Carolina Drivers going to the Nationals...

[mini37]

The idea with this thread is to feed you some tidbits of information in my first trip to the Nationals. Being a two year novice at this sport I certainly have no expectations. I wanted to go just to be a part of the experience and be able to meet and see the very best drivers in country. My GS class has 38 drivers pre-registered of which I have only met one driver which is Charles Frank driving his Toyota Celica GT with the Tarheel club. Donna Frank is driving a Mini Cooper in HSL class promoted/supported by Mini of Charleston like my own Mini S entry in GS. There are a whopping 26 Mini Cooper S’ of the 38 along with few Honda Civic Si, Toyota Celica GTs, VW Golf GTI, BMW 318i, Ford Focus SVT, Dodge Neon ACR and Nissan Sentra R Spec V.

All together we are right now 1,171 (cap is 1,250) pre-registered drivers for Solo National Championship and 232 (cap is 360) for the Test n’ Tune. The Test n’ Tune event will be on Sunday 24th. All Championship races are done from Tuesday through Friday. Use this link to find out and keep you updated about the Nationals www.scca.com/Event/Event.asp?IdS=022A19-23A9920&Ref=06-solo-nats Use right hand side navigation bar.

I will be heading out early Friday morning (tomorrow) and hopefully arrive Saturday night to allow me to participate in the Test n’ Tune event on Sunday at Heartland Park in Topeka. My GPS says it is 1,047 miles door to door from my home in Huntersville to my hotel in Topeka. The hotel is only 10.8 miles away from Heartland Park. I managed to borrow a trailer to haul my Mini to Topeka using my Volvo XC90 as a tow vehicle to make the trip more comfortable, easier with room for everything needed and eliminate the hassle to prep the car for three different race days. Many thanks to those that helped me getting ready namely Willie Stock who helped me to swap out the grill piece to stock trim to avoid a potential complaint. This was a much larger effort than I had ever anticipated. Willie also helped me to give the Mini the clay bared and dual wax treatments with stunning results almost sending me out to buy an enclosed trailer... Very much appreciated all assistance provided by Mini of Charleston and Brad Davis for special service prepping the Mini, general tips and decals provided. I very much appreciated Dean and John at Illumaddress Sign USA shop in Huntersville helping me putting on the decals. Many thanks to Rick Disbrow (the Toyota Corolla driver with the V8) who helped get new magnetic numbers and letters for my GS class. The serviced minded folks at Carolina Hitch & Truck Accessories in Mooresville who helped me through several obstacles getting a hitch and brake control installed on my Volvo. Finally much appreciation to Mitch Robertson who let me borrowed his specially built trailer to haul his own Mini for his business trips to make my trip more comfortable. I just happen to run in to Mitch at gas station in Statesville seeing him hauling his Mini a couple of months ago. Lending out his trailer to a total stranger who he only met for five minutes two months ago is just incredible… Mitch may join us in some future AutoX events. Any photos I forward will be posted by John Byrd first being my Mini, trailer and Volvo ready to drive off to Topeka leaving bright and early tomorrow morning. John will also link in the other Carolina clubs to this thread and hopefully we will get others to contribute as the event progress…

I will try to keep up with the others from the Carolinas. As you know Steven Rankins, Jonathan McCallister and Tara Knoll are running in STU and STUL classes sharing Steven’s hot STI. Geoff Zimmer with co-driver Chris Peterson in the Super Rabbit and Jinx Jordan running his lightning fast Honda Civic are all competing in FSP. Then of course we have the national PAX setter George Bowland with co-driver Todd Bowland running his BBR Shark open wheel in AM class. G.H Sharp is driving a Boxster S in AS. Other names I have picked up from the Carolinas are Greg Hahn driving Honda S2000 in AS, Eric Peterson driving a Mazda Miata in CS, Justin Mitchell driving a Mazda Miata in STS2, James Feinberg driving a Honda CRX in STS2 and Scott Sawyer driving a Honda CRX also in STS2.

