This weekend was the seventh and final race on the WKA's (World Karting Association) Road Racing calender. It was also the fourth race on the WKC (Woodbridge Kart Club) schedule. This being my first season in this series, I'd never been to the Summit Point Raceway before. I did race earlier in the year at the Summit Point Shendandoah Course, but never on the full two mile track.
The track begins as a long straightway, terminating at a tricky, increasing radius right hander, followed by an incredibly bumpy full speed left hander up to the highest point on the track. The third bend is a full speed right, followed by the braking zone for turn four, a tight left hander, which takes you into the carousel. This consists of another increasing radius right-hander. You keep left, around a gradual turn into some gentle esses, followed by another full speed right. The final turn on the track is a foot-to-the-floor right onto the front straight.
This weekend was especially important for me, as I went into it with a lead in the championship. I had to win both of my races to clinch the championship in the respective classes (Jr. Sprint Lite on Saturday and Jr. Sprint Heavy on Sunday). Friday is always the practice day in WKA events, and we used the same setup we had at the previous race at the VIRginia International Raceway. After I learned the track, we changed gears, up two teeth. Other than that, not much occured on practice day. What's nice about practicing with a variety of different karts and drivers, from four-cycle animals to two-cycle Stock Leopards, is that after a faster kart passes you, you can duck in behind and learn about the racing line from them. For instance, during one of my practice session, a two-cycle sprint kart driven by Walter Troup went by me on the front straight. I ducked in behind him to see what sort of line he was taking into turn one. I discovered that he swung really wide, and dove in at the last second to get the straightest line possible. And later that evening, Don Guilbeault told me more about the line around the entire track. That's whats nice, everybody is willing to help you have fun and do well. Don's son Tyler ran my kart a few years ago, special thanks to Don for all the help this season. I'd also like to send special thanks to Mike Hines (Support on Everything), Keith Buffo(Support on Everything), Brian Fisher (Engine Tuner), and John Fisher (On-track support). All of these people, including my parents of course, helped to make this season special.
But at this point in the article, the season isn't over yet.
Saturday brought another hot day to northern West Virginia. My first race of the weekend wasn't due to start until 12:45, the phrase "hurry up and wait", was used frequently. I'll admit I was nervous, but that always goes down once you get in the seat and the engine fires up, which fortunately, it did. The sensation when you see the green flag come out, yet to be unfurled is, well, indescribable, but suffice to say, adrenaline was up. Because we do standing starts in road racing, there are several waves of the flag. There can be up to 40 karts on track, with huge speed differences. This meant I was to start on the third flag. The kart started at the wave of the first. Then the second flag dropped. Rev the engine. Keep revving. Wait, waiiiiiit.....Green! And my race had begun. even before i had exited onto the track i ran into traffic. But it seemed as though I was in the lead. But as I came around the final turn for the first time, the nose of the second place kart came into view. This meant I had to take the outside line around the last turn, but we managed to stay side by side for a drag race down the main straight. Relief settled in when the nose of the other kart disappeared from view as we entered the first turn.
I didn't see second place for a while, so I just banged in consistent laps, focusing on driving the track. And suffice to say I never saw him again. As I passed under the flagger tower, with the chequered flag waving, I, well, didn't do much really. I had won my first WKA championship. I don't really like to make a big deal about it, but a championship is a championship. I had met my goal for the weekend, win one of my two races, and in turn clinch a championship. Check.
To be continued.........*ominous music*..............Tune in at some point in the near future.........
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Monday, September 2, 2013
2013 International Classic at Oswego Speedway
On Saturday night my dad and I drove up to Oswego Speedway in Oswego, NY for the Saturday night races for the 57th Budweiser International Classic. Four different types of cars participated on Saturday night. These being, Classic Midgets, Three-Quarter Midgets, Small-Block Supermodifieds and the ISMA Supermodifieds. By far the loudest would have been the Supermodifieds, which can hit speeds around the half-mile oval, known as the Supermodified capital of the world, of 150 MPH.
