IHADAV8.com - Turbo Buick Tech, and Nonsense
General => IHADAV8 Playground => Topic started by: Racer X on March 06 2006, 10:44:27 PM
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Well it looks like chance at the big time is upon me. I will be racing in the Long Beach Grand Prix. Not as a driver, but a crew chief for the #15 Dodge Viper.
http://www.world-challenge.com/2006/events/lbc/gt-entrylist.html
This is a long time friend of mine who had a ton of talent and is short on cash, although not as short as I am on cash. It should be pretty cool and I am so geeked up for this!
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BASTARD! When is it? I'v ebeen wantign to go with a coupel friends, but we never hear about it. Good for you bud!
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Sweet! What an experience.
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The LBGP is April 7-9. I will be there all three days, obviously. We have a Friday prcatice at 5:35, a Saturday practice at 8:30 am, Qualifying at 8:00 am on Sunday, and then the race at 4:00 pm Sunday.
The pit area is wide open, so if you go, come by and say hi!
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Oh hell yes!
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Well congrats on a kick ass opportunity! I'm not familiar with the race.....they can't actually race anywhere near Long Beach.....can they? Sorry, totally out of the loop on this one.
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Its actually in Long Beach... they block off many roads... pretty bad ass.
I went a couple years ago
I'll let Racer explain more
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I'm trying to imagine how the roads could be suitable for that--blocked off or not. Wow. Just the legal/liabilty aspects of it alone probably take an act of god/congress just to make it happen.....I mean, what's the law in California now? You can only beat off under a blanket with the lights out and save the baby batter for testing/recycling?
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You can only beat off under a blanket with the lights out and save the baby batter for testing/recycling?
Did you have to go there? Phill might get excited and :spooge;
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The Long Beach Grand Prix is a "Tempoary Road Course" They block off a few of the streets in Long Beach and run one of the most prestigious races in the country. The race started off as a Formula 1 race and remained so for quite a few years until F1 pulled out of North America.
At that point CART (Indy cars) took over. The Trans Am series came on board as a support race. Then about two years ago Trans Am got in it's own way and committed suicide and could no longer run this race. So the Speed GT World Challenge Series stepped up, which brings us to this race.
The Speed GT cars are Vipers, Vettes, Porsches, Cadillacs (yes, Cadillacs), Audi, etc... It is a kick ass series and very competitive. I had a friend that ran in the series two years ago and won in his second race. Sadly, he was killed four weeks later. :prayer: Paul Mumford was his name and he was flat out fast!
In this race my friend John Dearing is behind the wheel of his Viper. John is another fast driver with gobs of talent. He and I started road racing Impala SSs about 10-12 years ago in a touring club. ONe thing led to another and here we are, finally!
Did I mention this race is at the Beach? You mix fast cars, The Beach, Booze, and Girls and you get a whole LOT OF WOW!!! :supz: :D
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I'm there Greg. I'm calling you this weekend!
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Oh snap!
It's good to be the king.
I wouldn't miss that if I was closer, stinking like burnt rubber and exhaust is next to godliness.
Congrats Racer X; sorry to hear about your racer friend, only the good die young. :prayer:
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How far is LB from Vegas?
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5 hours drive
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Too much to type, but the most amazing experience I have had in racing.
Surreal...
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GAH! I'm saving my $ for Vegas! Post your pics!
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No shit, maybe you could give us a little detail?
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I will save the good stories for a *live* discussion, but MAN! To sit in a driver's meeting with some of the biggest names in sports car racing was unbelievable. These names may not mean much to the drag racing crowd, but I was standing next to Andy Pilgrim, Ron Fellows, Sonny Whelen, and Bob Woodhouse. Our garage area was right across from Lou Giglotti and his stable of cars.
I ate dinner and had breakfast with Tommy Archer (former series Champ) and gave him a ride to the track in the morning! :prayer: We were staying in the same hotel!
Pics? Lemme see what I can find.
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My crew on the roof...
(http://www.projectcba.com/2006TGPLB/IMG_3039.jpg)
The car on the scales checking corner weights..
(http://www.projectcba.com/2006TGPLB/IMG_3050.jpg)
On the track...
(http://www.projectcba.com/2006TGPLB/IMG_3290.jpg)
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Damn, what it would like to be Racer X....
What year is that Viper?
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One word: AWESOME!!!
