Optional request - can you flip your rear view so that it is like what you would see if you were looking in a mirror? To my brain it seems easier to tell what is happening. :)

Tom... we need this! I need to see speed, RPM and all the rest!

Perhaps a go fund me account to cover the expense!

https://lh4.ggpht.com/9k3BZ9aWN9vDOb...MFdTsTcEc=h900

Steve, good comment, especially since I superimpose the rear cam where the rear view mirror would normally be located.

Chuck, I have the data, I just need to learn to use the software to do the overlays.

Let me see what I can do!

For your entertainment...

Here is the start of today's race at the PCA Festival of Speed at AutoClub Speedway!

I qualified mid-pack in 7th of 13 Spec Boxster's. I got a great start and passed several cars thru Turns 1 and 2. A few laps later, a few drivers up front went off course and I was able to get by and move up to 2nd, then got passed by one car and held off a challenge to finish 3rd. Overall, a very strong race for me. Two more races tomorrow!

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...psg77xqykm.jpg

Nice Tom

Wish I wasn't missing CFOS

Very Good! Congrates.

Sorry that I haven't posted much in the past two weeks but as soon as I got back from Festival of Speed, I came down with a serious case of the flu and spent about 10 days in bed. Damn, that was one mean virus.

Here is a short video of the start of the 3rd race at Buttonwillow with a lot of first lap action! I got a good start and passed a few cars. Enjoy!

(I'll reverse the rear camera on the next video).

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2jw1yUsLQHE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

**Weight Update**

I was weighed at the Festival of Speed with a total weight of 2,678 lbs with 1/2 tank of gas.

Subtracting 48 lbs for fuel (8 gallons x 6 lbs/gallon) means that the car and I weigh 2,630 lbs.

Thus, I need to keep just over 3 gallons (around 1/8 tank) of fuel in the car to meet the min weight of 2,650 lbs.

This is right where I want to be in terms of weight.

Are you using any ballast?

Does anybody know what wheels the 318 car is running? They are very visible at 43 seconds into the video.

No ballast. Once I got the weight to where I wanted it, I stopped removing stuff! :)

I just emailed him to find out...

Very cool. You can also say, nice recovery from that slide where the wheels were visible. :) I thought I knew all the 17" Boxster wheels but those look different - I am going to embarrassed if they turn out to be the regular Carrera twist wheels...

You should not be embarrassed only Tom should be. They are Sport Edition Cup 4 wheels from tire rack. They have a 52mm offset, I sent them to a machine shop to machine the offset to 48mm-50mm to comply to the rules.

https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/results.jsp?&autoMake=Porsche&autoModel=Boxster&au toYear=1999&autoModClar=

Here is the first video from the PCA Festival of Speed!

I got a good start and pass a lot of cars since the field was so strung out that I was going full tilt to catch up. I was running 5th when most of the leaders went off and was able to catch up and pass a couple more to finish 3rd.

Watch fullscreen in HD with sound!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HuDfIKcp0DI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I thought that's what they might be, very cool, some more alternatives for wheels!

I'm assuming you mean they were 45 mm offset and they removed 5 mm from the mounting pad, making them 50mm offset? If they were 52, they would have to add 2 mm.

Great video Tom, thanks for posting.

Was that legal (within the rules) for the 140 car to drive that low on the track and pass the other cars?

LOVE these videos Tom! Keep them coming!

Yes, as far as I am aware that move was legal. We were told in the Driver's Meeting that going below the bottom yellow line on the NASCAR banking (Turns 1 & 2) was out of bounds, but I believe that the white lines on the back straight (where we turn left into Turn 3) are the NASCAR blend lines so its ok to cross them since Turn 3 is essentially defined by the orange barrel at its apex.

The #140 driver is a past 944 champion and won the POC Boxster Spec championship last year so he has some great skills and demonstrated them during that pass.

I should also mention the great heads-up driving by the #705 who didn't come down on the #140 as the #140 came up on the inside.

As long as everyone is paying attention and cooperating, it all works out. Its kind of amazing (that it does work out) and believe me, its incredibly thrilling to be out there in the middle of it all. :)

That was one hell of a ballsy pass. I remember watching last year as you guys went 4 across into T3. I was amazed that there was no contact
It a really good idea not to drop down into the apron on T1 & T2 as the difference in surface, grip and angle could shoot you up the track there

See you at Willow on Sat. Ill be running SOW with my son

Ok, a clarification is in order...

