Others have talked about a certain Civic hatch doing good in auto-x. (cant remember name) What about a 93-97 Del Sol Si? 2400lbs (can easily do some weight redution) 125-127hp 107 ft-lb (isn't intake and exhaust allowed for some extra HP) .82g skidpad (better tires and springs should grip)
Good idea? 93 model can be had for 2-3k up to 5k for 97 model.
According to the gumball site, the rally has been cancelled in respect of the civilian that was killed in the accident.
www.gumball3000.com show this...
QUOTE
A Statement from Maximillion Cooper Issued by Maximillion Cooper on behalf of The Gumball 3000 Rally - 21.30 / 03 May 2007
Following our earlier release reporting yesterday's accident - As a sign of respect we have decided that this year's Gumball 3000 Rally will not travel any further and will end in Bratislava this evening, May 3rd 2007.
As the organisers of the rally we feel that it should be stopped as a mark of respect to Vladimir Cepulyoski who died today after an accident involving one the participating drivers.
We are very saddened by what has happened and feel that it would be wrong to continue. On behalf of Gumball 3000, we once again extend our deepest sympathies to his family and we are doing everything we can for them.
This is the first time anything like this has happened in 9 years of travelling through over 40 countries with 1000's of drivers and it is with deep regret that I make this announcement.
Maximillion Cooper Founder & CEO The Gumball 3000 Group
TMZ.com has this video and notes that there is a guy right up against the concrete barrier that does not even flinch when the car crashes. Don't know how safe it would be to crash this into a barrier just for the press?
Yesterday turned out to be a great day for a practice. Weather reports claimed a 50% chance of rain, and there was some cloud cover but it never did rain and it was about 65 - 70 degrees throughout the day. I got in more runs than I can remember -- probably in the neighborhood of 15 runs. And I used 1/4 tank of gas just from autocrossing.
It was a great experience and a humbling experience. I knew I was a little rusty going in, but that's what the practice is for. My friend brought his '06 Evo MR so we had a little friendly competition amongst ourselves. I spent a good amount of the day trying to catch up to his times. I was always a little slower though and knew I needed to make up time but I lost sight of what I needed to work on.
Then I let my brother drive my car. On his very first try he beat my best time by 6 tenths and got a 33.8. He then followed up that performance with a better one and got a 33.2. I rode with him to see what he was doing and the biggest difference was his slalom speed. He was keeping it very tight and he kept his speed up throughout.
Meanwhile, my friend in his Evo had just put down his best time of the day of 33.7 seconds. So I knew what I had to do. I hopped in my car again and this time my plan was to focus on a clean line above all else and pay special attention to my slalom speed. With all this in mind I put down a clean run of 33.7 seconds -- a perfect tie with my friend's time in his Evo, but still 1/2 second behind my brother in my own car. That turned out to be my best time of the day, but I obviously have some work to do and hope to improve more at the school next week.
Eric Medlen succumbs to injuries suffered in recent testing accident
Eric Medlen, 33, who had emerged as one of the most popular young drivers in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, succumbed Friday afternoon to injuries suffered when his race car crashed into a guardwall during a Monday test session at Gainesville Raceway.
The talented Funny Car driver never regained consciousness. After being treated at the track, he was transported by ShandsCair helicopter to Shands at the University of Florida medical center where medical staff treated him for four days for a severe closed head injury.
"Eric suffered from severe traumatic brain injury with diffuse axonal injury, or DAI," said Dr. Joseph Layon, professor of anesthesiology, surgery and medicine and the chief of Critical Care Medicine at UF. "Survival rates associated with DAI are low.
"On Tuesday, UF and Shands neurosurgery team performed a cranjectomy and removed the front portion of the skull to relieve pressure and attempt to improve blood flow to the brain," Layon explained. "Despite receiving the most aggressive treatment, Eric continued to have uncontrollable intracranial pressure. His body lost the ability to manage its salt and water levels, and he began displaying the complicating factors associated with DAI.
"That is when Eric's family elected to honor Eric's wishes and remove him from the artificial life support systems. Our hearts go out to Eric's loved ones."
"On behalf of the family, I want to thank the medical staff at Shands not just for giving Eric the very best care he could have received, but for the compassion it showed for Eric and all those close to him," said his father, John Medlen. "I also want to thank the thousands of people who offered their prayers and support to us during this very difficult time."
As recently as Thursday night, more than 100 drivers and crewmembers representing every Indianapolis-based race team attended a prayer vigil organized by Kelly Bustos, team manager for Tuttle Motorsports, which fields Top Fuel dragsters for 2006 Auto Club Road to the Future Award winner J.R. Todd, one of Medlen's closest friends in the sport.
