Think Racing

2012-01-16T16:40:00.000-08:00

Here's a lap in my Yellow Miata - which was sold - this past September.

2011-12-28T16:35:00.000-08:00

Looks fast, even on jack stands

More pictures can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thinkracing/sets/

2011-12-28T08:29:00.000-08:00

2012 car getting it's vinyl face lift today!

2011-12-26T14:11:00.000-08:00

Going SCCA Production Car Racing

I have always been in love with the SCCA - warts and all - and have been thinking for some time now about racing with the club in something more modern. The MG's days in club racing are behind it and I'm still very young - young enough to learn a new car.

So, a couple of weeks aover the summer, I bought a FP Miata out of Texas and planned to run up here in the DC Region for a while. I raced it in September and finished well placing second in the Labor Day race and overall, enjoying a competitive and maintenance free weekend.

I sold this particular car a few months later, because it was not the best platform for me to use as I launch into another chapter of my racing career. I did sell it to another racer in the area, so I expect to see it again soon. I then bought a roller out of NC owned by David Bryson. This car was a top notch, no expense spared effort, so I'm happy with my foundation.

Jesse Prather Motorsports (http://www.jesseprathermotorsports.com/) has built the motor, transmission and suspension and Third Wave Digital has signed up to sponsor the car in the 2012 SCCA DC Region's Mid-Atlantic Road Racing Series (MARRS).

In the coming weeks and months, I'll post updates of the car, the build and the progress we make as we prepare to embark on what we hope to be a successful 2012 racing series.

Special thanks to my friends at Third Wave Digital (http://www.thirdwavedigital.com/).

2010-09-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

Blogger and Blogging

Blogger has not been an easy tool to use. Unlike WordPress, at the time, Google was not putting any resources behind improving the functionality of this tool. WordPress is in constant development.

So, I got tired of trying to make it work. I figured I would give it some time and maybe they would make some changes. A second chance could be in order.

A full race season has passed. The VDCA race at Roebling is a few months away from being a year old and since then I've been to three different race tracks - Road Atlanta, BeaveRun and Summit Point.

I'll post updates over the next few weeks in an attempt to get back into the blogging spirit and provide an update of the racing season and the plans we have in place for next year.

2009-12-02T15:05:00.000-08:00

A lap around Roebling in a Spec Miata

1:22.7 Lap at Roebling Road Raceway from Glenn Stephens on Vimeo.

2009-11-26T08:26:00.000-08:00

In the final days of preparation

It is the Thanksgiving holiday and everything is in place for the VDCA's finale at Roebling Road Raceway located near Savannah Georgia.

The car is ready and I'll start packing shortly. This past month I became a member of the Vintage Driver's Club of America (VDCA) and have registered my car. I have my licensing credentials, as well as my 2010 SCCA license.

The finale is going to be a fun event. Besides being my first event with the VDCA, I'll also get to see and race against some of my MG buddies. I have not raced any of these guys yet, so I look forward to seeing how the car and driver stack up.

2009-10-04T16:08:00.000-07:00

Roebling Road

Now all eyes are fixed on the second week of December. We'll be driving to Savannah, Ga., for the VDCA's final race of the season at Roebling Road.

This will be my first real vintage race, so I'm excited about seeing how the car and driver compare to the rest of the field.

I'm busily preparing for this event.

2009-10-02T09:13:00.001-07:00

Labor Day MARRS

Summit Point, WV

2009

Recap is way overdue, but here is a video in the mean time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKtXbd08ccM

2009-08-29T19:37:00.000-07:00

Towing in style

Last weekend, we were in Va. finishing the trailer and towing it back to Pa. It was a successful trip and I am very pleased with the end product.

Work continued Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning before loading up and pulling out. No real issues ... we lost the tongue jack halfway home and I also learned that I needed to adjust the brake balance inside the truck cab to keep the trailer brakes from locking up. That first couple of lock ups was interesting.

Here are some updated photos to reflect the AC unit, the work bench/storage unit, electrical and decorations ;)

2009-08-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

Off to the races

This coming Labor Day weekend is MARRS 9 & 10 at Summit Point Raceway. I'm entered. It is a shake down event and hopefully after finishing the weekend, I will have secured my license for another year. I have not been on track since October of last year when I lost the clutch at the Point.

This weekend I've started packing. I'm really excited.

2009-08-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

Trailer update

Since we are going to get my trailer this week, I thought I would record a quick update. During the last few months, my dad has been rocking on the build out of my new 20' enclosed trailer.

We did the floor together, but other than that, he has owned this thing and despite his weeks of travel in service to the country, he has found the time to make it happen.

Here's the short list with some pictures taken around July 4. Most of this has since been painted and finished.

The front section has three areas. A bathroom, which consists of a portable toilet on a riser with a fold out door that meets an accordion door providing total privacy.

The middle section is a table top with shelf and cabinets, as well as a galley sink. Underneath the table top goes the roll around Craftsman tool box during travel and the big cooler when at the races. The shelf will have a small microwave and there is room for a fridge should we go that far. There is also a fluorescent light mounted underneath the shelf.

