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As discretion oft proves the better part of valor, brevity oft proves the better part of writing.  Due to some mild retardation I have no video from my HPDE outing and thus, on this occasion, I must hang my hat on mere words and pictures.

I will admit to some trepidation as I unloaded my car in a driving snow storm on Friday the 12th.  Camden, SC where I lodged received, in fact, 5 inches of accumulation in about 12 hours Friday night.  Fortunately, all was not lost.

Read on
HERE

Videos ahoy! 


As a final Daytona update, here is an embedded video followed by a link to a few others.  Cheesy?  Yes, but hopefully also entertaining.






Click Here for More Videos

Daytona 2009:


 
Up to my eyeballs in exotica....(cars I mean)...
UPDATE:  So, as I posted in the blog section to the left, all went well.  I ran somewhat of a mini-blog on Tennspeed, and I am way too lazy to transcribe the entire thing, so in lieu of actual work, here is a link:
So, we are at it again.  We loaded the GT2 onto the trailer yesterday (Wednesday 11/11) and headed south.  We pulled in today and with a favorable weather forecast, it looks like some pretty slick stuff is going to come out of the woodwork.  I snapped a few teaser pics in the garage earlier this evening, but will post more.  The link below will take you to all pictures:

Its ALIVE!!!


Better late to the headlines than never.  TJ finally managed to get the 240 up and completely running a month or so ago.  Now it is just an issue of a little polish and fine-tuning.  In honor of this momentous occasion, 3-Zero productions presents....a ridiculous video montage




If it looks like this, you are doing it wrong: 


The $5.99 part strikes again! 

Unfortunately an old coolant hose with a pin-hole in it, and the associated small coolant leak conspired to put the MR2 out of action at VIR a few weekends ago.  Apparently, a coolant gauge won't actually move at all if it has no coolant to read.  The first indication I had of a problem was "limp" mode followed shortly by a large cloud of white smoke, the remnants of which you can see in the picture.  The short story is that it lifted the head.

oops!

Honestly, up to and apart from the breakage, I was having a blast.  VIR maintains a great facility and the track is exceptionally fun and quite challenging.  I will put a link for pictures HERE, once I have them posted.

Tradition Verpflichtet: 


Yes, that is a German title, and yes I am using that as the preface for talking about an Italian car meet.  My family has attended Le Belle Macchina d'Italia for the past 17 years in some capacity.  Enough, apparently, that they let us sneak in one of ze Germans this time (and last year, but we'll just ignore that).

The Porsche in the video below is just a bit more track friendly than the alternative.



You can also find a few pictures from the event HERE.

Welcome to Atlanta: 


Road Atlanta may just be the most fun a man can have with his pants on.  I just got back, and brought some moving pictures with me:

Pay attention at about 2:15 for a nice comparison of a fairly quick car and a Nissan GTR Surprised

Proper "Restraint"


Harness






5-point harness for autocross.  Worth it?  Click the title and judge for yourself.

UTDM!:


UTDM






Want to get a few funny looks from your co-workers?  Allow me to provide you with a quick means to that end:  When asked what plans you have for Friday night, just say that you intend to drive down town, drive past the bars, past the clubs, and past the theater...in order to go hang out in a parking garage for a few hours.  The responses will vary widely; largely dependent on how many times that particular co-worker has seen Tokyo Drift.  A tip:  do not try to explain yourself. It will only make it worse, just smile and let their imagination run wild.

Click the title to read more!

La Belle Machina D'Italia Sud (Daytona!):

daytonatitle.JPG

Before you get any ideas:  NO, I have not begun spiraling down the beer-slicked precipice of NASCAR fanhood.  I have visited the hive, the very core, the alpha-oval, the mecca of stock-car racing, and emerged on the other side largely unchanged, still owning exactly zero (0.00) Dale Junior apparel.  No credit to my own fortitude really, but rather a credit to the event for which I made my pilgrimage.  A walk through the paddock on this occasion revealed no sponsor swathed spec-racers, but rather a menagerie of some of the most exotic metal and carbon-fiber creations every to grace the road or track.


The La Belle Machina D’Italia Sud 2008 is the inaugural event in what will hopefully become a tradition of Italian Car track days at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).  Similar to the Pocono event I have frequented for the past 17 years, this event showcases the same drool-inducing selection of cars only with better hospitality and a beach. 

Expanding the stable:


NSX1.JPG

I started seriously researching about three years ago.  To translate a bit for the non OCD among you, that means that I began tracking e-bay sales, and cross-referencing them to asking prices on Autotrader, Cars.com, and the club forum’s classified section in order to get a handle on the market.  I also started trolling various Internet forums and reading every magazine review possible ....

Click the title to read more!

SESM 2008:


The short version:

Drove to Alabama on Thursday, ran Little Talladega (www.tgprace.com) with the S2000 club on Friday, drove back to Knoxville on Saturday, and then ran SCCA regional number 5 on Sunday.


The long version:


It's long, click the title to read!


For every type of gearhead exists a different motorsport. Those that love the thrill of competitive straight line speed we choose drag racing, those that love the thrill of g-forces choose road racing, and for the truly insane speed demons, there is land speed racing.

2/17/2008: Aquacross?!?

12/07: Over the River & Through the Woods...

12/07 Stopping "The Madness"

11/07 Real Tires

11/07 Hard to Find Good Help