May the 4th be with you! That’s the only Star Wars reference you’re getting on this episode, because neither Pizza Dad, The Professor, P-Car, nor Fearless Leader realized that this episode would be dropping on May 4th. What they lack in Star Wars, they make up for in discussion topics! On this episode:
Formula 1 stuff!
Could we be getting 100 octane at the pump?
Everyone needs technicians
The next GT500 is testing in Detroit
The Driving Experience!
Listener Mail
And more!
Thank you so very much for listening to this little podcast of ours. You can stream the episode above, find it on iTunes, or download it here. If you haven’t subscribed, rated, and commented on iTunes: why not? We’d do the same for you if you had a podcast. While you’re at it, share this episode! Let the people know where you got it, and send them our way. We’re friendly. We’ll be back next week!
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Hello everybody! And welcome to the first in a new series of videos that we’re calling The Driving Experience. What is The Driving Experience? It’s taking all those numbers you see in a review (0-60, lateral G’s, etc) and putting them to practice. It’s us going out and driving these cars and sharing our experience behind the wheel. We’re not experts, we’re not hot shoes, we’re not journalists who get to drive every new car at giant, manufacturer sponsored events. We’re guys just like you: enthusiasts who care more about how a car drives than the numbers on a spec sheet. We’ll be back next month, and every month, with another review for you. If you’ve got a car you’re willing to let us drive, send us an email: mailbag@camautomag.com.
And so with that, please enjoy our first episode, featuring the BOSS 302 Laguna Seca of Alex Crane. Gavin and I went to Vegas, stayed in a sketchy hotel, and hustled the car around the hills surrounding the city.
Another Thursday means it’s time for another episode of the CAMcast! Pizza Dad is still off getting milk and cigarettes, so we’ve brought on two guests! You read that right, two. This week Mike, Dave, and Gavin are joined by Josh Martin of JDM Legends, and Trent Bray the co-founder of this very website! The guys talk about the GT350 owners lawsuit, racing liveries, answer some listener questions, and so much more. Stream the episode below, download it here, or head over to iTunes and grab it there. While you’re at it, could you leave us a review and a rating? We’d really appreciate it. We’ll be back next week with another episode, and maybe another guest!
*Article, Photos, Videos, and Audio clips are copyright of CAMautoMag.Com and their respective owners.
Ahoy hoy folks! We’re so glad you could join us for another episode of the CAMcast. This week we were down a Pizza Dad, but chock full of stuff to talk about:
Geneva Auto Show highlights
Lamborghini’s video shenanigans
Salt City Drift schedule
Driving a BOSS 302 Laguna Seca in Las Vegas
And why you should probably avoid the Hooter’s Hotel and Casino
We appreciate you guys subscribing, rating, commenting, sharing, and interacting with this podcast. Please keep doing all of that, and maybe pitch this to someone who doesn’t really listen to podcasts? The #trypod campaign is in full swing this month, and it’s main purpose is to introduce podcasts to people who don’t listen to them, or don’t know what they are. Odds are that you know someone who’d like us, but doesn’t know the how’s and what’s and all of that. Spread the word!
It’s the end of a holiday weekend, which is sad. BUT I have a bunch of photos from one of our local cars & coffee meets: EuroBrews. It’s an exclusively Euro thing… Except for the R32 GTS4 and the R35 that were there… And the twin turbo Terminator Mustang… But other than that, all Euro.
Seeing a Mustang racing at an IMSA or World Challenge race isn’t a surprising sight. Seeing one racing in Europe, duking it out with the emerging GT4 cars (M4 GT4, Cayman GT4 Clubsport, McLaren 570 GT4) is about to become a reailty.
Multimatic, the people who build the racing Mustangs and all of the Ford GTs, took a new Shelby GT350R, and made it so it could play in Europe, Asia, anywhere that is adopting the new GT4 rule set. Places like IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (GS class) and Pirelli World Challenge (GTS/G4). The car retains the 5.2 liter flat-plane crank V8, but mates it with a 6 speed, paddle shifted transmission. It has dampers, lower control arms, and rear stabilizers bars that will take the abuse of the different series it’ll be seeing.
It even comes with an FIA compliant roll cage. And a fancy switch panel!
