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BUTTONWILLOW! APRIL 8/9 SPRINTS AND 3 HOUR NIGHT ENDURO


Tim Comeau

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This is my favorite track and it's great for our Porsche 944's. Any of the various configurations are a great challenge. It's always fun to gather at the BBQ joint and watch our fresh videos on their big screen TV. Starbuck's in the morning....

You can start registering now guys.

 

***This event includes a 3-hour night enduro, which is part of the SoCal Enduro Series, as well as, the larger Western Endurance Racing Championship (WERC). It costs extra, but is the ultimate in track time vs. entry fees. It's also a blast to watch. Good practice for the Tribute in May? Practice "live" driver changes, using the radios, tracking fuel useage. NASA does pit stops like the pros! Good stuff!

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I'll be there probably, assuming I get my engine stuttering problem fixed.

 

I'd like to do the enduro. How many gallons of refueling is needed?

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Hey guys, I'll be out there, so let's have some fun together (even though I'll be in the boxster). We're definitely in for the enduro.

 

It was a blast running the the guys at Ca Spdwy with you guys.

 

Steve

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I ran 2 hours and 10 minutes on an early tank (17.4 gallons filled to the brim). Late cars have a 21.1 gallon tank so expect 20-30 minutes longer. I was short shifting at about 5800 to save fuel. Steve Rea and Mark Foley helped out. A pit stop after the 2 hour mark and the addition of less than 10 gallons should do it. DON'T FORGET TO CHECK THE OIL!!!!!

The Honda's and Miazdah's will give you a run in the E2 class.

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The Honda's and Miazdah's will give you a run in the E2 class.

 

Timmay! thinks the best part about racing enduros is you get a free ice cream if you show up at Willow Ranch in your drivers suit!

 

There's a little bet going on between the Nissans and Hondas, everyone is throwing in $50, winner takes the pot. That sound too rich for you Porsche guys?

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who knows, maybe ill show up there in my focus for a day. i still need to pick up a log book and try for HPDE 3... and i finally found myself some time.

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Man!

They're running the night enduro right frickin' NOW!!!!!

Wish I was there in a 944........

Who won the sprint race today? Mikael or Jim?

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I think Jim was in the sprint race.

 

Unfortunately, the race was red flagged before the first lap was finished, as there was a very serious accident. From what I heard, the driver was killed. I don't know his name or what the type of car he was driving is called. It was one of those kit cars (I think), with an open cockpit.

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It was a sad weekend with a fatal accident. Out of respect I will not share any details on this public forum.

Saturdays race was canceled. Jims clutch went out while someone else was using the car in HPDE. I lent Jim my car to race on Saturday and I was to race my car on Sunday so we would both still be in the running for the championship.

Only Spargo and Marks participated in Saturdays canceled race, only 3/4 of a lap was completed before red flag.

I was the only one racing Sunday in our class.

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Everybody,

Thanks for being respectful about letting NASA release details of the fatal accident at Buttonwillow on their own in terms of timeliness and content.

It's tragic when this happens, but let's have it serve to focus the drivers in our class on what's most important. Safety.

Please recheck all your safety gear asap for quality, correct installation, production dates, etc. I know we tech our own cars........

Please don't think of our safety gear as a hurdle you need to get over to get to the fun part.......racing. Don't scrimp on safety. Get a helmet that fits properly!

Let's also take another look at our attitudes with respect to "risk assessment." I'm talking about making passes, how you re-enter the track after spinning off, reading the cars around you and assessing what they're going to do, etc. What's your level of trust in that other driver?

When in doubt, back out! Keep your car in one piece and finish that race and the entire weekend!

It seems like so much of what could happen to us drivers out there on the track is directly dependent on all the other drivers! It doesn't matter how safe of a driver YOU are.

Did they see me spin? Are they going to slam into me as I'm cranking the engine after it stalls? ( I get really pissed at myself if I stall the car out because it means I'm a sitting duck until I can get it running again!) Did I put down oil and now they don't have any option but to slide into me? Is that guy in the faster car getting loopy because he's too hot in his drivers suit?

So many variables out there that we are not in control of but that affect OUR OWN safety. Please check all your systems and give yourself the best chance of escaping injury in a wreck!

I just found out recently that my kill switch wouldn't shut the engine off. It would isolate the battery, but once the car was running, it ran off the alternator. That was a shocker to find out that switch wasn't installed correctly/completely!

I fixed the problem immediately and thanked the tech inspector for pointing it out. Learned something new.

Edited by Guest
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Tim wrote:

 

I just found out recently that my kill switch wouldn't shut the engine off if it was revving above 3,000 rpm!

 

Tim- how is this possible?

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Hey, just a quick thanks to EVERYONE that helped put my car back together again, on Saturday. We actually R&R'd a clutch AT THE TRACK on our backs... this is supposed to be one of the more difficult jobs to do on a 944, and everyone pitched in to complete the job in about 5 hours...

 

SPecial thanks to Aaron, Phil from Vision, Mikael, and Mike Zhangi for all the help...

 

Also, when it was determined that I would not have a car for Sat or Sunday, Mikeal offered to let me drive HIS car in the race on Saturday, while he sat out. That way I would get maximum pts on Sat and he on Sunday... keeping me in the championship race...against HIM!!

 

What other group of guys or class would do stuff like this....

 

ALSO, congrats to Mikeal for a NEW TRACK RECORD...2:07.8!! Obliterating the old track record by over a second.... scary fast!!

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Tom, Thanks for asking. And I apologize for recounting the story incorrectly. The battery kill switch would isolate the battery, but once the car is running, it uses the alternator/coil for the spark.

The contacts on the bottom of the switch were not rigged to isolate the coil. So it had nothing to do with the rev's.

I had someone else install that switch a long time ago. I'm glad I never had to use it in a real time situation.......my fault!

Now, It's rigged correctly and working properly. I've also purchased a newer version that is electronic, keyless, and has multiple shut off locations, if desired.

Here's the site:

http://www.batterycutoff.com

 

Liked the new one so well I became a dealer for them.

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ALSO, congrats to Mikeal for a NEW TRACK RECORD...2:07.8!! Obliterating the old track record by over a second.... scary fast!!

 

 

...and I wasn't even drafting anyone Thank you for the kind words, you're the reason I'm pushing myself and thanks again for offering Hotel de Barbie for accomodations.

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You dirty bastiges! You're killin' me.........

Even though Mikael knocked Pete Yousko off the top of the # 13 CW mountain, I feel like I HAVE to go back up there and beat THAT time.....

Thanks for pushing me.

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OK, not trying to be insensitive or have a train-wreck mentality, but strictly for educational purposes, where would this 'Official Statement' of what exactly happened to Dan Lawson be? Or even the 'unnofficial'? I have snooped around and am missing the technical details completely. I would really like to read/study it.

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