Another to the dark side... bought an ASA car
09-30-2013, 09:53 AM
#1
Race Director
Thread Starter
Another to the dark side... bought an ASA car
When I started this venture, there was only 1 thing I was sure of... that I didn't want an ASA/GTA car. Well, what can I say. When you're wrong, you're wrong.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...d-cup-car.html
After a LOT of help from some people on here (and some not here) who took way more time than they should have to answer 1 ridiculous question after another, I headed down to sunny Florida to visit Mike Cope Racing and check out what he had to offer. After a couple of hours and a handshake, I decided that this would be my next ride:
It is a 2003 Howe chassis car previously run by Tony Amico. It is the car that he used to win the 2008 SCCA GTA SARRC Championship. For an engine it will have a serialized ASA LS1 with a few upgrades. The fuel injection is also staying on it. AP brakes, Jericho 4 speed, 9" rear, ... pretty much everything in it built for bulletproof reliability. Right now, it sits in a few pieces waiting to be put together and have a few of it's minor issues addressed by Mike before I head back down to pick it up.
After a LOT of help from some people on here (and some not here) who took way more time than they should have to answer 1 ridiculous question after another, I headed down to sunny Florida to visit Mike Cope Racing and check out what he had to offer. After a couple of hours and a handshake, I decided that this would be my next ride:
It is a 2003 Howe chassis car previously run by Tony Amico. It is the car that he used to win the 2008 SCCA GTA SARRC Championship. For an engine it will have a serialized ASA LS1 with a few upgrades. The fuel injection is also staying on it. AP brakes, Jericho 4 speed, 9" rear, ... pretty much everything in it built for bulletproof reliability. Right now, it sits in a few pieces waiting to be put together and have a few of it's minor issues addressed by Mike before I head back down to pick it up.
Last edited by RedLS1GTO; 09-30-2013 at 09:58 AM.
10-01-2013, 04:05 AM
#7
Team Owner
Congrats on the new car.
I too was hesitant about going Stock Car from my Corvette but have not regretted it for a second.
3 of us in Cincy and 1 in St. Louis have made the change over the past 2 years. We have learned a lot about the cars and track them often.
Give me a shout if you have any questions about it
I too was hesitant about going Stock Car from my Corvette but have not regretted it for a second.
3 of us in Cincy and 1 in St. Louis have made the change over the past 2 years. We have learned a lot about the cars and track them often.
Give me a shout if you have any questions about it
10-01-2013, 07:46 AM
#8
Race Director
Thread Starter
Where are you guys finding to run them? Do you get to VIR these days? There is another of us from Cincy in the market right now... if he comes through, there would be a pretty hefty group of us in the area.
10-01-2013, 12:52 PM
#9
Team Owner
I have 2 events in Oct. 1 at Gingerman and 1 at Putnam Park
www.1010thsmotorsports.com
10-01-2013, 01:15 PM
#10
Race Director
Thread Starter
Check out 10/10ths Motorsports
I have 2 events in Oct. 1 at Gingerman and 1 at Putnam Park
www.1010thsmotorsports.com
I have 2 events in Oct. 1 at Gingerman and 1 at Putnam Park
www.1010thsmotorsports.com
I was in this:
10-03-2013, 12:18 AM
#11
Instructor
Member Since: Sep 2010
Location: Vero Beach Florida
Posts: 184
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Congrats, I bought Tonys other car from Mike Cope. It is a SBC motored Intrepid body car. I hope to get it out to the track for the first time in the next month.
11-13-2013, 09:49 AM
#14
Race Director
Thread Starter
Well... it took a 2300+ mile road trip with a 26' trailer the whole way, but it was worth it. Left on Thursday from Louisville to head down south. Spent the weekend in sunny Florida (beats the freezing temps here in KY for sure). Sunday morning, hooked up the trailer and took off straight to VIR for the Trackdaze HPDE to test it out.
I had some minor hiccups but nothing too unusual for a "new" car. First session I had a WICKED vibration on the out lap. Turned out to be nothing more than an old wheel weight that was missed when mounting the new tires. Pulled it off and made it out just in time to get 1 lap. The following session ended with a tow back from the pits to our spot WAY up the hill (thankfully the paddock will be ready next time I'm there). I shut it off in the pits when they pulled us all in after a wreck and had no starter when I tried to fire it back up. Turned out to be nothing more than a loose wire.