There is also a team of drivers from the Triad club namely Anthony and Susan Hodges driving their Dodge Neon in DSP and DSPL respectively, Justin Barbry driving his Mazda Protégé 5 in FSP and Chuck Tegler with co-driver David O’Malley driving Chuck’s BMW M3 in SM class.

I am sure I have missed a few from the Carolinas so please chime in... I hope to keep this thread updated (no promises) along the way with assistance from those going from the Carolinas. Once on the way it may be hard to find the time…

Per Olof
Mini 37 (now Mini 35)

[jbyrd]

[GamecockS2K]

Good luck Per! Can't wait to see you back home with a trophy. ;D

-Garrett

[jhd11]

Per,
Good Luck! Have Fun and safe travels. Even though I am still a relative newbie, a trip to the Nationals would be great fun. Please try to keep us informed about your trip if you can. Thanks in advance.

Joe Downer
'03 GS Mini Cooper S

[MattP]

I see Per is taking this seriously, he pulled off the weenie-protestable body kit.

Good luck Per, I know you'll do well.

[A Mitch Robertson]

Per everything looks good. Glad to see you got th front tires straped down . Good Luck
Mitch

[sberry]

Car looks awesome, Per.

Good luck, everyone. Is there any television coverage on Speed?

[lagunamiata]

As others have said, good luck Per! And all other Carolinas people!!

sberry said:

Good luck, everyone. Is there any television coverage on Speed?

Yeah, right!! They've have Runoff's coverage, but I doubt any SOLO stuff will show up.

[bogner47]

I think they should devote a half-hour special devoted solely to Tara. After all, she's a hottie in a Subaru puttin' a whoopin on whole bunches o'men. They could bill her as the next Danica!

[autoxcrx]

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Geve 'em HELL Per, I wanna see ya smilin' between two Hot Babes again

[C4Shane]

Likewise Per!! We are really pulling for you!!! I am sure it will be a topic at the Social!!!
Exhalt to YA!!!!

[mini37]

Thanks for cheering and commentaries.... Day 1 has finally come to an end.

Day 1 (Friday 22nd)

A grueling traveling day… Barely missed an industrial steel frame (cage) in the middle of the road on I40, being the only close call. The trip could have ended right there and I am sure it did for somebody else later unless an 18 wheeler came and mowed in pieces… and ruined the day for many behind. Stray rain showers in the mountain areas of NC and TN. Torrential rain in Kentucky, Illinois and parts of Missouri. So much for leaving with a clean Volvo, Trailer and Mini. Hope this wet weather is all I am going to see for a while.

Key travel data (all times are Eastern time zone):
04:30: Wake Up;
05:29: Departed Huntersville.
07:33: Passing Asheville, NC
08:36: Crossing the border to Tennessee
09:55: Passing Knoxville, TN
12:55: Passing Nashville, TN
13:47: Crossing the boarder in Kentucky
15:40: Crossing the boarder to Illinois
18:15: Passing St. Louis
19:30: Overnight stop at New Florence, Missouri.

Completed 809 miles (1,302 Km) leaving 243 miles (391 km) for Saturday. Better than I had hoped. I could have gone another two hours, but there were no need to push. Average fule mileage for Day 1 was 17.4 mpg. Not bad either considering I estimated an overall gross weight between 10,000 and 11,000 lbs. Should be an easy four hours tomorrow.

I took to two screen shoots of the data from my GPS as a bit map. One in miles and the other in a more modern metric measurement system (I am sure you all agree). Have emailed to JB the screen shoots for submission along this post.
Will see what happens on Day 2.
Mini 35

[jbyrd]

[nickhallman914]

man... 53 minutes of stoppage in 14.5 total hours... you've obviously (a) left all female companions at home, and (b) got comfier seats than a 914.

Good luck this week!

[jbyrd]

;D ;D ;D

Now, Per.....on the way home you need to check the data on your measuring wheel.

[C4Shane]

Sheesh...didn't know you could stop for only 53 minutes in 14.5 hours...Did he have a NASCAR crew fueling him with Dump Cans???

