As some of you know, 2 weekends ago I hung out with Dave and Krista and Krista had a Track event at Carolina Motorsports Park...Wiz2 (member here) also went Saturday, he has an immaculate G35 sedan 1st gen....

Here are some random pics I thought I would share. It was very cool to hang out and see all the different cars and watch them race.

I took a hot lap in a Z4 coupe and this dude could DRIVE. I mean we passed everyone. I've also ridden with Dex in his M coupe at the Dragon and this car is just a blast to be in. The Z4 coupe was NOT an M but he was faster than damn near everyone. :woot:

Krista can drive her butt off as well!! She had a lot of work done to her E36 M3 track car, as in TRACK CAR, rollcage, StopTechs up front, bare chassis..etc..

This guy was cool to talk to. Here is his E30 with a Euro Spec E36 engine swap...Yes, the over 300hp version. Car is just too incredible....

http://i25.tinypic.com/2uhvcd1.jpg


http://i25.tinypic.com/33bo7py.jpg

http://i29.tinypic.com/2mpj58p.jpg

Haha, I actually like that paint job... and the seats.

P.S. Thread useless without pics of kickass female driver. :D

The Z4 coupe I was in....
http://i29.tinypic.com/24d50tk.jpg

This was the van he pulled his car in..bet u never saw a Ford Econoline Nurburgring Edition!! How cool!!

http://i26.tinypic.com/sq7f4n.jpg

7am briefing..
http://i25.tinypic.com/110ktfp.jpg

The "Crew" cars on Saturday!
http://i25.tinypic.com/svl3me.jpg

A track ready Panoz!
http://i28.tinypic.com/2v31z40.jpg

914
http://i26.tinypic.com/omsnt.jpg

Race CTS-V!
http://i32.tinypic.com/15x76vb.jpg

Synergy 911
this guy was real cool too....race ready with a STOCK 911 S motor..he says he just takes it to the dealer to get service!

http://i27.tinypic.com/1zqrk1k.jpg

Nice Mustangs
http://i26.tinypic.com/bhf4on.jpg

Caddy and an old 7 (I think)
http://i26.tinypic.com/3310zfp.jpg

Caddy and an old 7 (I think)
http://i26.tinypic.com/3310zfp.jpg

Rex and a Z....sadly 2 blue WRXs wrecked, one dude had to be airlifted to the hospital, the brakes went out and his car flipped. I heard he will be okay.

http://i31.tinypic.com/k1vor5.jpg

SICK all GUNMETAL R8!!!
http://i31.tinypic.com/2r4tyyb.jpg
http://i28.tinypic.com/9u0sxj.jpg

Random cars..the C-class in the background WAS A BEAST!!

http://i31.tinypic.com/ouqfs8.jpg

Nice pics. Looks like a fun event! I really like that E30 engine bay.

http://i27.tinypic.com/o2t1h.jpg
http://i30.tinypic.com/ouuxds.jpg
http://i28.tinypic.com/nqty8p.jpg
http://i26.tinypic.com/15dktbr.jpg

The Crew cars, LS 430 Ultra with Auto Couture Wheels and my GS 430, took this at sunrise on Sunday
http://i31.tinypic.com/20ztie1.jpg
http://i29.tinypic.com/5oi16f.jpg
The Group I hung out with....
http://i27.tinypic.com/2q0u2xl.jpg

Don't bish about gas till u pay 8 bucks a gallon for race gas!!
http://i28.tinypic.com/14uexya.jpg

Guess who's car this is? On the street wheels/tires.
http://i30.tinypic.com/2h494ed.jpg

very cool pics!!

nice pics mike..bet u had fun.

Some pics I took

RX8 with midpipe and removed cats = free show
http://www.somniplex.com/gallery/albums/NASACMPFeb2008/IMG_6858.jpg

1sick hanging on for dear life
http://www.somniplex.com/gallery/albums/NASACMPFeb2008/IMG_6956.jpg

Subie #1 (flipped end over end when brakes went out)
http://www.somniplex.com/gallery/albums/NASACMPFeb2008/IMG_7109.jpg

Driver of Subie getting ride to hospital
http://www.somniplex.com/gallery/albums/NASACMPFeb2008/IMG_7122.jpg

Stock SC400 - this guy blew the motor in his MR2 the previous day and brought this back on day 2
http://www.somniplex.com/gallery/albums/NASACMPFeb2008/IMG_7198.jpg

