Koni Challenge Race - Homestead-Miami Speedway March 14-15 FREE Admission
03-16-2009, 04:10 PM
#76
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Thanks a lot for an unbelievable weekend!!!!
Saturday was great with all the Mazda people out there, too bad the RX-8's didn't do too good in the race.
Sunday I was the only RX-8 there, or make that the only Mazda in the garage area. But it was great too, although no Mazdas were racing on the GS class. Parade laps were pretty good on both days. Turn 8 is the best spot to watch the race.
Thanx a lot to all the Grand Am people and all the Mazda people and all the Mazda teams for being so extremely friendly, letting us into the garage and paddock areas as if we were part of the teams, they even let me sit in the #30 RX-8 just before it went out on the track!! (special mention to driver Eric Meyer for giving us a detailed tour of the #30 car explaining what's everything for, and for having such a great attitude towards us).
You couldn't get any closer than this unless you're actually driving one of the cars, which would be pretty nice if they would let us :-D
Will post pics and videos soon!
Saturday was great with all the Mazda people out there, too bad the RX-8's didn't do too good in the race.
Sunday I was the only RX-8 there, or make that the only Mazda in the garage area. But it was great too, although no Mazdas were racing on the GS class. Parade laps were pretty good on both days. Turn 8 is the best spot to watch the race.
Thanx a lot to all the Grand Am people and all the Mazda people and all the Mazda teams for being so extremely friendly, letting us into the garage and paddock areas as if we were part of the teams, they even let me sit in the #30 RX-8 just before it went out on the track!! (special mention to driver Eric Meyer for giving us a detailed tour of the #30 car explaining what's everything for, and for having such a great attitude towards us).
You couldn't get any closer than this unless you're actually driving one of the cars, which would be pretty nice if they would let us :-D
Will post pics and videos soon!
03-16-2009, 08:03 PM
#77
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I am sure that Eric will chime in later when he gets back home. I just got home from Miami less than 20 minutes ago. Even though we didn't have a large turn out, those who showed up, had a great time.
I want to thank those that helped out Freedom Motorsports with some OEM parts that they needed. I will be writing an article on how they helped out Freedom and how much they appreciated that help and support from the fans.
Eric enjoyed having the fans in his paddock, so did Freedom, Pirate, Sahlen's, Maxwell, Flat Out and even some of the other teams. If you enjoyed this weekend, Let Grand-Am know or PM and I will forward your responses to Steve and the other marketing guys for Grand-Am...it is only going to get better,,,,
For those who didn't attend and see the ST Race, the last 50 minutes was some of the best racing seen in a long time.....Civic vs MX-5, a very, very close race.....
Check out the Grand-Am site for further info...
I want to thank those that helped out Freedom Motorsports with some OEM parts that they needed. I will be writing an article on how they helped out Freedom and how much they appreciated that help and support from the fans.
Eric enjoyed having the fans in his paddock, so did Freedom, Pirate, Sahlen's, Maxwell, Flat Out and even some of the other teams. If you enjoyed this weekend, Let Grand-Am know or PM and I will forward your responses to Steve and the other marketing guys for Grand-Am...it is only going to get better,,,,
For those who didn't attend and see the ST Race, the last 50 minutes was some of the best racing seen in a long time.....Civic vs MX-5, a very, very close race.....
Check out the Grand-Am site for further info...
03-17-2009, 05:37 AM
#79
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Here's the first video I uploaded walking through the garage...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7efzdeNh3BI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7efzdeNh3BI
03-17-2009, 03:03 PM
#81
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You can PM this...
This is the second time I've gone to a Mazda event at the Homestead speedway and each time it was great. This year I decided to take my girlfriend and her son. I have to say that I was both surprised and very happy by there response of the weekend. I can honestly say my girlfriend now understands why I can be so envolved when it comes to my car and the concept of being able to race it some day.
Ironically it was the parade lap that made the most impact. They really had no idea what was in store for them until we got on the track. I proceeded to engage in some spirited driving (censored for the track officials) and I could hear three things, all of which made me very happy. 1) The sound of internal combustion (no I didn't fart), 2) my girlfriend giggling like a school girl, but most importantly 3) her son making "VROOM" and "WEEEE" noises. More more more they cept yelling...I realized how exciting it was the first time I got to autocross/road race.
Then a horrible thing happened...We only got ONE LAP! Both my girl and her son were like "AWWWW MAN" (he's three btw)! My girlfriend later explained that the experience left her disappointed and wanting more at the same time. This may have expained her mood for the rest of the day...You guys seriously need to help me here...GAWD!
Unfortunatly, my girlfriends little boy was getting too much sun, even after applying sunscreen, so we decided to leave around 1pm. Regardless, we will never forget the experience and my girlfriend is all about going again.
