Winter Racing in NJ

[benspeed]

It was a sunny day in Northern NJ and we set out to groom the dirt kart track. The new car is much bigger and the hairpin between the two oak trees was looking just too small to safely race. So to make the track a little safer a downhill S complete with berms was added. This should allow the kart to run down the hill faster than before and also presented some new hazards. Several major rock were protruding making for some worrisome jumps, but a little dirt and leveling helped.

Dirt kart racing in NJ. That's what you do when all tracks are shut down for the winter. Today it was just warm enough to contemplate so with iPod stopwatch in hand and a bunch of semi sober friends, we race.

The kart is a 150cc chinese buggy. Hauls ass, coil overs, goes about 40-45. It will fill the void and when running for time between narrow tree turns and a few jumps - it is fun.

The track is on my property and has major elevation changes, turns and power downhill straights. It's about 3/8 and takes 50 seconds to run. The cool thing is you don't really see the track in the woods unless you look.

To prove how desperate we are, we even took the kart down to the huge parking lot and setup an autocross course and ran time.

Who won every race? Need you ask.... (Why no winter autocross?)

 

[lateapex911]

When i was young, (like 12) I thought it would be so cool to be rich and have your own race track...basically your driveway, with a loop attached. I see you are living the dream!

(MY driveway/racetrack is 150 feet long, all of 9 feet wide, bordered by a fence along one edge (with a neighboron the other side of the not nearly tall enough fence) who yells, "Why don't you move!?!?!" when I start my car to drive it on the trailer), and my 50 feet of house on the other. No racing on my property for me.

New Years Resolution for Jake: Be more like Ben!!

 

[x-ring]

I KNEW there was a good reason not to live in the NE: It is too cold and the neighbors are wound too tight.

 

[benspeed]

Fortunately I have enough land between me and any other houses - plus the gates, dogs and occasional gunplay - most are discouraged from getting close - no complaints from any neighbors Never had a trick or treater in 14 years, wonder why???

Here is the buggy - we bought the 150cc (the 250cc was too fast for my kids). It was $1300 plus $350 shipping - some assembly - great project with my 10 year old. This has provided mucho hours of fun and its great to watch my 80lb kid whip up on my racing friends.

Its my training vehicle to warm up for race weekends.

 

[wdether]

I KNEW there was a good reason not to live in the NE: It is too cold and the neighbors are wound too tight.

Ty,
Those are only a few of the many reasons not to live in the NE. This time of the year makes living in the southeast and the southwest look good/attractive (the summers on the other hand...). How are things in New Mexico?

Ben, that looks like quite a bit of fun. Enjoy!

 

[benspeed]

Bill - you can take it for a spin and go for track record when you come out to see the SPO car!

An you warm weathered types - y'all get so much more track time, why does the NE always whip up on you guys? LOL (Wonder which region did do the best at the ARRC?)

 

[RacerBill]

Let's see, racing in New York City in inclement weather. When I was growing up in Queens, we lived in an apartment building. The building had two wings with an elevator in each wing. We would race our bikes (pedal power only!) from one elevator to the other. This was not a drag race, however. The lobby in the middle of the building was lower in the center, therefore the basement hallway sloped down and them back up, with about a 10' elevation change. And then there was the boiler hazard. The boiler to heat 110 apartments was so large that the hall had to detour about 25' making the course straight, 90 right, 25' straight, 90 left, 30' straight, 90 left, 25' straight, 90 right, then onto the finish straight. Hallway was about 6' wide. No room for error there! Also had to post a safety person at the finish line to alert us of any tenants getting off the elevator at that end!

 

[benspeed]

Bill - that absolutely kicks ass! Loved doing stuff like that as a kid. Throw in some full contact passing - I bet many kids hammered their knuckles on the walls working for position.

No wonder you race!

 

[dj10]

Ben, how is your Boxster coming?

 

[lateapex911]

yea..more boxster info! TTIWWOP!

 

[RacerBill]

Bill - that absolutely kicks ass! Loved doing stuff like that as a kid. Throw in some full contact passing - I bet many kids hammered their knuckles on the walls working for position.

No wonder you race!

Yeah - my parents never could figure out why I double clutched when I shifted gears on my English racer. Matter of fact, I remember pleading for years to get bike that shifted!!!!!!

Also, we made our own chains to ride bikes in the snow! In New York City!!!! Crazy.

I even talked a friend into trading in some Christmas presents for a sled with a steering wheel from Abecrombe and Fitch (back when they sold stuff other than clothes).

Memory is a terrible thing!!!

 

[x-ring]

Ty,
Those are only a few of the many reasons not to live in the NE. This time of the year makes living in the southeast and the southwest look good/attractive (the summers on the other hand...). How are things in New Mexico?

Boy it's cold here now. I think it barely broke 50* today. I had to put on a jacket when I went out for lunch.

The thing about the high desert you may not know though, is that out daytime highs and night time lows are often very far apart. It's supposed to be 14* here tonight and 52* tomorrow. That's good in the summer; it may top 100* during the day, but might cool to 70* when the sun goes down.

Besides, 100* and 20% RH is a lot easier to take (for me anyway) than 90* and 90%.

You going to Flatland Park next October Bill? Not sure what's wrong with me, I already promised Toni I'll be there.