After back to back sessions flagged for people stuffing cars into walls I FINALLY got a few laps under my belt in the afternoon. All I can say is WOW. This thing is the definition of fun. It is also a complete 180 departure from the Corvettes. The learning curve is STEEP with the clutch in the pits and the Jerico. I'm sure plenty of people were laughing at the clown who couldn't drive through the pits but by the end of the day I had it pretty much figured out. Functional... but not quite smooth yet.
The clutchless shifting is an absolute blast. As good as it feels to rip through a good heel-toe braking zone, this is a whole new level of awesome. The brakes are simply amazing. The pedal pressures are WAY more than the Vettes, but they are unbelievably precise and predictable. I never even began to push hard and was still braking deeper than I ever could with my C5Z with the AP T1s. As I get better with the bias adjust, getting them dialed in should make it even better.
Unfortunately I didn't have time to hook up any data or video so I have no hard numbers but it feels like a rocket. The track was packed... I don't think I had a single lap without having to deal with at least 3-4 cars. I was also just getting used to it. I wasn't even remotely coming close to pushing hard. I was coasting into braking zones, short shifting, and being very gentle on the throttle. Even with all of that, my father was clocking laps in the 2:10 range. Through massive traffic and driving about 50%, I'm more than happy with that. There are a LOT of seconds to be gained. Unfortunately, it will all be paved and widened next time I'm there so I won't get a good comparison in lap times with my previous cars.
OK... enough rambling. Thanks again to all of those who helped along the way!
I had some minor hiccups but nothing too unusual for a "new" car. First session I had a WICKED vibration on the out lap. Turned out to be nothing more than an old wheel weight that was missed when mounting the new tires. Pulled it off and made it out just in time to get 1 lap. The following session ended with a tow back from the pits to our spot WAY up the hill (thankfully the paddock will be ready next time I'm there). I shut it off in the pits when they pulled us all in after a wreck and had no starter when I tried to fire it back up. Turned out to be nothing more than a loose wire.
After back to back sessions flagged for people stuffing cars into walls I FINALLY got a few laps under my belt in the afternoon. All I can say is WOW. This thing is the definition of fun. It is also a complete 180 departure from the Corvettes. The learning curve is STEEP with the clutch in the pits and the Jerico. I'm sure plenty of people were laughing at the clown who couldn't drive through the pits but by the end of the day I had it pretty much figured out. Functional... but not quite smooth yet.
The clutchless shifting is an absolute blast. As good as it feels to rip through a good heel-toe braking zone, this is a whole new level of awesome. The brakes are simply amazing. The pedal pressures are WAY more than the Vettes, but they are unbelievably precise and predictable. I never even began to push hard and was still braking deeper than I ever could with my C5Z with the AP T1s. As I get better with the bias adjust, getting them dialed in should make it even better.
Unfortunately I didn't have time to hook up any data or video so I have no hard numbers but it feels like a rocket. The track was packed... I don't think I had a single lap without having to deal with at least 3-4 cars. I was also just getting used to it. I wasn't even remotely coming close to pushing hard. I was coasting into braking zones, short shifting, and being very gentle on the throttle. Even with all of that, my father was clocking laps in the 2:10 range. Through massive traffic and driving about 50%, I'm more than happy with that. There are a LOT of seconds to be gained. Unfortunately, it will all be paved and widened next time I'm there so I won't get a good comparison in lap times with my previous cars.
OK... enough rambling. Thanks again to all of those who helped along the way!
11-13-2013, 11:06 AM
#16
Race Director
Thread Starter
11-15-2013, 01:08 PM
#17
Drifting
The learning curve is STEEP with the clutch in the pits and the Jerico. I'm sure plenty of people were laughing at the clown who couldn't drive through the pits but by the end of the day I had it pretty much figured out. Functional... but not quite smooth yet.
The clutchless shifting is an absolute blast. As good as it feels to rip through a good heel-toe braking zone, this is a whole new level of awesome.
The clutchless shifting is an absolute blast. As good as it feels to rip through a good heel-toe braking zone, this is a whole new level of awesome.
Welcome to a new world of fun!!!