At Louisville, Ky., where BP/Castrol had set up booth space for the Mid-America Trucking Show, fans and well-wishers filled up two giant posters with get-well wishes Thursday. Moreover, more than 4,500 individual messages of support were left at a special e-mail address on the first day it was activated.
"Eric Medlen was the son I never had," said team owner John Force. "He was the leader of my next generation of drivers. Robert Hight, my daughter Ashley, and I were with the family throughout this very difficult time. This loss is a huge blow not only to the Medlen family, but to drag racing and to John Force Racing. I just want to thank everybody for their support, from Larry Smiley with Racers For Christ to the hospital staff to the whole drag racing community. Our prayers go out to the family."
Little more than three years ago, Medlen took over driving responsibilities in the Funny Car in which Tony Pedregon won the 2003 championship. He had distinguished himself as one of the brightest young stars on the circuit, winning six times in his first three seasons and never finishing outside the top five in driver points.
A graduate of Oakdale (Calif.) High School, where he was a high school rodeo champion in calf roping, Medlen trained under the watchful eye of two-time PRCA world champion Jerold Camarillo and had contemplated a career in pro rodeo before his father called in 1996 to offer him a mechanic's job at John Force Racing Inc.
After spending one season on the team on which his father was crew chief, he moved over one pit stall in 1997 to work on the car driven by 14-time NHRA champion Force. Serving first as the supercharger technician and later as a clutch specialist, he was a member of a team that crewed Force to 50 tour victories and six championships in seven seasons.
When Pedregon left after the 2003 season to form his own team, Medlen was Force's surprise pick to fill the seat, a move that reunited him with his father on the number-two team at JFR.
He was the sport's top Funny Car rookie in 2004, winning in Brainerd, Minn. He won three races in 2005 and two in 2006 including the race contested closest to his hometown, the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.
I would like you guys to take the time and check out this site and the forums.
Here are the reasons why: 1. I was selected to race in the last event this past summer and could not believe I made it. So you guys or gals out there that think you would like to race in this event, get you self reg'd on the forums and make a name for your self. They will start making their picks for the WWIII (Winged Warrior 3) event in January. I think there is some guys on here that really have a good chance! I made it last summer
2. It is a charity event for an AWESOME cause. Riley's Hospital for Kids helps tons of children everyday and the more they get the fast for kids cures and recoveries!
3. This is a big event. Meaning, there should be some great coverage and the have some big plans for the third time around.
Now I know some of you think it is impossible to maybe get picked. I did. But they have a car show as well. So why not get a group of Elantra's, or even Hyundai's to get involved in the car show. There is a lot of you guys that have some AWESOME rides and I know it would be great to see us at this event.
Well, i just wanted to pass this important information out to you guys/gals and maybe you will take the opportunity to check the site out or even join and maybe get picked to race or show.
Thanks for you time and have a good one!
Cheers, Jason --------- And here is even more information. This is the Offical Release info:
Winged Warrior III: Import vs. Domestic Shootout and Car Show!!!!
For Immediate Release:
To: Potential Sponsors/Vendors: For: The Kids at Riley Hospital for Children (Indianapolis) When: Saturday May 12, 2007 Where: O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis http://www.oreillyracewaypark.com (formerly Indianapolis Raceway Park).
As the chill is in the air, and the Family Holidays near, we are about to put an end to 2006. For most of us, this time of year will be filled with joyous times spent with family and friends. For others, it will be times spent in the Pediatric Hospitals, watching their kids/grandkids suffering with this illness or that. It is times like that, that make me humbled and happy that I have a "healthy" family, and my heart goes out to those who are not as fortunate.
If you are unfamiliar with the Winged Warrior Shootout, it is a charity event initially put together by my wife and myself, which started as a "toy drive" at my office years ago. The sole purpose of doing this event is for helping the sick Children at Riley Hospital for Children, here in Indianapolis Indiana. It has expanded over the past three years into a "battle" of the Import vs. Domestic manufactured vehicles and performance challenge, with entrants coming in from as far away as Florida, and celebrities showing up and joining in on the fun as well!!
We are going to do some EXPANDING for next year’s event, as we ran out of room for the spectators and participants the last 2 events we held at local airport properties. Please visit the website WingedWarriors.net to find out more info on the last events. We are actively pursuing celebrity racers as well, and to date, there is a strong interest in those celebrities we have contacted as wanting to participate and race in this event. For more information on these specific details…please contact us directly as we are currently firming up commitments, so the list changes weekly.