The third section is for hanging coats and my race suit, as well as multiple drawers for whatever we will need for surviving. When a racer packs to go to the track, we take a lot of stuff, because 1) you are living there for three days and 2) you need anything and everything in case you break something. I have all sorts of spares that I bring with me in tubs. The last thing you want is to lose a water pump and have to go home, losing the entire investment of the weekend.

There are three large two bulb fluorescent light boxes that hang throughout the trailer. In addition along the walls both inside and outside are power boxes. There is a fuse box that handles the power coming into the trailer and enough wiring and outlets to power anything I have and anything my paddock neighbors might have including my AC unit which goes in this coming weekend.

My aunt and uncle did some renovation to their kitchen, so I got some of their oak kitchen cabinets. In addition, mom and dad also did some renovation, and I got the drawers that are near the hanging clothes area. Here is another one of the cabinets toward the rear of the trailer.

Since taking these pictures, dad has built a rolling tool bench with multi-power outlet box, florescent light and vise with a pegboard back that will double as a storage unit while traveling. It is made to go over the front of the car and secure to the sides preventing both forward, backward and side-to-side movement. Storage will be a key factor when packing for the race track.

In addition, he has put a mount in the floor that will connect to my winch, so I can continue to load the car on my own.

I'm real proud of the work dad has done and in three weeks, we'll be camping in this thing, sleeping on cots with the AC pumping. When the ladies join us, we'll retreat to the hotels.

2009-08-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

Back together and running

The last several weekends have been a blur of activity. Wiring issues sorted, starter issues sorted, nearly a hundred things resolved, but for the most part, the car is done, running and ready for the next race.

I was very pleased with how everything has come together, and I have enjoyed solving those problems as they have arisen. Now, I look forward to getting the car on track and fully sorted.
This weekend I backed the car out of the garage to see if she would pull forward under her own power, which she did. It had not occurred to me until this moment though, that this was the very first appearance outside of the garage that the Biscuit had made since we moved to Pennsylvania.

We are off to Virginia this weekend to finish up-fitting my new trailer - installing the AC, painting the undercarriage and hanging the dry erase board, Think Racing clock and McConnell family Crest (tradition). It is coming back with us, so I can start loading it for the Labor Day race at Summit Point.

I admit that I get a lot of pleasure from essentially building this car from scratch in three months, but I am also glad to see it together again. I'll probably leave it together for a while now. We are going to move on to dad's car and I want to start studying some of my spare engines, so I can learn to build them myself. I've also thought some about the long-term possibility of adding another car to stable as a "foster" car that I would rent to other drivers. A Sprite or Midget that runs as a limited prep SCCA production racer. It would not be fast, but people could rent it for schools, to maintain their license, or for more experience. That would be a fun little side business and give me more time at the track than I get when I'm paying the bills with a little help from sponsors. I'm just thinking out loud.

Fun times ahead.

2009-07-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

What about the car?

All of this talk about new trucks and tricked out trailers, but what about the diamond that sits in the middle?

She is coming along. Pictured above are numerous pictures of the journey. New engine, new HS6 carbs, new Mallory Unilite distributor, new wiring, new wheel studs, new, new, new, or cleaned, cleaned and painted.

The motor is in, the carbs are on and the exhaust is hung. The brake system is done including the re-routing of the rear brake line through the cockpit - along with the main battery line and fuel line. This is done to protect these lines. If they remained under the car they could get ripped off if I went off the track.

The wiring is done and bundled and the battery has been moved to the passenger side. The front steering needs to be finished along with running the fuel lines through the pressure regulator to the carbs. The brakes and clutch need to be bled and pressure built up. The oiling system needs to be connected and the cooling system installed. Probably 10 other things I looked past - my notes are downstairs.

Oh yeah, and it needs to start and run on its own. All by the first of September. Throw in a family vacation and weekend trips to my parents house and I am running behind.

I'll be down there tomorrow busily working ...

2009-07-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

Progress on the trailer

My dad is rocking it on the trailer. As the pictures show, it is wired for electricty, lights installed, cabinets in and even the fold out door that meets the accordian door creating a private space for - you guessed it - a toilet.

I'm real proud of his work and laugh every time I get an update. I'm traveling in a couple of weeks to help finish it and take it home. There is some trim work to do and dad needs to finish the two roll around work benches/storage. I'll help undercoat underneath the trailer and I bought an AC unit off of ebay for installation via the vent hole in the top. Its a perfect fit.

We have our first event in September and plan on spending two nights in the trailer. When the women join us, we'll move to hotels. The whole design is to allow a comfortable space while at the races in addition to any work that may need to be done. We have cots for our beds.

2009-07-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

Big G

A few months ago, I bought a very cheap red pick up. I was really excited about it. 5.7 liter V8, extended cab, long bed, plenty of power to pull the trailer filled with race goodies. Truth is, the truck was not my smartest purchase. I could write for days about why at the time it seemed like the right purchase. And now having lived with it for a while - I can write a page or two about why it was not the right purchase.