We arrived during one of the ISMA practices, and just in time to watch the qualifying time trials. The previous lap record was held at just over 15 seconds by Mike Lichty. However, toward the end of the session, DJ Schullik in his #94 car set at blistering time of 14.972 seconds at a top speed of 150.281 MPH. As soon as "14.972" appeared on the lap board the crows went berserk. It was genuinely exciting. Second in time trials was previous lap record holder Mike Lichty, with a time of 15.054, third was Chris Perley at 15.145, fourth was Ray Graham at 15.296, and fifth was Lou Cicconi at 15.372 seconds.
The first feature of the race was the American Three-Quarter Midget Racing Association's 25-lap race. It was a relatively short race, but with lots of racing action around the shortened track, which cut through the infield between corners three and four. First place was the #33 Frank Fischer, second was #1B Ryan Tidman, Matt Roselli came third in #98, fourth was Ian Cummins in the #29, and fifth was #02 Joey Bailey.
Next up was the longest and most exciting race of the night, the 75 lap feature for the Small-Block Supermodifieds. The race started out clean enough, with the first caution being brought out by the #44 of Zach Amo for spinning in turn 1. Early on in the race, the leader were single file, until they came up on the lap traffic of the Greg O'Conner in the #90. The leaders, namely the #93 of JJ Andrews, the #18 of Andrew Scharnter, and the #11 of Jason Simmons. O'Conner spun on his own in turn two, collecting Andrews and tapping Schartner. This ended O'Conner's race and put a damper on Andrews'. This occurred after the blue flag was given to O'Conner numerous times. (The blue flag basically means that the leader are going to lap you, get the heck out of the way) I felt that O'Conner probably could have given the leaders more room, but after all, racing is racing.
The race continued, with Schartner leading, and the #13 of Russ Brown close behind. Another caution came out after the #44 of Zach Amo spun again out of turn four and hitting the inside wall, ending his race. Schartner led the rest of the race, despite the hard charging Brown, and the #04 of Kraig Heroth coming from third. Schartner won the race, with Russ Brown coming in close second, and Heroth took third. Fourth place was the #9 of Jack Patrick, and fifth was the #11 of Jason Simmons.
The third and final event of the night was the 60 lap feature for the ISMA Supermodifieds. By far the loudest and fastest cars of the night. This was a very fast paced race. The event started out with a significant caution after Tim Ice, Bobby Magner, and Danny Shirey got together at the exit of turn two. Lap Record holder DJ Schullick started way back in the field, but made the race very exciting by charging up through the pack into second. However, by then, previous lap record holder Mike Lichty had checked out from the field and went on the the win. Second was Schullick, third was the #71 Lou Cicconi, fourth was #38 Alison Cumens, and fifth was #74 Rob Summers. Good racing from the front to the back, hard chargers coming through the field, and exciting incidents made for a great evening at the race track.
We arrived during one of the ISMA practices, and just in time to watch the qualifying time trials. The previous lap record was held at just over 15 seconds by Mike Lichty. However, toward the end of the session, DJ Schullik in his #94 car set at blistering time of 14.972 seconds at a top speed of 150.281 MPH. As soon as "14.972" appeared on the lap board the crows went berserk. It was genuinely exciting. Second in time trials was previous lap record holder Mike Lichty, with a time of 15.054, third was Chris Perley at 15.145, fourth was Ray Graham at 15.296, and fifth was Lou Cicconi at 15.372 seconds.
The first feature of the race was the American Three-Quarter Midget Racing Association's 25-lap race. It was a relatively short race, but with lots of racing action around the shortened track, which cut through the infield between corners three and four. First place was the #33 Frank Fischer, second was #1B Ryan Tidman, Matt Roselli came third in #98, fourth was Ian Cummins in the #29, and fifth was #02 Joey Bailey.
Next up was the longest and most exciting race of the night, the 75 lap feature for the Small-Block Supermodifieds. The race started out clean enough, with the first caution being brought out by the #44 of Zach Amo for spinning in turn 1. Early on in the race, the leader were single file, until they came up on the lap traffic of the Greg O'Conner in the #90. The leaders, namely the #93 of JJ Andrews, the #18 of Andrew Scharnter, and the #11 of Jason Simmons. O'Conner spun on his own in turn two, collecting Andrews and tapping Schartner. This ended O'Conner's race and put a damper on Andrews'. This occurred after the blue flag was given to O'Conner numerous times. (The blue flag basically means that the leader are going to lap you, get the heck out of the way) I felt that O'Conner probably could have given the leaders more room, but after all, racing is racing.
