I don't think racing addiction is a bad thing. We all enjoy doing certain things and Ashraf enjoys racing at the track

It is better racing in a controlled environment such as track instead on the street, but that is my opinion.....

Ashraf is a good guy, we should just leave him along and let him enjoy his habbit

 

ok fine! but i don't like it! HEHE!

its Ashrafs habit that makes him so knowledgeable about FDs

 

I just finished posting a new thread in the Lounge area called Rotary Triathalon idea. All this debate about road racing and drag racing and auto crossing got me to thinking about something that would interest just about everybody and really test us to see who is the best overall driver with the best overall car. Read it and give me your ideas.

 

yeah, we're gonna need a drift session too...

 

I just wanted to introduce myself on this board. I met Dave and Steve and some of the rest of their crew yesterday as I was driving home from work... I was coming through Apex and spotted not 1, but 3 FCs turning at an intersection. Since that's not a sight one sees every day, I turned my 90 FC convertible around and caught up with them where they had stopped. I don't remember all the names of everyone, but I did get one of the Raleigh Rotary Drive-In business cards. So I'll definitely be attending the next "drive in". Good to see others interested in the FC. This is my 3rd one after having owned an 83 GSL-SE, 87 Base and now the 90. I will be glad to meet some of the people on this board that share the love of the rotary. I'll see you guys on the 24th. Thanks Dave, Steve and crew !

Keith

 

Hey keith, this is Steve, good to see you on here. Nice vert by the way. Look forward to seeing ya at the next meet.

Steve

 

Keith,

Glad you decided to join the board. We don't have any convertibles in the group yet. You and the car will be a welcome addition. Look forward to meeting you on the 24th.

Josh

 

I can't remember the author, but the best quote I know on the subject is: "Racing is an addiction cured only by poverty."

The second best quote (I believe this is from Briggs Cunningham) is: "The only way to make a small fortune racing is to start with a large fortune."

 

Already been done:
Grassroots 200x Challenge
One Lap of America
Ultimate Street Car Challenge (Sport Compact Car)

Rotary only? Hmm. That'll be a tough sell and organization...but I think the Supra guys have done similar things before. But they actually have money, unlike RX-7 owners.

 

I'm trying to make the habit pay for itself.
It's not going very well...yet...

JMunila -- I'm an "old" man compared to some when it comes to FD ownership, young compared to others, so in the grand scheme of things, I'm in the middle.

I've had this car since 2000 and I've torn just about everything apart on it. It has never been to a mechanic (boy do I wish there WAS one I trusted besides me). If I haven't done it on mine, I've done so on someone else's car or the similar component on a FC/FB/something else. It really gets to be a PITA after a while and you wish you could pay someone to do it for you.

 

Hey Keith, glad to hear from you. You know what they call an FC on the road? A rare thing, 2 FCs on the road a wreck, and 3 FCs , a miracle! Don't let anyone tell you that miracles don't happen - you witnessed one yesterday, especially if Dave, Steve and Ken all had their 7S running at the same time. I used to think that they had 3 FCs and 2 motors and just switched out the motors depending on which cars they wanted to drive. But seriously, they're our best recruiters.

Hey Andy, watch the comments or we'll think your road racing addicted too.

Great to hear from y'all.

Bert

 

Amen to both of those.

Poor? Depends on how you define "poor".

I'd like to be the "poor guy" that put a Ferrari Challenge car into the wall (I've seen MULTIPLE Challenge cars wrecked in one day...sigh...) and you see the same car in the pits being banged on with hammers (cringe) by several mechanics to get the body-work back in shape for the next race. Or the one that has an engine with a hole in the block sitting on the gravel that they are swapping a new engine in for the next race.


Where's the owner? Sitting in their toter home with A/C and getting a massage which gets him ready for the next race.

 

[QUOTE]Already been done:
Grassroots 200x Challenge
One Lap of America
Ultimate Street Car Challenge (Sport Compact Car)

Rotary only? Hmm. That'll be a tough sell and organization...but I think the Supra guys have done similar things before. But they actually have money, unlike RX-7 owners. QUOTE]

Great, at least now I know it is feasible to pursue the idea. Will have to tweek it some as I get feedback and ideas on how to keep the cost down; then start researching the opportunities that exist in NC for the events.

Heck, its something to keep me outa trouble.

 

[QUOTE]Already been done:
Grassroots 200x Challenge
One Lap of America
Ultimate Street Car Challenge (Sport Compact Car)

Rotary only? Hmm. That'll be a tough sell and organization...but I think the Supra guys have done similar things before. But they actually have money, unlike RX-7 owners. QUOTE]

Great, at least now I know it is feasible to pursue the idea. Will have to tweek it some as I get feedback and ideas on how to keep the cost down; then start researching the opportunities that exist in NC for the events.

Heck, its something to keep me outa trouble.

Thanks Ashraf

 

Hey MacDaddy, I love and totally agree with your quotes. There is also an old saying that the truth is easy to recognize because it rings so clear. What was said for racing could easily be said for 7 ownership. Most of the guys in the group can testify to that.

