After all these years of being a father and a husband, it was finally time for daddy alone time.
My brother and I went to Buttonwillow Raceway Park on November 9 for their open test #1CCW. This was our first time at the track. I wanted to put in the autopower roll bar, bucket seats, koni yellows, ground controls and dial in the suspension before heading to the track. Big thanks to Colin for all his advise :rockon: I heeded his advise and just got my butt to the track to get some seat time. Thanks Colin, now I am hooked. There goes more vacation time :bawl:
The people at Buttonwillow are some of the nicest people you would ever meet. My brother and I were the only newbies there, so one of the track people (wish I got his name), took us for a spin in the DA around the track. He was showing us the lines to run and what to look out for. The guy with the flags was encouraging and funny and the lady who rented us the helmets was friendly also. It was the first time having pantyhose on my head with the holes cut out for one eye.
It was my first time on the track and it was a little wet from the morning rain. I come in on the first 180 turn too fast and hit the brakes to slow down. Bad move, the rear end swings out and I go sliding into the dirt. The best spin was near the end of the day. I was flying down the straight away and took a bad angle and tried to slow down. I went into the dirt at about 75 miles per hour. The DA was like a beautiful ballerina spinning round and round. I got black flagged and decided to call it a day.
The ~3 hour drive home was killer. The suspension is a little rough and the car is a little loud.
There were lots of bmws, a viper, porsches, miatas, 2012 mustang gt, 2 egs and a madza speed 3 (only other street car there) :surrend:. Even though I was out driven, horsepowered and wrong wheel drive, it was a blast at the track. I can’t wait to get out there again :burnout:
Betsy’s setup
Innovative motor mounts
B18a Engine-
All stock except for: the rods have been shot peened, ARP rod bolts, ARP head studs, pistons and valves have been ceramic coated by HPC. The motor also has a baffled Moroso oil pan. The bolt ons would include a generic cold air intake, TDM nitrite coated (hytech replica), 2.5” high flow cat and 2.5” mandrel bent piping to magnaflow muffler. Thanks to Dave aka Haberdasher for the engine.
Transmission-
Gearspeed rebuilt the ys1 long gear transmission. Carbon synchros with all new bearings, itr limited slip differential and 4.78 gear-x final drive. Thanks again Colin for recommending Justin and Gearspeed.
Suspension-
As of now eibach pro-kit 457F/171-257R (progressive) with kyb gr-2 struts. Neuspeed front upper strut bar, Ben Ogle C-pillar bar, generic rear upper strut bar, Suspension techniques 23.8mm front anti-sway bar and Progress 22mm rear anti-sway bar. Energy suspension bushings replaces all the factory bushings.
Tire-
Kumho xs tires
Future plans-
I have koni yellows waiting to be coupled with ground controls. Unsure of which spring rates at the moment. Accumulating enough vacation time for track time.
