We made it back to Barber for the last time this year last weekend (12-14 Sep) with Chin Motorsports. As it seems lately getting ready to go to an event is taking more time then I seem to have available. Good thing Jake and Josh realize driving at a track requires some effort before the event. They, mostly Jake for this weekend, worked on prepping the 88 Mustang, unloading the 99 FRC from the trailer and then putting the Mustang in the trailer. I finished off loading tires, the jack, the cooler and a few other odd items on Friday waiting for Jake to get home from classes around lunch time. After his light lunch of 4 hotdogs we hit the road. He did need to eat another one enroute to keep his strength at the diesel stop in Madison. As we left gas prices were rising over $1.00 per gallon - but some stations chose not to shaft the public and they will be remembered by me. Atlanta traffic flowed well and we made de cent time.
At the rest area at the Alabama line I noticed the right rear tire on the F250 was low (15psi) - I could see no puncture so we hit it with fix a flat (33x12.50 tires take a lot of volume) and limped to the next exit looking for air (the air tank did not make it on the trailer by the way). We still could not locate the leak as we aired it up to 50psi and made a run for Barber. The tire continued to lose air and it was iffy if we would make it to Barber. Luckily, it held air until we got to the paddock and pulled it off the truck. I would like to point out when you add mag wheels to your truck you need to look at the lugs need to bolt on the spare - mine did not match anymore. The amount of support I received at the paddock was heartwarming - people came over offering air, patch kits, spares, lug nuts and maybe even a few of their first born's. In the end Hazman took the tire to Walmart where they replaced the valve st em for $2.00 and we were good to go. On the way home as we crossed back into Georgia we blew a trailer tire. I do carry two spares, that fit, for the trailer at all times. Getting the track car ready, to the track and back can be complicated.
Check in and tech went painlessly as it always seems to with Chin. The Chin morning meeting is like a sunrise service with the "flock" receiving the message from "Reverend Hicks". It is a tradition that should never change. The warm up session showed me something I had only read about on Corner-Carvers the day before. A C6Z (an orange one as a matter of fact) had the right side tires reversed. At first I thought it was an optical illusion. It wasn't. After the session he was complaining about the TC/AH/Comp mode and how it drove awful. My student quietly pulled him aside to show him the issue. Swapping to Hoosiers late on Friday night should be done before you start drinking beer.
The Mustang did its second event with us after some repairs and tweaks since its Roebling debut. The exhaust no longer dumps in front of the fuel tank (thanks to Turner Auto) and the power steering hoses/pump were replaced by Jake. The seat is pretty well adjusted for Jake and with some lubrication I can manage to get barely behind the wheel. The car runs out pretty well and by Sunday Jake was wheeling it around Barber at a fast pace. I was able to discover a Mustang Fox body trait referred to as "Quadra Bind" in the Museum turn. I hear this load bang in the rear under braking (almost like being hit) and it is understeering badly so I lock up the tires an take it off track since I think something is broken. We limp it back in and Hazman gently explained to me the joys of the stock rear suspension. Nothing was hurt and we continued to wail on the car all weekend. It is a very tossable car with decent response and, like a Miata, you never lift with brake use only when you lose courage. It really only needs more tire, more HP, a panhard bar and bigger brakes. Then I remember we want to keep it CMC legal. When the gas ran low we did spew gas out of the tank again and at $4.99 a gallon I was concerned. I will be checking the vent system out this week. Any tips on this problem greatly appreciated.
I did get the chance to ride with the "King of Barber" this last weekend in his brothers C6. David Leonard's driving style reminds me of, let me think, Danny Popp and TimZO6. He uses all the track, the rumble strips, most of grass, saws on the wheel at the edge of traction and uses throttle modulation to keep it there. It was a lot of fun to ride with him for some fast laps around the track. I pretty much run the same lines as him without the grass and a healthy respect for the expensive armco at Barber. The car is a headers/tune/ZO6 body kit/Stoptech/CCW/Hoosier car that works exceptionally well. Tom Leonard definitely had the quote of the weekend when he said "..the cone placement keeps me on the pavement - what the hell are they thinking!" Imagine that, staying on the pavement at at racetrack, seems to me the F1 stewards need to counsel him on the consequences.
I ended up giving a bunch of checkrides and riding with several folks for fun. Jake instructed his long time student from Augusta, also a Jake, in a M3. Other then being limited to a E36 M3 they did great since you know they could have had a V8 instead. Jake, the student, really picked up the pace and put a lot of distance on his Dad (also in a E36 M3 once owned by Geoff Smoland - easy to do since almost every track car in the SE has passed through his hands). Jake also had a C6Z student on Sunday for a few sessions. Mike was stil having issues with his ABS/TC in his ZO6 and is threatening to switch over to Porsche. I can certainly understand his frustration and Porsches are great reliable track cars when the maintenance is up to date. The crowd was there with TimZO6, ZO6Cool, Hazman, the Leonards, Tony, Mike, Rob (aka RacerX1), MTI, Sportsouth and many oth ers playing on the track. The nice weather also brought out the southern ladies - another real benefit of running at Barber.
Our large crowd pretty much descended on the luxurious accommodations provided at the Treadwell Mansion in Odenville where "Dave's Martini Bar" was in full swing on Saturday evening. It was apparent on Sunday morning that TimZO6 was behind in his martini training. While his reps are adequate for mere beer it seems high class gin takes a different training regimen. Maybe it was the olives?
We had a great time and shook down the Mustang a little better. I was really missing my Corvette and it seems a two car trailer will soon be number one on my shopping list. I just need to get three Hans, a new helmet, window nets, Traqmate, another torque tube, some more tires, light weight wheels and a few other minor items first. I really think drug addiction may be cheaper, financially, and more socially acceptable.
