Rotary4tw

iTrader: (3)

For those of you who have not gotten a chance to ride along in an FD with an experienced driver on a track... put this on the list of things you need to do before you die.

Incredible. These cars are simply incredible.

As a new FD owner, I have been trying to locate the Rx-7 guys and events in Minnesota. I luckily got in contact with a really friendly guy named Ryan who invited me up to a local "track test" day in our area. Ryan is an incredible driver, and belongs in one of those Japanese Rx-7 vid's where its commentary is all in Japanese except for the phrase "start-up"... you know what I'm talking about!

Well, we got up really early on Sat. morning, and drove a two car rx-7 caravan to the track. (Something about multiple Rx-7's on the road in formation just commands respect...)

When we got to the track, there were about 15 really nice cars that were all prepped and ready for few hours of seat time. Ryan was the only FD, but there was also one really nice 14psi turbo Miata that had around 240hp. (I got a ride in the Miata, and it felt about as fast as my FD.)

Among the others, a few BMW's, a heavily modded Mustang, a new looking Lotus Elise, a Prelude, a nice BMW, a green Honda, 340hp WRX, and finally a nice little early 70's Opal GT.

I had no intention to track my car at all, and actually got about 20 laps (riding along) in both the FD and the Turbo Miata. What a satisfying Saturday morning/afternoon.

With about 15 mins left in the day, I got an idea. I had been trying to get Ryan to test drive my Rx-7 all day... (on the way to lunch, before the event started up again...) and then I thought, why not let him take it out for a few gentle laps at the end of the day? There were only about 5 cars left.

Well, he accepted my invitation, and let me tell you... I'm hooked. I can't wait until I get some track gear for my 7. My goal is to have her ready for a few track runs by the start of next season. (We have winters off here in Minnesota, lol.)

Anyways, here are the images! Enjoy!









A little trick I learned from a Mustang driver... every little bit helps the v8!!!



Take care, I look forward to my next track experience!

-Rotary for the win!

1234rotor

iTrader: (1)

COOL

You'll be ditching those wheels and front bumper in no time!

Track is what the FD is all about.

red fd3g

get rid of those ugly *** bling bling rims wtf

damian

iTrader: (2)

cool pics, Ryan is a hell of a driver so im sure it was a blast in the passenger seat!!

kuroi FD

dude dont hate people have different tastes, but if you want to track your car i would go with something light and maybe in the 16 or 17 inch range.

damian

iTrader: (2)

for the fist season i would suggest stock FD rims (stronger version) and decent street tires or kumo victoracers to start.

then move to 18x10 ccws with 285/30 R-compund tires or dunlpps :-) (heheheh)

Rotary4tw

iTrader: (3)

Those rims will be for street use. Cut me a little slack, it was my first track day, so I didn't have my tire trailer along with me.

[Rims/tires brakes cooling + others] are on the list for track supplies.

Damian: The way he ripped his car around the track was simply a thing of beauty. He represented the FD quite well.

-Rotary4tw

twinturborx7pete

iTrader: (3)

awesome, i can't wait to get my car on the track.. just finding them close by here is the problem!

Nghtstlkr7

^same here. the closest one that i know of is summit point up in WV... im trying to set some money aside to go. id also like for an expierienced track driver to take my car around a few times and teach me some pointers... you can never have enough knowledge

in the meantime its gonna be the autocross events for me.

bros0000

A good time was had by all. All the usuals were there, along with a handful of new people. The guy in the "iced" Mustang was pretty funny. I kept passing him, but you could tell he was having a great time really *driving* his car for the first time.

The "bling bling rims" and front bumper worked just fine on the track. We gave the car a workout, not too hard, but just enough to have an "oh ****" moment when we overcooked the street pads coming into the chicane. Fortunately the chicane was set up well and we were on a reasonable line, even if we had bigger problems we would have been able to stop her in the grass with only minor staining of the seats. Good thing too, I'd hate to have damaged that beautiful paint.

You pick up an undertray yet?

rxseven07

not to thread jack but damian, i drove through minnesota, i forget wich part, andi rmember ur fd, with the twin vision sticker on it driving down the interstate!! it was back in june.. but i thought i had to get that out... it was hot

potatochobit

iTrader: (1)

nice, looks fun.

damian

iTrader: (2)

wow, thats crazy, what are the chances that we cross each other the same time you happen to drive through MN...cool!!!

damian

iTrader: (2)

I think the next few vscr events dont conflict with my other events, so i hope to make the next few :-)

KevinK2

Did Ryan have any overheating issues? May be an illusion, but looks like a well vented front bumper inlet ... usually not good doing laps.

damian

iTrader: (2)

>>looks like a well vented front bumper inlet ... usually not good doing laps

what??? makes no sence to me what ur saying?

bros0000

Maybe you are confusing the two cars. I (Ryan) was in the red, Rotary4tw was the blue. R4tw is missing the undertray, hence why you can see light in several places through his radiator opening. We only did about 4-5 laps in his car, precisely for that reason.

My front bumper has the usual undertray mods to better seal in the air, as well as the somewhat goofy looking N-tech "shark teeth" to wedge the front bumper open further.

ReDHot7

sweet. i remember the first time i rode in a FD at the track.....I was with Damian at BIR running down a $120k lambo. I want to get mine to a track late Aug/early sept if i get a couple things done to it by then.

ROTORhead93

^^that has to be quite an experience chasing down and hanging with a lambo. I hope someday soon i can get my car on the track too.

damian

iTrader: (2)

(click on images to watch the movies)

RX7UP

Haha, Good story. Reminds when I first got my seven... I took a trip to Pettit Racing that summer and took a ride with Cam in his red FD 13BTT... Cam took me to a back street so I can feel the responsiveness of his FD after he performed his mods.... Those who know Cam, knows he's a pro!

We got to this back street narrow straight away and he acellerated, not far was this 90* corner. A split second before the corner I thought to my self "whew" It's over and I'm still alive! Just before I could finish that thought, Cam powers through the corner leaving me glewed to my seat. I look back and I thought he ironed out the crease in the corner... I expected to see it straight, but I had to come to reality and accept the fact it was still a corner...........

By the way he did all this so effortlessly like it was second nature..... He didn't even wear his seat belt.... This all happened so fast.... I didn't realize what took place till I was standing on solid ground after the test drive.... That man can drive..... Props!

I'm so Happy I own an FD too!