New Racers in ITS?

Ron Earp

Ron Earp

Administrator
Ed Palombo has recently fired up his 260Z ITS car (ex-Jeffrey R. 260Z) and is hoping to get a logbook for it before too much longer. I also understand that Bryan Parrish has acquired an ITS RX7. So, it looks like we might have two new racers in the SE ITS races for later this year.

Any other newcomers to ITS in the Southeast?
 
Yes I am now the proud owner of an ITS Mazda RX7........

I still have a few things to get sorted out before it hits the track but
hopefully it will be soon......

Now here's the deal........My 1984 Nissan 300ZX is for sale.......it is a factory
hardtop......serial number 20.......it came off the assembly line the first day
of production.......

pass the word.......it will make someone an awesome car if they can get it built
and finished out.......
 
We appear to have a few new ITS cars in the DC region; Al Gervais has moved from SRX7 to ITS with a fast RX7 (won both MARRS races this weekend), Don Himes was giving Al a run for his money in an ITS Miata Sunday, and Dave Tilton seems to have his Brimtek 325 going pretty well. There may be a few more, but those are the ones that came right to mind.

Al seemed to have the measure of the rest of the ITS field this weekend, and was running good laps times...consistently within a couple of seconds of the top ITA times ;)
 
Jeremy Billiel said:
Ron there is no one crazy enough to build a FWD car in ITS! <grin> Seriously just poking fun. Not starting a war!
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And for good reason - ITS is a race class for race cars. And everyone knows that real race cars are RWD. So don't feel bad. Not everyone can have a real race car, but if you keep trying you'll make it one day! I'm pulling for you! :)

So at least two new ITS guys in the SE and a couple in DC? ITS might be on a growth spurt.
 
Chris and Andy will have their second school under their belts after July... and I should be more active in the second half of the year.
 
erlrich said:
Al Gervais has moved from SRX7 to ITS with a fast RX7 (won both MARRS races this weekend),
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I wonder if we'll see more migration to other classes from 1st generation RX7 racers? Some folks have written on this forum that the 12A housings are about all gone and it won't be possible to continue to race the 1st generation cars in IT7/SRX7 indefinitely. Be great to have some IT7/SRX7 racers move into ITA/ITS/ITR.
 
There is a ITS civic registered for this weekend at RRR :D

Last time we ran the previous ITS car there I think it did no less than 4 rolls in turn 9.

Driver hasn't ran IT in qutie a few years (was out prod racing).. does that count as new?
 
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Ron Earp said:
I wonder if we'll see more migration to other classes from 1st generation RX7 racers? Some folks have written on this forum that the 12A housings are about all gone and it won't be possible to continue to race the 1st generation cars in IT7/SRX7 indefinitely. Be great to have some IT7/SRX7 racers move into ITA/ITS/ITR.
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This is an intereting topic; and timely for me in that I was just thinking this weekend that I might start looking at ITS; I've given up on the ITR idea, and have come to the conclusion that I'm wasting my money trying to do anything else with the 240SX in ITA. I'm starting to think the ITS Subie may be the next "car to have" in IT.
 
erlrich said:
have come to the conclusion that I'm wasting my money trying to do anything else with the 240SX in ITA..
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I don't know about that. Neil has one down here in the SE, has run 2:18 flat at VIR with more on the table. Pretty good I think. Good at CMP too and probably so at Roebling Road.
 
Earl, the "big jump" in times for Neil came due to some serious suspension tuning. It was not motor. They went WAY high on spring rates, I think they are over 1000 lbs up front and 500-600 rear (don't quote me on it).

That and some off season work with data acqusition got them 3-4 seconds at VIR. It's not motor -- I've driven off from that car in a straight line. It's handling and driving.

Based on what Neil has done I still think a too the max 240sx can win. The Miata guys have raised the bar, but I don't think the Integra, the CRA, the SE-R or the 240sx are done just yet.
 
Ron Earp said:
I don't know about that. Neil has one down here in the SE, has run 2:18 flat at VIR with more on the table. Pretty good I think. Good at CMP too and probably so at Roebling Road.
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Yeah, I talked with Neal for a good while when I was down there in May - he definitely has that car working about as well as any 240SX I've seen. He's also put a lot of time and a good bit of $$$ into it from what I gather. And for all that, on a track where hp cars should have the advantage (IMO), he was still 2 full seconds behind Brian. I could be wrong, but at this point I'm of the opinion that when the very best cars/drivers come out, ITA is down to a 2 car class right now - CRX or Miata.
 
From following Brian around, he seems to have out of this world car control skills. He might be the 2 second difference right there.

Neil still has development to do on the 240 as well.

I still ITA as fairly balanced. Integra, 240sx, SE-R, CRX, Miata -- all seem to have a chance depending on who is driving and where.
 
If you know anybody who is looking for a ready to race ITS car I have an '85 300ZX. Needs a little work but it's legal and could be pretty quick. Good spares box, etc. Price is right too = "cheap"

PM me if interested.
 
I'll be DARN !!!!.......I looked for 300ZX to buy for a year.......I finally buy the Mazda RX7 and now a 300ZX is for sale..........CRAP.......
 
Don't believe so. It was built in Michigan and bought by Tom Degregorio. He sold it to Scott Freedman who sold it to me. I ran it in a few races and had problems with brakes and fuel. A switch to Hawk blues solved the brake issues (they were overheating with Porterfield sprint pads) and replacing the fuel filter (was meant for carbeurated car) fixed this issues. I made quite a few updates - suspension, cage, fuel cell etc.

So when I finally got it running well at CMP it was pretty good. I had a qualifying session then got wacked on the opening lap by an RX-7 and that broke the RF suspension! I have all the bits needed to put humpty together again but no time and I only need one IT car.

Motor feels pretty strong and the handling has less feel than my 944 but is basically OK. I really should keep it - makes a great sprint car, and use the 944 for Enduros, or even vice-versa.
 
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