.....But not to Grandma's house.

Nope, just a few friends making an annual pilgrimage to the 'Dragon.  I don't go up there very often these days even though it's only 45 minutes away..  It's fun, but during the summer there are too many "slayers" (i.e. fat guys on slow bikes), too many wanna-be racing drivers, and the "Fuzz" is thick out there as well.  So while I enjoy a spirited drive through the woods, I could do without a motorcyclist in my grille and/or some type of citation.

This trip was pretty fun though.  We drove through at a relaxed pace, then just happened to stumble into a gas station where there were two other NSXs from Chicago and somewhere else.  

I snapped a few pictures along the way: 

http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm308/3zero/Dragon/

Well, I didn't break anything, turned a personal best 1:09.4x, and the weather was great.  'Can't really ask for much better.  

My take-aways from the weekend are that A) I need new rear tires again and B) I would desperately like a data-logging system of some time.  Even a phone ap on which I could look at sector times would be invaluable in sorting out some of the "to shift, or not to shift" quandries at TGPR and other similar tracks. Something to consider...

In the mean time, I've already been to tire rack to address the near-slicks. I think I am going to bite the bullet and replace the right rear toe link "while I'm in there" because I'm not convinced there isn't some dynamic toe change happening that's exacerbating tire wear on that corner.  

After two CMP events more-or-less back-to-back:  one with the intent of pushing forward my licensing progress, and the other an actual race (of sorts...see write up to the left), I'll be hitting Little Talladega again with "the guys" so-to-speak.

These events are fun because there's no pressure, everyone knows everyone, and since it's TGPR you can turn a ton of laps and really work on your setup in a way that you just can't at a big track. 

I've made a couple of changes on the NSX:

-I should have polyurethane engine mounts handed back to me (hopefully early) this week to correct the engine motion issues I felt at CMP and later confirmed in the garage were due to a rubber mount preparing to fail.

-I've added a stiffening bar to the front of the car that should help with cowl flex.

-I will also be softening the front sway bar a notch to help with the push I felt at CMP.  TGPR should be a pretty good indicator of the wisdom (or not) of that change.  

We'll see how it goes.

Having now emerged from the icy grasp of the dreaded "off" season, allow me to reflect on a few months fraught with frustration, punctuated by relief, and highlighted by new acquisition.  

One of us (your humble author) spent the majority of his time digging through, swearing at, and attempting to apply science to the NSX's ALB system.  I finally resolved the electrical issue less than two weeks before the opening track event of the season.  I have also finally brought myself to list my venerable MR2 Turbo for sale with the aim of picking up something that A) Just works all the time and doesn't need paint in a bad way B) is SCCA SoloII class competitive.

The other one of us spends way too much time on e-bay.  The results of which will likely make at least a photographic debut on this site before too long.  Or if you prefer, hit up Cars & Coffee in Knoxville on 3/3, and bring your taste for lavender.

As I sit here typing this on a quiet Sunday afternoon, the NSX sits peacefully in the garage.  Front tires nearly shot, wheels covered in brake dust, with the paint and windshield coated with streaks of oil and melted rubber, it stands as a filthy testament to it's own renewed vigor.  

It completed a 300 mile round trip, something like 70 laps of Nashville Super Speedway, and did this without a whimper, gurgle, burp, rattle, or pop.  It ticked over 232,000 miles in the second session of the day.  May it be the first of many.

Now....it's gonna be a pain to get it clean :)