While the driver of the #140 (Anders Hainer) had the most points at the end of last season, he did not have sufficient volunteer points to be the official POC Spec Boxster champ - that honor went to Branimir Kovac, the driver of the #318.

As the saying goes, there are no asterisks in racing. The #318 has the trophy so he's the reigning Champ. :)

That kind of sucks. You are best at driving, but don't have the non-driving points so you lose. I understand that the organisation can't run without volunteers, but a first place trophy should go to the winner, period, end of story :confused:

Thanks for the clarification Tom. You forgot to mention that I am much better looking and have better breath than Anders. :)
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1495511214.jpg

Looks like all that banking affected the trophy too!

It amazes me that the close quarters racing generally ends up being clean!

good driving folks.

Mike

Tom,

What are you using for brake pads since you drive on the street too.

I disintegrated a front set of Cool Carbons in less than 3 hours of track time over ~9 sessions of CoTA driving in my Boxster S.

thanks,

Mike

I use either EBC YellowStuff or Pagid Orange. Both stop well on the track but don't squeal like a pig at every stop sign.

By the way, great video's from COTA!

I had quite a few problems at Willow Springs two weeks ago. I think this was one of them...

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...pszi2b3dhv.png

And then there was this... (and yes, that is the side that was recently repaired!)...



http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...pspdltflid.jpg

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...psayl0zx7m.jpg

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...pswzshzeg2.jpg

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...psif0cshdn.jpg

Bummer!!!
What happened

A bit of contact (kind of like a sideswipe) during practice on Friday coming out of Turn 2 and on the way to Turn 3. Technically, my fault. The other car suffered a damaged left rear wheel.

Race. Repair. Repeat. :)

Thx!

Switched this weekend -- 9 sessions in one day -- as good in the last as they were in the first!

Mike

that didn't give you a 13/13 did it?

Bummer on the contact.

No penalty, it happened during practice, so I'm good to go!

I am guessing that these things, as troubling as they are, are just part of racing. Put enough miles on the track and bumper to bumper and door to door and you'll have some contact at some point.

Hang tough and get back out there..... I need videos!

Remember that lost exhaust U-bend piece? Here is what I found when I disassembled everything...

The hot exhaust was directed straight into the corner of the rear fender area...
http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...pstpdgbgfb.png

The heat shield might have been previously damaged or was simply insufficient to block the direct heat of the exhaust - either way the hot exhaust was able to melt the plastic fender liner carrier ... (damaged part next to the replacement part)
http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...psynaz7sef.png

With the heat getting past the heat shield, it was able to damage the interior of the bumper cover ...
http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...psuficj6aj.jpg

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6is7nwsc.jpg


Then, as expected, with that much damage to the interior of the bumper cover, the exterior of the rear bumper cover was damaged....
http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...psz8hnevmh.jpg

Bumper cover back on and a little touch up with some black Plasti-dip and the rear end is done. I don't think that the small crack will even be visible when the car is on the ground. Front is next.

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5c2bnfgz.jpg

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...pso5eqp5oj.jpg

Went to work on the front this morning...

Also, you can see the cable lock that I route thru the front wheel and tow hook to help keep the honest people, honest. With no way to lock the car, it would be too easy for someone to simply roll the car away so I keep it locked to something solid. Of course, the cable could be cut in a few mins so its not infallible but will hopefully make someone think twice and go find something easier to take.

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...psfcxzuarg.jpg

I started by removing the front bumper cover and placing it in the sun. I thought that this might make pushing out the "dent" easier.
http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...ps91ljypxi.jpg

Sure enough, the dent popped right back out with a little push but still had quite a bit of scuffing.
http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...psmyomc3a5.jpg

Next, I removed the front wheel and taped it for re-painting with Plasti Dip...
http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2a8de5rt.jpg

Then I pulled off the old Plasti Dip where the edge was ragged. The goal was to get a nice smooth edge so the new paint would transition cleanly. I used an exacto to pre-cut a clean edge and then pulled back the old plasti dip until it reached the pre-cut edge.
http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...psbytirjrg.jpg

I re-installed the front wheel and bumper cover, then buffed out the front fender, front quarter panel, and bumper cover by hand. I used some black plasti dip to cover a spot at the edge of the front door and on the front bumper where the paint was damaged.

Here is the finished job. Not good enough for a street car but more than good enough for a race car. And the price was right ($0).

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...psiuqlwrjf.jpg

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...psgfxhketw.jpg