I will be at the Super Chevy Show this Saturday. Hopefully, some of us can meet. Redbob, you going?

gary

 

http://www.saferacing.org (858) 689-9811

I have participated in several of their events!

 

I don't have a C5 right now, but I'm up for a west coast shootout. ;)

 

Gary, Happy Birthday.

Well, I think your on your way.

Trust me, that core group of racers is out there.
Run a race and see how it goes. If you get a few cars, that will be a start.

Good luck and I'm here to help.

John

 

Gary, Edgar is my webmaster for http://www.corvettechallenge.info

I sure for a small fee Redgar might have time to start your West Coast Web site. ;)

 

John - I will get in touch with redgar. Hope he can help us out. And thanks for the birthday wishes - turned the double nickel on Monday (55)! :D

Al - I visited the site for SRA and will explore that. Also, as there are folks interested from as far north as Santa Barbara going all the way down to the border, I think that we need to find a track that is more centrally located.

Then, again, maybe we can "float" the event to different tracks to see what everybody likes. Pomona is likely out unless we piggy-back on some event but I don't think we can do that at the Super-Chevy Show as we won't have any ability to race our cars in a small bunch. Maybe I'm wrong on this. What do you guys think?

Also, I talked with Al at MMS today. I think that they are going to be one of our first sponsors. :blueangel:

Next up and for the record: I want to declare that I do NOT want to run this for any kind of profit whatsoever! After paying for any expenses such as trophies, plaques, t-shirts, track fees, insurance if needed, a modest website (see John's generous posting related to redgar), I would like to take whatever profits we might have and donate them to charity.

Because of the events of 9-11, and because I am significantly involved in disaster relief work with various organizations such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, as well as working for numerous fire departments here in Southern California, I personally would like to donate any profits we might collect this year to the New York Fire Department's Widows and Orphan's Fund or any similar organization. I worked in the pit at ground zero in October and I can't think of anyone else who is more deserving of my support than the surviving families of the firefighters who perished.

This is just my own personal wish. If the group as a whole wants to donate to another charity that is fine with me. I just don't want to get mercenary about this. Want it to be clean, fun, and maybe help the community a little if we have a few extra bucks. Everybody "OK" with this?

Any artists in the group? We need a t-shirt to commemorate our first WCCC event!

Tom S. - can you send me your e-mail address? Only one I couldn't find.

Moving right along: looks like the following want to get the ball rolling: Jeff, Bruce, Redbob, Tom, Al, Todd, and me. That's enough to get started for me. Let's all look at local track schedules and see what we can come up with.
Maybe we can have three or four races this year and rotate among tracks: Carlsbad, Fontana, LACR, and the new strip in Banning - Drag City?

If any of you are coming to Pomona this Saturday, I will be there. I'm in a '01 black couple with CCW drag wheels, ET streets, and skinnies. I'm the birthday boy with long gray hair, who might get better e.t.'s if he lost about 30 lbs.! :lol:

gary

 

Todd - I think I have seen your vette. Are you running a 427 in that bad boy?

 

Hi Gary,

No, I have a mild 383 in my 85. I'm not aware of any 427's in C4's around here..... I would like one though. :)

Regarding track choices..... here's the skinnie:

Pomona - No, this weekend is the only event all year we can race in... the track can only race 15 days a year due to an agreement with the City of Laverne.... Most of those days are taken by the NHRA Winter Nationals and Finals. As a note I will be at Super Chevy this weekend.... there will be in the neighborhood of 700-1000 cars racing..... its gonna be a clustermuck.

Famoso - Possibly, but they already piggy back different events on top of another as it is....but maybe, especially with the small car counts it could be accomplished. You can rent out the track, but this is very expensive and all of the sudden it costs anywhere from $ 60-120 to race..... thats too much. However, this track is centrally located between North and South somewhat.

LACR - Maybe, its a high altitude and windy track, but still a real possibility.

Inyokern--- Its way out in the desert (Take a right at Bakersfiled and drive for 2hours).... they're only open once a month last I heard, but I guess a possibility, but a long commute for everybody.

Irwindale - Has serious possibilities, only 1/8th mile though.... it is located basically in the middle of the socal area.

Riatlo Airport - 1/8th mile, but a possibility. Never raced their myself.

Fontana - Maybe, it is a 1/4 mile.... but aren't they already packed to the hill on the weekends they are open.... but dunno.

Of course Carlsbad - If you piggbacked it with the SRA event, which would easily be accomplished, you would have your track and cost already pre-deterimined.... $ 27 to race.... maybe another 10-20 for prize/trophy money. If you're serious call Lawton at Top Flight Corvette in San Diego. Even though he dispensed some of his responsibility in the SRA, he is still the guy to talk too regarding the SRA events.

In the future, a 1/4 mile track is being built in Banning (Drag City).... this may be a possibility, but they haven't broke ground yet.... so I dunno when it will be ready.

talk to you later
Beach

 

Gary, I told you Todd would help. ;)

 

Todd - John was right - you are going to be a great asset! :yesnod:

That was a a good over-view of our options in terms of tracks. It seems to me that it would be a good idea to have our first event down at Carlsbad on a day when the safety folks have rented the track. I will call them and see if we can join them. I'll run by some dates and see what they say.

Also, looks like Fontana might be another good choice if it isn't too crowded. So, let's consider that as a possibility to.

John - as soon as I come up for air I will contact redgar. Keep them ideas comin'! :cheers:

gary

 

Thanks, and good luck.

 

Hi Gary,
Hey thanks for telling me about my email not showing up on the profile ! I have changed that now. You can email me at team5150@attbi.com

I am up for all of this ! I have watched the guys at Irwindale on Sundays before and even though it is an 1/8 mile it's a good run. It's better than sitting home watching Crank & Chrome :eek:

Keep me informed of what your planning. I have done a bunch of runs before for other car clubs so if you ever want to get one of those together I can help you out there.

