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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

3-Zero Site suffers tragic neglect! Admin Sacked.

While I have not actually sacked myself, I do appologize for a distinct lack of content over the past few weeks.  My work schedule & lack of car for part of that time has somewhat curtailed my in-flow of internet fodder.

TJ & Travis really don't have much of an excuse though :) .

Here is a quick update as to where I stand:

-NSX is up and running as my DD although the climate control unit is probably about to bite it.  That stuff is for wusses though, and I believe is a simply an issue of re-soldering the board, so I'm not too worried.
-The MR2 is a valve adjustment away from being armed and ready to mount an attempt to salvage a bit from this autocross season.  I need some solid results in the last two events.
-I will be at the Daytona leg of Le Belle Macchine D'Italia in November.  That should provide copious eye-candy for the site (again).
-For those videogame inclined; Forza Motorsport 3 is coming out shortly.  That should help pass the off season assuming I don't break something else that takes months to fix over the winter.

I will endeavor, in the next few days, to come up with something worth writing on here...even if that means going all "journalist" and playing the car pundit...banish the thought.

11:00 am est

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Sports-Car Withdrawal Cured!

After a couple of weeks driving the loaner sled around, I was able to retrieve the NSX from Barney @ Asheland Motorsports.  I cannot say enough about the level of service he provides to the NSX community.

It's nice being able to drive the car without thinking about a potentially 10 year and 100k mile timing belt making a bid for freedom.

The MR2 should be back in my hands soon as well.  Unfortunately this means the track budget is looking somewhat anemic for the rest of the year, but there is always autocross :)

9:06 am est


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Nashville Super Speedway: End of an Era....for now.
 
I've only driven NSS on one other occasion....one other not-very-successful occasion.  So I feel it's only fitting that the track that highlighted the extent of the problems with one of my cars also serve, in possibly one of it's last-hosted events to fully vet the renewed fitness of my other car.  4 full sessions and a bit for fun, nearly 70 laps, and a 300mile round trip to and from....with no issues what-so-ever (knock on wood out of habit).  
 

Friday Nights in the Old City: The Knoxville "UTDM" meet.
 
 You may recall my last article describing the great atmosphere, massive turn-outs, and unfortunate dispersal of this meet in it's original manifestation and wonder why it's cropped back up as a headline on the site.  Well, it seems reports of the event's demise may have been somewhat premature.  A few enterprising folks took the initiative, moved the location to a public parking area under a bridge, next to some railroad tracks, in the old city....and even went so far as calling ahead to KPD.  As a result, UTDM rides again!  In honor of this momentous occasion (and as an excuse to play with my video editor, and take more pictures of the NSX) I've compiled the requisite cheesy video:
 


Pocono 2011.  Setting a new record for late updates on 3-Zero.net:
 
So, amidst my own vehicular trial & error, we arrive at the time for our annual pilgrimage up north.  My plan was laudable:  Take my lap-top, run the usual mini-blog on Sports Car Frenzy and TennSpeed, then dutifully update this site shortly after returning.  Well, 2/3 isn't bad I suppose.  Much to the chagrin of my hypothetical/imaginary readers here, I became thoroughly distracted with shaking-down my recently resurrected NSX and consequently failed brutally at web-mastering.
 
Ok.  Enough with The excuses.  The forum links above will take you to a general account of the proceedings, and the pretty pictures below link to many more, nearly-equally-pretty pictures. 
 

Car Show Pictures
I need a towel.......

Track Pictures

Driving an irregular oval - Nashville Superspeedway:
 
My inability, thus far, to crack the mystery surrounding the MR2's cooling system has festered into a point of acute personal shame.  History provides a veritable cornucopia of solutions for such indignity: wearing a scarlet letter, becoming a hermit, Seppuku, etc...  However, since I'm really not handy with a sewing kit, the housing market is crap, and I really can't be bothered to die right now, I figured I might have better luck just fixing the problem.  However, I first must find that which requires fixing, and the only way to find said "that" involves looking for the problem in the only environment where it occurs:  the racetrack. 
 
Enter a conveniently timed event at Nashville Superspeedway, hosted by the Music City Mustang Club.  The 1.8 mile "road course" configuration provided a test bed for the cooling system.  I trailered the MR2 to the event, splashed for a garage bay, and brought the proverbial bag of tricks with me.  After 3.1 sessions of driving, and several hours roasting myself over the hot engine bay, the problems persist, but I eliminated numerous variables.  Naturally, it's nothing simple or easy.  With that said, I did manage a little fun on the track, some of which I have shared below:
 
Video:
 



NOPI

Video(s) of the Month
An art film devoted mostly to a car.  If you like this Format67 has done a few others that are nearly as good.  Check them out (no affiliation).