The Winged Warrior III event will be run at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis (formerly known as Indianapolis Raceway Park). The itinerary is being constructed now, and will follow. There are many ways in which you can support the event and at the same time you will also have a link to your business four months after the event on the Winged Warrior website for increased value and exposure. The website sees over 60,000 hits per month and the event itself will see crowds in excess of 5,000 people. (Please look over the sponsor/vendor rates as they are very affordable, and the return on investment should be substantial. There will be plenty of space to display your merchandise or sell some merchandise and at the same time giving to a great cause. We also can provide you with a not-for-profit numbers at the time you decide you want help out in this great cause!! Plus you have the benefit of seeing an AWESOME competition, with an assembly of cars you normally wouldn't get to see at ONE EVENT!!
Photos of Team Imports Roster for the last event: (I am number 30)
Please visit, explore, and enjoy the site about the story, events, kids, and action photos.... www.WingedWarrior.net You are encouraged to sign in and see what we are all about.
I can be contacted for ALL questions and answers at DrButterfield@DrButter.com or by phone at the numbers listed below.
We ask you to consider this event for your next years planning. Everyone involved would greatly appreciate it as would the Kids at Riley Hospital for Children. You will enjoy a day of fun for the Kids as well as see plenty of exciting racing!! Please contact me on the WingedWarrior website, or call me at 765-825-2285 WK, or home 317-774-9916 to have any questions you might have, answered.
I've seen some people use trail braking when autocrossing and others who don't. I'm one of the drivers who does it often, and when I do it well I feel I can go faster.
Here's my simplified theory behind it, let me know what you think. To me, trail braking works best on a car with a lot of steady-state understeer (which most street cars have). Without trail braking on an understeering car, the car can only make use of 100% of its grip up front and perhaps 80% of its grip in rear. But with proper trail braking, you have 2 advantages: 1.) You can extend your braking zone slightly. 2.) You can make use of 100% of the car's grip in front and rear. Granted a portion of the front tires' grip is now being used for braking and less for cornering. But I feel that disadvantage is made up for by the fact that with the weight shifted forward, the rear tires can now reach their optimimum slip angle along with the fronts.
Benny Parsons, a former taxi driver turned NASCAR champion, died Tuesday from complications stemming from his short battle with lung cancer, his son Keith said. He was 65.
Parsons, the 1973 NASCAR champion, died in Charlotte, N.C., where he had been hospitalized since Dec. 26. A member of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers, Parsons retired from racing in 1988 and moved into the broadcasting booth. He spent the past six years as a commentator on NBC and TNT, and continued to call races from the booth during his treatment.
In 526 Cup starts, Parsons won 21 races, including the 1975 Daytona 500, 1980 Coca-Cola 600 and had 283 top-10 finishes.
Today was a blast. Don Herring Mitsubishi sponsored another track day at Motorsport Ranch in Cresson, TX. This time Apex Driving Academy was there and I was surprised to see the instructors driving some really nice cars out there. The lead instructor was driving his brand new Lamborghini Gallardo. Another instructor was driving a De Tomaso Pantera.
Our first two sessions were lead & follow where each instructor went out with a group of 5 drivers behind them and we'd follow the instructor at a relatively slow pace. I followed the Gallardo during one session and the Pantera in the other.
Once it was time for the hot sessions I decided to choose the slower of the two groups because there were so many fast cars out there. I took it fairly easy at first but started to learn how to get the most out of the corners after each lap.
I tried to use the whole track, trail brake, and I was really driving more aggressively than most others in our group. I kept up my aggressive pace, and passed my brother's Mazda 6, and an Evo. And then I took a double apex corner too fast and one rear tire just went off the track and back on which caused the car to spin at 70 mph. That was exciting to say the least, but no harm was done.
During the next hot session I settled down a bit and collected myself. I worked up to the same kind of pace but this time I was more precise with my braking and cornering speed. I settled into a rhythm before long and did nothing but pass cars. I passed a few Evo's, my brother's car again, a Carrera S (the driver was taking it easy for some reason), a turbo'd Eagle Talon, and a Mitsubishi 3000GT.
Of course this wasn't a race but as always I saw it as an opportunity to improve and I wanted to be as fast as possible within reason. I feel pretty happy with what I learned today and of course it's just plain fun driving fast.
Not much info yet, but I guess it shows Hyundai isn't afraid to play with the big boys!
"Speculation is linking Korean car maker Hyundai with a new bid to enter Formula One.
The weekly Automobilwoche said Hyundai, once thought to be considering buying departed Paul Stoddart's Minardi team and also Jaguar and Williams, is now planning a possible appearance on the 2010 grid.