So, the red truck is going on craigslist with the hope that some aspiring businessman in Northern Virginia needs a decent work truck.

Enter my latest toy. A 2003 Chevy 2500 HD extended cab pick up. 6.0 liter V8, 77,000 miles, working AC :), 4x4, long bed, four-wheel disc brakes, working radio with CD :) and plenty more reasons why I probably should not own a nice truck like this. Now the family will ride with me and we can make some long reliable treks to race tracks in distant lands.

2009-06-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

Slow Progress

The move really set me back. I disassembled my whole car with a huge list of to dos before knowing I was changing jobs, moving and leaving the garage for nearly five months. I've missed the start and middle of the race season and won't see the track until September at the earliest. So, I'm hoofing it. From the top, I removed the jack points and welded in a 1x1x30 piece of steel in its place. The jack points were in the way when trying to actually jack up the low car. Next are the wheel studs, I replaced them all with much longer versions giving my lug nuts something more to grab on to than the original short studs. Painted the engine bay and built a new dash with the gauges clustered providing a quick glance verses having to scan them longitudinally. There is only so much time to check the gauges and they needed to be in a convenient locations.

Next up is wiring and installation of the motor and transmission, as well as custom building a new braking and fueling system. Stay tuned.

2009-06-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

100% Sure - $300 buy back

We found the old Sprite. No where near the condition she was when sold, but as you can see from the picture of my dad holding the log book, it is the same car. We bought it back for $300 and will bring it home as soon as we are done up fitting the trailer. Dad plans on restoring the car to its previous status. I have to say, we were quite pleased with our find. Thank goodness for the Internet, or it never would have happened. Read the entire story at www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?41,435441,page=1

2009-05-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

99.9% Sure

It is a story worth telling and at some point, I'll write it all down, but since September of '06 I have been on the hunt for Dad's old racer. I am about 99.9% sure I found it. The .1% to be confirmed this weekend as we head to Fredericksburg, Va to uncover the car believed to be the same one my dad built in 1975, raced and then sold in the mid 90s to cover some of our college expenses. I don't know what we'll do from there, but I'll let you know.

2009-04-16T08:39:00.000-07:00

Sweet!

2009-04-13T06:02:00.000-07:00

New Trailer

Cramper money converted into 8.5 x 20 enclosed car trailer. We pick it up next week and start upfitting the inside with paint, carpet, electricity, lights, cabinets and work benches.

2009-04-03T05:48:00.000-07:00

New Helmet Design

Jake Metzger, a designer colleague of mine designed this helmet for me. I am going to have it wrapped by another vendor who works with my company.

I told Jake that I wanted flames. I wanted to put flames on my car, but I will settle for the helmet. He is an edgy guy, so he added the bio hazard logo which I thought was cool and played into the whole racing, risk, driving in anger thematic that all racers deal with.

It is going off today, so I'm pretty excited. I have wanted to lose the white stormtrooper look for a while and these colors are the same as those on the car, so there will be some consistency of look.

The wrap verses paint, won't make it permanent and you can change it up over time without buying a new helmet.

Again, apologies for the poor formatting. I'm not sure what is going on.

2009-03-26T05:14:00.000-07:00

Latest addition

We sold the Cramper last Fall and I squirreled the money away. The plan was that we would find an inexpensive tow vehicle and new enclosed trailer. By also selling the Explorer this could be done easily with money back in the bank.

The enclosed trailer protects the car from the elements and any curious bystander, as well as provides an at-the-track workshop/living space/camping space (when the women are not with us). The tow vehicle gives us the freedom to go to a hotel, out to eat, or back and forth to registration, or any other location around the track. The extended cab makes room for the kids, the truck bed for the 4 wheeler.

The Explorer goes up for sale in April and I located this truck here in Altoona just down the street from my office. It is a '99 GMC 2500 pick up. It was a former railway support vehicle and has a lot of miles on it, but serviced extensively. The interior needs a lot of cleaning up - it was a work truck. But it looks great on the outside. Thanks to a new bed and paint job.

Not sure what we will call it yet, but I am looking forward to having it around for trips to Home Depot and those landscaping nursuries just as much as going to the races.

Anyone know how to fix the formatting so my paragraphs have spaces?

2009-03-24T13:09:00.000-07:00

All moved in!!

We are in the new home. I still have to unpack, but should be back to work in a couple of weeks!

2009-03-07T13:10:00.000-08:00

New Pit Vehicle

Last weekend, my son and I traveled to South Carolina to pick up this '98 Honda Recon ATV. It has never been trail ridden and is about the cleanest ATV you could find considering its age.

Its primary role will be to ride my kids around the neighborhood ;) But on a few weekends, it will tow my race car to the grid and shuttle my dad back and forth to the pits and a few us to varying turns during the other races.

It will go in the shop for a tune up and we'll replace the rear tires with a set that came with it!

2009-03-04T15:42:00.000-08:00

Race Prepped HS6 Carbs

While I am in the mood to post, I should catch up on the new set of HS6 race prepped SUs.

These are larger than the HS4s that I had been running and will provide the added fuel required by my motor.

