Fellow Moparts -- As I've done in the past, I'd like to try get a gathering of us together at a weekend for HSAX, or at least lapping during the lunch time W2W race event.

I'll be entering the final 2014 HSAX event from the Midwest Council of Sports Car Clubs ( www.mcscc.org ) on Saturday, Oct 4. Then, on Sunday, Oct 5, I'll be the official Pace Car for the wheel-to-wheel races that day in the afternoon... about SIX 30-minute races... practice and qualifying in the morning.

Also, I'm attempting to get the Chicagolnd Mopar Connection club to join us for either day... beautiful car show area for us can/will be retained.

I'll be camping overnight at the track. You, too, are welcome to camp overnight (I could save spaces for your tent, etc, ahead if you let me know and we can be grouped together). Nice clean bathrooms/showers on site; outdoor rest't for food. Excellent viewing areas of the track.

If any of you can attend Saturday, we can run together and have good social times. If any of you come on Sunday, typically there is free lunch-time track lapping/touring for spectators... lasts about 30-45 minutes... it's cool to have my favorite cars -- MOPARS -- on the track for good pictures!

Some of you know Brian Garcia -- he runs a vintage 67 Gurney-ized B'Cuda fastback. He'll favorably be running his car at that event on the Sunday W2W races.

Local hotels are available if you wish. The Joliet AUTOBAHN Country Club is a newer road race track located about 50 miles SW of Chicago.

I'll be posting more info. PM me if you want and we'll talk further.

Mitch......I'll have to get some fresh tires on the XR4TI and meet up with you for this event.

Picked up an intercooler and will be turning up the boost......

For anyone planning to enter the HSAX on Saturday, assuming this would be your first event with this club (Midwest Council of Sports Car Clubs), you'd be considered a "Novice".. and you'd probably get three ~15 minute morning practice sessions (instead of just two sessions).... and have an experienced passenger "instructor" sitting with you during the driving/practice sessions to help you learn the course, driving techniques, etc.

As soon as the event flyer is ready, I'll post it here. HSAX entry fee is typically ~$125 for MCSCC members, or ~$150 for non-MCSCC members. Pre-registration is requested to help the smooth running of the event (not required), but payment (cash or check.. no credit cards) is due only upon your morning arrival at the entry gate/registration (no penalty if you don't show).

The track has free air hose; gasoline can be purchased inside the track if needed (but a little expensive).

IF you come only to watch for the day, there may be a small fee (~$10) to enter into the track.

I'm going to try to make it, always a good time

Good News -- I've been informed by the hosting club which I belong to, for that weekend they will also allow Saturday lunch time touring, as well as the common Sunday lunch time touring. (SAT is the HSAX, SUN is the W2W racing and I'm the Pace Car for that day.)

Also, they may try something a little different for the Saturday HSAX event:

Morning -- would be multiple sessions of lapping (aka HPDE), perhaps ~20 minutes each, about 9 sessions... giving you up to ~60 minutes of morning track time (~20x3)... cost ~$75 (to be finalized soon). There are plenty of experienced "instructors" that will be available to ride with you as passenger for anyone who requests or is a "Novice" at this track. Car groups will be determined per your experience and type of car during morning registration.

Then, at lunch time, FREE track touring for ~30-45 minutes (pending no morning delays and within a reasonable time frame allowance).

Afternoon -- HSAX "Competition" time trials take place... about 6-9 timed runs (one flying hot lap plus your cool-down lap)... cost ~$75 (to be finalized soon). Naturally, cars are classified accordingly per the MCSCC rule book.

So, someone entering the entire day could easily get about 90 minutes of track time, maybe more.

Any questions? Feel free to contact me.

http://www.myautoevents.com/pls/mae/frmEventDetail.ShowFlyer?psevent_id=14614

Event ENTRY FORM attached... has several pages, course map, etc.

You can also go to www.myautoevents.com and enter there.... we do not charge you until you show up at the track/gate that day (no penalty if you just don't show.. its only a help for pre-registration!) However, a discount applies if you pre-reg, so.. take advantage of it and avoid the small late fee.

There will be HPDE on Sat morning (this counts as the practice sessions for the afternoon HSAX competition).

Costs: (Midwest Council Members are $10 less per event)
HPDE $130
HSAX $50 ... requires HPDE entry.. total $180

Event starts early on Sat morning.

Contact me if interested to enter the HPDE, as well as the HSAX... I'll help guide you throught what's up.

