mini37
Junior Member
Posts: 97
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Post by mini37 on Apr 30, 2011 6:47:54 GMT -5
Congratulations and many thanks to Ted and others who made this event happen. Great work! I can't imagine how many hours, hard work and devotion have gone in to this project. This is awesome!
The guardrail concerns me a bit... It may scratch the paint on my Quaker Steak & Lube MINI. I guess I can't have it all...
Per Olof 2009 MINI CHALLENGE
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Post by georgebowland on Apr 30, 2011 8:04:48 GMT -5
I spent about an hour driving this hill two weeks ago, and I assure you it is not as fast as it looks in the video. Like all hillclimb videos I have seen, it does a poor job of giving you a feel for the hill. The turns will slow you down and I believe top speeds will be about the same as Wolf Ridge. Although there are some small bumps, the road is not nearly as pitchy as Wolf, Crow and Chimney Rock. It should be a fun ride. I am in Dallas, working my way west to the Knox Mt. Hillclimb in Kelowna, BC at the end of the month, so will have to miss the first running of the hill. I regret that, but there is always next year. George
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Post by dondrennon on Apr 30, 2011 12:39:53 GMT -5
George: Have a great trip out west-heard so much about B.C. and have always wanted to visit. Looking forward to hearing some great stories.
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Post by tedebayer on Apr 30, 2011 13:14:58 GMT -5
The guardrail concerns me a bit... It may scratch the paint on my Quaker Steak & Lube MINI. I guess I can't have it all... Per Olof 2009 MINI CHALLENGE Per... don't worry about the guard rail. This is a perfect chance to use those special "secret doors" we made for the Mini. Attachments:
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Post by scockrell on Apr 30, 2011 14:26:08 GMT -5
;D Hey guys where can I get some of those door protectors? Might come in handy! Awesome job on getting this one; well done! Won't be missing this one, see ya in June
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mini37
Junior Member
Posts: 97
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Post by mini37 on Apr 30, 2011 16:02:54 GMT -5
Ted, let me know when the door guards are ready for testing. I might need them.
At least I don't need a front guard as I saw no nearby industrial fence on the video that could be problematic to navigate.
Per Olof Quaker Steak & Lube MINI
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Post by rednels on Apr 30, 2011 23:23:52 GMT -5
Where exactly is this stretch of road? Im heading up that way tomorrow and I would like to see it....
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Post by richardspyder12 on May 1, 2011 23:59:14 GMT -5
I'd like to make a correction if I may. The Cherohola Skyway is not The Tail of the Dragon. The Cherohola Skyway is Hwy 143 in N.C. and Hwy 165 in Tenn. The Tail of the Dragon is Hwy 129 in N.C. and Tenn. They do intersect in Robbinsville N.C. This sounds like it will be a great event.
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Post by tedebayer on May 2, 2011 9:50:30 GMT -5
You are correct sir. Correction made... it should have read "near the famous Tail of the Dragon". I hope you will come watch the event, enjoy the park and drive the Tail of the Dragon... it should make for a GREAT weekend you will look forward to each year. We will be meeting with the city officials, local merchants, law enforcement, EMS and Fire department this week. Registration will be open soon! Stay tuned!
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Post by richardspyder12 on May 3, 2011 0:10:28 GMT -5
Anyone who goes up there should definitly take a drive on The Tail of the Dragon while you're there, it's like an 11 mile autocross. I drove it a couple of weeks ago and had a blast. I'm going to try to make it as a worker if my schedule will allow.
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Post by czrider on May 3, 2011 8:02:41 GMT -5
We will have better details after this Friday but there is a nice camp ground at the start of the course road.
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Post by George Bugg on May 4, 2011 14:16:25 GMT -5
Ted and CCR - On behalf of the entire SEDiv Time Trials board and community: Well done! And THANK YOU!!
I'm checking with my therapist to see if I can really handle driving this event. I plan to be there to help on a corner, if nothing else!!
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Post by tedebayer on May 4, 2011 14:45:30 GMT -5
Thanks George. I hope the therapist will release you to run it. It's an awesome course and best course for a Formula car as we have had in a while!
For those of you that may not know, George is our SEDIV Time Trial Administrator and he has a beautiful red F600. He also owns a beautiful 2000 BMW M Roadster in Imola Red (...he seldom drives it as his wife has claimed it as hers) .
Hope to see you there in Robbinsville and .. behind the wheel!