"We are in discussions with Bernie Ecclestone," a Hyundai chief was quoted as confirming.
Fellow Korean multinational Samsung, presumably as a sponsor, might also be involved in the Hyundai project."
It goes without saying that Solberg is one of the best rally drivers around, but this video also makes you appreciate Phil Mills because I can't read that fast. I can't even listen that fast! Just when you were vomiting for the second time, around the 6:20 mark, Mills says "It gets faster now." ...faster? LOL!!! Yeah, I wanna eat some trees!
This was in Mineral Wells, TX. It's the largest & fastest autox course I've ever raced on. I topped out 3rd gear at 80 mph on the back stretch.
I didn't do as well as I would've liked. This car is a completely different animal than what I'm used to. I need a lot more seat time to get the hang of it. And there are a couple of racing schools coming up where hopefully I can improve and break some bad habits.
The best and fastest Mod is Seat Time. To get to Xxxxx, Xxxx and Xxxx's (names altered so that they don't get even Bigger Heads! :-) level you need to be able to drive using your sub-conscious. YOU can't think fast enough to stay ahead of your car otherwise. Your Conscious Mind (should) look ahead for red flags, down cones, etc. ... and will intervene when necessary ... but it's only your Sub-Conscious Mind that can really drive the car fast. When you ask XXX XXXXXXXXX how he does it ... he will tell you he thinks about how nice the sky is. He isn't thinking about the corner that he's negotiating. The Analytical mind is just to slow. That's why after a run you need to take the time to review your run. It's also why it's hard for the smart engineering types to be really fast for a while. They need to give up their overt thinking and just let it happen!
But first you need a lot of SEAT TIME to imprint so your sub-conscious knows what to do. You need to get comfortable with your car and set-up. That's why it helps to settle your set-up. And you need to know the course ... otherwise your conscious mind has to take over. Experience helps with learning a course quickly, because you will recognize certain gate/corner/cone combinations ... but as you can see from last Saturdays event, all of Xxx's experience didn't help him enough to win ... after not really walking the course, nor really knowing Xxxxx's car.
The all crucial Looking Ahead becomes easier and easier as your sub-conscious learns to take over the actual driving functions. Looking Ahead gives your sub-conscious the road map to do it's thing.
So again ... Seat Time is what makes one really fast. Of course, not spending enough time with the family can also stop your auto crossing in it's tracks. :-)
I'd have to say the late great Ayrton Senna is my favorite driver. He's the most gifted driver I've ever seen perform in the toughest of circumstances. He was a master over a Formula One car in the wet, and he was incredible at Monaco. He was able to clutch a few driver's championships during his shortened career and with less than perfect racing teams (certainly not as good as Ferrari has been for Schumacher). And he did all of this at a time when at their peak the Formula One cars had turbocharged 1400 hp engines and very few driver aids.
I wasn't even watching Formula One when he was racing. But from the videos I've seen since then, I quickly became a fan. And I was saddened all over again when I saw his infamous crash. The crash he was involved in was shocking to say the least.
But... who's your favorite driver (Formula One, WRC, whatever)?
2006 MonteCarlo Fast, dry asphalt... except for the snowy patches. Solid rock on the right... vertical cliff on the left. Bonus: The red-hot exhaust on the Focus.
2006 Sweden Sixth gear jumps, at night, in the snow? OK! Bet you never thought someone would hit your car from underneath! Bonus: We don need no steekin' windshield! Kick it out!
2006 Mexico 110mph on dirt... in a third-world country! Oh crap, goats... Bonus: Oh crap, Cows! COWS!!!
2006 Spain 130mph never looked so fast. Bonus: Uh... Loeb wins again.
2005 Monte Carlo Fast, dry asphalt... except for the snowy patches! Ouch. Gronholm loses a wheel and gets passed, repeatedly. Bonus: Red-hot slotted brake discs.
2005 Sweden Loeb gets stuck in snow... oh, nevermind. Nice tires! You're on three wheels and shooting out flames. At least pull over. Bonus: So happy, I could rip my pace notes!
2005 Germany Markko and his tire decide to go their separate ways. You'd be easier to pass if you fell of a cliff...oh, thanks! Loeb proves 270-degrees left = 90 degrees right, and looks good doing it. Bonus: Driving by... near... TOO CLOSE TO and.. through grape vines.
2005 Australia Dust. Jumps. More Dust. Police catch one driving on three wheels on a public road and... escort him? Bonus: That first jump at the start of the clip.
Jun 4 2017, 04:36 PM
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