Has anyone given any thought to where they are
going in March? There is something going on every
weekend.<br><br>I plan on doing the Club Races at Willow Springs
(3/11-12) and Sears Point (3/25-26). I also will be at the
CCC and AX on 3/18-19.<br><br>Anyone thinking about
doing Buttonwillow the first weekend?<br><br>John

Wish I had street tires today.  I spun every run that was timed.  My only clean
run didn't get timed.  What I wouldn't have given for some tread.  :)<br><br>You
just learn so much in the rain.  ;)

I'm having connectivity issues at the moment, but I'll move it when all is well.
-tlane

I'm signed up for both days and learned to use street tires in the rain over
bald Hoosier's at today's autocross.<br><br>Travis

"In the Corkscrew" has been added, since we seem to really like having our
pictures taken there. :)<br>I'd rather you all move your own pictures, but I'll
do it for you if you ask.<br>Donna

I'm going both days because I need to put some non-LS miles on my track car and
because... well, because I can. :)<br><br>Donna

I'm planning on one day as well. I don't know which day yet - I'm waiting to
hear from Peter Hsu, to see which day he was going to come out and
ride/instruct.<br><br>Jim

I am planning on going both days.  I need to get some hours on my new engine so
I can readjust the valves before the first club race.

Who are planning on going to Sears the weekend<br>after the GGC school
?<br><br>I am thinking of going one day.

Ok - I found something today - for a wheel source
for people trying to look for a cheap set of OEM
wheels for track use etc. I have found <br>a guy who
will sell 2 17x8.5 wheels (Doublespoke in<br>my case)
for $500. They are used (Take offs) - from<br>those
dealers who immediately install fancy wheels<br>on the
cars they try to gouge people with. He will
also<br>mount any tire you ask for and ship them. <br><br>This
guy is local - but does business only on the
internet<br>(www.bmwwheels.com). I cross checked his price with another such
firm
in LA - who also asked for 500 delivered. Both
places buy used RIMs also for $100 each. If you already
know about these sources - sorry for the WOB. I will
let you know how my experience goes.

It was my intent to use the OBC to time some of
my laps, but I never looked down once, after I
mashed the pedal to the floor and started the timer
coming out of grid. I figured it was safer that
way.<br><br>I checked out the karting, it looks very
cool.<br><br>Travis

Travis,<br>At TCC time trials at LS, I was staged
while JF was on the track. I used the OBC to time a
couple of his laps.<br>At NASA's LS event, he was riding
with me and used the OBC to time my laps. I'm glad
NASA allows a timer - I'd like to know my Sears Point
and Thunderhill times, too.<br><br>Donna

Wow! I had no idea it was so complicated. How
have y'all been getting times in the past? (Stopwatch
in the car, friend who is watching, in-dash
computer). A friend of mine had a timer at the last Laguna
Seca NASA event, in plain view, so I guess they allow
it.<br><br>Travis

My friends use it for time trials and for club racing.  Anything else - is not
possible.<br>Maybe if someone is goint to club races and wants<br>to check it
out, I can bring it.<br><br>Partha

Partha,<br><br>Thanks for the info and the offer!
The GGC track steward would take about a nanosecond
to hand us our heads on a platter. There is
absolutely no timing allowed at BMW driving schools, since
that defines "competition" rather than "education" and
negates everyone's insurance.<br><br>We can ask the NASA
folks for Feb. 26, though again it may negate insurance
in case of an incident. It would be nice to have
one.<br><br>Donna

Longacre racing makes one. Someone I know<br>has
a setup. I can borrow this to see if it works. The
transmitter is IR and costs about 110.<br>Each car receiver
is about 200 (GP gets about<br>15-20% disc for
single check). Unfortunately only one transmitter per
track - and the receiver<br>needs to be in plain view
of the transmitter.<br>So the track steward will
know you are using one.<br><br>Check out the product
at www.longacreracing.com<br>and let me know - if
you want me to borrow it for Sears on Feb.
19.<br><br>Partha

Donna, I thought you said my best lap was 37.
:)<br><br>It was more than 7 laps. I timed about 6 so it must
have been around 10 or so.<br><br>Travis, you should
probably check out their web site at
<a href=http://www.racekartsinc.com/ target=new>http://www.racekartsinc.com/</a>
to see what it is like.