I'm getting some good feedback on the Triathalon idea and if anyone is interested in making this happen next year we can start getting it together. We need research on where to hold events like the auto cross and road course times and also where to go drag racing. How to score the events and how to verify results. There are a lot questions at this point and few answers. Think about this and we'll discuss it some at the drive-in on the 24th.

 

Sorry I haven't made it back the car is in bad shape right now and I now I have to buy a place to live soon! Dont you hate it when basic living needs intefere with the important things in life? I saw a link somewhere for a company that specializes in rotaries for aviation that had a good deal on rebuild kits any one have the company name or link? I think I will have to rebuild mine and stick an exhaust under it real soon.

 

rotaryaviation.com

 

well, i was hoping you'd show up kieth. your car is very clean, like breath taking to me atleast. i cant wait to see you at the meet. i hope we get the black vert out there too. its starting to look really sweet. anyways, ahh, anyone wanan come get this red car and give us money, just take it?! i mean, throw us some moeny n all but, man, i want taht car outta our hair so that we can start playin with other stuff.

 

did you guys ever get the title cleared up?

 

Smoken' thanks for the quick reply.

 

You are going to be in for a surprise in your research.

1) It WILL require insurance and it isn't a trivial cost
2) Finding a site is going to be a huge pain
3) Finding a site is going to be a huge pain
4) Finding a site is going to be a huge pain
5) You really need to go and participate (not just spectate) in a few events (autocrosses, track events) to understand how they are run, or "hire" someone with experience to do this, because, if you don't have that experience, you will not get things done right, folks will not be happy, and your event won't have a repeat.

That said, I can be bribed with track time as a consultant/officer of your event.

Remember our discussion about insurance waivers a few months ago? If you think thought that was trivial...

Having said all that, the Tarheel Club has over 300 paying members and that's about what it takes to get a self-sufficient autocross ($20 fees) to run on a regular basis and it takes a heck of a lot of organization and committment. Did I mention that in the past year they have lost TWO sites?

Renting VIR is a several thousand dollar proposition and getting a track date on a weekend is not going to happen very easily. It is very popular. As in, you need to book your date a year in advance. You may be able to do a weekday event for less, but your participants will be less.

Tech inspections...well, that's my duty for THSCC, it's a pain to get all that lined up ahead of time. You don't want someone bringing a 20 year old car that's falling apart (been there failed that).

Anyhow, I'd be happy to help act as a consultant having participated in many events, and being an officer of an organization that runs events (Tarheel Time Trials). It's a long battle and it's going to be even harder if you want to do autocross, track, and drag racing in one event.

As I said before, you also need paying particpants. It isn't going to run off the spectators (unless you charge admission and I doubt that's going to fly well). I think that this would definitely be in the $200+ price range and only include 1 day at a race track.

Anyhow, I don't mean to come off as negative, I'd like to help, but it's a steep hill to climb, and MSCCNC has batted the idea around for MANY years and we still haven't had an event come to fruition. We have (what you guys like to chide me about) a few of us that are willing to drop some $$$ and our weekend plans to go do events on a regular basis with the MazdaDrivers group. Eventually, the numbers of us will grow within our group, or we will recruit more folks from external groups to have a decent contingent to start doing track events as a group.

So, how many folks reading here autocross or track their cars regularly? You can count on them to participate, especially with a Rotary or Mazda theme.

The rest, well, have to put up the cash or shut up.

So, how about a "baby" step? I would like to do a car control clinic at VIR (rent the skidpad). Any takers for learning how to better control your car safely at low speeds and relatively low risks (compared to an actual autocross or track event)? Then maybe, we can work towards the triathalon.

 

sure havent josh. we're gettin close, i think. its cool though. we're gettin 3 more FC's this weekend! possibly 4!

 

The Durham crew rocks out the 2nd gens. I am trying to talk my little bro into an FC instead of a 240SX. I told him that you guys rebuilt and worked on them all the time and are always putting them up for sale. Hopefully he will come to the dark side. If he decides to get one I will send his $$$ your way.

Ashraf, I think that what Bert has up his sleeve is not necessarily renting the places out, but maybe just running on a day where the tracks are already open(ie going to the drag strip and running, or to a local autoX, and maybe a weekend up at VIR) Maybe I am wrong but that was just the supposition that I made. More of a friendly competition between some local boys vs. a nationwide event like the USCC that SCC does.

Come on we gotta give you a hard time about your weekend racing habit. If not we wouldnt have anything to pick on you about. I only wish I had the $$$ to track as often as you do. Hell I am just trying to get up there one time for the experience. Which may be the slippery slope.

 

Dave, thanks for the kind words about my car. I like to think of it as a work in progress. I guess with driving any 14 yr old car that would probably be the case ! I'm in desperate need of a new top for the convertible. I'll probably look into replacing it this Fall. Once the weather gets bad enough to put the top up.

That black vert that was with you was nice too. I love the convertibles, but I know I'm giving up speed over a N/A and Turbo coupe. Sometimes I get the itch for a real nice FC Turbo II.... I'd like to do some autocrossing again. Oh well, I've always got my motorcycle if I want to go REAL fast !

Keith

 

Outter banks trip going this weekend if anyone is intrested.

Terry7