The race continued, with Schartner leading, and the #13 of Russ Brown close behind. Another caution came out after the #44 of Zach Amo spun again out of turn four and hitting the inside wall, ending his race. Schartner led the rest of the race, despite the hard charging Brown, and the #04 of Kraig Heroth coming from third. Schartner won the race, with Russ Brown coming in close second, and Heroth took third. Fourth place was the #9 of Jack Patrick, and fifth was the #11 of Jason Simmons.
The third and final event of the night was the 60 lap feature for the ISMA Supermodifieds. By far the loudest and fastest cars of the night. This was a very fast paced race. The event started out with a significant caution after Tim Ice, Bobby Magner, and Danny Shirey got together at the exit of turn two. Lap Record holder DJ Schullick started way back in the field, but made the race very exciting by charging up through the pack into second. However, by then, previous lap record holder Mike Lichty had checked out from the field and went on the the win. Second was Schullick, third was the #71 Lou Cicconi, fourth was #38 Alison Cumens, and fifth was #74 Rob Summers. Good racing from the front to the back, hard chargers coming through the field, and exciting incidents made for a great evening at the race track.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
From the Passenger's Perspective: 2000 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Cabriolet
Engine: 3.4L Flat-six
Transmission: 6-speed manual w/hydraulic clutch
Output: 300 Horsepower @ 6800 RPM
358 ft-lb of Torque @ 4600 RPM
Fuel Economy: Highway MPG: 25
City MPG: 17
The Porsche 911 is celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year, and of the generations, the 996 has been my least favorite. The 996 generation was sold between 1998 and 2005. However, a Porsche 911 is still a Porsche 911, and this particular one is very, very cool.
When I approached the black convertible Porsche I was surprised. When i look at pictures of 996 gen Porsches, I think they look kind of boring (Compared to other Porsches). But this one looks perfect. The speed dependent rear spoiler, the twin exhausts, and the red brake calipers, all make this car a masterpiece of design.
As I step into the passenger seat, I am taken aback with the space. This is a two seater sports car, and I have more legroom than in the Mercedes-Benz C300 I wrote about a while ago. The dash, though flat and very 90s, is welcoming and simple. The steering wheel appears to be perfectly sized, and the gauges remind you of the fact that you are in a sports car.
The day I tested this car was warm and pleasant, so I wanted to try some convertibles. The Saab 9-3 I was in was a convertible, and I loved it. This Porsche though is fantastic. As the electronic roof lowered, the whole of the sky was revealed.
And then that beautiful flat-six started up. Something about the flat-six sounds like no other. It isn't the deep, baritone bellow you get from a V8, nor is it the high-pitched tenor of a V12. Somehow the 300 horsepower flat-six just sounds perfect.
I noticed earlier that the peak horsepower was acheived at 6800 RPM, which is fairly high, but this car gains revs so willingly, and with that sound, amplified by the fact that it is right behind you, with nothing but the blue sky between you and it, you get instant acceleration. This is a seriously fast car. And though I can't drive it, I can tell you it is the best handling car I've been in. It never loses grip, and that famous Porsche lift-off oversteer is non-existent.
Along with this performance, you get surprising comfort. The seats are supportive, and the ride is good. It's not just good for a Porsche, it's good for any car. And looking at the MPG figures, it seems fairly economical.
This is a great car. The only faults I can see with it is a fairly unimaginative dashboard layout, but is that really all that important when everything else is spot on? Many people say the Porsche 911 is nothing more than a glorified VW Beetle, and it hasn't changed a micron since it's introduction. But drive this one, and the skeptics will be put to rest.
This 2000 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Cabriolet is for sale now at Geneva Foreign and Sports in Geneva, New York for $31, 487.