It also sports revised aerodynamics, complete with words of caution. Expect to see the car storming around in the coming years. And if you’re thinking of getting into GT4 racing, take a look at this slice of Americana
*Article and Photos are copyright of CAMautoMag.Com and their respective owners.
The 2016 NASA Utah season came to an end this past weekend. I know, I’m sad too. But instead of the usual, conventional, “one track configuration for the entire weekend” business that we’ve seen at every other weekend this year; Dave, Matt, and Momma NASA (Cheri Miller) had something special for the end of the year. Instead of running the Outer Loop, or the East track, or even the Full track, they arranged it so the drivers could race on ALL THREE IN THE SAME DAY!!! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the TresDuro.
IT’S BACK, BABY! Just like last year, and the year before; BUT, unlike last year, they were blowing the dust off the gigantic Full track. To the best of my knowledge, the last time the Full track was run was two years ago. I should probably explain how one wins the TresDuro, since it has been a year. It’s pretty simple for the race groups: you qualify once, and start the first race from that position. Where you finished in that race is where you start the next race from. Where you finish also gives you points. Driver/team with the most points at the end of the third race wins. For TT: they take your fastest times on each track, add them together, and person with the lowest overall time is the winner. Got it?
It’s been a hot minute, but the drivers managed to drive the track without getting lost or forgetting which configuration they were driving! However, the weekend wasn’t without incident. That incident, while unfortunate, provides a convenient segue into the actual race coverage.
THUNDER
German Touring Series Unlimited
Taking home the win in GTSU by a mere 5 points was Makes & Models, in their Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo 620-2. Their main competition throughout the day was David Donner, in his Porsche 911GT3R. You know, the other Effort Racing car that showed up at Air Power Racing at the beginning of this year. David had the pace to run away with it, but a broken axle in race 2 served up the win to Makes & Models. The TresDuro would hinge on the third and final race. The Lamborghini was on the pole, and Les Long’s 997 Cup car was starting from second. And then this happened.
This is video of the start of the third race, shot from Michael Eifling’s ST1 Corvette. It was uploaded by Brendon Stewart, driver of the Makes & Models Huracan. FULL DISCLOSURE: I’ve known Brendon for many years, long before he was working and driving for Makes & Models. Makes & Models has been friendly with us, we have stickers on the Huracan and a few other Makes & Models cars. That said, it’s pretty clear Les makes a move to the left to keep the Lamborghini behind him. Then as the Lambo starts moving to his right and passing him, he moves to the right and pushes him West pit out. The result of all of these moves was the Huracan spinning out in turn one, and having to rejoin at the back of the field. Despite that, Brendon fought through the field and finished second.
5 points behind Makes & Models was David Donner. It’s been a few rounds since we’ve seen him at UMC, but he’s been spending that time wisely. He’s very in tune with the 911 GT3R, and showed INSANE pace in the first race. Good God was he flying! David, I’m begging you!: come out for more races! I’d love to see you, David Lockwood, Derek, and the DXDT guys have an all out death match (not really a battle to the death, but you know what I mean) one NASA weekend. Do it for me, do it for the children, do it for America! Or England if your James Burke.
In third place, with 255 points, was Les Long. He narrowly edged out David Lockwood for the final podium spot. Les is a really good driver, but I’m not used to seeing him drive as aggressively as he did on Saturday. From what I’ve seen over the years, he is most definitely not a dirty driver. Just an aggressive driver, something we typically enjoy. While he may be at fault for the incident at the beginning of the third race, I think he just got caught up in the heat of the moment.
Super Touring 1
Being alone in a class has advantages sometimes, and Michael Eifling took full advantage of being the sole ST1 driver. He took the fight to Robert Gardner, in the orange Jagermeister Porsche, and they had amazing battles all day long. Good on ya Michael! Thanks for not just turning laps, and taking the easy win. Also, thank for bringing Buddha!
Super Touring 2
ST2 started the day with two competitors: JR Smith in his Porsche Boxster, and Toby Crawford in his Subaru BRZ. By the end of the first race, there was only one. The head gaskets in Toby’s BRZ let go, allowing the man, the myth, the legend that is JR Smith to take the win.
