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Nashville Super Speedway: End of an Era....for now.
 
I've only driven NSS on one other occasion....one other not-very-successful occasion.  So I feel it's only fitting that the track that highlighted the extent of the problems with one of my cars also serve, in possibly one of it's last-hosted events to fully vet the renewed fitness of my other car.  4 full sessions and a bit for fun, nearly 70 laps, and a 300mile round trip to and from....with no issues what-so-ever (knock on wood out of habit).  
 

Friday Nights in the Old City: The Knoxville "UTDM" meet.
 
 You may recall my last article describing the great atmosphere, massive turn-outs, and unfortunate dispersal of this meet in it's original manifestation and wonder why it's cropped back up as a headline on the site.  Well, it seems reports of the event's demise may have been somewhat premature.  A few enterprising folks took the initiative, moved the location to a public parking area under a bridge, next to some railroad tracks, in the old city....and even went so far as calling ahead to KPD.  As a result, UTDM rides again!  In honor of this momentous occasion (and as an excuse to play with my video editor, and take more pictures of the NSX) I've compiled the requisite cheesy video:
 


Pocono 2011.  Setting a new record for late updates on 3-Zero.net:
 
So, amidst my own vehicular trial & error, we arrive at the time for our annual pilgrimage up north.  My plan was laudable:  Take my lap-top, run the usual mini-blog on Sports Car Frenzy and TennSpeed, then dutifully update this site shortly after returning.  Well, 2/3 isn't bad I suppose.  Much to the chagrin of my hypothetical/imaginary readers here, I became thoroughly distracted with shaking-down my recently resurrected NSX and consequently failed brutally at web-mastering.
 
Ok.  Enough with The excuses.  The forum links above will take you to a general account of the proceedings, and the pretty pictures below link to many more, nearly-equally-pretty pictures. 
 

Car Show Pictures
I need a towel.......

Track Pictures

Driving an irregular oval - Nashville Superspeedway:
 
My inability, thus far, to crack the mystery surrounding the MR2's cooling system has festered into a point of acute personal shame.  History provides a veritable cornucopia of solutions for such indignity: wearing a scarlet letter, becoming a hermit, Seppuku, etc...  However, since I'm really not handy with a sewing kit, the housing market is crap, and I really can't be bothered to die right now, I figured I might have better luck just fixing the problem.  However, I first must find that which requires fixing, and the only way to find said "that" involves looking for the problem in the only environment where it occurs:  the racetrack. 
 
Enter a conveniently timed event at Nashville Superspeedway, hosted by the Music City Mustang Club.  The 1.8 mile "road course" configuration provided a test bed for the cooling system.  I trailered the MR2 to the event, splashed for a garage bay, and brought the proverbial bag of tricks with me.  After 3.1 sessions of driving, and several hours roasting myself over the hot engine bay, the problems persist, but I eliminated numerous variables.  Naturally, it's nothing simple or easy.  With that said, I did manage a little fun on the track, some of which I have shared below:
 
Video:
 


Little Talladega...This is becoming a habit:
 
After several years’ hiatus, and recent corrective surgery, the MR2 made a not-so-triumphant return to Little Talladega.  Although things went smoother than the last visit in that I neither ended up backwards at any point, nor did I break the transmission, the trip remained somewhat fraught with disappointment.

My coolant system woes continue after having replaced basically the whole thing, save for the pipes that are above the gas tank…so imagine the fun I’m having now.

That aside, I still enjoyed introducing a couple friends to the joys of driving on a race track and helping where I could in that regard.  I took a few pictures in the process, and did pull down a little video amidst bleeding the stupid system after every session.
 
 
Video:
 

Use As Intended: 

There is little point, in my humble opinion, of buying a toy and not playing with it.  So in the spirit of avoiding hypocrisy, I took the opportunity to get the NSX on a “big” racetrack.  Little Talladega, as one can discern from my previous post, is a fun but rather short racetrack.  Virginia International, on the other hand, is one of the longest in North America.  Special thanks to the Northern New Jersey Porsche Club for letting me crash the event in something that’s not from Der Vaterland. 


This event spanned three days and although it was chillier than one might have hoped, the weather stayed semi-pleasant through the daytime hours.  I have mixed news after all was said and done:  The bad news, is that the NSX has started having eerily similar coolant temp problems to what the MR2 has been dealing with.  The good news is that I still managed to have fun and not blow anything up.  This event was particularly interesting as it’s the first time my Dad and I have been on the track at the same time at an event. 


