Way to go Gary!!!

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...20&image_id=26

You don't know how much shyt this guy give me about trading my Evo in for a "slower" 350Z.

 

Muahahaha. hahahaha. ahahhaahaha. hold up hold up, breath.... ahahahahaa. God thats good stuff. Way to be Gary! That just made my night! On the outside and woopin some butt! Is that corner 3? If so, nice place to make a pass!

 

BTW: We ALL have seen this in out rearviews! http://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...20&image_id=14
LOL

 

Woah! How does a slow car like a 350z beat that "super-car Evo"
Was that photochopped?!

 

First off, that Evo was seriously quick! Photos cannot tell the entire story, as I'm sure Gary would say. But kudos are in order for Gary M05 as he won the NASA Time Trial 'C' class (TTC) on Saturday and drove superbly in finishing with a fast time (within a second of mine)! Sunday was tougher as another TTC competitor came through with a fast time, but I elected to leave before Gary completed his final session.

Due to my mods, I was in the TTB class and try as I might, my best wasn't good enough to get the win. The worst part is I was beat fair and square (by over a second) by a Porsche Carrera. Despite being well-driven, I just HATE losing to Porsches! Sunday was worse as we both were behind a WRX STi.

Jgray had his LeMans Sunset tearing it up in the HPDE3 group and we all had a great time pitting together.

Robert K- thanks for posting those links!

 

Yeah, I bought an 8.5 * 11 print of that shot at the event because I like it so much!

Believe me, there's no shame at all in being passed by Clayton Cobb and his super-fast, highly modified Evo. The story behind that picture is this:

This was taken during a NASA HPDE4/Time Trial session (which is the most advanced non-race group you can run with NASA), during which there is open passing all around the track. Even so, most of the group 4/TT folks are aware enough of traffic and mature enough drivers that they won't hold a faster car up, and know that they can let one through uncontested without being subjected to merciless ego & chest pounding after the fact (which as we all know is what often happens with less mature folks running in supposedly 'competing' cars).

That picture was taken in turn 3, during the first session on Saturday. Clayton and I had both gotten around an Elise on the front straight (in fact you can see the Elise just behind me in the pic,) and Clayton pulled out on me to take the inside into T1. I gave it to him, but he must not have felt comfortable going all the way in there, so we ran side-by-side (mostly) through T1 & T2, with him letting me get enough in front coming out of 2 to slide up the track in front of him. I know how fast that Evo is (especially given his monstrous closing speed on the front straight), so I just pointed down at the apex of 3 as we were approaching turn-in and said 'take it'. If I hadn't pointed him by, he could have just powered past me on the run up to 4 anyway, and I like going through turns side-by-side. We were fortunate enough to have pro photographer Rupert Berrington standing on the outside of T3 snapping pictures, and he got a great shot of that one! In my opinion, shots with multiple cars are better than single car shots, anyway. Somehow, I don't even care that I'm the one being passed.

And if you MUST have a Z-car 'winner' shot, here it is:

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...t=144&scount=5

I had passed that Porsche going into T1 just 2 turns before this picture (and again, that pass was not contested...he knew I was coming and just let me have the turn in a great display of heads-up, sportsman-like driving).

Unfortunately, there was some bent sheet metal that day (though not on a Z). We'll have to talk about what happened there at the next track day, as it's further validation of several of the guidelines that we talk about with regards to how to stay out of trouble, and how to react if things do start to go south.

 

Oh, and one more thing. If anyone needs a further reason to come check out a NASA event, I have 2 words for you:

Trophy Girls!

http://www.performanceimagery.com/ev...s/image11.html

 

Yeah... He has a fast Evo for sure!!! And from what I've read/heard he can drive. Just get a little cocky about his Evo. Basically called my an idiot from getting rid of mine. Why I find it amusing that you past him.
Anyhow, I need to attend one NASA event before I leave. Need to check the next event date.

 

I guess he's got a right to be proud, given how much money I'm sure he's put into that car (and he can drive it well, too.) It does annoy me when somebody thinks that everyone should have the same taste & values in cars as they do, given what he said about you trading out of your Evo...from what I remember you saying, the reliability was a big factor in that, and I seem to remember Clayton having some problems with his shift linkage at the event (in fact, I got to drive blindly through a thick cloud of dust that was thrown up on the track when he went off to the inside between 2 and 3 when that broke in the very last session of the weekend).

The next NASA event is April 14 - 15 in La Junta. I won't be able to make it to that one, but I think I remember Joel saying that he might be there.

And just to be clear, that's a picture of the Evo passing me, not the other way around. No way was I going to let 'testosterone poisoning' get the better of me, and create the potential for contact or other problems (like I think it did for another driver that day, who paid the price, unfortunately.) In an actual race situation it would have been a different story, but this was just an open track session, with no trophies for keeping someone behind.

 

Where are the bikinis?

 

Without you there to impress, I guess they decided that they didn't need to go there.

I forgot to mention the caption for that picture:

"We are meant for the one called 'Brian'"

 

I would echo Gary’s sentiments exactly. NASA is well organized, the people are professional, and safety is highly emphasized.

I was in Group 3, which had a unique mix of cars and driver abilities. We were able to do things that Group 4 wasn’t able to since that group consecutively runs the Time Trials program. At one point we were given a full-course black flag as a test to see how we would react. We also tried a 2 car running start, which might have been more interesting if I wasn’t on the first row and paired with an Ariel Atom. We nearly made it to the flag station on the straight before the green flag came out – and as Emeril would say, “BAM” the Atom was gone! I did keep an eye on my mirrors to see how everyone got sorted out before reaching turn 1. Some of the Group 3 people were apprehensive about trying this, but afterwards, they were all begging to do it again.

All-in-all, the group 3 drivers were very aware and courteous. I had a minor peeve with a guy in a race prepped Porsche, but I later learned that he was reprimanded for over-aggressive driving – proof that the track officials and corner workers are watching and communicating.

I’ll be attending the next event at La Junta - at least one day. It would be great to see more Z people down there.

Joel

 

Thanks for the correction Gary. I didn't read Clay's link and was under the impression you were passing him.

 

Hey, no problem. Of course I wish it was the other way around, but I don't want anyone to think I was mis-representing anything. Passing around the outside of that turn would be difficult-to-impossible, anyway, but I still think it's a great picture.

 

Yeah... I mis-read his post and should see the crap he give me.

 

Nothing is impossible if you shoot out his tires going into corner 2....