June 12th started a bit earlier for me. A few weeks ago, actually. A good friend of mine, Jim Tornetta (pictured left), purchased a 94 Corvette, and offered an opportunity that I tried to decline. I didn't want to mess up his new car and I knew that if I had the chance to drive something with a V8, I'd be in trouble. After experiencing real horsepower would I be able to fully enjoy that little 4-banger I have in the garage?

So I resolved myself to drive the CRX (pictured below, right) this past Sunday to shake out any bugs in both the tow-rig and the car itself.  In order to do so, I'd have to finish up a few minor tasks... finish installing the passenger seat/harness, change the oil, and lift it off the jack stands. I also figured that I'd invite my brother-in-law, Steve, who on more then one occasion has helped me with my automobiles.

After a busy week, that at first was free and clear of any commitments, I wound up finishing the car.  Well, almost anyway. By 10:30pm Saturday evening I had the trailer all lined up. Plenty of time, and totally satisfied with myself. Heck I even cleaned the "dirty race car" as Brian and Valerie's children so dutifully pointed out. The truck and trailer were lined up outside the garage awaiting the glorious mounting. I hopped in the car, and turned the the key. Whoops, forgot to flip the emergency "kill" switch. A little contortion and then turned the ignition again, power on, twist a little more and a weird, high pitched noise,... no starter. A few more attempts, then out of the car, beat on the starter, roll the car forward and backward, nope. Then inside I go for some ice-cream and think about the dilemma. I still had to pack up everything, and in order to attempt a bump start, I'd have to unwind the trailer, more the jack stands and move the whole rig out of the way.  Eventually I did this, and tried to bump start it. Baaah, I'm too weak, so I resolved myself to simply bring the timing equipment to the event and see what happened.

I was not entirely happy at the start of the morning, however that mood soon changed. I was thanked again by Brian and Valerie Heun (pictured right) and John Borden (pictured below 'big smile') for picking up the timing equipment... NO thank YOU guys! And was offered to co-drive with Brian and Valerie. I considered it, but didn't want to impose or over-burden their Miata. Jimmy T. then arrived at registration and I asked if it'd be OK. It was, and I thanked him for the opportunity.

I drove a Corvette for the first time in my life yesterday. It was a beautiful 1994, C4, and totally stock. My usual whip is a FWD 100 hp car weighing 2200 lbs with a race suspension.  Going to a RWD with triple the horsepower and quadruple the torque, 3000+lb. car with stock suspension and tires, I couldn't have been further out of my element.  After the necessary pre-flight, adjust steering wheel, turn off traction control, fasten seat belt and "lock" the waist belt, put it in 2nd and only then I could roll to the startline. The hood was long and the car was wide, cones feared me as I picked them off with the rear a waggin'. There is almost nothing better then the feeling of an oversteering, powerful car. I found the C4 easy to catch, a bit slow to react (street tires) and surprisingly easy to drive. I didn't care much about the times I was running, though folks were asking, so I figured it be best not to be too ignorant about "how I was doing". I was doing great no matter what the clock said. I was having fun, and I was becoming spoiled with power.

I was also offered to "instruct" a friend in his GRM 2005 Challenge 1991 Mustang (pictured right). The father and son "get r done" race team, Matt Wojkowiak Jr. and Sr., welcomed me to drive their car. I was flattered they offered me the opportunity. The seat, an older OMP race seat, was familiar, as I sold it to them earlier in the year for 25 bucks. Though it was never mounted in the CRX, it still looked out of place in the Mustang. It, however, served a better purpose then sitting in my garage and was a snug fit. Luckily the seat moved forward and I was able to get enough torque with my leg to depress the clutch pedal... man that is one heavy Mo'Fo. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if a drag race capable car could turn? Well this is what you'd get, a box Mustang that runs high twelve's, stripped of everything not essential (except for maybe the glove-box), cut springs, R-compound Kumhos, and a lumpy cam that would help drive the rear geared for the strip.  To top it off, less then two-thousand and five dollars were spent on this project.

Two cars, seven runs, and a big smile, well perhaps not as big of a smile as this guy (John Borden pictured left) after he drove "the Mustang"... I'd forgotten all about my little yellow CRX sittin' at home. Poor thing.

I traded a light, great handling racecar for bruit horsepower for a day. Am I a convert? Yes and no, I really would like both handling and horsepower. So far I think the Matt's have a nice, low budget car, that immediately brings a smile to the face of driver, passenger and onlooker alike. Another great arrive and drive, point and shoot, daily driver is the C4 Corvette. Relatively inexpensive to purchase, and not too hard to find one that's been cared for appropriately.  Add a set of R-Compounds to the Corvette and that would top it off nicely.  Add to this one of the best autocross events I've been to, ever, and you have a recipe for a flat- out great day.

By at least preparing to drive the CRX this past weekend, I found out I have one more thing to take care of before the PDE weekend at Pocono Raceway. The new starter should be in before departure Thursday evening.  Hopefully if any of my students at the PDE have a RWD V8, I'll be able to offer them more then just the racing line.  Kudos to the folks at the South Jersey SCCA.  They run a well organized, and still somehow keep the feeling low-key and club oriented.

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