owners? :idea: If you guys can keep us posted WELL in advance of some events, maybe we can get a Yankee caravan together to make the "pilgrimage" in the future?

We all hope you can get your R back before the Gingerman event and look forward to seeing you again!

:thumbsup: :coolman: :beer:

 

[NJ2000R]

Hey Joe, sounds like a great event! I thought about going, but I thought the 970 mile distance was a bit much this year....maybe in the future if the R guys do something there? I'll see you at gingerman, hope your car is done by then....looks like I'll have the 2000R there....I had hoped to bring the 93R, but not having very much luck with engines :rollseyes

 

[tomshep]

Ken,

I drove 1100 miles!!!

As Joe already stated it was a great event. The Zippo car ran great and the motor, tranny and rear end held together. I love that T2R.

The facility is stunning. Just picture a few hundred acres as nice as Disney with a race track in the center. The course has some great elevation changes. You can't tell it from watching the races on TV. The track goes back and forth in the center. There are 3 "end sections" of the track. Each one has an easy 50' elevation change with turns cresting at the top of hills or bottoming out in a turn so you really load the suspension. It was a blast.

No speed limits enforced or noise restrictions.

I have found the MCA events to be great fun and well run. I enjoy the old iron as well as the new. I can't wait for the 45th Anniversary event.

Tom

 

[comprepsvo]

I had a blast the whole weekend. It certaintly is different driving on the track versus sitting and watching the Grand Am cars go by! Joe it sure was good to see you and Tom, sorry I didn't come by and introduce myself, but I sure enjoyed seeing you in the Zippo car run! I took it easy in my R, just to say I had been on the track in it. I look forward to meeting more of you fellow R owners in the future.

 

[1995COBRA-R]

Joe, that is a great picture of your rental racer!

Thanks all for the report of the weekend. I saw a number of Mustangs cruising south on I-85 to the event and then again noticed them going north on I-85 after the event ended. It seems most participants drove their cars (vs. trailering)?

No speed limits enforced or noise restrictions.

I'm surprised they didn't enforce the noise rules. They have been very strict about it in the past.

They were very strict in the GAC and vintage groups. They passed around a sheet of paper with all the fines associated with violations of their property rules.

I assume the weather was dry?

 

[comprepsvo]

It didn't rain a drop the whole weekend, but was hot. Track temperature on Friday was 120 degrees F. Other than being sunny and hot all weekend, the weekend was perfect. The snow cone stand sure was busy!

 

[Sargent1]

I drove my 95 R to the event from Charleston, SC. 1000 miles of sweating my XXX off, but it was worth it. It was a last minute decision, so we didn't get in the open track sessions and were relegated to display only on the top level, but that facility is stunning. My friend and I were wandering thru the paddock and saw Joe's car and I briefly met Tom. I got on the track for the parade laps Sunday morning. We were supposed to maintain 35 mph and 50yards spacing, but we lagged back and I hit 70-75 in a few spots. Here's a pic.

Chris

 

[DAVESVT2000]

I can't wait for the 45th Anniversary event. Tom

Just two years, 7 months to go ... Any word on if it will be in Nashville again ?

 

[tomshep]

Dave,

I asked a few of the MCA officers and they said they were just starting to plan the event and would start getting serious after Barber. They hadn't nailed it down. My dad and I talked about the location on the way home. They need to keep it in the south due to club support of the event. This event is a HUGE undertaking. They also need a facility that can handle a bunch of people with a driving venue + show area. Barber isn't big enough for a Mustang Anniversary event. That leaves Nashville, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Road Atlanta (if large enough) and that is about all I can think of.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Tom

 

[ac427cobra]

That leaves Nashville, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Road Atlanta (if large enough) and that is about all I can think of.
Tom

Did someone say Road Atlanta!?!epper: :rockon: :bowdown:

 

[1995COBRA-R]

That leaves Nashville, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Road Atlanta (if large enough) and that is about all I can think of.

Anyone else have any ideas?

I'm all over those choices . Of course, Road Atlanta would be perfect for me (home cooking is your racing friend ;-) ). If RA can handle the Petit LeMans, I don't see why it can't handle the Mustang anniversary (it has a big grassy infield).

I wonder if Sebring would be too far south?

As long as you mention the rovals, I wonder if Atlanta Motor Speedway would be a choice (although the road course is as bad as Nashville)? Charlotte Speedway has the best roval road course (IMO). It has wider banked infield turns with less harsh transitions.

Sargent1

Hey Chris! I saw your car in the new issue of 5.0M&SF mag. Nice! I saw you live in MP; my son lives on James Island (he's a mortgage broker).

 

[Sargent1]

Yeah, that was a surprise when I saw that! That's my dad standing next to it at the South Georgia Motorsports Park stop. He didn't want to get back in his Mach 1 after driving the R! My wife's a real estate agent so send me his name and number and we'll put them together.

My preference for the 45th would be RA or Charlotte. Nashville was well-organized and easily accessible, but the gravel show field and the dust left a lot to be desired.

Chris