Track days and racing

[crockett]

The daytime running light thread made me search backup hard drives with my track day / racing recordings. I wasn't able to find the drive that has all my raw GoPro files on it (and I pray to God that I didn't mix it up one day with another drive and used it for something else) but I found part of my very first day / session on the Homestead-Miami Speedway, learning the turns, apexes, weak spots like the concrete enforcements for the race cars (very slick compared to the rest of the asphalt).

That video brings back memories. I was the only one that joined the CCS SuperBike race class without any prior experiences on smaller cc bikes.

This was my first time out on that track, got my race license one month later under AMA racer John Long. He smashed into my bike that day in turn 1, luckily none of us went down.

If you have anything from the track, please share.

 

Soon came into the pit lane and waited for some others to follow their lines.

 

 

 

 

 

[Batesmotel]

Running the salt at Bonneville. 175 mph. 

[Batesmotel]

Not a track day but a road rally. The Porsche club met up with the Austin-Healey club. 

[crockett]

15 hours ago, Batesmotel said:

Not a track day but a road rally. The Porsche club met up with the Austin-Healey club. 

 

Austin-Healey's remind me of Tim the Tool Man and his initial dislike for British automobiles lol Do you still own a Porsche?

[tous]

I don't see why anyone would hate  an automobile that has side curtain that leaked, an electrical system that lasted 20 minutes before faiiling  if you were lucky, a hydraulic clutch linkage that leaked as bad as the side curtains and a suspension and engine from the tractor division of BMC.

NB my first ever car, circa 1964, was two Austin Healey Sprites (the bug-eyed model) basically in a bunch of boxes.  It took six months and most every penny from an after-school job to combine two basket cases into one operating automobile.    At the time, they had motorcycle engines bigger than the Sprite's.  My father liked the car because he knew that regardless of how my 16-year-old brain tried, I couldn't get in trouble in a car that took 30 minutes to get to 50 miles per hour.

 

[Batesmotel]

12 minutes ago, crockett said:

 

Austin-Healey's remind me of Tim the Tool Man and his initial dislike for British automobiles lol Do you still own a Porsche?

Yes. The one pictured. 1993 911-964 series P. Only 520 were made. It will take a lot for me to ever sell it. The 520 made in 93-94 were the very last of the upright headlights. Less power than the new ones but much lighter and more nimble. On tight turns it feels like it is dancing on the road. The new cars are too smooth and technically advanced. They feel disconnected from the road. 

[Batesmotel]

1 minute ago, tous said:

I don't see why anyone would hate  an automobile that has side curtain that leaked, an electrical system that lasted 20 minutes before faiiling  if you were lucky, a hydraulic clutch linkage that leaked as bad as the side curtains and a suspension and engine from the tractor division of BMC.

NB my first ever car, circa 1964, was two Austin Healey Sprites (the bug-eyed model) basically in a bunch of boxes.  It took six months and most every penny from an after-school job to combine two basket cases into one operating automobile.    At the time, they had motorcycle engines bigger than the Sprite's.  My father liked the car because he knew that regardless of how my 16-year-old brain tried, I couldn't get in trouble in a car that took 30 minutes to get to 50 miles per hour.

 

Was it one with the positive to ground, negative to hot?

Besides everyone needs a reason to have Whitworth Wrenches. 

[tous]

It was indeed a 6-volt, positive ground, Lucas electrical system.

Whitworth tools would have been handy if I had ever owned a British motorcycle, but  alas, I went with Honda rather than Triumph.

My 1972 911 T officially had a top speed of 130 MPH; unofficially had a top speed of 148.

Proven on an interstate highway around St. Louis on a clear, summer night in 1974.

Don't tell anybody.

[tous]

1 hour ago, Batesmotel said:

Yes. The one pictured. 1993 911-964 series P. Only 520 were made. It will take a lot for me to ever sell it. The 520 made in 93-94 were the very last of the upright headlights. Less power than the new ones but much lighter and more nimble. On tight turns it feels like it is dancing on the road. The new cars are too smooth and technically advanced. They feel disconnected from the road. 

And it was still air-cooled. 

I recall when the local PCA chapter got a first look at the 928 and reaction to a Porsche with the engine in front and a GASP! radiator.

That said, we all got to drive it for a bit both on road and track  and it was a competent automobile, just with the engine in front and GASP! a radiator.

 

[deputy tom]

2 hours ago, Batesmotel said:

Was it one with the positive to ground, negative to hot?

Besides everyone needs a reason to have Whitworth Wrenches. 

I still have a set from the late 60's. Triumph TR3 and a few Triumph and BSA bikes. tom. 

Edited November 30, 2021 by deputy tom
spelling error

[gwalchmai]

1 hour ago, tous said:

NB my first ever car, circa 1964, was two Austin Healey Sprites (the bug-eyed model) basically in a bunch of boxes.  It took six months and most every penny from an after-school job to combine two basket cases into one operating automobile.    At the time, they had motorcycle engines bigger than the Sprite's.  My father liked the car because he knew that regardless of how my 16-year-old brain tried, I couldn't get in trouble in a car that took 30 minutes to get to 50 miles per hour.

 

For 20 years I lived across the road from a really nice guy named Rick. VietNam vet, BBQ connoisseur, deacon in his church, foreign missionary, realtor, Swedish Mauser fan, and a genuinely nice guy. The entire time I knew Rick he had a Sprite in his garage. I never saw it run.

[crockett]

8 minutes ago, gwalchmai said:

For 20 years I lived across the road from a really nice guy named Rick. VietNam vet, BBQ connoisseur, deacon in his church, foreign missionary, realtor, Swedish Mauser fan, and a genuinely nice guy. The entire time I knew Rick he had a Sprite in his garage. I never saw it run.

 

Reminds me of a neighbor who is harboring a mint C2 Vette in his garage. Never seen it outside, let alone running, in almost 8 years. That same neighbor used to own a early 80s single cab S10 truck. Told him that I will buy it when he is ready. A year later he shows up with a new Chevy single cab and I ask him what happened with the S10. He gave it to the GM dealer for free so he didn't have to deal with it. Thing is now worth 20 to 30k in the condition it was in.

Every day he works his ass off for 9 hours with a 1 hour commute, one way. When he gets home, his wife yells at him while she doesn't do anything. On the weekends he takes care of the yard.

I don't get it... how can guys get of the path by that much...

[tous]

1 hour ago, deputy tom said:

I still have a set from the late 60's. Triumph TR3 and a few Triumph and BSA bikes. tom. 

A buddy had an AJS Matchless 500, basically a BSA product.

500 cc single-cylinder with what had to be more than 10 to 1 compression.

Kick starting that beast was a job and if it backfired before the kick-starter disengaged, guaranteed broken leg or a trip across the yard  20 feet in the air.

[deputy tom]

12 hours ago, tous said:

A buddy had an AJS Matchless 500, basically a BSA product.

500 cc single-cylinder with what had to be more than 10 to 1 compression.

Kick starting that beast was a job and if it backfired before the kick-starter disengaged, guaranteed broken leg or a trip across the yard  20 feet in the air.

A BSA 441 Victor would launch you as well. tom.

[Lazy R]

Crockett, what were you riding there? You passed the other riders like they had a different class of bike.

[crockett]

5 minutes ago, Lazy R said:

Crockett, what were you riding there? You passed the other riders like they had a different class of bike.

I built my own 1000 cc racebike to CCS Superbike class specifications based on a GSXR 1000. Compatible to a Yoshimura race bike. 230 HP at the crank, 200 at the rear wheel, at 370 pounds wet, no fuel.

[Lazy R]

That makes my rear end pucker up