Super Touring 3
ST3 had a field of 5 cars: four of the Ford Performance Racing School BOSS 302 FRSes and the Minion mobile, the UAO Clothing M3. I know I saw Alex in the car on Saturday, so I’m going to say it was he who won the shiny, not chocolate filled gold medal for ST3. I’m sure I’ll hear about it if I’m wrong, but until then: congratulations Alex! UPDATE: Todd Ainsworth also drove on Saturday. Matt Guiver probably wasn’t in the car on Saturday, so we can rule him out. So congratulations Todd and Alex on the win!
In second place was Frank Gannett. Frank the Tank has been pounding away in that Mustang, and doing a damn good job too. Hopefully we see Frank in a different chassis next season, preferably one that doesn’t belong to the fine folks at the Ford Performance Racing School.
Rounding out the podium was Josh Williams, in the #85 FPRS BOSS 302 FRS. It’s in my favorite color, which makes it the best looking Mustang they have at the school. Ask for it by name!
Super Unlimited
Super Unlimited also had a five car field, but unlike the ST3 field there wasn’t a dominant model in the field. There was; however, a dominant team: CA Sport. They represented four of the five cars, the fifth being George Smith’s Corvette. It was also a rather diverse field: the aforementioned Corvette, a PWC TC Class 370Z, a widebody E92 M3, and a pair of Cayman GT4 Clubsports. It was one of those Caymans, the #41 driven by Andrew Smith, that took home the win.
Chasing Andrew was Davis Warnock, in the #70 CA Sport Cayman GT4 Clubsport. It was really fun watching these two cars duke it out for first place, and mix it up with some of the other classes. And the new liveries look great.
Locking out the podium for CA Sport was Lara Tallman in the 370Z. Hey! I just noticed that it has one blue mirror! I like that. And also congratulations to CA Sport for locking out the podium! That quite the feat, especially considering who all could’ve run in the class and taken a spot on the podium.
And there you have it for Thunder! Looking for Lightning or Time Trial? I’ve got those in their own posts, so you don’t have a 3000+ word article to rifle through
*Article and Photos are copyright of CAMautoMag.Com and their respective owners.
The madness that is a Pirelli World Challenge GTS class race has risen and fallen. This race had all the staples of a great race: close racing, plenty of passes, near misses, and some not misses. The field, which features everything from the GT4 spec KTM X-Bow up to the almost too powerful Camaro ZL1. In the end, one driver would rise to the top. Stand on the highest step, and therefor have the strategic advantage in the champagne spraying that happens at every podium event. That man is Scott Heckert.
Scott, in the lone Sin R1 GT4, overtook Brett Sandberg (#13 KTM X-Bow GT4) and held off Nate Stacy (#14 Ford Mostang BOSS 302S) at the beginning of the race, and held on to the lead for the rest of it. A late race full course yellow, brought on by the #29 Ginetta of Harry Gottsacker colliding with the #46 Lotus of Scott Dollahite, cut Heckert’s massive lead down to nil. However, on the restart, he built back that lead, as Nate Stacy and Brett Sandberg battled each other for position.
It was hot. Very hot. So hot, in fact, that some competitors ended up being less than competitive because of it. Andy Moench’s and Mike Bratsch’s TT3 cars were feeling the heat, as were some of the Spec Z cars. Greg Warnock’s E92 M3 racecar succumbed to overheating issues, but he just hopped into his Cayman GT4 Clubsport and got some more laps in. I mean, who doesn’t have a back up race car in this day and age? Speaking of Greg’s race…
THUNDER
That’s where we start our coverage. Surprisingly, it was pretty drama free. At least from where I was. We had one GTS3 competitor, and that was Mayor McCheese himself: Blake Troester!
Byron Smith was back! Unfortunately for him, Darrell Troester was still there. He finished a lap up on Byron, and claimed another GTS4 win.
Despite going spin cycle early in the race, Gerry Shear (who gets it) got everything straightened out and took home a GTS5 win.
NASA Utah’s own BFG, Bob Evans, took the Snickers Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup High Downforce Prototype to the top of the podium in ST1.
J.R. Smith, proving that good things can be made better with the addition of an LSx, claimed another ST2 win.
Benevolent Overlord Matt Guiver hopped in the Minion (or banana mobile) and out drove five of the Ford Performance Racing School Mustangs. Five! That’s a lot of Mustangs to beat out.
