Spectator Lap Day at Altamont Raceway, Sun Sept 14th

[sperry]

Edit: Let's try to make it to the Sept 14th session!

Matt, I just found your birthday present! I hope you're not too busy or hungover the day after your party, because I'm dragging you and anyone else who wants to race short track oval in a real race car to Altamont!

http://www.altamontraceway.com

9am to 5pm, Sunday July 27th, CAM car spectator lap day. It used to be like $45 for 15 laps, but that was 2 years ago, so I'm not sure how much it costs now.

I think Austin (AtomicLabMonkey) will meet us out there since he lives like 15 minutes away, and I think he's gonna try to get some of the guys from Maier Racing to come out. (They built those nucking futz Mustangs I had pics of from Atwater)

So hopefully we can get a few people out there. Matt, if you can go, your first 15 laps are on me! Happy B-Day!

If we can't make it this weekend, our next shots are:
- Aug 10 (but we have a race already)
- Sept 14
- Oct 12 (but we have a race already)
after that, the track's closed for the season.

[dknv]

Is this similar to the racing you were telling us about (using a track vehicle, run elimination rounds, down to the first 2 or 3 finishers for a cash prize)?

I'm going to be in FF over the weekend, I may go out there & check it out!

[sperry]

Originally Posted by dknv

Is this similar to the racing you were telling us about (using a track vehicle, run elimination rounds, down to the first 2 or 3 finishers for a cash prize)?

I'm going to be in FF over the weekend, I may go out there & check it out!

It's exactly the same cars on the same track, but this is only a spectator lap day, where you just get out there and run some 15 lap practice sessions. It doesn't look like they're holding the Spectator Challenge event this year (or any of the years since Austin and I raced in it, now that I think about it).

[MattR]

I'm There!!! What time will we need to leave on Sunday though? 4 am? I don;t know if thats possible.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by MattR

I'm There!!! What time will we need to leave on Sunday though? 4 am? I don;t know if thats possible.

I figure we leave at 6am. I may be picking up Tracy in Sacramento, so we stop there at about 8, maybe grab some breakfast if we don't eat before leaving, then it's another 1.5 to 2 hours down 5 to Altamont. So we're at the track between 10 and 11. Hopefully, we'll be able to get some laps in before it gets retarded hot. Run like 11am till 2pm.

We could also make a full day trip out of it and drive into the East Bay to catch a movie or something... them's my old high school stomping grounds!

The question is, how many people are interested in going, if it's just you and me Matt, then we can take one car, but if a few of us are going, it'll be caravan time.

[ArthurS]

I don't think I will be able to manage that. I will let you know by tomorrow. I may have to work Sunday for a few.

[STIwish]

That would be fun... I really cant afford it right now though.

[STIwish]

Well.... if the exhaust im trying to buy sold like it probably did.. i could probably go... but where am i going?

[sperry]

Altamont:

http://www.altamontraceway.com/track/directions.htm

I added it to the "Meet Locations" thread: http://www.seccs.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=4402

[tysonK]

fuck it i'll go...
that's if you want me tagging along?
if it's you and matt and tracy i dont want to crowd the car or whatever.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by tysonK

fuck it i'll go...
that's if you want me tagging along?
if it's you and matt and tracy i dont want to crowd the car or whatever.

Well, that'll be a full car (assuming Tracy does come, that's not definate yet), but not a big deal... you just know how small WRX back seats are tho.

Even if we have to take 2 cars, definately come with us! In fact 2 cars might be better, just so I can stop in Sac for a few hours to hang w/ Tracy on the way back, and you guys can head up to Reno. If Art comes (he might have to work) then we'll need 2 cars for sure.

[tysonK]

cool. When tell my rommates i'm going to car metting or scca thing with my friends they always refer to you guys as my "RACE FRIENDS", and this thread just goes to show, i thought that was funny.

roommate: "Tyson why are you going to califronia this weekend"
el tyson: "oh, a little road trip with my car club buddies"
roommate: "so you are going to race your car or something"
el tyson: "well, yes actually"

seccs rules.

