Open Track Challenge, anyone competing?
 

At the moment, it looks like Jack has the only air cooled car there and has T2 locked up.

Nobody else is going?

Tom

There's that guy with the 993 that's looking for a co-driver, but he would go into U2.

Last year they had 6 cars in T2, this year there is....Jack. And nobody in U2.

Perhaps the addition of the race groups is fragmenting the field. Or perhaps participation is declining.

We scared off the M3 crowd, and no 911's stepped up to the plate. :(

It'll be more of a test-n-tune year, it looks like. But I think we've got a good chance of podiuming.

I think that's Chris O'Conner from our club, PCA-SDR. He seems to have hooked up with Tim Comeau as a co-driver and may be making it to the event after all.

TT

Don't forget the Teener, that's air cooled....

Missed the 914. Isn't that is the same guys that won the first time? Should be interesting.

I wanted to go to Sears Point to watch, but I won't be in town.

Tom

I thought I remembered them having a diary site where the motor was actually fairly mild, contrary to rumor. I can't find the site now. It could get very interesting if they pumped up the motor some.

Looking at pictures of their car, it seems like such a better platform for a race car than a 911. There's an enormous amount of room available for turbos and intercoolers and exhaust piping. Too bad it's such an aero brick.

Some serious cars compete in OTC. I think if I took my car I would have my a$$ handed to me. Do they have any lower classes for say... non turbos below 2.5L.

Anything below 3 liters on a 911 puts you in T3/U3. This class has been invaded by Evo's this year, as well as the normal S2000 crowd.

Hmmm... I bet an early 911 properly set up with a highly modified 3.0L would possibly whop some tail on the evo's and S2000's. :D
But who knows, those jap cars can suprise you sometimes.

It would have to be a highly, higly modified 3.0. Wayne Mello ran 1:35's at Willow at his first track day with his EVO on showroom tires. That's only a few seconds off Jack's times. More seat time, a little sorting, and some decent tires and he'll be under 1:30.

How would a rookie do with a 85 3.2? Would it be an embarrasement?

No, you would come in second. Jacks's the only other car in the class.

There's still time to sign up. It starts Sunday in Vegas, test day on Saturday.

You can buy a discounted entry off of a guy with a Subaru who just crashed his car. See the opentrackchallenge.com forum for details.

Here's the current weather outlook:

Sunday - Las Vegas - 75°/52° 20% chance of rain
Monday - Willow Springs - 68°/48° 20% chance of rain
Tuesday - Thunderhill - 71°/47° 30% chance of rain
Wednesday - Sears Point - 68°/46° 30% chance of rain
Thursday - Buttonwillow - 80°/56° 10% chance of rain

Rain is good for the Evo's and WRX's.

I think T3 is where the fun will be this year. I don't think a streetable 911 with under three liters would stand a chance in T3. I would be surprised to see times under 130 but I think 131's or 132's is gonna happen.

Yes, but is reliability good for them?

I guess we will find out.

Tom

Let's break it down then. Wayne ran 1:35's on the stock tire, which in Car and Driver's road test was a Yoko Advan. I have to think he can pick up 2 seconds on good BF Goodriches or the like. He said it was pushing like crazy, so a good swaybar and alignment is probably worth another couple seconds. A couple more if he springs for the Penske triple-adjustables. And lastly, he was making only 120 on the straight because his engine was busy eating a piston. So, assuming his new engine stays in 1 piece I think under 1:30 is very possible if he got it sorted somewhat. Wayne knows his way around Willow. He beat everybody, including Mumford's Viper and the turbo 914-6, in the 2002 OTC in his 944 Turbo.

Jack: what is the guy with the Subaru's phone number or email?

Charlie Buzzetti
805-466-3015 days

See this thread.

I was in the 2004 OTC and saw him. Wayne is a very good driver. But you also have to remember that the 914-6 was having issues at Willow Springs and didn't do all the sessions. They also had never driven the track before. Waynes 944 was on full race tires running alot of boost and not alot of weight, so it's not really all that surprising that it would beat a street tired Viper.(even one driven by Mumford) If I remember right, I don't think Waynes car made it all seven days either. That being said, I still think sub 130's is gonna be pretty hard to do on a car that is supposed to race for five straight days and drive to every track.