We used the Lynx HS6 manifold and Volvo HS6s. The carbs have quite a few tweaks to them. Including CNC velocity stacks port matched to the throats of the carbs, there are epoxy ramps leading up to the bridge to smooth out the air flow coming into the carb, radiused piston, thinned throttle shafts, and the leading edge of the throttle disc are knife edged.

The intake is fully ported and match to the carbs, and the head. Included are custom made throttle linkage bars and a bracket for the return springs. The float bowl are orientated so that racing side loads won't affect them.

The throttle levers and choke arm levers are all off a set of MGB HS4.

They are beautiful and look great sitting on my office desk.

2009-03-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

Ouch, has it been that long?

It's been since Christmas since I posted anything? I have some updates, which I will capture, but most of them are around a move to a new city, purchase of a new home and the re-creation of another garage.

Not to mention the fact that no work has been done on the car since last year. Just the purchase of new parts.

So, to get things going in 2009, here is my favorite picture. It is of my dad (#40) in 1982 at Summit Point. They are in the Carousel. The front end of his car was recently repaired from a collision with half a dozen trees at the end of turn one when the pedal went to the floor after several turns and a long front straight at full throttle.

2008-12-21T10:18:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

It is vacation time and Christmas is literally around the corner.

With falling leaves, raking, re-doing the guest bathroom and a fairly extensive Winter cleaning, development and play time with the car has been slow at best. I have acquired a bunch of things, but none of them have made it on the car.

Engine and carbs should be done by the first of the year, so that is meaningful progress. I am going to pick them up around Jan. 2. I have also acquired some key spare parts which I will be picking up too. I hope to make the new dash and finish the electronics before having to go back to work on Monday, January 5, 2009.

Combine all of this work with some significant life transition coming soon, and I'm afraid I might again miss the beginning of the racing season. However, I feel confident we will be able to make several marquee vintage events this year.

We sold the Cramper this Fall. I loved that little motorhome, but honestly it cost more to store than to pay for a hotel room at each event. And, now we are not on the hook for gas, insurance, maintenance, etc. etc. So, instead at the beginning of this year, we are going to get a 7.5' x 24' enclosed car hauler. We'll put an AC unit in the top, as well as a microwave, refrigerator and bathroom. With some cots, dad and I could easily camp in it when the ladies are not with us ...

Merry Christmas everyone. More to come in the new year.

2008-11-24T18:51:00.000-08:00

Shots from Summit Point. Difference in wheels tells you whether it was wet or dry. Black (ugly) wheels have the wet tires. Superlite charcoal wheels are dry tires. Plus they look good too.

2008-11-17T09:27:00.000-08:00

I can't stop

It is the end of the season and for next year, I want to improve several things that could have been executed better the first time around, or there was not enough time or resources at the time.

Yesterday, I rolled the car out to pressure wash from the last race, as well as to clean out the engine bay in preparation for painting. Right now the motor is getting refreshed, a new set of carbs are being built and I plan on building a new dash and re-routing the fuel lines and brake lines through the cockpit.

I'm gonna be busy.

2008-11-03T10:40:00.000-08:00

Phase 2 of engine development

This weekend I went to Acme Speedshop to drop off my motor for some winter development. It was a great trip, because we actually broke the motor down together, giving me the chance to participate in the process, see the motor come apart and get a clear understanding of what was in there and how it all worked together.

Now apart, the motor will go to the machine shop to have the head and block decked several thousandths. This process increases your compression ratio, creating a more violent explosion thus increasing your horsepower. We are shooting for 13:1 compression. In addition to increasing the horsepower, I am installing a set of Pauter rods (pictured above) and high tension valve springs in order to sustain a higher number of engine revolutions. This motor should allow me to regularly shift at 7,200 rpm. Acme Speedshop is also going to build me a set of HS6 carbs. The larger carb will be able to provide the amount of fuel needed to feed the thirsty engine. I think I was getting about 7 miles to gallon on the smaller carbs and less developed motor. Of course, fuel mileage is not so much a concern for a sprint racing car verses an enduro car, or better yet, your commuter vehicle.

So, while the motor is being worked on, I am spending my time at home stripping the tub and making some much needed improvements to the fuel system, as well as looking for ways to refine certain functional aspects of the car. As I make changes, I'll post my progress.

2008-10-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

Refining my game

I have been doing more welding. This time, I needed a stand to hold an engine for transporting. Whether it is my current race motor, or the spare. I have needed something to hold and stabilize the motor so it would not bounce around or tip over while in transport. This one does the job ok and I will clean it up and paint it shortly.

In addition, I created a bracket to hold my remote oil filter housing. Though it does not make the car any faster, it is a nice touch of professionalism that improves my presentation.

2008-10-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

My License Arrived

Well it took 2 1/2 years to earn, but my competition license arrived at my house yesterday. I was excited to finally receive it and as dad says, "take care of it, it was expensive."

2008-10-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

A Riddle

What do Summit Point Motorsports Park, Pocono, Watkins Glen, Beaver Run, Lime Rock, N.J. Motorsports Park, Nelson Ledges and Mid-Ohio among others all have in common?