[sperry]

You won't be racing your car, you'll be racing this "beast":



Dedicated oval track "Corperate American Modified" race car. 4 cyl motor, 4 speed (no synchros), 2 seats, drum brakes, and leaf springs. And all it wants to do it turn left... BAD. You have to turn the wheel right to go straight.

[MattR]

What time are we going to have to leave Sunday morning? This is a serious consideration. what time?

[AtomicLabMonkey]

Originally Posted by sperry

You won't be racing your car, you'll be racing this "beast":



Dedicated oval track "Corperate American Modified" race car. 4 cyl motor, 4 speed (no synchros), 2 seats, drum brakes, and leaf springs. And all it wants to do it turn left... BAD. You have to turn the wheel right to go straight.

I'm there Sunday, I think Laura wants to come ride-along again too. The Maier crew will be absent though since they're going out to an auto-x at Castle.

I thought they had coil springs though.. and they seem to have discs or drums on different cars as I recall, not that it matters... you shouldn't be using the brakes much on an oval track anyway. Just lift off at the end of the straight and turn that sucker in, YEEE-HAWWW!

"Now I want you to go back out there, and hit the pace car."

"Hit the pace car?? What for??"

"Because you hit every other GOD-DAMN thing out there, and I want you to be PERFECT!!"

[sperry]

Originally Posted by AtomicLabMonkey

I thought they had coil springs though.. and they seem to have discs or drums on different cars as I recall, not that it matters... you shouldn't be using the brakes much on an oval track anyway. Just lift off at the end of the straight and turn that sucker in, YEEE-HAWWW!

It looks like there's two generations of cars out there. Some are coil-fronts, leaf springs rear, and drum brakes all around, others are coils all around, disc front brakes and drum rear brakes.

Not that it matters, since they're all on worn to hell tires and mis-aligned. IT would take some setup work on those rides before the technical specs of them made a difference in speeds on the track.

[sperry]

Alright, sounds like Matt's not gonna make it due to his out of town guests.

So.... it's just me and Tyson... Ty, you still down to go, or should we just can the trip so we can party hard at Matt's b-day and not have to worry about getting up in the morning?

Either way, I'm down to go if you want.

[MattR]

yeah , I'm sorry about that, but I think it will be WAY to hard for me to get away, I will definately want to make the next race though...

[sperry]

Originally Posted by MattR

yeah , I'm sorry about that, but I think it will be WAY to hard for me to get away, I will definately want to make the next race though...

Hey man, don't feel bad! We'll go without you if we have to!

My only concern: my will power to tone it down at your party... I figured if you were coming with us, you'd call it quits early enough to get up at 6 or 7 Sunday. But if you're gonna be partying deep into the night, I'll prolly be useless early on Sunday cuz I'll be haing too much fun Sunday night.

[sperry]

Alright, who's coming this weekend?

[tysonK]

So far it looks good for me. I find out tomorrow if I have to work on Saturday. If I don't work I'm freakin in.

[MattR]

I'm there no matter what, Scott, when do you find out what day you're going? I may be in Sac on Saturday, and drive over to Livermore on Sunday morning. I'm not quite sure yet. Otherwise, i'll probabaly drive down and grab a hotel room on saturday night. I want to be well rested for my debut on teh oval..


"Where'd you learn to drive?"
"ESPN, the coverage is excellent."

[AtomicLabMonkey]

I don't think I'll be driving since I need to save money. I'd be happy to come ride along with anybody to instruct though if they haven't done it before (or even Scott, cuz he has teh suck at teh ovAl).

[sperry]

Originally Posted by AtomicLabMonkey

(or even Scott, cuz he has teh suck at teh ovAl).

Say Whaaaa?!? IIRC I won my heat race at the Spectator Challenge, and finished about a car length behind you in the final! If you're so much bettAr, how come you didn't finish way out in front, eh?

[AtomicLabMonkey]

I won a heat race too, (course I didn't get a chance at another one cause the guy screwed up and didn't put me in the 2nd race I was supposed to be in) and you were only a carlength behind me cause my tires weren't matched perfect and staggered special like yours were.

Buck (looking at Cole's car): "Well lookit that, a side we don't gotta fix!"

Harry (Kicks the door panel as hard as he can and dents it): "I don't want you gettin spoiled, Buck."