CASH or CHECKS ONLY!... NO NO NO CREDIT CARDS are accepted at the entry gate.... ($10 spectator fee is waived if you're entering the HPDE HSAX).

HELMETS for the HPDE HSAX are REQUIRED and MUST be rated 2005 or newer. Lunch time touring... no helmets required.... loaners are not available. Duct take in white or black is recommended for applying car/class designations... I now use white duct tape (my previous blue painter's tape is no longer allowed!).

Or else, just come and enjoy the day... hopefully, the FREE lunch-time track touring will occur (pending time/weather allowances)... 25 minutes is allocated, but sometimes a little more is granted.

I hope to see some MOPARS at this event! Bring your cameras! The various Chicago area Mopar clubs have also been invited.

Mitch,

I'm in for Sunday and maybe Saturday. I may sign up for the day but would need an instructor as I'm "novice"...

Andrew

I know this is a minute detail, but you have to put duct tape on that beautiful car, Mitch?!

How could using painter's tape be a problem?

What a shame!

Actually, most of the other cars use duct tape... and I was concerned about the paint... no problems so far... could use vinyl magnetics but they have flown off the car at hi-speeds (above 70-80-90+ mph) especially if you're going into the wind. I could use white painter's tape (beige off-white)... or else static cling material (I don't have any of that yet)... At the beginning of this seaon, for the HSAX series of the Midwest Council of Sports Car Clubs (www.mcscc.org), I reserved a permanent car number of 711 (easy to make from tape!)... 76 and 77 etc were already owned by someone else from previous years within this club... maybe I can get those numbers in a future year and lock into them (those were the Posey car numbers).

When I'd only run pylon events (parking lots/airports, etc), where the speeds typically average ~40-55, and don't exceed ~70, then the vinyl magnetics work a-ok.. and I have a selection of numbers to choose from (usually run 76 or 77).

Some clubs allow shoe polish (which I don't like and don't use), but that can wash off in the rain.

Hi Andrew,

Just so you, and others, too, are aware, that all "Novices" automatically get an instructor for their morning practice runs (in this case, these will be the HPDE runs). Also the Novices are encouraged to ride along with their instructor, or any other instructor, so to get a good idea of how to drive the course at some speed... positioning, apexing, braking, acceleration... looking ahead to know where you're going and where you want to be.

I had a look at the link. Sounds like great fun. I am registered for HPDE... and looking forward to it. Novice and all!

http://www.myautoevents.com/pls/mae/frmEventDetail.ShowFlyer?psevent_id=14614

Pre-registration has gone pretty well for the HPDE and HSAX! Entries are still allowed at the gate (gates open at 7am)... payment is CASH or CHECK... NO CREDIT CARDS! Hope to see some of you there!

Also, Sunday will be the W2W races... and I'm the Pace Car for their 6 afternoon events.

Remember, SAT and SUN there is also planned free lunchtime track touring for spectators (pending no morning problems and weather). Each day there's a slight chance of rain on the weather report... no big deal.... makes us better drivers!

Mitch.....I seen a few snow flurries this morning not too far from the track. How is it on the track?

What a day (Saturday)! Andrew called me at 5:30am telling me what just happened to his Plum Crazy Challenger on his way up to the Autobahn. He was about 60 miles south of the track. Thankfully he wasn't injured and the damage can be repaired.

When I left my home ~6am, the temp was 38 with light drizzle/mist; driving into some snow flurries! The drizzle/mist stayed with us all morning until it eventually cleared by ~noon.

We had close to 80 cars pregistered for the Saturday events, but the weather kept half away from ever showing up... the club took a financial loss for Saturday (track is not cheap to rent per day/wknd by any club).

Saturday morning HPDE went well; all three groups (beginners, intermediates, advanced) had their three 20 minute sessions (60 minutes total morning per group). The track was slippery and you simply had to drive around safely without spinning your tires too much... some fish tailing done for fun... learning your limits, etc... fortunately, no car accidents throughout the morning on the track... it eventually got faster as it began to dry by noon (and the temp gradually warmed up into the low ~50s.

Lunchtime we had ~30 minutes of free track touring.. a good sized group went out.. and the track was getting faster as it dried.

Afternoon competition HSAX runs were all pretty good! We got 9 timed runs per car. Everyone's times gradually dropped. There was one accident where a hot new Mustang GT500 fish-tailed out of the final turn onto the final straight.. he never let off the gas.. kept fish tailing... eventually his rear end hit the guard rail... he was done for the day after that (and was spoken to by the club/track authorities).