In the Super Unlimited class, Pirate Supreme Les Long threw down some blistering laps and took home the class win. Could he take home the overall win?
Well, no. Makes & Modesl had their Huracan Super Trofeo back on track, and Derek was a man on a mission. Despite rising temperatures setting off alarms, he managed to claim the GTSU win AND the overall race group win. Speaking of that white, German/Italian super-weapon…
TIME TRIAL
Brendon Stewart hopped in the driver’s seat for the TT sessions and threw down a best time of 1:35.580 to take the TTU win.
TT1 saw a few Vipers. Definitely not a bad thing, especially given the news that FCA will be killing the big snake after 2017. Topping the podium was one of those snakes, the one driven by David Gilliland. He slithered around the East course of UMC in 1:41.8.44
Shawn Murphy wasn’t there that long on Saturday. He had a wedding to go to. I suggested someone Facetime him in, but that one didn’t fly. My brilliant idea didn’t fly, but Shawn did. And in the crowded combined session to boot. His best time in his “street car” was 1:40.988.
As mentioned earlier, Andy and Mike’s cars were feeling the effects of the heat. The heat didn’t seem to be a problem for James Pasquier, and his reliable as the sunrise 993 911. He set his best time in the last session of the day! Clearly we should all get 911’s, and be immune from heat.
Darin Beaudoin barely escaped the day with a win in TTB. He had Stephen Martin hot on his heels. Stephen posted a best time of 1:47.795, which was so close to Darin’s time. Darin, in his Honda Miata, posted a 1:47.760.
For those keeping score at home, Porsches have claimed five wins on the day so far. After this, they will have claimed six. Max Dufford, in his Boxster, ran a 1:48.977 in TTC.
Todd Green, listed in the #60 which I don’t have a picture of nor even see, took home the win in TTE. He posted a best time of 1:47.335 in the second TT Storm session. I don’t have a photo of that car, but I do have a photo of the mythical beast that is L’oreal! I MEAN PAUL MITCHELL!!! Speaking of things that you could hear about later…
LIGHTNING
Things got a little spooky, then kinda violent. Some Spec Miata drivers got too close coming out of Release, and one spun. Later in the race: a couple of Spec Z drivers got together, sending one into the dirt. Aside from those events, and another Spec Z losing an engine over the course of the race which left the car stranded at pit in, the race was fairly straightforward. Let’s start with Spec Miata, where Chris Bond returned! He took home with win, and managed to stay clear of any sort of shenanigans.
Otto Silva wasn’t the only 944 Spec driver this weekend! He was still the winner, but he wasn’t alone!
We haven’t had any open wheel races this season, which has meant that the usual drivers have been doing other things to occupy their time. Apparently one of those “other things” for Troy Duffin is getting a hold of a Datsun 510 racer. He brought it out this weekend, and took home the win in PTE.
Here we see the GTS2, PTB, and Thunder Roadster winners, all at once! Tom Rogers got himself a win in GTS2, Nathan Rohner in his RX7 (which was originally built as an autocross car) got another PTB win, and JD Stull took the win in Thunder Roadster. This was JD’s first race, and it was great seeing him out in competition.
We had one, lone GTS1 competitor: Steve Burns. He and Chris Bond had a solid battle all race, which was great to watch.
And in Spec Z, we had the #42 DXDT car, driven by David Askew, atop the podium.
PHEW! What a day! On to some miscellaneous stuff:
Todd Green usually dominates PTE, except this race. Why? Because he had a dead battery. He got a push start, but ended up being two laps down. Wouldn’t know it by the way he drove.
The Spec Z that lost an engine was the #46 DXDT car, driven by James Burke. It was smoking on every downshift from what I heard from some of the other drivers
It was Kyle Schick who wound up in the dirt. Can’t quite remember who hit him though, but I do have footage of the contact!
I ran around and slapped some CAM stickers on to some competitors cars. If you’d like one, shoot me an email and have some space on the passenger side of your car clear.
For those of you who want to purchase photos: go to here
And that is that! We’ll be back for Round 6, and the 6 Hour Enduro on August 6.
*Article and Photos are copyright of CAMautoMag.Com and their respective owners.