They could be within driving distance if we make the move ...

Just one of the many priorities one must consider in life.

2008-10-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

Building a Tire Rack for the trailer

I have always wanted a tire rack for my humble little home made trailer. Hauling around spare wheels - a luxury - is a hassle when you have to put them in the motorhome or Explorer. They take up so much space.

So, with my new found welding skills, welder and design inspiration from my last race weekend, I went to work.

I bought all of the metal, made the cuts and constructed the uprights. I then welded them onto the trailer and connected the cross rails. Then the gussets.

The rack looks great and will hold two additional sets of wheels - practice dry tires and rain tires.

After we got it together, my wife helped me paint it and voila. I am proud. My $300 trailer is maturing nicely. Pictures with tires is unpainted. Have also since trimmed the pole.

2008-10-12T17:52:00.000-07:00

Culprit unveiled

As you know, a few weekends ago, I was qualifying at Summit Point Motorsports Park for a SCCA regional race in FP.

Summit Point has a nice fast turn 10 and a long front straight with a tight turn one. You have the foot the floor for a long time before you hit the brakes hard. In this particular session, I came down the straight and when I hit the brakes and shoved the clutch in, the accelerator cable stuck and pegged the motor at 8,000+ rpm. I say + because my tach only goes to 8,000 and I am not sure where the motor went.

Anyhow in that sequence of events and my attempts to recover while not hitting anyone or going off track, I managed to explode the clutch.

So, if you ever wondered what happens when you dump a clutch at 8,000+ rpm in a B, this is your answer. I had the heavy duty clutch and pressure plate.

2008-09-30T16:16:00.000-07:00

2008-09-30T13:22:00.001-07:00

What quickly became the final event

It would not be a race weekend without high levels of drama for the Third Wave Advertising team.

First off, it was not a result I had hoped for and certainly not like what we experienced at Barber. I lost the pressure plate/throw out bearing in the second qualifying session on Saturday, so I viewed the group 8 production car race on Sunday from the stands outside of the carousel.

But the drama began long before we arrived at the track. It rained everyday from Thursday through Sunday – Tropical storms hitting the east coast and hurricanes traveling north on the Atlantic. We got as far as Durham, NC and the trailer started swaying. I always will speed it up a bit and pull out of it, but it wouldn't stop. It never sways much with the camper, because the camper just laughs back, but the Explorer is a bit different.

The swaying built up momentum and it was not too long before I realized that I was in trouble. The swaying got so bad that all four trailer wheels locked – they were no longer traveling forward - and you could hear the tires screeching as it swayed 70-80 degrees from side to side. I could see the entire car in my driver's side rearview mirror. Then the passenger side mirror and so on and so forth. The whole time I was slowing thinking I could minimize damage and getting pretty scared. Also envisioning turning on my side and losing both tow and race cars.

My kids were asleep in the back - clueless - and my wife was dead silent, sitting up straight, stiff as a board. By the time I got down to about 40, I hit the gas and pulled it out. From there on we went 55-60 mph with no more issues.

So, early Friday morning mom and I went over to a truck and trailer company in Manassas, Va., and had an equalizer hitch installed which balances out the tongue weight and eliminates the sway – it worked quite well.

After lunch, dad, my brother-in-law and I arrived at the track. We set up our paddock space, renewed my annual tech inspection and got registered before heading off to eat some of the best ribs ever in Winchester at the Cork Street Tavern (family tradition).

Saturday morning was light showers, so my first session was in the wet. This was my first time back since my October school and since then I have installed a new motor, new suspension, etc. So the objectives were to re-learn the line, find the right shift and braking points and get a feel for the suspension set up. I ran my rain tires and set the sway bars on a softer setting. In the wet I was about 15 seconds faster than my school times and found that my new motor had a lot more legs all over the track, especially on the front straight. The only drama was when finding the right braking points, I hit the brakes too soon going into T1 (at 100+ mph) and nearly beached the car in the gravel trap. While going through the gravel, I found second and surfed across, doing a huge donut in the grass on exit and slowly heading back on track praying that I did not lose my fuel lines underneath the car. I pulled into the pits, dad inspected and back out I went. My wife and sister joined us following this session, so they spent the rest of the weekend with us. Mom and the kids joined us on Sunday.

My second session was in the dry. I could tell with two hot laps and temperature in my tires that I was going to be able to post some competitive lap times. I had already knocked off 4 seconds in the dry turning a 1.35 on the two mile course.
On lap four, I came down the long front straight and the throttle stuck pegging the motor at 8 grand for about 1-2 seconds. At the point I pushed in the clutch with the motor pegged I think the revs were too much for the pressure plate or throw-out bearing and I lost all of the gears. I was able to match the revs, find third and limp back to the pits.

I won't know exactly what happened until I get the motor out. We did not attempt to fix it at the track. It had been pouring and we were paddocked in the grass/mud, so we resigned ourselves to a more leisurely weekend.

When the session ended my times netted me P3 in a grid of 6 F cars, but to no avail, my weekend was done. We packed up some ate barbeque, hung out at the worker party and walked the track. We were able to watch Auburn beat Tennessee – War Eagle.