As I step into the passenger seat, I am taken aback with the space. This is a two seater sports car, and I have more legroom than in the Mercedes-Benz C300 I wrote about a while ago. The dash, though flat and very 90s, is welcoming and simple. The steering wheel appears to be perfectly sized, and the gauges remind you of the fact that you are in a sports car.
The day I tested this car was warm and pleasant, so I wanted to try some convertibles. The Saab 9-3 I was in was a convertible, and I loved it. This Porsche though is fantastic. As the electronic roof lowered, the whole of the sky was revealed.
And then that beautiful flat-six started up. Something about the flat-six sounds like no other. It isn't the deep, baritone bellow you get from a V8, nor is it the high-pitched tenor of a V12. Somehow the 300 horsepower flat-six just sounds perfect.
I noticed earlier that the peak horsepower was acheived at 6800 RPM, which is fairly high, but this car gains revs so willingly, and with that sound, amplified by the fact that it is right behind you, with nothing but the blue sky between you and it, you get instant acceleration. This is a seriously fast car. And though I can't drive it, I can tell you it is the best handling car I've been in. It never loses grip, and that famous Porsche lift-off oversteer is non-existent.
Along with this performance, you get surprising comfort. The seats are supportive, and the ride is good. It's not just good for a Porsche, it's good for any car. And looking at the MPG figures, it seems fairly economical.
This is a great car. The only faults I can see with it is a fairly unimaginative dashboard layout, but is that really all that important when everything else is spot on? Many people say the Porsche 911 is nothing more than a glorified VW Beetle, and it hasn't changed a micron since it's introduction. But drive this one, and the skeptics will be put to rest.
This 2000 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Cabriolet is for sale now at Geneva Foreign and Sports in Geneva, New York for $31, 487.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
From the Passenger's Perspective: 2005 Saab 9-3 Linear Convertible
Today I rode in my first Saab. Not exactly a riveting milestone, but I was pleasantly surprised. I was under the impression that the sensible now-defunct Swedish manufacturer made rather good, but boring, cars for very sensible people. Now all of this is true, except for the boring part. Today is a very nice day, so I chose to ride in some convertibles. This is just the second cabrio car I've ever been in, and I absolutely adore it. Before I get to that though, some statistics. The Saab is powered by a nice, quiet 2.0L inline-4 with a turbo, producing a modest, but adequate 175 horsepower and 195 ft-lb of torque. It sends this power to the front wheels via a five-speed automatic transmission. This is the smoothest automatic transmission I've seen. You barely even notice it's there. This may be an eight year old car, but the fuel economy figures are up to modern standards, at 22 city and 32 highway.
As I climbed into the Saab, I could tell this was a Swedish car. All of the controls were arranged on the laser straight dashboard, in very sensible positions, and it was very well-equipped. In my short stint inside the Saab, I spotted traction control and very cool flip-out cupholder, among many other buttons.
All of these things were overshadowed by two things. One of which is the incredible comfort. I liken the experience of going over railroad tracks in the Saab as like driving over railroad track made of silk and pillows. And small rabbits. (Thats a joke, I don't suggest running over small furry organisms) This is the most comfortable car I've ever been in, this including a Volvo S60 of the same year. The other important aspect of the Saab is the electric-folding roof. This opens up a whole new endless vista of blue sky. In some convertibles, the wind and noise get to be unbearable, but in the Saab it is a welcome experience. Its the perfect Sunday cruiser.
I love the Saab, its comfortable, easy to drive, sensible, and lets not forget access to all the world's skies. As a passenger all you think about is the wind in your hair and the full cabriolet experience.
Oh. Throughout this whole article I've said Swedish cars are very sensible. I seem to have forgotten about Koenigsegg.....
This car is currently for sale at Geneva Foreign and Sports in Geneva, New York at $11,392.
As I climbed into the Saab, I could tell this was a Swedish car. All of the controls were arranged on the laser straight dashboard, in very sensible positions, and it was very well-equipped. In my short stint inside the Saab, I spotted traction control and very cool flip-out cupholder, among many other buttons.