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Post by czrider on May 5, 2011 12:20:12 GMT -5
Video seldom captures the true physical reality of a course. The combination of this pavements surface and the small ripples in it will offer more challenge then the video can relay. Remove the video's false distance projection and the straights become a blend of corner apex setups. An experienced driver with a smooth approach will be comfortable with it but an over aggressive style could get a driver in trouble. There are guard rails on the right and big rocks on the left. Brian G
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Post by tedebayer on May 5, 2011 20:39:05 GMT -5
New Flyer... please post it up with other car forums you frequent. 36 days until first car runs up that hill!!!!! Please post up where you placed it! Thanks for your help and support! Ted Attachments:
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Post by killboy on May 6, 2011 0:08:10 GMT -5
Hey guys, Darryl "killboy" Cannon and wife Lori "killgurl" Cannon here! So great to see everything is moving forward well with this event, it's been a dream of ours for several years. Lori is actually the one who found the post announcing the cancellation of the Wolf Ridge event, and we brought it to the attention of the county tourism commission the day after it was posted. I'm just very grateful we have a board of commissioners here in Graham County that are very interested in bringing new and exciting events to the area. I hope you all enjoy our little spot in the mountains, and the area businesses enjoy your visit as well. (hint hint We will be out there getting pictures and videos, and Ted is even twisting my arm to spend some time in their racer, so who knows. I don't have it memorized (yet!) but we have been running that road occasionally for a few years on bikes and cars, always felt it was a potentially excellent run, especially if it ever gets resurfaced. We're going to get up there and get some detail shots of a few of the turns and road surface for y'all. I've also got a google map of the road up here: maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=217407724994912016887.00049f3735366e3fe3ce0&z=14Keep in mind that's the whole 4.5 mile road, and only a 2.2 mile section in the middle will be used for the hillclimb. So let us know if you have any questions, and we look forward to seeing everyone next month!
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Post by hoserracing on May 6, 2011 7:31:37 GMT -5
Looking forward to this! It's going to be rough to do this and then do the Heart of Dixie the next weekend, but I'll find a way! Thanks for posting up the map Darryl, it puts it in a much better context than just watching the video. Are the 2 red dots on the red line the proposed start and finish points? Also, recommendations for lodging? Last time I was up that way was for the Fiat Freakout in 2000, stayed at a B&B in Robbinsville, but now there are 2 kids to add to the mix. Thanks for all the work to get this going everybody!
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Post by scockrell on May 6, 2011 7:42:08 GMT -5
;D Love the new flier Ted, Wow I'm between two legends! Does it get any better than that? Can't wait for this.
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Post by huntersrun on May 6, 2011 9:13:55 GMT -5
Jessica and I and possibly my son and his girlfriend will be there to assist! Of course I will be there to take care of all your photo needs as I have in all the hillclimbs over the past 5 years...I have documented the First Wolf Ridge, Eagles Nest and now the DRAGON....Looking forward to seeing everybody again on the hill...
Great Poster, Great Event...Can't wait...CCR SCCA BOD...We applaud you!
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Post by killboy on May 6, 2011 10:44:21 GMT -5
Looking forward to this! It's going to be rough to do this and then do the Heart of Dixie the next weekend, but I'll find a way! Thanks for posting up the map Darryl, it puts it in a much better context than just watching the video. Are the 2 red dots on the red line the proposed start and finish points? Also, recommendations for lodging? Last time I was up that way was for the Fiat Freakout in 2000, stayed at a B&B in Robbinsville, but now there are 2 kids to add to the mix. Thanks for all the work to get this going everybody! There are several new places to stay since 2000. Check out the "Accommodations" section on TailoftheDragon.com for a pretty thorough listing.
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Post by tedebayer on May 6, 2011 20:40:46 GMT -5
We will be out there getting pictures and videos, and Ted is even twisting my arm to spend some time in their racer, so who knows. For those of you who may not have met Darryl, you are in for a treat. On his website, www.killboy.com, you'll find photos from many of the unique cars and cycles that passed through the Tail of the Dragon the previous weekend. His captions to the photos are a riot and ... people do put on some shows... some that can't be placed on his website! It's a great source of info from tips, weather and what's going on up there. We DO plan to get Darryl licensed and in Elvira (our miata) for some runs at the hillclimb ... his resistance is weakening. I originally thought he was uncomfortable driving someone else's car... in case something broke. Now I know... he's afraid to leave his gorgeous wife Lori alone in the pit area with a bunch of crazy hillclimb drivers. Don't worry Darryl... if anything happens to you, I'm turning Mormon and taking Lori back to South Carolina! The support for this event from the Robbinsville community has been amazing... some really wonderful people up there that are working hard to make this happen. Darryl/ Lori - we appreciate you guys helping us find this mountain, putting us with the right people and supporting our event. Thanks! Looking forward to seeing you Chasing the Dragon! And if you are running the Tail of the Dragon and see Darryl taking pictures... wave at him... and be nice. USE all 5 fingers!
