Well I finished up my first season racing w/the ARC earlier this month. Finally got videos uploaded, too. Don't have pics yet, though.

Good news is that I drove, slid and wrenched my way to 1st place in the ARC and the NCRC TT in GT1 class for the season, and grabbed some major respect for the S2000 amongst the mostly-domestic-iron racers from the ARC/NCRC. My only disappointment all season was that the fields were pretty small. With the average race consisting of a field of 15 cars in 4 different classess.....well, you do the math.

Sat. the 18th (NASA config) I qualified 1st in GT1 and 5th overall and finished 1st in GT1 with 3 GTR cars in front of me. Though there was only one other GT1 car, he was in an STI and was quick as kcuf! There was a lot of action in the first couple laps, with the 720hp Leaver in front of me sliding all over the place before finally going off in T9. Trades places with the STi a couple times, too. Good stuff. My best time was a 1:59.4, and though I slowed and drove conservatively after I had a decent lead I finished 13 secs ahead of the Subie. It's a good thing I slowed, too, 'cause I had ran a pad down to the backing plate and cracked a rotor....and corded a tire.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulJufN4DX24


On Sunday we ran the full course. I cracked another rotor in practice and had 6 front pads all with no more than 5mm of pad material on 'em. I qualified second overall (1st in GT1) and got to start on the front row of the grid! I started along side a ~700hp tube framed car that was pulling 1:50s and was in front of Tyson Schmidt (Fast GT2-classed 911), Justin Stottlemyer in a full race-prepped STI (GT1) an a couple GTR cars. Race was pretty boring, though....No way could I keep up w/the wicked GTR car along side me after his slicks warmed up and defensive lines and hard charging out of the gate quickly separated me from the rest of the pack, so no passing = no racing = no fun. In my boredom, however, I managed my first ever 2:00:799 lap!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKeTb2E6K6w

Overall my experience with the ARC was awesome. There could have been more competition in the GT1 class, with only a total of I think 9 drivers? in GT1 for the entire season, but being able to race with such a diverse mix of cars/drivers in a series that has NO history of contact is great. Being able to run with Panoz race cars, GT3 cup cars, M3s, Corvettes and high HP Stangs, Radicals and you name it was, for me, the best experience I could have had. Only one mechanical issue all season (thanks again Asura) and because I stuck to just ARC events I saved a lot of money on tires, brakes (only went through 2 or three sets of rotors!), pads and gas.

I don't plan on running the full ARC season next year unless there's more GT1 drivers and instead plan on doing mixed events....NASA TTU time trials, 1 or 2 ITE races, and maybe a Time Attack here or there.

Anyone who's thinking of making the jump from HPDEs to W2W racing now's the time to start preparing!!!!

 

congrats looks awesome.

 

why so few ite races next year?

 

$$$$

 

Ahh, k

its no more expensive than ARC or going to a NASA Time Trial event.

 

thats awsome.

 

Exactly--it's all f-in' expensive and last year cleaned me out! Racing is a rich man's sport (or short-lived hobby for a fast and furious credit card swiper) and I'm neither.

 

says the guy w/ a brand new suv and motorcycle. Aren't you looking into doing a turbo too?

It is expensive no argument there and we all have our priorities where we blow our $.

Just wanting to race you. I think ITE's gonna be good racing this year.

-Ry

 

If only track days cost as little as my monthly payments....

Plus the cost of putting that RB26DETT in my S is gonna take some serious $$$...especially since I want it mounted mid-engined.