Wife coming onto front straight
http://www.somniplex.com/gallery/albums/NASACMPFeb2008/IMG_7199.jpg

Pit crew checking tire temps on her car with pyrometer (new toy)
http://www.somniplex.com/gallery/albums/NASACMPFeb2008/IMG_7353.jpg

Mike's GS430 in front of CMP entrance
http://www.somniplex.com/gallery/albums/NASACMPFeb2008/IMG_7424.jpg

Spec E30 BMW dressed up like cop car (even had flashing blue lights, lol). The father of the driver of this car had one painted up like a taxi.
http://www.somniplex.com/gallery/albums/NASACMPFeb2008/IMG_7561.jpg

Second Subie injured that weekend, went through a tire wall backwards
http://www.somniplex.com/gallery/albums/NASACMPFeb2008/IMG_7613.jpg

My wife leaving a sharp turn, picking up speed
http://www.somniplex.com/gallery/albums/NASACMPFeb2008/IMG_7645.jpg

Very nice cars, hope those Subie drivers were okay...

Thanks for sharing the pics, fellaz! Looks like it was fun event :thumbup:

Your admin and your super-moderator parked....:)
http://i30.tinypic.com/o9plac.jpg

Looks like there were some pretty nice cars there :thumbup:

Nice pics! Looks like a fun event... minus the Airlift to the hospital.

Oh, and that's not a Z4, Mike. It's a Z3 Coupe. I know, it's not a big deal... but whatever... :p

Looks like fun, thanks for the pics Mike :)

pics look great!

Too bad about the Subies. As a long time track junkie, I will say that the intro of the Evo and STI resulted in more BIG offs than I had ever seen before at track events. The culprit? Way too much car for usually very inexperienced drivers. For a newbie, a 325i or even a 318i is a better car to learn on.

BTW, how do brakes go "out" on a newer car? Never heard of that before. Unless he meant they faded and wouldn't stop the car which he should have known for quite a while just by pedal feel.

P.S. Man, I wish they had sold even just the 286hp Euro M3 here. It only weighted 3100lbs or so. With minor mods you well over 300hp NA with a pretty light car by today's standards.

On the Subie driver who crashed / flipped / choppered:

Tony and I went to see Tal (the Subaru driver who crashed) in the hospital last night. He is going extremely well. He does have a broken vertebra but good movement in all his extremities. He set up yesterday for the first time and had no numbness in his legs and the doctors say that means he probably will not need surgery at all which is the best possible news. He is in really good spirits and is looking forward to getting back on track sooner then later. He realizes how lucky he is and plans on using a harness and roll bar in his next car.

Tal is from Israel and told us that auto racing is illegal in Israel reminding me once again how lucky we all are to be able to do what we do.

Tal really appreciated the T-shirt that everybody signed and was truly touched by everybody’s concern. Look for him (as a spectator) at RA.


Quote from the driver
We did some analysis of the brake problem and the main suspect is a Pad Knock Back -

I did not have any fade braking into 11 or 12 and I came out of 13 very fast with a heavy lateral load. I braked late into 14 and... nothing. I looked into the corner and saw the mustang very close, I then looked forward and saw the tire wall and the fence - I tried to steer the car straight to avoid spins or flips but I guess the ditch flipped the car and I remember landing hard. I am trying to be too hard on myself about the things I could have done prior to the accident to prevent/minimize the damage - but there are surly many lessons learned here about how to run more safe than I did.



KKelly, my wife started with an E30 325 for exactly that reason (well, she started with her Porsche but we moved her into the E30 :) ), plus the car is nearly disposable if something really bad happens to it.

Also attached picture is from Spec E30 race - we were nearby but not watching the start of the race when this occured, so I didn't get any pics of it - just the aftermath. Somebody did though :)

On the Subie driver who crashed / flipped / choppered:



Quote from the driver


KKelly, my wife started with an E30 325 for exactly that reason (well, she started with her Porsche but we moved her into the E30 :) ), plus the car is nearly disposable if something really bad happens to it.

Also attached picture is from Spec E30 race - we were nearby but not watching the start of the race when this occured, so I didn't get any pics of it - just the aftermath. Somebody did though :)

Damn... looks like what's going on behind that tree is NOT fun... I would have liked to see it! That's one hell of a shot! :thumbup: