Track Days

[barfle]

While it's been thirty plus years (egad!) since I turned a wheel in anger, I see myself at about her skill level (she turns heads better than she turns wheels, IMNSHO). With there actually being competition to get in the Indy 500, I think she'll be watching it.

[BigJon@Work]

No one is no better than Milka.

Does this mean everyone plays at the same skill level as Milka?

No, no one does. Not even Smarty Roth

[barfle]

So, how about that Lewis Hamilton? For a bit it looked like the standard sophomore agony, but he seems to be pulling it off.

[jamiebk]

Barfle and BigJon, I thought of you guys when I posted this on the "Oh Woe is Me" Thread. Find an MP3 and give it a go:

RUSH

"Red Barchetta"

My uncle has a country place
That no one knows about
He says it used to be a farm
Before the Motor Law
And on Sundays I elude the eyes
And hop the Turbine Freight
To far outside the Wire
Where my white-haired uncle waits

Jump to the ground
As the Turbo slows to cross the borderline
Run like the wind
As excitement shivers up and down my spine
Down in his barn
My uncle preserved for me an old machine
For fifty odd years
To keep it as new has been his dearest dream

I strip away the old debris
That hides a shining car
A brilliant red Barchetta
From a better vanished time
I fire up the willing engine
Responding with a roar
Tires spitting gravel
I commit my weekly crime

Wind
In my hair
Shifting and drifting
Mechanical music
Adrenaline surge...

Well-weathered leather
Hot metal and oil
The scented country air
Sunlight on chrome
The blur of the landscape
Every nerve aware

Suddenly ahead of me
Across the mountainside
A gleaming alloy air car
Shoots towards me, two lanes wide
I spin around with shrieking tires
To run the deadly race
Go screaming through the valley
As another joins the chase

Drive like the wind
Straining the limits of machine and man
Laughing out loud with fear and hope
I've got a desperate plan
At the one-lane bridge
I leave the giants stranded at the riverside
Race back to the farm
To dream with my uncle at the fireside

[barfle]

Any opinions on the penalty assessed Hamilton last week at Spa?

[BigJon@Work]

It was shameful, but it didn't stop him from taking the championship.

[barfle]

I thought the whole season was remarkable the way Kimi, Lewis, and Felipe all tried to give the championship to each other.

To tell the truth, I was rooting for Masa, although I believe Hamilton's charisma is benefitting the sport.

[ScottB]

This is one of the most amazing videos I have ever seen, not only that but it is my favorite car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xr58Fq9fwo&fmt=22

[BigJon@Work]

Got my new/old BMW on track last weekend for a track day. It's a hoot. I treated it like a racecar and it never faltered or whimpered. 120 mph on the front straight and 100 on the back straight. That’s amazing for a bone stock street car with four seats. Handling was very neutral and I could power out of all the corners without wheelspin. I can’t wait to get back to the track.

[BigJon@Work]

BTW, Hamilton was robbed again!

[DavidS]

Handling was very neutral and I could power out of all the corners without wheelspin.

Would that be to do with Beemers still being made with rear wheel drive?

[BigJon@Work]

Not just rear-wheel-drive, but a proper limited slip differential and decent suspension design contribute to the good performance.

[barfle]

This is one of the most amazing videos I have ever seen, not only that but it is my favorite car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xr58Fq9fwo&fmt=22

Scott, I finally remembered to look at this at home, since the office's IT crew prevents youtube connections (and tells you that it's watching you when you go to the site). And it's quite a ride!

I'm reminded of when I was racing lo these many decades ago. Someone strapped an 8mm movie camera to his helmet one night. I never got to see what the results were, but he didn't brag about them afterwards. I suspect he found that holding the trigger down with duct tape (the racer's edge) used up all of his film just waiting for the green flag. Of course, TV cameras of the day weighed almost as much as the cars did!

Now I have a camera the size of a cigarette pack that can take 45 minutes of video with stereo sound. But the car and all the tracks I raced at are long gone.

[ScottB]

The 93 to 98 Toyota Supra Turbo is now the record holder for standing mile and also holds the record for 6 speed quarter mile and it happens to be the same car that is posted in that you tube video. Of course there is pretty much nothing in the engine compartment that is stock but the transmission and rear end are stock.

[barfle]

I'm surprised a stock transmission and rear end could stand up to the torque. But maybe Toyota overbuilds them. I know my race car's transaxle was seriously modified to handle over 100 HP, since it was originally designed for half that. And the modifications included quite a bit of external bracing to keep the housing from flexing too much!

[BigJon@Work]

Supras were built like Army-issue anvils.

[Shapley]

Formula One Racing Chief Praises Hitler, Saddam

Apparently, he's no fan of the deliberative process...

[barfle]

Power corrupts, and Bernie has quite a bit of power in F1. But there's a revolt brewing.

[ScottB]

I'm surprised a stock transmission and rear end could stand up to the torque. But maybe Toyota overbuilds them. I know my race car's transaxle was seriously modified to handle over 100 HP, since it was originally designed for half that. And the modifications included quite a bit of external bracing to keep the housing from flexing too much!

The transmission is a Getrag which is a German company that has been used in BMW's for quite awhile. The rear end is a TRD but I am not sure if Toyota just put their badging on it and calls it their own. I cant seem to find anyting about the axles but I have only heard of a couple of failures of the stock axles. Toyota certainly over engineered this car. I just wish I was able to drive mine more often.

[barfle]

If anyone is interested in old Indy 500 coverage, there are several radio broadcasts available at a reasonable charge, and several video programs as well.