Cut, weld, paint again...

[chewy8000]

I thought I had posted this before, but now with the image gallery. lesson #1 Don't paint your car for drivers school! Miata + rabbit + 60mph = missing first 3 races.





The motor is straight, but my wallet isn't... Thats the gamble.

[spnkzss]

Is the top picture current state or before spring school? I was wondering if you got all that worked out. I was hanging with Gregg, and the specific blue thing that hit you was my student

[chewy8000]

No the top pic was right outa the paint shop 2 weeks before the school. We have put some serious hours in trying to get back to the track, but it's not looking good for MARRS#2. Had the shock tower pulled out but welding in the new front clip from the towers forward is the pain. Plus we found a ton of stuff motor related from the impact. Oh well all in good fun.

[dave parker]

Maybe one day the DC Region "powers that be" will figure out that there should be an "All Miata" group at drivers school. Then the sacrificing of good IT cars can stop.
I am sure that I am asking way too much.

Anything can be fixed, NASA has proved that many times. All it takes is money.
cheers

Dave Parker
WDCR HP#97
2007 MARRS HP Champion

[dickita15]

Maybe one day the DC Region "powers that be" will figure out that there should be an "All Miata" group at drivers school. Then the sacrificing of good IT cars can stop.
I am sure that I am asking way too much.

Anything can be fixed, NASA has proved that many times. All it takes is money.
cheers

Dave Parker
WDCR HP#97
2007 MARRS HP Champion

Kind of like a quarantine to contain the infection.
Actually that is the way it is in NER now.

[dave parker]

Hi Dick
I am glad to hear that another region is already doing it. It seems that Miatas hitting other Miatas results in less carnage than Miatas and any other make of car. Although it seems that the drinking team (with a racing problem ) that Tristan is affiliated with (me as well, in the interest of full disclosure) has suffered alot at the hands of the Mazda pilots.

Just a personal observation.


cheers
Dave Parker
WDCR HP#97
2007 MARRS HP Champion

[chewy8000]

I believe the word at school was they came very close to dropping all of us in another group since there were 2 or 3 open wheel cars and almost 30 miatas. I wish they did, could have saved me tons of late nights and $$$$$. I understand the risks completely and you can't think you can go out there unscathed, but It's painful when you do all the work yourself and "crunch" back to the drawing board. I know this happens alot, but I came very close to hanging it all up. Dave, It seems we are trading driver's school carnage photo's of VW's involved in miata incidents far too often.

[dickita15]

Well the truth of it is we run 3 groups, two closed wheel and one open so having a group that is just Miatas came naturally, they are a popular school car. Actually we also had one SSB in the group this year. Ironically none 4 of the on track instructors including myself were in Miatas. I actually think our group did pretty good this year. I spent two days on track with these guys and never got a scratch despite torturing many of them. Now when we release them into the wild and they are exposed to the special me culture I am not sure what will happen.

[cafcwest]

Tristan,

I hung around and spoke with you at MARRS 1 under the KR canopy - hope you re-build is coming along well, and see you at the track!

-Jayson

[chewy8000]

Here is a little update. Front end is solid and motor is dead-on where it should be.

[spnkzss]

Here is a little update. Front end is solid and motor is dead-on where it should be.

MARRS 2able?

Looks good.

[dave parker]

Tristan
Good to see the Rabbit is coming back together. Nice white hood prop rod, that must have come out of some Production car pilots spares pile .
Hopefully you will be ready for MARRS 3.

cheers
Dave Parker
WDCR HP#97
2007 MARRS HP Champion

[JamesB]

Tristan,

Looking great man. Hope you have her all settled down for M3. Right now im teetering on making M2. If the shocks come back today I should make it, if not M3 it is for me.

[chewy8000]

Thanks Dave,

Not going to make MARRS #2 unfortunately. I can't run Friday because of work and didn't want to rush into it without properly testing the car first. I'm running a new radiator and oil cooler system that has to run through a few laps. I also didn't want to ruin anyone elses weekend at my expense. The welding went great and I wouldn't be this far without the help of the Mo Beer Racing crew. They are def. experts at bringing cars back from the grave. The whole experience actually gave me an opportunity to nit pick a ton of parts that needed to be replaced while the motor was out. Cars at paint and will be looking forward to MARRS#3.

[markw]

Chewy, It does not happen a lot. It can happen. The bummer is in hindsight most contact is avoidable. You are gaining valuable experience by putting your car back together. The few times my scirocco was damaged beyond use, it came back faster the next time out. Sorry you had this happen so soon into your career. In 20 plus years, I have only damaged my car 3 times beyond use. In all 3 instances it was my fault. Once you start racing, you'll realize who you can be comfortable with on the track. Driver's schools have a tremendous cross section of rookies. mark

[Grumpa]

Tristan,
Hang in there, the car is looking better all the time. My ITC Rabbit popped the turn 15 concrete at IRP in May, shoved the front end sideways 2 1/2" and twisted the chassis an 1 1/2" L-R horizontal. Haven't decide whether to clip the front end as I don't want to stretch it back, but once I put the new motor in it last year the car was way too much fun to race. The guy behind the wheel at the time replaced the Rabbit with an '84 VW GTI, I'm currently getting it ready for IRP in July. I really hope you get yours back to raceshape soon. Are you going to go to MidOhio in August?

For the record, your fresh paint car looks great - but I liked your old avatar better.

[chewy8000]

Finished all the work and the car is alive and well... Other than the rookie move at MARRS 3 (not filling the radiator up all the way = overheating) Everything went well and the car was solid. First rookie race complete, one to go.

[Gregg]

Way to be modest, Tristian.

:026:

Somebody had a great run in the rain to take second place (in a field of 16 or so ITB cars) in his very first race.

Needless to say his drivers' school instructors were both very proud.

[spnkzss]

Way to be modest, Tristian.

:026:

Somebody had a great run in the rain to take second place (in a field of 16 or so ITB cars) in his very first race.

Needless to say his drivers' school instructors were both very proud.

I meant to bring this up. I was excited to see him moving through the field in the rain like he was. Congrads.

[dave parker]

It was good to see Tristan shine in his first race.
I thought it was also very neat to see BOTH of his drivers school instructors in the impound area to congratulate him.
I did find it very interesting that both of them said in unison "Obviously you did not listen to anything that Dave Parker told you."
I am not sure what that meant.

cheers
Dave Parker
MARRS HP#97
2007 MARRS HP Champion