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Post by tedebayer on May 8, 2011 22:22:19 GMT -5
Course map... turns will have signs so you recognize them. Things are shaping up NICE! Attachments:
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Post by blairunderwood on May 9, 2011 6:04:37 GMT -5
Having just come back from the site, I have these observations. First, going to be BIG FUN!!!, second very rough washboard pavement, third Lots of loose stone on the surface, fourth at least three MAJOR dips that will bottom out your car bad, (bottomed out a Miata at 35mph). And give King George the credit for a good review because as fast as it looks he is correct in that even in formula cars or sports racer we won,t see more than 80 mph tops, due to surface conditions, not the course itself. It will be a GREAT HILL!!! It is not complicated and will be easy for first timers to pick up. Just remember to raise up your cars and set them full soft!!!!! I will post our video as soon as I can which is a good view at about 30mph and a good racing line from the hood of a brite yellow Miata(WS)! Blair ;D ;D ;D
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Post by markt on May 9, 2011 6:50:17 GMT -5
the surface may be rough-ish but, it's pretty consistant, no big patches and stuff. Also, the road edge is excellent compared to Wolf or Crow. And yes, it's a whole lot tighter than Ted's first video would imply.
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Post by tedebayer on May 9, 2011 7:08:57 GMT -5
I appreciate all the site reports of how it looks today. I also would hate to see anyone decide not to come based on early reports. Let me point out a few things : 1. The city will be cleaning the road of gravel... street sweeper and blower crews so the surface debris will be fine. There are some boulders on the side from a rock slide... those will be moved. 2. Parking for the event has created some challenges but we believe with Park Ranger's help, we will have them resolved. We should have final word back from them today and you can see clearly what is planned. 3. As far as dips... I have been living up there...there are two AFTER the finish line but only one on course. It's in a straight and it is nothing compared to filled pot holes and uneven surfaces that we have seen at Wolf and Crow. Actually, the dip at Eagle's is worse and it's in the middle of a higher speed turn. I have not bottomed out on any spots on course and no one I have spoken to has bottomed out. If you bottomed out at 35 mph, you need to get those shocks checked Blair! I'd hate for anyone to scare off their competition ... everyone's car is different so please come see what you think! After your early easy runs, you can adjust your car accordingly. 4. We hesitated about giving the location as we knew people would go take a look. On a dead end road, it's easy to get a little frisky in your recon runs. I want to remind everyone that this is a NATIONAL FOREST and PARK, this is patrolled by Park rangers who do give tickets and we are trying to build a long term relationship with these people. They have been so good to us and we really appreciate that. I have discussed it with Ranger and anyone caught speeding on that road prior to the event will be eliminated from competition. Zero Tolerance. It's not only getting an unfair advantage, it's against the law and that's not in line with our image. The fact that it is a dead end and that you went to the top and saw no cars does not mean it is a closed course. Rangers DO patrol regularly, it is a public highway, there are animals, there are hikers that come out of a trail at the top and walk down the road DAILY. PLEASE... do NOT drive the racing line! If you go for a look, keep speeds slow and responsible as Blair did. One accident or incident can hurt our standing with the park and future use of the site. We are all ambassadors for the sport. 5. It looks like we will have a rally car class for this event with 3-4 participants. Rally cars will be run with navigators aboard in a separate class for trophies (no points). 6. The city of Robbinsville is planning a downtown festival in honor of the drivers on Friday... dancing, music, food, autographs. We would like to have a few cars on display. Registration will be downtown from 3 to 8. More info to come.
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Post by blairunderwood on May 9, 2011 8:19:32 GMT -5
I echo Ted's comments that we should be respectful of all concerned!! All the locals seem very nice, and glad to see us, and this will be one of the best site we have had as far as scenery for the drivers as well as having very good worker and spectator area possibilities. We all owe the CCR board and especially Kilboy MANY THANKS for the site and prep!!! The paddock could be challenging but it is the same for everybody. This is a GREAT HILL and will be one of the longest run we will ever see. ;D ;D ;D Blair
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Post by blairunderwood on May 9, 2011 8:26:13 GMT -5
And by the way, to show what the people think of us coming, the state road crew was already there Saturday, mowing the banks an trimming limbs, along the course area, and really improving vision. Thats prior planning!!!! Blair
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Post by highwayracer on May 9, 2011 8:30:28 GMT -5
I was up there on Saturday, and I think its going to be GREAT! I can't wait.
By the way, I didn't have any trouble with my vehicle bottoming out....
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Post by blairunderwood on May 9, 2011 8:36:19 GMT -5
F150's have a little more clearance than Willies miata!!! I guest I should have said Bottoming the Shocks, IE bumpstops, not actually the frame. But Ask Nick and Rick Hallman, who were up there if the are going to bring the FF. That would be NO!!!!!!!!!! Blair
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Post by highwayracer on May 9, 2011 9:26:55 GMT -5
My impression is that the road is much better than Wolf Ridge was, even before the weather damage of the last couple of years. The crown is not as pronounced as some places at Wolf Ridge. The Hallmans notwithstanding, I believe formula cars will find the course challenging but manageable. Willie and Blair are bringing theirs!
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