This was a season ender for me. I will have to pull the motor and transmission in order to fix the car and do not want to rush to get that done for the next race weekend. And, other than a set of carbs, I probably won't make any huge investments this winter. This winter will be focused more on disassembling, cleaning, painting and modifying various elements of the car. I will work to improve existing elements such as moving the fuel line out from under the car, getting a new pump, regulator and modifying the battery boxes, as well as corner weighting the car. I have a bunch of other very small ideas for just making the car easier to work on and better looking mechanically.

Thanks to the folks at Third Wave Advertising for their friendship and support. Three races with two seconds are not bad results. Maybe we can get them a win next year.

2008-09-22T09:55:00.001-07:00

MARRS this weekend

We are headed to Summit Point Motorsports Park this coming weekend for the DC Region's MARRS 8.

I'm looking forward a real race weekend at the Point - my home track. We are in good shape, and the car is just about ready. Hopefully we will be competitive against a VERY competitive region.

I really enjoyed my time on track during my first school last October. The car is completely different than nearly a year ago when we were there last, so I anticipate much faster lap times. They better be if I am to keep with the leaders.

Here are some pictures from Barber.

2008-09-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

My supportive team

I don't talk about my family much, because of the public nature of this forum, but I can't help but to highlight how great they have been through this entire process.

My wife has been unbelievably supportive, even though this is not something that is of great interest to her, allowing me the time I have needed to get the car built, the schools passed and now the first race weekend behind us.

Thank you honey for loving and supporting me.

2008-09-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

We made the news.

Link to the Birminham News Web site with a photo of me going through the turn 5 complex.

http://blog.al.com/engine-block/2008/08/scca_alabama_region_at_barber.html

2008-09-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

Mission Accomplished!!

I had always been told that I took the hardest path to start racing - build your car – which I did from scratch - and it would take some time to get positive results, well outside of a little early drama, those positive results finally came this weekend and I have qualified for my SCCA regional.

We arrived early Friday afternoon and unloaded the car, set up the paddock space and went through registration and tech.

The first issue we struggled with was timing, one of the first things we did Friday was confirm that the TDC mark was dead on and it was. When we timed the car at where we needed it - 32 BTDC - it was so retarded, it would barely crank and run.

When we got it where we thought it should be, I went out for my first qualifying session on Saturday. I had never been on this track, had the wrong differential gearing and was short shifting in order to properly break in the new motor. The motor had no real time on it to this point.

We had her dialed in for qualifying, but when I went out it would not run and I did my customary three laps and ended up parking it along the second straight getting flat towed back to my paddock space.

We were sure we knew the problem, but when investigating found that the freshly rebuilt #5 rocker arm had snapped. Thought for sure we had bent the push rod and possibly botched the cam lobe.

Luckily when we pulled the pushrod it was straight and the lifter was fine.

Hap and dad were machines. We drained the radiator, loosened the head, pulled the rocker assembly, pulled the carbs, pulled the side vent to check the lifter. Rebuilt the rocker assembly, re-installed everything, adjusted the valves, ran her through a heat cycle. Re-torqued the head, re-adjusted the valves and got her humming. All is three hours. With 10 minutes to spare we headed to the grid. Dad said she sounded the smoothest yet, Hap said he had a good feeling and me - well my previous four outings had me skeptical.

Got the green gridded next to last - I had not posted an official qualifying time - and she sputtered. The pack left me. The carbs cleared out and we were off - good oil pressure and cool water temps.

I had passed 14 people when the checker dropped and finished second in class.

Pretty much after that drama and then having the car run great for the race, we adopted let’s not fix what isn't broken mentality. We did a lot of checking and looking over, but not any changing.

Sunday's qualifying went well, with each session on track I improved on my time, I qualified a little over a second faster than my best time in Saturday’s race.

When the race rolled around and the green dropped the car lost power for the first lap. I pulled into the pits knowing that I had thrown the race away. While on pit lane the carbs cleaned out and it sounded great, so I went back out – still on the same lap – and just started running.

From that point I began to run down several cars and work his way up thru the field again. I finished second when the checkered dropped and my best time in the race was 1.6 seconds faster than the winner and the fastest FP car on the track for the Sunday race.

That last race was hard, because I knew I had a shot. But when I pulled into the pits I also knew I lost it. So when Hap sent me out to run laps (I needed seven to count) I learned vs. know what it means to drive in anger. Honestly, I shed about two tears of frustration and then dialed it in. Four wheel drifts, on the edge, driving the best that I could - and staying out of the way of the baby grands and Spec Racer Fords.

So, with two second place finishes for the weekend and having turned the fastest FP lap for the race, and was within a tenth of the fastest FP lap turned all weekend I am no longer a rookie

Barber Motorsports Park is a awesome facility and is a great handling track with lots of elevation changes. Mr. Barber doesn't do anything slack.

You can read more about it with some pictures at

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?41,890415

2008-08-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

We are off to the races this weekend!

