lateapex911
04-07-2007, 12:11 PM
I happened to be in SF on the same weekend as the SF Region hosted their season opener, and was lucky enough to get up to the track to watch qualifying and meet some of the guys. I thought it might be interesting to share some observations and pics.
1- Miatas miatas and more miatas. They are everywhere....seemed like there were 125 of them, and they double and triple dip in SSM, SMT, ITA, and ITX. (I think SSM is a variant of the SM rules, and I think SMT is the proper SM class, but I'm not sure what the T part is all about. Maybe someone can straighten me out. ITA is obviously ITA, and ITX is an open class that exists for double entries.)
2- The IT group was HUGE....except the "true" IT cars were rare.
ITA had about 5 or so that weren't Miatas in SM prep, and they were ALL RX-7s. Not a single Honda, Acura or Nissan was seen either on the track or in the paddock or even on the registration sheet. ITB had two cars, one of which made it to the track...a multicolored Volvo 142. Driven by quite a character....he also was the guy who did the One Lap of America in an unlimited mileage rental car. "We changed the oil twice for them" he added. LOL
ITC had 3 really pretty Datsun 510s. Agian, not a Honda in sight.
ITS was only a 2 car field, both Mazda RX-7s, and ITR had a Honda S2000 as it's lone entry.
3- Everybody I spoke with was exceptionally friendly.
4- What a cool track! I've driven it an a formula car, but I'd forgotten how cool it is! lots of elevation changes, and you are constantly busy. And the improvements they've made are great. You can see 90% of a lap from the hill over the esses, and about 80% of a lap from the hill over turn 2. Specatcular spectating track!
Some pics: The view, yes, thats the bay in the background, and the mountains beyond, and the IT grid, see how many non miatas you can find!
And, from this board, "Tak", (Tachi) in his white RX-7.
1- Miatas miatas and more miatas. They are everywhere....seemed like there were 125 of them, and they double and triple dip in SSM, SMT, ITA, and ITX. (I think SSM is a variant of the SM rules, and I think SMT is the proper SM class, but I'm not sure what the T part is all about. Maybe someone can straighten me out. ITA is obviously ITA, and ITX is an open class that exists for double entries.)
2- The IT group was HUGE....except the "true" IT cars were rare.
ITA had about 5 or so that weren't Miatas in SM prep, and they were ALL RX-7s. Not a single Honda, Acura or Nissan was seen either on the track or in the paddock or even on the registration sheet. ITB had two cars, one of which made it to the track...a multicolored Volvo 142. Driven by quite a character....he also was the guy who did the One Lap of America in an unlimited mileage rental car. "We changed the oil twice for them" he added. LOL
ITC had 3 really pretty Datsun 510s. Agian, not a Honda in sight.
ITS was only a 2 car field, both Mazda RX-7s, and ITR had a Honda S2000 as it's lone entry.
3- Everybody I spoke with was exceptionally friendly.
4- What a cool track! I've driven it an a formula car, but I'd forgotten how cool it is! lots of elevation changes, and you are constantly busy. And the improvements they've made are great. You can see 90% of a lap from the hill over the esses, and about 80% of a lap from the hill over turn 2. Specatcular spectating track!
Some pics: The view, yes, thats the bay in the background, and the mountains beyond, and the IT grid, see how many non miatas you can find!
And, from this board, "Tak", (Tachi) in his white RX-7.