[MrsVlad]

WoW, this is so cool. I almost feel like I'm with you.
I am cheering for you...... Go Go Go
And glad I'm not. Only a 1hr stop!!! I couldn't make it.

[roundman]

May the force be with you... BE SAFE






Joey Sutton es#60
p-dawgs backup safty dude
gas'gas'gas

[mini37]

Day 2 (Saturday 23)

I made it to Heartland Park (HP) in Topeka. I will soon provide official course measurements probably first time in its history. I hope they will not arrest me… No rain when I started to drive at 6.12AM, but only 5 minutes in to the trip the rain drops started to fall and light rain followed me to Kansas City when clear blue skies opened up. I arrived at HP at 11:30AM just when registration closed for lunch. Sunny, very windy and about 60F when I arrived. Dark clouds started to show in the PM, but no rain. Spent about 1 ½ hour to wash the Volvo, trailer and the Mini. All rain gave me new prospective as to why so many have enclosed trailers. I went back to HP and got registered at 2PM and parked in my paddock space 10 minutes later. I snuck in to the Tech building with the Volvo and the trailer with the Mini on it to get the whole thing weighed. The back door was open, but the front door was closed. Nobody was inside so I drove in and on the scales, it barely fitted. I guess this was meant for race cars without trailers behind them. Anyway, my estimations were off some, the whole package weighed 9,392 lbs with all the stuff I brought. My weight was not included. I proceeded to weigh the trailer by itself with the Mini on it, but in order to do so I had walk outside and get an official to open the front door so I could move the Volvo forward and unhook the trailer, it was then I was informed the scales were closed and I was not suppose to be in there. After some discussion I was permitted to weigh the trailer incl. the Mini which weighed 4,210 lbs. Later I went back to get the Mini weighed, but all doors were closed. I was tempted to open them, but did not want test my luck a second time. I will get that done tomorrow. Many had arrived already and there was a ProSolo event going on when I arrived, but had little time to watch. I saw a guy from the local TV news station in Topeka. I just saw the 15 seconds coverage on the local News Channel from the Prosolo final including a few words from the winner.

Key travel data:
05:20: Wakeup (woke up 10 minutes before the alarm)
06:12: Departed the hotel with no rain.
06:17: Started to rain.
07:12: Crossing Missouri River
09:44: Crossing the border to Kansas
09:47: Stopped raining
10:00: Entered Kansas Turnpike
11:30: Enter Heartland Park.

My overall mileage for Day 1 & 2 combined dropped to 16.8 mpg. Missouri had lowest price on fuel at $1.99 for regular, $2.29 for premium and diesel. Total miles traveled are 1,083. Please note overall stopped time has increased to 6 hours and 15 minutes make up for lost breaks from yesterday.

I met with Jinx Jordan and his co-driver Fred. Jinx and Fred helped out to put my Tire Rack Decal on across the windshield which was tough with all that wind blowing. Two additional smaller Tire rack decals are required on each fender as well. One SCCA decal is required on the hood and one each side. If participating in for example Kumhos contingency program another two decals are required. The same is required for the Grassroots magazine. Today has been a decal day and I am not done as I have not received all decals required. I saw Geoff Zimmer’s Super Rabbit parked, but did not see Geoff or his co-driver. I have talked to Steven a couple of times on the phone. They left Asheville when I was almost in St. Louis. They had tire issues before leaving and decaling work that got done late. They were near Kansas City at 6PM tonight when I last talked to him. Have not seen anybody else yet, but I guess about half of all drivers have arrived.

This thing with Hooters has become a curse. The very next building to my hotel is a Hooters. For obvious reasons I stayed away from it, I am sure the paparazzi were waiting inside…

Tomorrow is the Test n’ Tune day to give us a chance to test the surface. We will get three runs and I am not sure if they will be officially published. I suspect this event will be filled up to the 360 limit by just seeing everybody who has already arrived. Hope weather cooperates. I am looking forward to Day 3. I have emailed JB a couple of photos, being arrived in Paddock, Tech building, Jinx and Fred, Mini with front decals and the guys from Koni.
Mini 35

[jbyrd]

[volksman]

I was wondering if Per was going, thought he ought to. I'm sure he'll represent us well there, he's coming off of a very strong 24hr event and his planning seems well thought out too. Make sure you let us know how the test-n-tune goes today. Good Luck Per!!!