I had 3 cars competing in my class -- the prevailing repeated season class champ in a 93 Mustang LX, and a Subaru WRX (both cars running 140 TW tires vs my BFG Comp-2 at 340 TW). I held the lead over both of them for the first ~4 runs, but the Mustang eventually got faster by ~1.5 seconds over me and so did I, and so did he, every run we got faster by ~2 seconds... possibly my fastest run (2nd to final) was my very fastest but I lost a little going into one turn onto the grass area coming down from the fastest straightaway (I had caught up to the car ahead of me as he was driving/exiting too slow.. I requested a re-run but not granted).

So, I ended up in 2nd place behind the 93 Mustang by ~1.5 seconds.. not bad, car ran great! I had a blast; we all had good fun! Adrenaline is still flowing!

Good club BBQ held at end of day.

John Sandberg came with his SCCA C/Prepared AAR Cuda; he was going to run the day's events, but 'cause he didn't have brake lights or mirrors (not required in SCCA C/Prepared class) they wouldn't let him pass tech inspection or run on the track with any other cars... he got his money back (no problem)... next year he'll possibly be running the HPDE/HSAX at some of the MCSCC season events.

Sunday was a good day as well... Although a bit chilly, the track was ~98% dry throughout the day for the W2W races. At lunchtime I was the lead car (setting the pace) for "free track touring". A few other Mopar ppl came out to watch and take some laps (even if they didn't bring their Mopars)... we had a good time getting to know each other... and John Sandberg was still there on Sunday to show his car for the Mopar ppl. I was the afternoon Pace Car for the club's 6 W2W 30 minute races.. went well.

So, I drove the car to/from the track each day (~70 minute drive each way, 60 miles)... good cruising on the hwy... lots of typical thumbs up! as I'd drive the Challenger... Despite the weather, a very enjoyable wknd with old and new friends!

I'll post pics later.

Fellow Mopar racer Brian Garcia (#48 '67 B'Cuda Fsatback, Vintage/Historic race class) unfortunataley couldn't get his car track-ready after putting a new engine, rear end and front brakes all into the car during the past week (a small goup of us pulled an all-nighter the previous wknd getting most of the work done).... (engine running now!); he'll definitely be racing his car at the MCSCC final season W2W race at Blackhawk Farms Raceway, just w/nw of Rockford, IL, the wknd of OCT 25-26.... the races are typically Longer.... called the "Looonnng Race".... I'll be there... maybe some of you?

I hope some more of you will eventually come out next year for a MOPAR gathering. I'll post the 2015 schedule when available.

Glad you had a successful weekend Mitch! I was all set to come out but when I saw the temperature was 38 degrees and it was raining out, I decided to be a wuss and stay home.

Great job Mitch, how much time per lap do you think the Comp-2s cost you?

Thanks Tom... Aside from driver's skill, tires are one of the main factors in performance driving. Time difference????... remember, the day was cold and some moisture/mist in the air... can't say for sure until I'd eventually get some soft tires again and run them on the track my self... I'd favor to do an actual test day best as possible. The choice tire I want to eventually return to and compete on are the Hoosier A6 as those are the common winning tire in any class that allows them... and those tires are said to be typical 2-5 seconds faster on these road courses in my area vs common street tires. The Mustang in my class had Kumho 140 TW which doesn't dock him any points (140 being the minimum allowed before points assesment), and he also had further mods done to his car that all adds up to a pretty good performance package for him. Or else, I may eventually get some 200 TW tires (street/hwy drivable to/from the events), but that requires new rims as well (17s or preferably 18s) ... it all keeps adding up in $$$ and club "points assesment" which I'm playing strategically overall. I have 16x8 rims (with good tread BFG Comp-2 255-50) and 16x10 rims (with corded old Hoosier A6 275-45); I intend to keep using these rims.. already paid for!... indefinitely, and the Hoosiers are my best alternate choice. When my BFG Comp-2 tires eventually wear out (maybe in 2-3-4 years?), at that time I'll see what's available (16s aren't being favored by the tire companies, as I wish they would offer some in a decent size, at least 255-50, and so the Hoosier A6 will probably be my choice then... and maybe by then be willing to change classes/categories, etc... we'll see when the time comes. I'm content with what I have for tires now and I also have some other plans for the car.... just time and $$$... and also to improve my hi-speed road course driving skill/experience -- the "nut behind the wheel"!