11-15-2013, 01:54 PM
#18
Supporting Vendor
Well... it took a 2300+ mile road trip with a 26' trailer the whole way, but it was worth it. Left on Thursday from Louisville to head down south. Spent the weekend in sunny Florida (beats the freezing temps here in KY for sure). Sunday morning, hooked up the trailer and took off straight to VIR for the Trackdaze HPDE to test it out.
I had some minor hiccups but nothing too unusual for a "new" car. First session I had a WICKED vibration on the out lap. Turned out to be nothing more than an old wheel weight that was missed when mounting the new tires. Pulled it off and made it out just in time to get 1 lap. The following session ended with a tow back from the pits to our spot WAY up the hill (thankfully the paddock will be ready next time I'm there). I shut it off in the pits when they pulled us all in after a wreck and had no starter when I tried to fire it back up. Turned out to be nothing more than a loose wire.
After back to back sessions flagged for people stuffing cars into walls I FINALLY got a few laps under my belt in the afternoon. All I can say is WOW. This thing is the definition of fun. It is also a complete 180 departure from the Corvettes. The learning curve is STEEP with the clutch in the pits and the Jerico. I'm sure plenty of people were laughing at the clown who couldn't drive through the pits but by the end of the day I had it pretty much figured out. Functional... but not quite smooth yet.
The clutchless shifting is an absolute blast. As good as it feels to rip through a good heel-toe braking zone, this is a whole new level of awesome. The brakes are simply amazing. The pedal pressures are WAY more than the Vettes, but they are unbelievably precise and predictable. I never even began to push hard and was still braking deeper than I ever could with my C5Z with the AP T1s. As I get better with the bias adjust, getting them dialed in should make it even better.
Unfortunately I didn't have time to hook up any data or video so I have no hard numbers but it feels like a rocket. The track was packed... I don't think I had a single lap without having to deal with at least 3-4 cars. I was also just getting used to it. I wasn't even remotely coming close to pushing hard. I was coasting into braking zones, short shifting, and being very gentle on the throttle. Even with all of that, my father was clocking laps in the 2:10 range. Through massive traffic and driving about 50%, I'm more than happy with that. There are a LOT of seconds to be gained. Unfortunately, it will all be paved and widened next time I'm there so I won't get a good comparison in lap times with my previous cars.
OK... enough rambling. Thanks again to all of those who helped along the way!
I had some minor hiccups but nothing too unusual for a "new" car. First session I had a WICKED vibration on the out lap. Turned out to be nothing more than an old wheel weight that was missed when mounting the new tires. Pulled it off and made it out just in time to get 1 lap. The following session ended with a tow back from the pits to our spot WAY up the hill (thankfully the paddock will be ready next time I'm there). I shut it off in the pits when they pulled us all in after a wreck and had no starter when I tried to fire it back up. Turned out to be nothing more than a loose wire.
After back to back sessions flagged for people stuffing cars into walls I FINALLY got a few laps under my belt in the afternoon. All I can say is WOW. This thing is the definition of fun. It is also a complete 180 departure from the Corvettes. The learning curve is STEEP with the clutch in the pits and the Jerico. I'm sure plenty of people were laughing at the clown who couldn't drive through the pits but by the end of the day I had it pretty much figured out. Functional... but not quite smooth yet.
The clutchless shifting is an absolute blast. As good as it feels to rip through a good heel-toe braking zone, this is a whole new level of awesome. The brakes are simply amazing. The pedal pressures are WAY more than the Vettes, but they are unbelievably precise and predictable. I never even began to push hard and was still braking deeper than I ever could with my C5Z with the AP T1s. As I get better with the bias adjust, getting them dialed in should make it even better.
Unfortunately I didn't have time to hook up any data or video so I have no hard numbers but it feels like a rocket. The track was packed... I don't think I had a single lap without having to deal with at least 3-4 cars. I was also just getting used to it. I wasn't even remotely coming close to pushing hard. I was coasting into braking zones, short shifting, and being very gentle on the throttle. Even with all of that, my father was clocking laps in the 2:10 range. Through massive traffic and driving about 50%, I'm more than happy with that. There are a LOT of seconds to be gained. Unfortunately, it will all be paved and widened next time I'm there so I won't get a good comparison in lap times with my previous cars.
OK... enough rambling. Thanks again to all of those who helped along the way!
Pointing you by on the right next time though - ears are still ringing!
And yes - I want one....
And it's fun to watch the paddock cruising!
