Brian_Earl_Spilner

Should be nice weather for Saturday too. The more the merrier.. hopefully lots of you show up. It's always a fun ride.

Always in.

Nobody is going to care about special events like "team battles" and other junk if you don't get people coming out in the first place. Things like that will only cater to an established crowd of participants. The number one thing is location. Location. Location. Back when we had the Ex grounds, we'd have 70+ competitors and the sidelines would be packed with people. It was close by, word got out, and people came to both race and watch. Nobody is going to drive out to a beat up airfield at St. Andrews for something they're unsure about. All this talk of special events is just pointless garnish without a proper venue to have them at. Get a new (and good) venue sorted out first, and the people will come.

Koni should be lifetime warranty... Back when I ran Koni, I remember getting replacement shocks sent in the mail at least 4 times that I can remember (and you send the dead one(s) back). They were always good about it. No fuss, they always sent replacements without a fight. Not sure if Koni still does that though.

Wish I went.

So looking at the schedule on Motorsportsreg, this seems kind of whacked. Gate opens and check-in at 10am, then a break for lunch, and finally at 1:30 the runs begin? 3 and half hours after check-in? Seems like such a waste of time. If we're at the far end of the runway, what we do has no bearing on what the road racers do. Why such a massive delay? Gate opens 10:00 AM Check in and late registration 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Course open to walk 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM Rookie meeting and course walk 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM Drivers meeting 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM Lunch 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM First run group starts 1:30 PM Second run group starts 3:00 PM Wrap up meeting and teardown 4:30 – 5:00 PM

I don't think a paid service is the answer. What I think should be stressed is: a: The importance of course walks. b: If you're a rookie, it should be in your best interest to drive the track slowly to ensure that you don't DNF, and recollect the course from your walks. Over the years I recall seeing so many rookies come out, thinking "I got this", then hit the course hot-dogging it only to DNF every run. No rookie is ever going to set a record or impress the veterans right off the hop... So take it slow, and you won't need a "taxi", so to speak.

Do a better job so you don't have so many complaints. Done and done.

I think I'll also come out to the 2nd Gimli event to see what all the fuss is about, and see if that end of the runway (which was crap 12+ years ago) is as good as you all say it is now. And I'll destroy you all with my FTD in the process.

You can't compare a drive to work on public roads to racing on a crappy (or not crappy) surface. You can actively dodge potholes and other junk on city streets, and you're not driving balls-out on city streets where a bumpy surface would cause the most damage. Apples and oranges as far as I'm concerned. I think what Nish is getting at is that if you destroy a dedicated race car, you still have another car to drive you to work in the morning. Destroying your daily driven street car on a shi!tty surface while racing would be a much larger and costlier inconvenience.

I'm strongly considering this... AutoX on a nice big lot with no marshaling?! What's not to love? I'd also love to do the HPDE/lapping. Brainerd looks like a really nice circuit. If we can get a convoy from here heading down, that would be awesome.

Sooooo is anybody interested in a spring drive this year? Has anybody thought about this or considered a route (Pete or Jim perhaps?)

Frankly, I think marshaling is to blame for this accident. Dead car on the track, basically on the racing line, and everyone is still going full-tilt around it. Why were there no yellow flags well in advance to slow down the traffic? Who's the hell was running that race?

Keeping #68 please. Kosta F. Renewed and paid, Member #1622

I read about that this morning. I don't blame him for not wanting to drive that piece of sh!t Honda-powered McLaren...