All of these things were overshadowed by two things. One of which is the incredible comfort. I liken the experience of going over railroad tracks in the Saab as like driving over railroad track made of silk and pillows. And small rabbits. (Thats a joke, I don't suggest running over small furry organisms) This is the most comfortable car I've ever been in, this including a Volvo S60 of the same year. The other important aspect of the Saab is the electric-folding roof. This opens up a whole new endless vista of blue sky. In some convertibles, the wind and noise get to be unbearable, but in the Saab it is a welcome experience. Its the perfect Sunday cruiser.
Oh. Throughout this whole article I've said Swedish cars are very sensible. I seem to have forgotten about Koenigsegg.....
This car is currently for sale at Geneva Foreign and Sports in Geneva, New York at $11,392.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Car ID Help
This is a picture of my great-grandmother sitting in an unknown race car of sorts. I have done lots of work, but established little. It appears to be a handmade racer, judging by the fact that it has BMW front fenders, but a strange grille and no badges. The grille seems to have been cut out from metal, again seemingly handmade. I can tell you that the license plate is a New York plate, dated 1924. I'd appreciate it if anybody could tell me anything more about this car.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Friday, August 2, 2013
WKA Road Racing at Virginia International Raceway
This past weekend was the second to last WKA Road Racing event, taking place at VIRginia International Raceway, in Danville, Virginia.
My first event was the Junior Sprint Lite race on Saturday. The start to the race went poorly, and I set off 30 seconds behind the competition. I worked my way through the field, and by the second to last lap I was 15 seconds behind first place. Unfortunately for me, I was not able to catch up, and i finished second 11 seconds behind. However, my best lap time was a 2:49.3, a full three seconds faster than the first place finisher.
Because the starts have been an area that could use improvements, I worked on keeping the engine running, at using the carburetor needle to regulate the flow of fuel into the engine. This helped profoundly in Sunday's race.
I started well, coming into the first corner in second place. I quickly overtook for first, and stayed there until the second to last lap. The second place went by coming through the uphill esses, and as we went into the famed Oak Tree Turn, i went to the inside. He went wide and over the rumble strips, allowing me to go by. On the last lap, we went side-by-side through the esses and into Oak Tree. I again edged him out through Oak Tree, maintaining the lead into the Roller-Coaster. He went inside, I held him off through the last turn. I came onto the main straight in the lead, and eventually won by 0.06 seconds, or about half a kart length.
The championship will be decided in early September at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia.
My first event was the Junior Sprint Lite race on Saturday. The start to the race went poorly, and I set off 30 seconds behind the competition. I worked my way through the field, and by the second to last lap I was 15 seconds behind first place. Unfortunately for me, I was not able to catch up, and i finished second 11 seconds behind. However, my best lap time was a 2:49.3, a full three seconds faster than the first place finisher.
Because the starts have been an area that could use improvements, I worked on keeping the engine running, at using the carburetor needle to regulate the flow of fuel into the engine. This helped profoundly in Sunday's race.
I started well, coming into the first corner in second place. I quickly overtook for first, and stayed there until the second to last lap. The second place went by coming through the uphill esses, and as we went into the famed Oak Tree Turn, i went to the inside. He went wide and over the rumble strips, allowing me to go by. On the last lap, we went side-by-side through the esses and into Oak Tree. I again edged him out through Oak Tree, maintaining the lead into the Roller-Coaster. He went inside, I held him off through the last turn. I came onto the main straight in the lead, and eventually won by 0.06 seconds, or about half a kart length.
The championship will be decided in early September at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia.
Friday, July 26, 2013
WKA Road Race at Virginia International Raceway Practice Day
The next stop in my kart racing career is here in a rolling green hills of southern Virginia right on the North Carolina border. I'm currently leading the championship points in the two classes I run, and i plan to maintain my lead into the final race of the season at Summit Point, West Virginia.
Today was practice for my races tomorrow and Sunday. WKA (the event, however, is run by the Woodbridge Kart Club) runs the full 3.27 mile course here at VIR, which is essentially a big triangle with some esses and hills thrown in. It's more fun then it sounds... As some of you may know, recently the iconic VIR Oak Tree, which looked over the hallowed Oak Tree turn at the south end of the course, fell down about a month ago.
Nevertheless, the track continues without its silent sentinel standing guard over the track.
Not much happened today in practice, i learned the track in the first two sessions, then my crew and I (namely my parents and I) wanted to find some more strait line speed, as there are three long straits on this course. We changed gears and such, found that my lap times actually went down. That's pretty much all that happened, other than the engine cutting out on the final series of corners.
I actually couldn't figure out a conclusion to this article other than"I hope I win". That should pretty much cover it.
Today was practice for my races tomorrow and Sunday. WKA (the event, however, is run by the Woodbridge Kart Club) runs the full 3.27 mile course here at VIR, which is essentially a big triangle with some esses and hills thrown in. It's more fun then it sounds... As some of you may know, recently the iconic VIR Oak Tree, which looked over the hallowed Oak Tree turn at the south end of the course, fell down about a month ago.
Nevertheless, the track continues without its silent sentinel standing guard over the track.
Not much happened today in practice, i learned the track in the first two sessions, then my crew and I (namely my parents and I) wanted to find some more strait line speed, as there are three long straits on this course. We changed gears and such, found that my lap times actually went down. That's pretty much all that happened, other than the engine cutting out on the final series of corners.
I actually couldn't figure out a conclusion to this article other than"I hope I win". That should pretty much cover it.
Monday, July 15, 2013
The Difference Between a Hypercar and a Supercar
This has been of subject of literally no debate over the years, but I would like to change that. You see, to a casual observer these two are basically the same. Both are very fast, both are very expensive, and both are very loud. Most people who care about this kind of stuff determine the difference by the figures. There is no set line to distinguish between a hypercar and a supercar, such as it must get to 60 from a standstill in under three seconds to qualify as a hypercar. An example of what most people would call a hypercar would be the Bugatti Veyron, for obvious reasons. This is a car of mind boggling numbers. It has 10 radiators, 1001 horsepower, and can reach speeds in the area of 250 miles per hour (look it up if you really want to know the exact number). The Supersports version of this car can hit 270! Now for an example of a supercar. Most would say the Ferrari 458 Italia is a supercar. It can still top 200, it goes around corners incredibly well and makes a hypnotizing noise while in the process. But it somehow isn't as incredible as the Veyron.
But the way I see it, the difference shouldn't be in the numbers. It should be in how the cars feels. In order to be a hypercar, you must be laughing and enjoying yourself while driving it, regardless which way you're facing. However, you are probably saying "Oh well on that basis a Ford Focus ST is a hypercar then because it's fun to drive!", but no, I'm not finished. A Hypercar must also exhibit a certain level of lunacy and ridiculousness. The Italians tend to be very good at this, hence Lamborghini and Pagani (I know the owner of Pagani is Argentinian). Cars that fit this bill include pretty well every Lamborghini, every Pagani, and the Spyker C8. There are more, but i'd like to move on.
Now by now you may be thinking that somebody could still say an everyday car could be a hypercar by these standards. To cure this, I've decided that a car must first qualify to be a supercar before it can become a hypercar. Now becoming a supercar is still mainly reliant on numbers, so we'll stick to the established supercars.
So there, I've just given a comprehensive to a question nobody is asking.
But the way I see it, the difference shouldn't be in the numbers. It should be in how the cars feels. In order to be a hypercar, you must be laughing and enjoying yourself while driving it, regardless which way you're facing. However, you are probably saying "Oh well on that basis a Ford Focus ST is a hypercar then because it's fun to drive!", but no, I'm not finished. A Hypercar must also exhibit a certain level of lunacy and ridiculousness. The Italians tend to be very good at this, hence Lamborghini and Pagani (I know the owner of Pagani is Argentinian). Cars that fit this bill include pretty well every Lamborghini, every Pagani, and the Spyker C8. There are more, but i'd like to move on.
Now by now you may be thinking that somebody could still say an everyday car could be a hypercar by these standards. To cure this, I've decided that a car must first qualify to be a supercar before it can become a hypercar. Now becoming a supercar is still mainly reliant on numbers, so we'll stick to the established supercars.
So there, I've just given a comprehensive to a question nobody is asking.
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