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The weekend before Vegas, I'll be at New Hampshire International Speedway
(location of Nascar track) for the opening weekend of the race season.
We're setting up on Saturday, and racing on Sunday.
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There having Viper VOI's out here in Vegas at the end of sept I believe.
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There having Viper VOI's out here in Vegas at the end of sept I believe.
Our Scirocco usually beats the Vipers. Its front wheel drive and
can take the corners alot faster. The Vipers only have the advantage
on the straights where they can use their horsepower.
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What year is that Viper?
It is a 2002 GTS. The car was bought in a showroom and raced for a while in a Touring Car series until it was wrecked at California Speedway. Then it was turned into a full race set up.
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Our Scirocco usually beats the Vipers. Its front wheel drive and
can take the corners alot faster. The Vipers only have the advantage
on the straights where they can use their horsepower.
Looks like those Vipers can benefit from a super secret Racer X race set up. :rofl; :yawinkle:
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One word:
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What I would give for five minutes alone with that car......
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Why? You'd drive it like a sissy, just like the go-carts. :rofl;
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Why? You'd drive it like a sissy, just like the go-carts.
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That is cool.....I would love to race that puppy.....
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No, your afraid of g-force, your ass would be the force that rolls you back over onto four wheels.
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I gotta hear the Go Cart story.
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This is true. Spill it Robert.
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On a nice warm sunny day last september Sylvan and I went to his father in laws house to visit. Next thing you know, were breaking in his go-carts and the track. The track was in a horse field. Not many laps were taken so the path was marked by tires spaced about 30 feet apart. Sylvan and I set out to make a trail....in which I believe we succeded. We hopped on these new millenium type of go-carts...disc brakes, roll cage (hehe), reverse, horn....etc. I'd call them go-carts on steroids. Sylvan and I buckled up and set out to do our deed. When we started out we were just cruising, the go-carts were brand new so they wernt too fast. I was thinking it would take hours for them to get fast. Suddenly, Sylvan pulled a dirty manuver and almost knocked me into the tires. His trickery brought the demon out in me. It was on! I mashed the gas to the floor...I couldnt catch up. Mashed a little harder and still didnt catch up until about two laps later. Next thing I knew I passed Sylvan so fast I didnt have time to cut him off into a tire. On the far corner of the track theres a sharp turn. I kept trying to do a half donut but the go-cart wasnt fast enough....unti l I passed Sylvan. Next thing I know I'm flying. The go-cart is broke in! The bitch is flying! As the sharp turn approches I gear up for the doughnut! As I hit the turn the left half of the go-cart leaves the ground and I roll over. Kinda hard. Roll cage and 5 point harness worked! Although the roll was hard I didnt even roll 360...or even a 180 for that matter. Sylvan acted like the rescue team at the drag strip. He stopped and came to help with fire extinguisher in hand. After he put the fire out I wiped the soot from my eyes and we rolled the go-cart back on it's four wheels. I started it up and drove to the starting point and parked it.
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Crazy sumbitch.
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Hey, you didnt get no pics of the fire? LoL.
PS, tell your MIL and FIL I said "HI"
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Thats awesome. :atbeer:
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Holy shit! That's almost street legal! I would've figured out a way to hurt myself, believe me.
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That looks like some good fun right there!
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The only reason i"m saying this is because I'm drunker that hell. my secret plan is to own a viper. Now, it's not a secret to my boys but a secret to the world. it will also be my daily driver. Bow down to the GN!
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Robert, you really are blitzed. I'd love to see the expression
on your face when your sober and reading this.... :rofl;
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Oh shit, it was 8am too! Nice one Robert!
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The best part about drinking till morning is waking at 2pm, opening the fridge and seeing 10 bottles of beer waiting for you. Another bright spot is that I'm still drunk, not hung over.
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The best part about drinking till morning is waking at 2pm, opening the fridge and seeing 10 bottles of beer waiting for you. Another bright spot is that I'm still drunk, not hung over.
You will be. Muh ha ha ha !
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No way, when I drink like this I dont really get the classic hang over. Tomorrow, when I go to work, I'll definatly be brain-dead though. It's funny, I'll be calling survalence and asking "did I pay this guy correctly?". It's really not a big deal but people act like you commited a crime. "you called survalence?!?! Ewwww." Little do they know, the guys always joke around. They are my watchdog. Thats what they get paid to do.