New and need seat time

[hd54kh]

Hi, I recently picked up a SSCA ITB Golf and am interested in running it in NASA HDPE. Some guidance help is what I need.

 

I would be looking for some Pocono events as well as Lime Rock and The Glen. In the up coming Pocono event I would like to attend what will I need. Here are a few of my knowns:

 

NASA membership

Pre-tech

Seat for instructor - Can I use a stock seat and belts? I also have my out

of date Impact 5 point belts available.

I do not have my annual done for the car but is right up to date and ready

just not had the availble time schedule to do.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Terry

[IkeF]

If you are running HPDE, you should only have to worry about tech-ing in at the track. At least in the OH/IN and Midwest regions there is no annual pre-tech for HPDE cars.

 

Nasa membership you can take care of online. http://www.nasaproracing.com

 

If you're running HPDE, the stock seat and belt should be fine, although I always thought it was frowned upon to have safety equipment for the driver and not passenger.

[hd54kh]

Membership is in proccess. I hear you about the level of safety equipment.

The car is fully SCCA prepped but I don't want to spend the money/time fabricating in another race seat for the number of HPDEs requireing an instructor. I will need to move my fire system release as it is but to relocate the Accusump system for the race seaqt is another issue.

 

I have a cross brace behind the sear area so submarining backwards is not an issue and if the out of date belts are acceptable that would be good. I think of it as if I were the passenger.

 

Thanks for the input.

 

Terry

[granracing]

Terry,

You don't need a log book to do HPDEs. Inspect the brakes (pads & rotors). I'd also suggest you flush the brake fluid with something like ATE Super Blue ($15 for a can which would be plenty).

 

Also, for LRP, don't forget the track has a sound limit, typically 89 dbs. (I can give you some advice about how to lower your sound if you think that will be an issue.) As far as the stock seat and belts - it will somewhat depend upon the instructor.

 

Maybe I'll see you at LRP...

[hd54kh]

Thanks - Dave

 

Good about the log book, I will need to get the annual for the school at the Glen for Sept. So at least it will not hold me up for the NASA HDPE.

 

I was lucky to find a well sorted out clean GTI that was a former Golf Cup Car. All is fresh but will do the fluids anyway, I see it as cheap insurance.

All the brakes are fresh but as said the fluid will be changed before the HDPE. I keep Castrol LMA fluid in my garage as I am a preventitive maintenance freak so between my 4 cars on the road I go through a lot of misc. fluids. I'll check the boiling point on the Castrol to see how it compares.

 

Now the sound level is maybe an issue, the car was run primarily at the Glen and Pocono and is loud. Tectonic (sp) headers to a "cherry bomb"

and straght out the side behind the driver 2 1/4" pipe.

 

It will be so benificial to get some seat time before the

Glen in Sept. so hope this works out.

 

I'm in the Saugerties N.Y. area so I plan on running at LRP for all the regionals there as it is only 1 1/2 hours from home.

 

Pocono, the Glen are both 3 1/2 and NHIR is i'm guessing 4 - 4 1/2. So If all goes well next season will be track time for Terry.

 

Terry Schneider

[granracing]

Terry,

Sounds like we'll be running together quite often then. (LRP is only about 1 hr from my house in Newington, CT and I have a yellow ITB Prelude si)

 

The guys in the N.E. who run in ITB are very cool. The competition is tough (several of us are contenders when at the ARRC), but there's a good mix. One of my friends who is just startig to get into the racing thing is in the midst of buying an ITB GTI. In addition to this forum, you should also check out http://www.improvedtouring.com

 

The school at the Glen...that's an SCCA school, correct? Are you brining any "crew" to help you? Even if the person is pretty much clueless when it comes to cars, I'd highly suggest it!!!

 

As far as sound goes, what is the end of your exhaust like? By that I mean could you add an extra "pipe" to it? I bought a super trap disk unit, then put on an adaptor so it fit over the end of the exhaust pipe (like a sleeve). I then drilled a hole through the sleeve and exhaust pipe which allows me to slip a bolt through them, to keep it mounted. Works like a charm!

 

Any plans on going to the upcoming SCCA event (weekend after next) at LRP? A few of us will be going, I'd be more than happy to show you around and introduce you to some other ITB (and ITA) racers. (By the way, if you haven't already gathered, almost everyone is very supportive.)

[hd54kh]

Dave, for the accessability to LRP I figure it will be my home track. I see your posts on IT forums dot com, I have the same name there as here also.

 

NASA can get me some seat time before the Sept. SCCA school. I am the one that needs the time, the car is really well sorted and was doing well on the track. My wife Angie is my crew, she has always been wrenching alongside of me but is usually the second hand. She is fine running a torque wrench, maintaining tire pressure, fluids and not afraid to do what needs to be done. Not really what she has in mind when I treat her to a weekend away from home but....

 

I need to see what I will do for the NASA Pocono HDDP as it is the same weekend as the NYR Regional at LRP. Either event sounds like either will benifit my goal to race.

 

I do believe I'll need to do something on my sound level. The pipe exits just behind the drivers seat and ends at the rocker seam, It is protected by the rocker and is close so I'll check out the set up like you described and see what room I need. With out a dyno hard to tell if having no restriction is any benifir to my set up. I know from my bikes slight backpressure changes can make better horsepower/torque than free flow.

 

Ordered the book, novice like me and my bad time of year to start - bench racing is better than no racing.

 

And being on the other forum I do see how the community is positive and supportive. It makes us new comers feel welcome and see how much is to be learned from all your guys (gals) knowledge.

 

Terry