Captain Buddha

I know y'all are somewhat kidding...but let your mind start wandering and do the "what if" scenario about the back straight and COTA and certain parts coming loose....at 150+ that is kind of scary!! At Road America there are three very long/fast straights with really hard turns...would hate to lose things....one of the reasons I always do a little brake check/pump/knock the pads back move.....

Welcome!!

LOL - I wish these GT2 cars were that easy! I will say this though - I always knew I had a very good finish percentage...I figured out how good last night - finally got around to filling out my SCCO Pro / Trans Am license application including the competition resume - list all races and finishing positions for each....which I listed...as well as any DNF/DNS, etc....and the reason for that.... So - out of 65 races (as of the June Sprints)....how many races? I had ONE DNF - that is ABSOLUTELY CRAZY!! That particular DNF was from a track bar that let loose on the first lap - an item that had never been needed to have safety wire previously....well, I'm special LOL! So, yep, that was itI I also had one DNS - so if it were not for that I would've had 66 races - that one was due to a broken axle that happened at HPR during qualifying - I was peg legging it...literally almost undrivable! Had a talk with the Chief Steward - advised that I would start and pull in after the halfway point - I just needed the points / halfway / finish mark. The next day's race would have nothing for me to gain position point wise in the chase and I did not want to cause further damage....there ya go. I've had times when I probably should've called it a day, but did not - Indy Runoffs 2017 - had a flat tire with a few laps left to go...kept on driving and took the checker, in 29th place...but I still took the checker...I was NOT about to give up....and yeah, I finished ahead of a lot of other folks!! So - proper prep is the key. And BTW - I am not speaking of my technical prowess - I have a pro crew - they do an AMAZING job....hence the numbers that I have.

Not saying this was his issue - but it *could* be.... Even though I have a 100 ft lb torque stick on my impact - we still use a torque wrench after ever session (hey, my wife has to keep busy!!) and...of course....after every wheel/tire change....follow your checklist religiously...don't skip / skimp...not saying that you were...but if you don't have a checklist - get one...laminate it...mark it off - have a pre-event and post event list and well as pre-session and pos-session list. Just saying...

The Manufacturing News Racing Team’s #13 Chevy Camaro TA2 race car had an AMAZING weekend at Road America for the 64th running of the June Sprints! This was my first time here - a very daunting track with a LOT of speed and very hard braking zones - I really like bringing a car in hot and fast, it paid off this weekend! Finished P4 on Saturday and then for the big Sunday race we PODIUMED / P3!! This was the result of a mistake where I ended up off track at T7 and then had a redemptive back n forth battle that was settled on the last lap by getting a run and bringing it in to Canada Corner from 150 mph+ and then outbraking and getting the corner from a fellow competitor. Major shout-out to Troy Benner and the amazing crew at TRB Autosport and my driving coach and friend Max Nufer. #mfgnewsweb #scca #manufacturing #racing 08BAD698-4B9E-4CA5-AC72-168DB32DFCAC.MOV

Too funny!!!

My balls... not sure if your truck is big enough though..... you know that was funny!! 😂

Alright - there's your next target / goal....work on that progressively....just a few more feet each time....until you nail it PERFECT!!

So - for those that have driven the 1.7 both ways - which do you prefer? I prefer CW, have only driven it a few times CW but I think it is a lot of fun!

Tomorrow / Tuesday night: Cigars n Racecars at Tap In on Main St in Grapevine (June 11). Come awwwwwwn! @Clay @dunhamr1 @CBraden @BRZ4Science @Ukrbmw

Yeah - Livio is in it for the LONG HAUL....as a member (one of the handful that have stayed on through the transition - but MANY, MANY more have joined - once they saw the vision/passion/plan!!) I'm in it for the long haul too! Livio can give you better details than I, but what you are looking at is the 2nd lift, the 3rd/final lift/top layer will be above that....they've actually got real engineering behind it, not the "well, you know, I think this will work...." mindset.

Latest update!!! We're starting to feel a lot like Lt. Dan here at ECR: “Is that all you got ?” The efforts of our contractors and ECR team in the last two weeks, despite another 6 inches of rain… (and a sudden thunderstorm yesterday) are the stuff of folk songs !! We have a tour de force to prep the back side (see pics) for paving and to fix issues the water has exposed – and should now be prepared for anything !! As a key part of this effort – our engineers have come up with an incredible solution -- we are milling and installing permeable asphalt channels in the bottom lift for several sections of the track (see picture) -- paving them in now. Sad to be milling up new asphalt – but turns out you can mill in the rain-- and this was our chance to do it. We are on a mission to re-pave the second course next week and the surface course the week of June 10th– curbings right after. We should be up and running with roller coaster (1.65) in June and continue construction on the “Boot"; about 1/3 already done. We will never tire of saying thank you for your support and patience. We are still working on a barbecue date that is compatible with the construction madness, but please feel free to stop by anytime to check out the progress. Lt. Dan and the ECR Crew

A fellow competitor (name available in current issue of SCCA Fastrack) in a non-TA2 car wrote *4* letters bemoaning the BOP of TA2 cars (previous minimum weight of 2,830) to the CRB...he actually got them to go along with him and now the minimum weight for TA2 cars competing in SCCA GT2 is 2,930 lbs, an increase of 100 lbs....that is actually GREAT NEWS for me!!!! It brings all those skinny TA2 race car drivers up to my car weight (this is weight at the end of the race, driver included)....guess I can forget the diet now!!!! 😂😂

Like Matt - I get a LOT of lock up.....probably flat spotted several sets of tires last weekend LOL....first time to ever run CW at Houston. I have the same technique as Matt.

Tomorrow / Tuesday night: Cigars n Racecars at Tap In on Main St in Grapevine (May 28). Come awwwwwwn! Special guests: Ben Jones of Southern Adrenaline and Richard Tomlin of Apex Auto Works! http://southernadrenaline.net/product/hang-dry-suit-dryer/ @Clay @dunhamr1 @CBraden @BRZ4Science @Ukrbmw