As usual, I have some videos to share.  The first shows a few laps from inside the NSX during one of the clearer sessions, the second shows a few laps from inside a 911 GT2 playing camera car for a few laps so I could see if where I was actually driving matched where I thought I was driving.


Tinkering away: 


To hear that I have actually modified a car in a manner that fundamentally changes a major vehicle system may come as a shock to some.  I have long advocated the virtues of the "ain't broke, don't fix / no reason to change" philosophy of car fiddling.  By and large that philosophy has served me well through the years.  In this case, however, it's an issue of getting what should be out of what could be.  Suspension, wheel, and tire technology have made leaps and bounds since 1992, and I felt it was time to cash in on all of this advancement.

To that end, I've made a few changes to the NSX to bring it up to date a bit in the handling/grip department.  Read more HERE

slightly revised

Talladega Night (well, morning & early-afternoon really) 


Talladega Grand Prix Raceway is located just a bit south of Anniston and Oxford Alabama, in the middle of some farm country.  It was built with motorcycles in mind so there is very little to run into if you leave the track (a fact to which TJ can attest).  This makes it a perfect learning environment for folks on track for the first time and/or learning a new car (as in my case). The staff is very friendly and accomodating, and the facility although small, is well kept. 

We were visiting as part of a small lapping day organized by a member of the Chattanooga Region SCCA.  There were a maximum of 5 cars per run-group which resulted in plenty of elbow room on track.  It was by-and-large a pretty relaxed day at the track in spite of the typically humid deep-south weather, and a few thunder showers.

Not to dissappoint, I return bearing gifts:

Pictures (HERE)

Video1:


Video 2: (HERE)

Pocono 2010: The Aftermath 


Crap, I've done it again!  A hopelessly ambitious title up to which the short paragraph to follow has no chance of living.  Oh well. 

Pocono this year entertained for a number of reasons not least of which were the cars present.  My shutter snapped at some of the rarest Ferraris in existance, some of the fastest Alfa Romeos in the world, the newest offerings from Lamborghini and Aston Martin, not to meantion the dearth of slightly less rarified, but no less arresting rolling sculptures.  I operated a bit of a ramshackle blog (click here), in between showfield and track days over the weekend.  Honestly, half the fun of attenting such events come from sharing the experience.

You can find pictures here:  CLICK!    and here:  CLICK!
*If you'd like a full-res version of anything you see or if you'd like to see if we have more of any particular car (pictures shown are a drop in the bucket), drop us an e-mail.

You can find videos (in addition to the one below) here:  CLICK!!

Now, for those of you who have wondered what an FXX sounds like at full song, and not in a video game:

CMP, slightly warmer: 


Much to my relief, I arrived on friday to something other than a blizzard this time.  A semi-frustrating, but over-all fun weekend ensued.


Road Atlanta: Round 2 


As some of you may recall, I have previously visited the hallowed Road of Atlanta and was thusly smitten by its grandeur.  I made a second pilgrimage over the past weekend, only this time I was not flying solo.  That's right, after much ado (including, but not limited to: a 3-year car build, moving between cities, and a thrice delayed and then cancelled track day) TJ finally made it to an event.  MORE HERE!

Also, In keeping with tradition:  Video ahoy:






As discretion oft proves the better part of valor, brevity oft proves the better part of writing.  Due to some mild retardation I have no video from my HPDE outing and thus, on this occasion, I must hang my hat on mere words and pictures.

I will admit to some trepidation as I unloaded my car in a driving snow storm on Friday the 12th.  Camden, SC where I lodged received, in fact, 5 inches of accumulation in about 12 hours Friday night.  Fortunately, all was not lost.

Read on
HERE

Videos ahoy! 


As a final Daytona update, here is an embedded video followed by a link to a few others.  Cheesy?  Yes, but hopefully also entertaining.






Click Here for More Videos

Daytona 2009:


 
Up to my eyeballs in exotica....(cars I mean)...
UPDATE:  So, as I posted in the blog section to the left, all went well.  I ran somewhat of a mini-blog on Tennspeed, and I am way too lazy to transcribe the entire thing, so in lieu of actual work, here is a link:
So, we are at it again.  We loaded the GT2 onto the trailer yesterday (Wednesday 11/11) and headed south.  We pulled in today and with a favorable weather forecast, it looks like some pretty slick stuff is going to come out of the woodwork.  I snapped a few teaser pics in the garage earlier this evening, but will post more.  The link below will take you to all pictures:

Its ALIVE!!!