(Sorry for the poor spacing - the format won't change despite my best efforts)

This weekend is a double race weekend at Barber Motorsports Park just outside of Birmingham, Alabama (http://www.barbermotorsportpark.com/).

It will be my FIRST official race weekend. The last three outings have jaded me a bit toward the cynical side about my odds for completing a successful weekend. Daytona school, CMP track day and the dyno test and tune were all important learning events, but not ones that I look back on with great fondness. However, each have netted a key learning in the development of the car, so they were not complete losses - just really, really expensive.

So, I spent the past two weeks working on the cooling system and replacing the rocker assembly. The car is firing and running well, but there is still one issue on the table as it relates to the car's timing and its affect on the water temperature. We will address it at the track.

Dad flies in Thursday night and we leave early Friday morning. Qualifying and races on both Saturday and Sunday. Then the long drive back - hopefully adulation filled.

I'll bring the cramper over early this week to fill up the water tank, check the tire pressures and oil and start packing it up for the long weekend.

I am pretty excited. I have been studying a lot of track footage, so I know my way around. I have never turned a lap at Barber, so when you combine the car issues, first race jitters and foreign territory, it is making for a anxious event. Still, steaks with dad on Saturday night at the track will be fun. The weather looks good too.

Here is a lap in a radical - My car is not this fast ;). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwThod-UvgM

2008-08-17T05:25:00.000-07:00

On the Dyno

Well, we took another baby step toward getting the car sorted out. Hap scheduled a dyno run for me at Top Dead Center Auto in Spartanburg, SC.

As you followed, we had a less than stellar test day at CMP in July, though we solved those issues that only the track can reveal - tire rub.

So this time, we decided to take the less costly and lower involved dyno route to finish out the tuning process. So, Kevin Hart and I met Hap this morning for the runs. It was another mixed bag.

We got the timing dialed in and the fuel to air mix is good. But the computer never captured any data from the runs, so no hp numbers, no torque numbers, etc. But we discovered that there was a hidden issue with the rocker arm assembly that first revealed itself in Daytona.

So, there is some work to do. We also saw some dangerously high water temps with no real explaination as to why. I have some work and investigation to do.

Here are two links to short videos of the runs.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=40912549 http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=40916394

And two pictures of the car on the rack and out front of TDC Auto.

2008-07-28T08:58:00.001-07:00

New Addition

I have been looking at a number of cars for opportunities to buy, strip and sell so as to afford my hobby. In addition, I really wanted another GT, especially having crushed Pricilla last year. She was beyond restoration, so I don't regret that decision, but of all MGs, my favorite are the GTs.

My buddy Kevin has a former business partner that has three GTs in various conditions located in Advance, NC. Of those three was this one. A white '69 MG BGT.

This car has a solid body - rust exists in the normal locations - but serves as a strong starting point. The bonus is that it has a highly coveted overdrive transmission. Sale of the overdrive will nearly fund the entire purchase price of the automobile.

I don't anticipate restoring this car anytime soon, but when I am ready, I'll have a great place to begin.

2008-07-28T08:54:00.000-07:00

Sweet metal fabrication

Another problem I had at CMP was extremely high oil temperatures. One of the culprits, we believed to be very poor air flow through the oil cooler.

I relocated mine to below the shelf from its stock position. But I did not provide any air deflection, so most likely the air went the path of least resistance, passing around the cooler and not through it.

I was at my parents house in Northern Virginia last week and Saturday was play in the garage day, so dad and I made this.

He has a slightly shorter one for his 10 row cooler. Mine is 1 3/4" taller with 16 rows. It is a sturdy aluminum and is designed to connect to the oil cooler in the back using the stock mounting points and there is a bracket for the front.

Once I get home, I will mount it and do a few other things to ensure an air tight fit, but this is a great beginning. I'm real pleased with how it turned out.

Dad gave me the patterns that he made, so I am going to make a few more to sell for some extra money.

2008-07-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

NC Mountain Drive in a MGB

A first for me since the 90s

Highway 66 and 89 are some fine roads if you ever want to take your sports car out for a spirited drive. Lots of fast swooping turns and tight switch backs. Plenty of people along the way to wave at and a few quirky General Stores to stop off and grab a cold drink.

That is what about five of us did this morning as part of the regular meet up of Winston-Salem area MG owners. It was a blast and the first outing of that kind for me since the 90s. Man oh man was it fun and the whole time I imagined that, "if only I had a BGT, then the whole family could be with me right now."

It was a good time, with good people. I made a movie about it. Pretty funny, but I tapped into this muvee software that is on my computer. It's really cool. The quality is a bit poor, but what can you expect with a cheap digital still camera. Enjoy!!

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=38815994

Oh, and as a special bonus, I picked up a special package on the way back to get my car - my son.

2008-07-18T19:32:00.000-07:00

Going off-topic

I just realized that this is an incredibly boring blog, but since no one reads it, it really doesn't matter. However, tomorrow morning has given me a great reason to go slightly off topic.

There is a good friend of mine who owns MGs who is making a great effort at getting local Triad area MG owners together on a regular basis. Nothing organized, like a club, but simply a, "hey let's meet up and go for a drive, have breakfast, or share some tips" everynow and then.

