Take A Ride With Me

[the fisherman]

http://www.goprocamera.com A friend of mine who developed this camera system allowed me to run a couple of laps with his system, his name is Nick, thanks Nick. We want to install one of these systems on our car. It was a quickie install, but I think you'll get the idea. Thank you again GoPro systems and Nick for letting me share a couple of quick mlaps in the VanDiemen, this is the most fun you can have, clothes on or off. These are pretty quick laps for an old fart.

 

[zonker]

Thanks a lot for that little video... just sucked me right back into thinking that I might still have it in me. Now tomorrow I will be searching far and wide to find something that will fill the bill. I raced SCCA in the mid-seventies with a Mazda RX-3.. chasing down 510's, GTV's and the like. Finished up my short career in a 6 hour at Sears Point co-driving a Carrera RSR and TRYING to glue myself to Elliot Forbes-Robinson's rear bumper. I know the name might be long forgotten but at the time I thought I was pretty hot to see him looking at me in his mirror... or at least I thought that is what he was doing. More than likely I was flat out and he was warming his tires. Next weekend at Laguna thought I was hot after the RSR stint and went off in the old turn 2 flat out in 5th. It was ugly!

Anyway... enough of my digressing. I watched your video several times it was great fun.. truly does make me want to go fast again and not just trying to drift and trail brake a Dodge Quad Cab with a FWC in tow!!

Great stuff!! Now lets do it again!!

 

[the fisherman]

Zonk

I know you're from my era, you like the rest of us first gen. racers refer to what was my home track as Sears Point. I figured somebody here probably tried racing at some point. I spent from 1975 to 1985 trying to get to the runoffs in FF, started with a Crossle' 32f, then an ADF, and finally a Swift DB1, in the DB1 I finally had the points to make the runoffs in 1984. After trying all those years, we had a hauler break down on our way, and missed making the race, I was devastated, and the next year I quit. I've never forgotten that, and in the back of my mind I would say to myself, I'm going to try one more time. A friend of mine who is a real deal race engineer and I got ahold of a RF04 Ztec F2000 car, real hi tech, we have little experience with the car, testing is expensive, so it's been hit and miss so far, but when we get the right set up under that thing, we're fast. Dude, I'm 63yrs. old, I'm racing a bunch of rocket fast 20yr. old kids, and when we're on they're not driving away from me, what they forget is I've been doing this for a long time, you learn something called "race craft" you learn that sometimes you have to slow down to go fast. Come on out and play. I keep the car opreation in a shop in Ukiah, we talked about bringing it up here for the HF, we might.

 

[zonker]

I just got goose bumps thinking that you might have the car at Hog Festivities! I have tried hard over the years to not go back there, cost, time commitment, etc. Also the shunt at Laguna sort of permanently damaged me... but rest assured my heart is still there. Just sequestered.

I made enough points for the Nationals in Atlanta for B/Sedan I think it was 1975, could have been 1974.. doesn't matter. Had the points before the National at Laguna. It was a F5000 weekend.. last race of the year before the Nationals. I was convinced that I could podium and was setting up to pass the third place car with two laps to go... decided I had to only barely lift going into 2 and the tie rod (we had trouble all weekend turning in and couldn't figure it out) let go. 100+ to zero in about 10 feet! They had just scooped out the embankment and put in a tire wall. Spent Sunday night in the Monterey Hospital after a great ambulance ride.

Interesting enough in the race prior.. Walt Maas in the FAR performance 240z had his shunt in exactly the same spot with the same consequences. After several years I believe he never came back.. even after winning several nationals. Unfortunately I never came back either... nor did I make it to the Nationals. Damaged my spine and seriously freaked me out. Some have it.. some don' t and when it came right down to it.. I guess I didn't.

Went on to race bicycles (starting out riding for rehab) and shifter karts.

That is my rambling story! We NEED to talk.. I will look forward to it at the Hog Festivities!

 

[Tomas Tierra]

No wonder...

now I know why we don't see any trip reports from you..With a toy like that, who would want to do anything but that..Cool video! Be careful, you have people to feed.

TT

 

[the fisherman]

Keep The Can Opener Handy

And if you do this, you better have a taste for beans, about the only trips you'll be making is ones to the bank, especially if you can't keep the car off the bank. Never had a herion habit, but I hear that racing is just as bad.

 

[Alex]

Thanks for posting the video, the sound from the engine gives me goose bumps. It sounds so similar to a high rev motorcycle engine. Never did any race then some track days at Sears Point and Laguna. Really miss the sound and smell at the track.

Is the video shot at Thunder Hill?

 

[the fisherman]

Thanks for posting the video, the sound from the engine gives me goose bumps. It sounds so similar to a high rev motorcycle engine. Never did any race then some track days at Sears Point and Laguna. Really miss the sound and smell at the track.

Is the video shot at Thunder Hill?

Yep, that's Thunder Hill, the place came on line about the time I quit. Then I wasn't sure I really liked the place. The second time around it's a different story, it's a lot like a 150mph. country road. It's the kind of place where you can go 10-10ths. and if you slip over your head you have all kinds of runoff area, if you make a mistake ar Sears, your going to pay for it. It's a great place to test and to race. There's nothing like the smell of a race track, except maybe a fish boat. Oh, and by the way I'm working on the Toyota right now, I might be done with it tomorrow, it's going to be a whole different truck, the upper control arms are nice enough to hang on the wall in the living room. Will post pics. of the entire process, my guess is somebody else will do the same set up.

 

[Alex]

Never been to Thunder Hill, that track scares me. I rode motorcycle and the speed you can get at Thunder Hill the consequence from a mistake is too great for me. I like Sears cause it requires restrain on the rider, the wall is right there when you made a mistake. Actually my first track get off is at Carousel, a 100% newbe mistake, got high sided at the bottom and was thrown off the bike. Luckily I walk away and rode the same bike home that night. Have not been on a bike for more than 5 years, I sure missed it.

Can't wait to see you finish with the Tacoma!