So heres the bet. I say if he runs sub 130's, the car won't make it through the entire event without some engine trouble. Winner gets a beer. Guess we will find out next week. Should be fun to watch either way.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082071721.jpg

We're ready.

(Well, almost. At least we've got the name decals on.)

Sorry, I'm not going to bet with someone that has a time machine and already knows the outcome.

You can say other cars coulda, woulda, shoulda, but he still ran 1:28 on a very hot and windy day, and that's nothing to sneeze at.

But Willow is the second track, so he doesn't have to make it 5 days, only 2. If you think Wayne is going to back off to save the car for 5 days, you must never have read the Pulp Racing Files. :)

Opps, change that to the 2002 OTC.


I agree with you. 1:28 is great. You compared his times with other cars, so I told you why that wasn't really comparing apples to apples. In the 2003 OTC Mumford ran a 1:21 to Waynes 1:27. But then again wouldn't you expect a Comp Coupe to run faster then a 944. of course you would.

I never said that Wayne was going to back off, I said that if the car runs sub 1:30 at Willow Springs, it wont make it through the event. I am very familiar with Pulp Racing Files, If you've read them also, then you know that although Wayne and Rick White are seriously fast drivers, but car reliability isn't a word that was often used describe Waynes 944. Maybe with a new car, that won't be a problem.

Actually, the more I think about it, The more I think Wayne would love to talk smack about beating all the other EVO's in the event. I think he will try to win the class this year and not push it more then he has to.

I personally think there is no way in hell a near stock EVO on street tires is ever getting close to a 1:30 at Willow. I ve seen well driven 993tt's and Z06's go 1:31 -1:32's on street tires. A Mitsu would really have to be flogged to get close to that.

Tinker

Looks like that didn't happen. From here: http://www.nsxfiles.com/otc_2004_day1.htm

Well looks like Wayne won't be running sub 130 this time around. Didn't I mention something about Wayne and reliability earlier:)

Also, Jack and Tyson are leading the Touring Class. Currently they are about a 100th of a second in front of the T1 class Viper. Good job guys.

Wow - thats good to hear about Jack!

Thanks Mike!

Yeah, that Terry Rossi is a tough competitor. Since we had no one to play with in T2, we set our sights on the T1 guys. Rossi ran a 2:01.7 early on, but then I countered with a 201.277 in the second session. Third session Terri matched my 201.277 exactly to the thousandth!

It came down to the fourth session. Terry lined up first, so I got in behind him. My first lap was a 1:02, but then we really hooked some fast laps, and I clocked a 100.6 and a 100.8. Right after that, Terry waved me by and came in. Thinking I had him for sure, I came in also. We both thought we had the winning hand.

In the end I got him by .092 seconds total for the three laps! That's .003 seconds per lap! It was an absolute blast! Terry was very gracious in conceding. Probably because he knew he was going to kill us tomorrow at Willow Springs. :)

But so far, we're Top Dog in all of Touring class! We'll enjoy while it lasts. :cool:

Tyson was en fuego today. :)

Hey Jack - I hate to ask a personal question (maybe not too personal) but about how much $$$$ did you budget for the whole event? (Including sing up fee's)

Boy, that didn't take long on the Mitsu! Great work guys- keep on sluggin

Muy bien amigos. Now where shall we put that trophy case, hmmm, how about a small model of a crushed EVO or WRX, LOL

thanks for the report, sounds like close racing!
Keep us posted please.
Good luck racing.

So far so good!! I just talked to Tyson and BB2 is doing what she was born to do. The boys were very close to the Viper which was supposed to be extremely fast at Willow today. They turned high 1:30's vs low 1:30's for the Viper. I'm sure they will be chiming in with the details ASAP. However they do have a loooong drive to Thunderhill tomight. Keep tuned to this channel for more info.

Cant wait for the VID's!!!!!!

Jack- at what time do you guys plan on getting out to Buttonwillow on Thurs.? If I can, I will leave work early and shoot over there to give some support for BB2. I'd like to check out the whole OTC scene.

Looks like the fastest EVO ran a 132.9. Thats pretty good but it isn't a sub 130. Oh Wayne's car, it blew up on the first day.

no updates!? pulp racing has nothing beyond the steaks, gambling, and scary tow back from Pahrump. Tyson called yesterday to confirm they were just beat out by the viper at willow. any news from T hill today?