This is the second time I've gone to a Mazda event at the Homestead speedway and each time it was great. This year I decided to take my girlfriend and her son. I have to say that I was both surprised and very happy by there response of the weekend. I can honestly say my girlfriend now understands why I can be so envolved when it comes to my car and the concept of being able to race it some day.
Ironically it was the parade lap that made the most impact. They really had no idea what was in store for them until we got on the track. I proceeded to engage in some spirited driving (censored for the track officials) and I could hear three things, all of which made me very happy. 1) The sound of internal combustion (no I didn't fart), 2) my girlfriend giggling like a school girl, but most importantly 3) her son making "VROOM" and "WEEEE" noises. More more more they cept yelling...I realized how exciting it was the first time I got to autocross/road race.
Then a horrible thing happened...We only got ONE LAP! Both my girl and her son were like "AWWWW MAN" (he's three btw)! My girlfriend later explained that the experience left her disappointed and wanting more at the same time. This may have expained her mood for the rest of the day...You guys seriously need to help me here...GAWD!
Unfortunatly, my girlfriends little boy was getting too much sun, even after applying sunscreen, so we decided to leave around 1pm. Regardless, we will never forget the experience and my girlfriend is all about going again.
03-17-2009, 07:52 PM
#82
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You can PM this...
This is the second time I've gone to a Mazda event at the Homestead speedway and each time it was great. This year I decided to take my girlfriend and her son. I have to say that I was both surprised and very happy by there response of the weekend. I can honestly say my girlfriend now understands why I can be so envolved when it comes to my car and the concept of being able to race it some day.
Ironically it was the parade lap that made the most impact. They really had no idea what was in store for them until we got on the track. I proceeded to engage in some spirited driving (censored for the track officials) and I could hear three things, all of which made me very happy. 1) The sound of internal combustion (no I didn't fart), 2) my girlfriend giggling like a school girl, but most importantly 3) her son making "VROOM" and "WEEEE" noises. More more more they cept yelling...I realized how exciting it was the first time I got to autocross/road race.
Then a horrible thing happened...We only got ONE LAP! Both my girl and her son were like "AWWWW MAN" (he's three btw)! My girlfriend later explained that the experience left her disappointed and wanting more at the same time. This may have expained her mood for the rest of the day...You guys seriously need to help me here...GAWD!
Unfortunatly, my girlfriends little boy was getting too much sun, even after applying sunscreen, so we decided to leave around 1pm. Regardless, we will never forget the experience and my girlfriend is all about going again.
This is the second time I've gone to a Mazda event at the Homestead speedway and each time it was great. This year I decided to take my girlfriend and her son. I have to say that I was both surprised and very happy by there response of the weekend. I can honestly say my girlfriend now understands why I can be so envolved when it comes to my car and the concept of being able to race it some day.
Ironically it was the parade lap that made the most impact. They really had no idea what was in store for them until we got on the track. I proceeded to engage in some spirited driving (censored for the track officials) and I could hear three things, all of which made me very happy. 1) The sound of internal combustion (no I didn't fart), 2) my girlfriend giggling like a school girl, but most importantly 3) her son making "VROOM" and "WEEEE" noises. More more more they cept yelling...I realized how exciting it was the first time I got to autocross/road race.
Then a horrible thing happened...We only got ONE LAP! Both my girl and her son were like "AWWWW MAN" (he's three btw)! My girlfriend later explained that the experience left her disappointed and wanting more at the same time. This may have expained her mood for the rest of the day...You guys seriously need to help me here...GAWD!
Unfortunatly, my girlfriends little boy was getting too much sun, even after applying sunscreen, so we decided to leave around 1pm. Regardless, we will never forget the experience and my girlfriend is all about going again.
03-18-2009, 10:12 AM
#83
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I jut arrived home from Miami it was a good weekend, weather was great. I work on the Maxwell team, our Rx8 was running strong, we had a top 5 car, unfortunately an issue occurred on the back stretch. but we will get it fixed and the car should be ready to run in a few weeks when we head to Laguna Seca.
03-23-2009, 10:13 AM
#84
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I have already lobbied for more laps and it has been taken into consideration by Grand-Am. Also, sorry to here about your girlfriends son, glad he is ok though. We are doing these all over the country and your ideas and thoughts mean a lot to Grand-Am, so keep em coming and I can assure you that they won't fall on deaf ears.
I do have some ideas though...not sure how good but ideas. If it were up to me I would have stayed all day long but my loved ones are not as race crazy as I can be so if I/we could make it more comfortable for them to stay longer then we probably would have spent more while at the races.
1) Covered seating
2) Large fans and water mist (kinda like the ones they have at Disney to cool off the customers).
3) Reorganize events...If the parade lap would have been closer (time wise) to the street tuner race I could have convinced my girl to stay and watch.
Perhaps this sounds logical. Either way it was a great experience!
Regards,
Chris
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