[markt]

Per Olaf: Racing's Charles Kuralt.

Good Luck, Buddy!

Mark

[Imprezivblue]

I love the write ups Per!!! Very entertaining read- and very detailed accounts of your trip out there. I'll see you on Tuesday most likely as Steven and his codriver will pick me up Monday night when my flight comes in. Glad to see you made it safe.

~Tara

[crash477]

Good luck Boxer4Racing crew!! And good luck to you too Per, and everyone esle!

[mini37]

Day 3 (Sunday 24th)
Woke up at 5.40 being 20 minutes ahead of the alarm. I felt having jet lag or hang over from my travel. Left the hotel at 7:10AM and arrived at HP at 7.35AM. The weather was cold (45F), windy and overcast. Got a little better in the afternoon, but still chilly with the wind blowing. I was ready to get out and buy some warm clothes. Suppose to get a warmer tomorrow with less wind and continue to be warmer for Tuesday/Wednesday. I got the Mini teched and was done about 8:10AM. The number of decals required is almost ridiculous. Mini looks like a Christmas tree. Later in the day when Jinx was in charged of Tech, four decals (two on each side) that was required in the morning got dropped if you teched in the afternoon. Some mix-up what was actually required. I missed the course walk for the Test n’ Tune which started to run cars at 8AM, but we got one walk before the 5th heat started which I was a part of. I guess I got up too late. I did not do well. The course was slippery and reminded me of Florence with less sand. Despite the fact I had dropped rear tire pressure significantly in consideration of the cold weather, I spun on my first run. I lowered the pressure even more and I stayed on course but the rear end was too loose. Lowered the pressure even more was now down to 26 lbs and it was still too lose. I had also played with shock settings which I should not have down. Anyway, I was about 1.1 seconds off the best GS times. I am glad I signed up for the Test n’ Tune to get this feedback to see if I can some of the problems fixed for Tuesday and Wednesday. There is no room for errors with this level of competition that has become crystal clear. I can now better appreciate the tough time Joe Olivera had last year. The course was fast and short. The start was like a drag strip. They used the same course that they had used for the Pro Solo event on Friday and Saturday. Cones and DNFs were not kept record of, only times were recorded. Steven did a 34.8 and I think he was the fastest STU car. McCallister did a 35.8. Bowlands blew everyone away. George did a 30.4 and Todd a whopping 29.2 (clean). I think we may have throne shift in the Bowland family in the making. Jinx Jordan and Geoff Zimmer ran the West course together with Kansas region warm up. I believe Jinx won FSP with Geoff 4th. Based on the size of the new site and the fact that they require two parallel courses (West and East), I doubt they will much longer than what we ran locally in the Carolinas, there is even a possibility they may be shorter. We will see tomorrow.

My Mini weighed in at 2,549 lbs race ready with ¼ of tank of fuel with no driver. Front axle at 1,606 lbs and Rear axle at 948 lbs. I have forwarded a few pictures to JB to complement this post.

Tara, have a safe flight and look forward seeing you. I am glad you are coming to keep Steven and Jonathan in line. Somehow they escaped my camera…

Mini 35

[soloracer]

Wonderful thread, Per!
An exhalt for you.
best of luck. Remember to have FUN.
James

[jhd11]

Per,
Your reports are outstanding! Thank you for taking the time to do them. They are a great primer for anyone that would be thinking of making the trip to Nationals. Good Luck. Have fun and keep reporting when you have time.

Joe Downer
GS '03 Mini Cooper S

[damnyankee]

Excellent "in field" report Per. It's great to read a first person account of your trip. Thanks for your insights as well.

Good luck to you.

Exalt

[jbyrd]

Day 3 Pics:

[daveoh32]

Per, love the writeups! They're making me even more anxious to get out there!