Better late to the headlines than never.  TJ finally managed to get the 240 up and completely running a month or so ago.  Now it is just an issue of a little polish and fine-tuning.  In honor of this momentous occasion, 3-Zero productions presents....a ridiculous video montage




If it looks like this, you are doing it wrong: 


The $5.99 part strikes again! 

Unfortunately an old coolant hose with a pin-hole in it, and the associated small coolant leak conspired to put the MR2 out of action at VIR a few weekends ago.  Apparently, a coolant gauge won't actually move at all if it has no coolant to read.  The first indication I had of a problem was "limp" mode followed shortly by a large cloud of white smoke, the remnants of which you can see in the picture.  The short story is that it lifted the head.

oops!

Honestly, up to and apart from the breakage, I was having a blast.  VIR maintains a great facility and the track is exceptionally fun and quite challenging.  I will put a link for pictures HERE, once I have them posted.

Tradition Verpflichtet: 


Yes, that is a German title, and yes I am using that as the preface for talking about an Italian car meet.  My family has attended Le Belle Macchina d'Italia for the past 17 years in some capacity.  Enough, apparently, that they let us sneak in one of ze Germans this time (and last year, but we'll just ignore that).

The Porsche in the video below is just a bit more track friendly than the alternative.



You can also find a few pictures from the event HERE.

Welcome to Atlanta: 


Road Atlanta may just be the most fun a man can have with his pants on.  I just got back, and brought some moving pictures with me:

Pay attention at about 2:15 for a nice comparison of a fairly quick car and a Nissan GTR Surprised

Proper "Restraint"


Harness






5-point harness for autocross.  Worth it?  Click the title and judge for yourself.

UTDM!:


UTDM






Want to get a few funny looks from your co-workers?  Allow me to provide you with a quick means to that end:  When asked what plans you have for Friday night, just say that you intend to drive down town, drive past the bars, past the clubs, and past the theater...in order to go hang out in a parking garage for a few hours.  The responses will vary widely; largely dependent on how many times that particular co-worker has seen Tokyo Drift.  A tip:  do not try to explain yourself. It will only make it worse, just smile and let their imagination run wild.

Click the title to read more!

La Belle Machina D'Italia Sud (Daytona!):

daytonatitle.JPG

Before you get any ideas:  NO, I have not begun spiraling down the beer-slicked precipice of NASCAR fanhood.  I have visited the hive, the very core, the alpha-oval, the mecca of stock-car racing, and emerged on the other side largely unchanged, still owning exactly zero (0.00) Dale Junior apparel.  No credit to my own fortitude really, but rather a credit to the event for which I made my pilgrimage.  A walk through the paddock on this occasion revealed no sponsor swathed spec-racers, but rather a menagerie of some of the most exotic metal and carbon-fiber creations every to grace the road or track.


The La Belle Machina D’Italia Sud 2008 is the inaugural event in what will hopefully become a tradition of Italian Car track days at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).  Similar to the Pocono event I have frequented for the past 17 years, this event showcases the same drool-inducing selection of cars only with better hospitality and a beach. 

Expanding the stable:


NSX1.JPG

I started seriously researching about three years ago.  To translate a bit for the non OCD among you, that means that I began tracking e-bay sales, and cross-referencing them to asking prices on Autotrader, Cars.com, and the club forum’s classified section in order to get a handle on the market.  I also started trolling various Internet forums and reading every magazine review possible ....

Click the title to read more!

SESM 2008:


The short version:

Drove to Alabama on Thursday, ran Little Talladega (www.tgprace.com) with the S2000 club on Friday, drove back to Knoxville on Saturday, and then ran SCCA regional number 5 on Sunday.


The long version:


It's long, click the title to read!


For every type of gearhead exists a different motorsport. Those that love the thrill of competitive straight line speed we choose drag racing, those that love the thrill of g-forces choose road racing, and for the truly insane speed demons, there is land speed racing.

2/17/2008: Aquacross?!?

12/07: Over the River & Through the Woods...

12/07 Stopping "The Madness"

11/07 Real Tires

11/07 Hard to Find Good Help

News predating 3-Zero.net