 

[x-ring]

An you warm weathered types - y'all get so much more track time, why does the NE always whip up on you guys? LOL (Wonder which region did do the best at the ARRC?)

There's damn little competiton here. Sure we get plenty of track time, but I often find myself racing with a prod car or SS/T, just so I have somebody to race with.

That's no way to build your game...

 

[wdether]

Boy it's cold here now. I think it barely broke 50* today. I had to put on a jacket when I went out for lunch.

The thing about the high desert you may not know though, is that out daytime highs and night time lows are often very far apart. It's supposed to be 14* here tonight and 52* tomorrow. That's good in the summer; it may top 100* during the day, but might cool to 70* when the sun goes down.

Besides, 100* and 20% RH is a lot easier to take (for me anyway) than 90* and 90%.

You going to Flatland Park next October Bill? Not sure what's wrong with me, I already promised Toni I'll be there.

Ty,
I feel your pain with the cool weather today, the high here was about 40. I experienced your weather patterns a little in 2001 at the Balloon Fiesta. I remember is was pretty cold in the morning and warmed up nicely as the day progressed. I could take that weather.

I haven't told Toni yet, but I will most likely go to the Runoffs this year again. I must have some malady too, or must be a glutton for punishment (or both). With G Prod not being at the Runoffs I will have only three classes to tech. Are you going to do Spec Miata again?

 

[x-ring]

I haven't told Toni yet, but I will most likely go to the Runoffs this year again. I must have some malady too, or must be a glutton for punishment (or both). With G Prod not being at the Runoffs I will have only three classes to tech. Are you going to do Spec Miata again?

Yep on the SM thing. I can't quite figure those guys out. SM gets the most intrusive inspections of any class at the runoffs, yet the more I tell those guys to tear their cars apart for measurement, the better they like it. It's not like I never find anything, either. I think Lois told me that I (collectively, the SM team) wrote as amny actions last year as everyone else did combined. Last year was WAY better than 2006, too. IIRC, we wrote something like 40 actions that year; 14 the first day.

So if you're JUST doing E,F, and H wanna spend your spare time helping out the SM team?

 

[wdether]

Yep on the SM thing. I can't quite figure those guys out. SM gets the most intrusive inspections of any class at the runoffs, yet the more I tell those guys to tear their cars apart for measurement, the better they like it. It's not like I never find anything, either. I think Lois told me that I (collectively, the SM team) wrote as amny actions last year as everyone else did combined. Last year was WAY better than 2006, too. IIRC, we wrote something like 40 actions that year; 14 the first day.

So if you're JUST doing E,F, and H wanna spend your spare time helping out the SM team?

Ty,
You would think after the full rectal examination the Spec Miata drivers received in 2006 they would have wised up and brought more compliant cars in '07. I can't remember the total number of actions last year the production team and I wrote, but I think it was around 5-7.

I think helping you with Spec Miata this year will depend on the qualifying and racing schedule. I would be happy to help out if time allows.

 

[x-ring]

You would think after the full rectal examination the Spec Miata drivers received in 2006 they would have wised up and brought more compliant cars in '07

They did. Word got around, I guess. I think we had just under 30 this year, vs. 40+ in '06.

The one priceless moment that will stay with me forever, fom the '06 runoffs, happened when Kathy passed out the inspection list post-race, and one of the drivers came up and asked me how long I thought it would take us to get his car taken apart, measured, and re-assembled.

Riiiight.

 

[benspeed]

BOSXTER UPDATE

So I bought my '99 Boxster for $11.5 with a hardtop. Car has 72K miles. Figured I'd be picking up a rat when I took my trailer up to Natick MA to get to car from Bernardi Honda. When I got there the car was mint and the owners manual was stamped up to date with all the major services. Hows this for honest - I thought I had I paid tax up in MA. When I was at the DMV in NJ the paperwork didn't show I had paid tax so I had to pay it again. Called Bernardi - they said they collected no tax. I sorta scratched my head and didn't think that was right - got a check in the mail yesterday from Bernardi with an apology - they could have kept the $600.

I put a plate on the car and have been driving it around a little - only problem was loose heat shields that I removed. It screams. Right now I'm having a ton of fun driving it - but I'm looking at the total suspension package first - full coil over kit with two sets of springs - LRP/NHIS springs and Pocono/Glen springs. Debating on Moton or JRZ shocks.

Exhaust - that has been intersting - lots of products available with no proof that anything is much better than factory. Hugely expensive - so if anybody has some header back recommendations I'm all ears. Maybe just removing the cats only will be the first thing I try.

The company I work for, Realogy, represents roughly 25% of the domestic residential real estate market - so as you can imagine we are taking a very hard hit. My bonus was eliminated so the play money for this year is being held down to a minimal budget - looks like '09 would be the earliest this hits the track with a cage in it, but I will do some DE events with friends that I am trying to pull into SCCA racing.

Anybody know if the 928 will be classed in ITR? Got some folks local who are getting ready to build one for ITE.

Ben "not willing to rip it apart yet" Speed

 

[dj10]

Ben Ben Ben, sell the Chevy and build the Porsche! :~)
My experience with Porsche's would lead me to believe you have the best header system for your car on the car now. With the exception of the Cat and the heavy muffler you still have.

With the interest rate droping like a lead ballon, things will pickup for you shortly.