Archive for Auto Racing

Racing Bikes AND Cars

I’m lucky to have many “hobbies” of the type that just one would make me happy.  For the past 5 years, or so, there has been an ebb and flow between my bike hobby and my car hobby. 

Mt View Team

Mt View Team

I wouldn’t be able to do the car racing without help from friends and sponsors, and because of the relationships I’ve developed over time in the sport, I have an opportunity to race at the Rose Cup Races at Portland again this June.

The problem is balancing the time required to prepare for bicycle races such as the Mount Hood Cycling Classic June 4-7 and Rose Cup which begins with testing on the 11th.  The car I am to drive for Rose Cup is the same car Chuck Hall, Will Schrader, Jonny Davies and I won the 12 Hours of the Cascades with last November and that Jonny and I drove with Ken Sutherland and Bruce Wilson at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill (leading until all of the oil fell out through 4 big holes in the block).  Until last week, it was largely in the same state that it rolled (was towed) off the track in December.

12 Hours of the Cascades Winner

12 Hours of the Cascades Winner

The balancing process is hard (in a good way).  Yesterday, I rode my bicycle for a couple of hours before going to the race car shop to work on putting the car back together (new engine, transmission, differential, shocks, brakes, repair light body damage, etc).  Sean Hedrick of Miatacage.com has made the task possible by providing the big components in a mostly complete state.

Enduro / Rose Cup Spec Miata

Enduro / Rose Cup Spec Miata

This morning I will go to Silverton (near Salem) for a bicycle race with my Mt View Cycling team mates.  I’ll work for a couple of days (sneaking some cycling miles in) and collecting more of the parts needed for the enduro / Rose Cup car, with the goal of installing the drive train late next week.

Driver School

The 2009 Oregon Region SCCA Driver School is now history. This was my second year as lead instructor – this time I shared the responsibility with one of my 25 Hours of Thunderhill team mates, Bruce Wilson.

Lot’s of people make the school possible. All of the turn workers, officials and instructors that show up a day early, the Stewards that make sure the paperwork stays in order, Todd the Road Race Director, who does all of the liaison work, and Karen in the Region office that personally walks everybody through the registration paperwork. Karen describes the process as like herding cats – whatever that is…

There were quite a few high points for me. There was really good progress made by everybody – most of the students had previous experience and completed the requirements necessary to compete in a Regional race. A handful of students were pretty quick and mostly needed guidance regarding their responsibilities (in addition to driving the car) while on course. There were no reported collisions this time – last year we had a couple, and most everybody always had a big smile on their face.

One student showed up in a mid-eighties vintage Renault Cup car (photo). I raced against this exact car at the beginning of my racing career. I had no idea that any of these things still ran. August, the driver, was fast, clean and consistent. In the one mostly damp session we had he was one of the fastest cars on course – that was awesome!!!

One of the Spec Miata’s that showed up was driven by a young guy that has just returned from a 15 month deployment in Iraq with a Stryker Brigade (photo). Eli is one of the nicest people you will ever meet and was quick enough to catch the attention of the Spec Miata brain trust that was working the school. It’s only right that we fastrack him toward making up an extra 15 months worth of racing experience – Eli will get lots of help on his way to becoming a front runner.

The first Regional race happens later today and many of the students will be seeing a green flag for real for the first time. Here they go again…

BT