yellowss7

Guess I should have splurged for the upgraded weather gear. :d or at least put it in the trailer. http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1278611464_IMGP5559.jpg

Jon, I suggested he take an instructor on his first run. He declined, said he was good at video games. :banghead: and he had his top on so there was no way I could get in. At Warminster they don't use the PA system to announce times, and no one from scoring sent anyone over to tell him. Definately an oversight. Al never said that he was unsure of the course and it was pretty well marked. My fault for not insisting he take an instructor along. I did get both Al and Lance a ride along during the second heat. The rain really was a downer. But it was great having the sevens together. Jeremy F. emailed me that he would try to make the next get together as did another guy with an SV. So if you make it along with the others that could be upwards of 8 sevens at the event. Maybe we could get a bunch of the Maryland/ VA guys at a Ripken event. Or get them to make the trek to Warminster. ( Its a better site). Tom

I'll ask, but I doubt they have the station# recorded, but they might. Here are a few pics from the event. There are a bunch more of them on the Phillyscca.com website. Go to dissusion forum, then Solo and look for the picts thread. http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/464435308_IMGP5366.jpg http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1077992808_IMGP5496 lance.jpghttp://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1725045781_IMGP5556.jpghttp://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/640706334_IMGP5557.jpg

Mazda, I posted the Video in the Seven's Video section. click on the 8/19/07 Autox link at the bottom of my post. Tom

Video link is up and Al you look good out there! :thumbs: Someone should have notified grid that you were off course and an Instructor should have gone with you. I still go Off Course occasionally. The lack of traction really impacted the confidence level out there, especially for our higher HP cars. I think Lance's crossflow was much more manageable and his new tires didn't hurt. Orange is a great looking car. Let's try to get a bunch of 7s out at a Ripken event. Tom

Weather guys were WRONG!!! It started raining a half hour before our group was to run. It made it really hard/impossible to get any power down, and on slicks it made for an interesting experience that I hope I don't repeat. 3 Caterhams and 2 Lotus 7s participated, with a 71 series IV taking the overall PAX trophy. Al, and Lance on street tires did better than me and the other 7 on Slicks. Here's some video of a couple runs. On my 2nd run the car shut down on me, (I think I may have hit the key with my knee as it started up and ran fine on the other runs.) :cry: Hope Al and Lance got home ok as they drove rather than Trailering it. Lance's StepSon did a great job taking the Video!!:thumbs:

Yeah, Michael, same here. Rain started just as we started our afternoon course walk and rained the rest of the day. We just couldn't put the power down, and on Slicks it was very interesting:crazy: We had 5 sevens in attendance , Al, Lance, a 62 series II and a 71 series IV that ended up winning the overall Pax. ( he did run when it was Dry) but he ran really well. Al, thinks we could get 10-12 cars at a Ripken event. That would be cool. I'm just finishing editing some video that I'll post in the Video section shortly. Tom

Just an update. Right now we have a 62 series 2 Lotus 7, a 71 series IV Lotus 7, Al's Caterham Superlight R and my Caterham Superlight signed up for Sunday's Autox. Lance (crazy canuck), with his 50th Anniversary Caterham, said he's also a possible. Thats 5! Any one else in the area up for it? Weather looks to be great. Tom

We may have a Caterham owner from the UK/Blatchat joining us at the event. Any other local 7's going to make it? Lance, I know you're out there lurking, :toetap: Can you join us? Tom

Don't know about your chassis # but your SLR # should be on the silver dash plate that is in your photo.

Very Nice!!! Just curious, what number is your SLR? I have superlight#123 which I built in 2000. Tom

Al, that Lotus is an original Series IV. Most original Lotuses with the smaller engines can run in the stock classes or even the prepared classes depending on modifications. The owner of the Lotus is a good guy and very good driver, but he only has about 90 hp. He drives the crap out of it but the lack of hp doesn't make up the difference between my poor driving and higher HP. The SCCA rules specifically state that all replicas get slotted into either DMod or EMod if over 2.0L. Yeah it's not exactly fair since cars like mine and yours are "stock" in that they aren't modified from Caterham specs. Most top Mod cars are highly modified. However, to be fair, even as poor a driver as I am, I still have one of the faster raw times. So putting us in a Stock class would be problematic for most other drivers. Tom

Don't know about the helmet. The tech guys will check it out. If not there are plenty of loaners, they bought a load of new ones this year. They are a beautiful Florecent Yellow. Don't worry about the family event, Birthdays come every year! The present will be your get out of jail card. Tom

Don't get all negative. :smash: I promise that you will have a huge grin on your face after your first run and that you've never taken a turn as hard as you will at the autox. Yeah, its a lot of time for a few runs, but 1 minute of very spirited and yet safe driving is IMO worth it. I don't have the testicular fortitude to do track days without a roll cage. So right now this will have to do. Don't know about Jeremy, Might be possible to entice Michael D. There's a 71 series IV Lotus that usually competes, And I know of one other SV in the area that I may be able to badger into coming. Tom

Just make sure that the loud pedal is working and you'll do fine. Nice thing about the Warminster airstrip is that it is up and back. Lots of slaloms and offsets with a big sweeping turnaround. Perfect for a Seven. Let's put the heat on Lance now. Tom

Nice job Al. Love the sound of that bike engine car. I'll make sure that I get some footage of your first event action. Tom

Usually they open registration about 2 weeks out. Registration for this weekend's event doesn't close until Friday. So I would expect it to open up next week. Tom

Al, it's an autox not a demolition derby. Your car should be well sorted after all the miles you've done. Runs at Warminster for a fast 7 average around 50-60 seconds. We usually get in at least 4 runs. I'm sure your car can "hold together" for 4 minutes. Remember you're the one driving! Most course designs will keep us in 2nd gear. I'm chief of Grid so you can work Grid if you want, no shagging cones. And there are some really good instructors to help out if you want help. Now let's try to get a bunch of 7's there!!! :party: Tom

Alright Al!:hurray: :hurray: Now let's get Lance and a few others to show up. I believe that we are allowed to grill at the Warminster site. I'll throw a grill in the trailer. Lance are you up for it? Tom

Al, for your first time out, no need to go to the expense of new wheels and slicks. Have fun, learn your car. Jeff is correct. Caterhams are in DM if 2.0L. or under which I believe your Zetec is. Slicks are addicting!!! I drove on my CR500's for 4 years, then drove Michael D's on slicks. :eek: Slicks are worth 2 second or more!! But you don't NEED them to start out. But you will WANT them. Tom

Trick of the camera lens. Those buidings are at the far end of the runway. Just specks in person. If you watch my video they look alot further away. We do have a 93db noise limit and don't start before 10 am and don't use the loud speakers for announcements. Tom

Pep Boys have a nice low profile 1 1/2 ton race type aluminium one with jack stands for around $139 with the rebate. It's smaller and lighter than a full size one. You don't have to worry about hitting cones (watch the video I just posted) But it's only a 20 minute exercise to take them off and that's being generous. Tom

I'm still recovering from this past weekend's autox event. If we get the million sq ft lot in NJ squared away you'll have to join us. Sept 9th is the proposed date. Tom

You are so right Mazda! I'm not close enough to the key cones, I don't break late or hard enough. I coast too much, and I'm late on the throttle. I never felt confident in my knowledge of the course and therefore wasn't looking far enough ahead. Other than that I had fun. It's a great site, especially for high powered cars. I did have the fastest time thru the finish. One of the guys had a radar gun. 64mph. Tom