 

John - thanks again. Actually I have a few thousand new questions to ask you but I am going to break them up in groups of two or three!

1. With any event we will need liability waivers. Can we use yours for a
template?

2. Can you describe you trophies? Does anybody make one that we can put
a small model of a Corvette on top of it? Nothing expensive - but fun!

3. How many challenges do you run a year?


Tom - thanks for enlisting! I/we will need the help. This ain't gonna be a one-man show - been there, done that! :( :smash: :smash: :smash:

Bob and Bob - it was great seeing you guys today at Pomona. What a track! I am spoiled forever - dang it - we only get to run it once a year.

Am thinking that we will have our first event in April or May. Then run a couple more throughout the year. Iron out the kinks, have some fun, and go faster and faster! :D

gary

 

Hi Gary,

As John said, I'll be happy to help out in whatever way you would like if you decide to move forward with this.... I think my strengths lie in how to run these types of events.... I've been bracket racing for years and have a good understanding of how to run a fair and efficient race... and I also understand how the tracks work, and I also know a lot of the guys in the racing community. (I'm racing with the Carlsbad Track manager at Super Chevy)

btw, how'd you do today at Super Chevy ? I arrived at 8:30 am and by the time I made it through tech and got my tires changed I missed DOT tire 1st run, but did get one run in later in the day. If you see me, introduce yourself, I'm driving a black 85 C4 with Weld draglites.

cheers,
Beach Bum

 

Hi Todd,

Many thanks for your interest, enthusiasm, and volunteer spirit! :yesnod:

For the record: this isn't a "maybe". This IS going to happen. I just want us to take a little time on the front end of this and learn from guys like you and John Mackey who have been doing this long enough to have learned bunches of stuff and, thus, help us avoid some mistakes while maximizing our pleasure!

Todd, with your knowledge and experience it seems that you are the logical and natural choice to help organize and manage our races. I would like us as a group to try floating to a few tracks including Carlsbad (3rd. or 4th. Sunday in April a possiblity?) as well as Fontana, LACR, and Famosa.

And you were right. There is NO way we are going to be able to piggyback on the Super Chevy Show...it was crowded today...and this was only Friday. I really wonder what it is going to be like tomorrow. If it is the cluster that I fear it is going to be, then I might just show up and make a couple of passes on Friday of next year's event and leave it at that. I really hope they will consider limiting the amount of drivers. This could get really ugly. Boy, do I hope I am wrong about this.

Speaking of Pomona...yes, I was there with redbob (red 97 c5) and a friend of his also named Bob (white 98 c5). I got in a best ever e.t. of 12.17 and a best ever 60' of 1.78. This makes me VERY happy! :)

So, if you will look into the Carlsbad around the 21st. or 28th. of April, that would be great. From the locales of those interested, this will be a good place for us to start. Let us know what you find out.

I was thinking about trophies and stuff. Anybody have any ideas on the subject? Possible categories:

Best e.t. NA
Best e.t. NOS
Best mph NA
Best mph NOS
Sportsman Trophy
Long-Distance Trophy
Scariest pass of the day!
Most fantastic breakdown!
Closest race of the day - 2 trophy's

Well, you guys get the idea. Again, let's have fun with this. Yeah, I wanna race...which IS fun.

Also, John Mackey suggests that we run this as a business and not be so mom and pop about it. Do we incorporate? Any legal experts in our group yet? Who can do book-keeping? I can help with promoting the event but some of you may have life experiences that might help us get sponsors to support our efforts.

MMS will be a sponsor. WCC seems like a natural sponsor. Who else?

We've got plenty to get us busy but let's take our time, go small at first, and try to get as much of this "right" by the time we've done this for a year or two. Even after that, we'll still have plenty to learn and that isn't a bad thing.

Thoughts?

gary
(we can add other bests if guys show up with blowers/superchargers)

 

Todd - please disregard April 21st. for me as that is Team LACR's date for our monthly points race. Saturday, the 20th. also isn't good as that is a make-up points race for the rainout we had in February.

Here it comes, the inevitable scheduling conflicts! Ugh: :U

gary

 

Hi redbob! It was great getting to see you guys on Friday and Saturday!
Bob E. sounds like he's interested (can you get me his e-mail address - or was it on his business card...I'll look again.) We handed out a couple of dozen flyers. Others with all years vettes were clearly enthused.

Looks like we're on our way!

Todd (Beach Bum) is going to run the races for us. Carlsbad will likely be our first race. Can't wait!

gary

 

;)

 

Gary: Been out of town but I got your E-Mail. I don't know Bob E's E-Mail but ill be talking to him later and I'll ask him. I know he's interested in joining us. At the SCS on Sunday we both lost on breakouts but went away happy :D I ran a new best of 12.1 on new MMS stageII heads & MMS 218 cam with no tuning. Bob E had a new best of 11.7 on his new MMS 375 stroker.

 

Last year I made the semifinals at Super Chevy and actually got in the money, but this year I was a 3rd loser at Super Chevy, was hooking every pass and running my number, but in the 3rd round the track was wet... I dialed a 11.62 and blew my tires out and ran an 11.85..... enough said, I was easily dispatched off. They cancelled the event a few races after me due to the wet track. Oh well, maybe next year.

Regarding the Corvette Challenge, west coast style. With the approval of Lawton at Top Flight Corvette, we should be able to run the challenge piggback with the SRA events at Carlsbad every 6 weeks or so. The next event is coming up, but the official date is not known as of yet. I will advise Gary as soon as I know more.

btw, I think some sort of barbeque done west coast style would be a fun side attaction of the challenge.... any ideas ?

cheers,
Beach Bum