Travis, I guess we set this up before you signed
on. <br>We went to RaceKartsInc. Blue Max Club track
in Davis for the intro to karting class, which has
80cc karts. It's a mini road course that takes less
than a minute to run. By the end of the day, JF's best
time was 38sec, my best was 42sec (same kart - rats!
no equipment excuses!). <br>It costs $250 for 9am to
3pm. We had a lot of track time with about 6 sessions
of about 7 laps each (correct me if I'm too far off,
John).<br>It's pretty hard on the body - my arms, shoulders,
chest are muscle sore, and my hips are bruised from the
hard seat.<br>Big big fun, tho! Good for reflexes and
adjusting for massive oversteer.

I guess I'm out of the loop on the carting
scenario, are we talking shifter carts at an autocross type
event, or something entirely different.<br><br>Partha, I
went with Koni Sport shocks after wheels and tires
(and harness), primarily for autocross, but it's still
nice to just pop the hood and adjust rather than
crawling under to adjust the sway bars. You *will* need
some time to get your equipment how you like it, so
give it time, whatever you get.<br><br>Travis

Sign me up for Karting - however - you need
to<br>ask for a handicap - if I go on the CCA
team.<br><br>Now - guys/gals we need to be fair. I have no clue
about suspension (I started tracking<br>only in Oct
99). So you have to help design my suspension mods
too. This way I wont be left soo<br>far! behind that
it stops being a chase. The goal is let me follow
close enough to think I am actually staying with you
:-).<br><br>I was thinking about Sway bars too - is that a
logical first step (after the wider wheels up front ?).
My M3 does understeer a lot. I cant imagine how that
go kart of yours understeers!<br><br>Partha

Sign me up for Karting - however - you need
to<br>ask for a handicap - if I go on the CCA
team.<br><br>Now - guys/gals we need to be fair. I have no clue
about suspension (I started tracking<br>only in Oct
99). So you have to help design my suspension mods
too. This way I wont be left soo<br>far! behind that
it stops being a chase. The goal is let me follow
close enough to think I am actually staying with you
:-).<br><br>I was thinking about Sway bars too - is that a
logical first step (after the wider wheels up front ?).
My M3 does understeer a lot. I cant imagine how that
go kart of yours understeers!<br><br>Partha

The master calendar is open May 6-7.  What would you guys think of a PCA vs CCA
day? We could each field a team of 6.

It isn't squishy anymore and it doesn't understeer.  When it gets wider tires
you'll never catch her.

The diagnosis was bearing material in the oil
pan. I have a new short block going in the car for
Sears. It will go with my 1 track hour head to give me
an all new engine.<br><br>Karting is a blast. There
is interest to go do it again. Maybe we can try to
set up another day where we all go up.

You'd better get out the catalog again - Guido's got new sway bars and all that
nasty understeer is gone!  Wider tires on the way, too...

In my effort to catch Donna (and compensate for
my<br>lack of driving ability) - I am throwing equipment at
the problem. As a first step, I want to put 8.5" on
the front. The easiest was to buy 2 more 8.5" and put
them on the front and get rid of the 7.5". I already
have 15mm spacers for the fronts - so there is plenty
of space for any tire. Anyone know of sources to get
just 2 wheels for cheap. If this is a bad idea and its
better to get 4 wheels of 8.5" of some other
brand<br>(since I want to eventually have a set of track wheels)
- let me know. I know most of you have<br>BBS RK
(but they dont come in 8.5x17)<br><br>Partha

What was the ultimate diagnosis of the ailment ?<br>Hope its feeling
better.<br><br>How was the karting ?  I got sidelined with<br>my niece's
birthday party.

We were considering getting a system that
everyone could share the trackside equipment. Any ideas on
a system that does this?<br><br>The tracks don't
really care where they go as long as they aren't posing
a hazzard. The event operator usually has rules
that are stricter than the track, including no timing
equipment allowed.<br><br>John

I need to get a lap timer.  Anybody have any suggestions?  Also, do the tracks
have a designated area for the transmitter, or do you just sit it anywhere near
the track?<br><br>Travis

A friend of mine clicked off some 90 pictures at the NASA event.  There are 3
Bimmers that are not me, maybe it's you???  I'm #43.<br><br><a
href=http://www.tunertimes.com/pics/lagunaseca
target=new>http://www.tunertimes.com/pics/lagunaseca</a>