Anyhow, tomorrow we are meeting up at 9 a.m. for a group drive into the mountains. Now, I am attending these gatherings, but I don't own a street MG, so I am that one random guy that shows up in a Ford. And, though I miss not having a street car, I still enjoy hanging out with like minded people and their beautiful cars.

So going back to my buddy - he owns two MGs and asked me earlier this week if I wanted to drive his blue '75 MGB during tomorrow's drive. I said yes - of course - but what is really cool about it, is that I have not driven a street stock MG since the 90s.

I am really looking forward to it. I'll get some pictures and post a follow up tomorrow.

2008-07-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

A Slow Lap around Carolina Motorsports Park

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=38449732

I did get some video of my first of only three laps. Little did I know what the day held for me, but this particular lap was plaqued with a stuck accelerator pedal. So I eased my way around, went into the pits, got it unstuck and then completed my other two laps.

On another positive note, the exhaust has been fixed. I picked it up from the professionals yesterday. So, no more homemade exhausts from me for a while. It turned out to be much cheaper to have it done by someone who knows what they are doing.

2008-07-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

Successfully unsuccessful

Well, to avoid a lot of the nasty details, this past weekend I did my scheduled test day to ensure that we worked out the bugs prior to our July SCCA race.

It did not go very well. Well, actually depending on how you look at it, it also went very well. But what I thought was going to be simple arrive and drive, turned out to be a three lap fiasco, followed by a full morning and afternoon of tuning, tweaking and then ultimately throwing in the towel.

One very important issue was solved - tire rub. However, three issues popped up - distributor or coil is shot (being sent off to Jeff S. for repair as I type and I don't currently have a spare), exhaust needs to be tweaked (I cooked the pain off part of the rear valence because of a poor design on my part) and engine oil cooling (the oil temp gauge is pegged at 300 degrees - should be around 210 - thanks to poor air venting). All easily fixable, but requires time.

The end result is that I in no way can solve for all of these issues in the 1 1/2 weeks leading up to the Road Atlanta race and to try would most certainly result in a complete waste of resources. I know that this is not uncommon, but because I am new, I am learning this along the way. It is a brand new car that requires tweaking and adjusting until the sweet spot is found. At that point, it will run. Unfortunately, we are just not there yet.

I did have a great time though despite the disappointment and have to say thanks to a number of forum member's from http://www.mgexperience.net/ who were there to help and offer support.

Thanks to Hap, Kevin Hart and Torsten for your efforts, expertise and time. We all wanted to see the car run and for one of those three laps, it did pretty darn good. Also thanks to Jeff Schlemmer who took our call on the weekend for ignition advice.

I have since withdrawn from the Road Atlanta race and will circle up with the calendar to determine next steps. I have a few people thinking through fixes and next steps including my dad who is already designing a box to provide the air needed to the cooler.

The development continues - and so will the posts.

2008-06-30T20:12:00.000-07:00

Test Day this Saturday

I had been struggling a bit with whether I wanted to do a test day or not. Do I want to spend the money and go to the effort, not to mention the wear and tear on the equipment, tires, etc.?

But then I quickly remember my Daytona experience (the car had issues) and I think -this is my first race and the sponsor and his employees are going to be there - it makes sense to schedule the day to ensure a better showing later this month at Road Atlanta.

So this Saturday, July 5, my father-in-law and I are going to be at Carolina Motorsports Park (CMP) for a Turn One test-n-tune day. It should be fun. We are going to go down Friday night and camp, so we will already be there come Saturday morning - man having a motorhome is nice. The AC will be an added bonus in the South Carolina summer heat. Not to mention a private place to change into my fire proof underwear.

The main priorities - See if we solved for the tire rub, get some time on the motor and scrub in a new set of tires, all the while tightening the nuts and bolts along the way.

I have not been to CMP since September 2006, but I did enjoy the track and have been watching YouTube footage recently to study the track's new configuration. Attached pictures are of the SCCA Performance Driving Experience (PDX) that I did in Sept. 2006. It was a blast and as you can see, the car was still in full street regalia.

Hap will be there, my friend Kevin, as well as the car's previous owner may drop by. Another competitior is participating with me - Dick May, who drives an SCCA HP Bugeye Sprite. Dick has a new rear suspension and is sorting it out. He needs to make sure he has not lost his mojo given that he is in contention for the SCCA Southeast Region's (SARRC) Championship.

On another note, we are registered and paid up for the July SARRC event at Road Atlanta. Registering for my first race was an exciting moment. Two years and 1.75 months later, the dream is coming true.

2008-06-12T11:27:00.001-07:00

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

Where is the time going? I am getting excited about the upcoming SARRC race at Road Atlanta this July. It will be the team's first real race.

The car is on jack stands and I have been going over each nut and bolt in preparation. We pulled the motor again and inspected the bottom end following the school. It looks good, so it went back in the car. Rebuilt the rear suspension - installing new lever shocks from Peter Caldwell and 2" dropped springs. In addition, I cleaned and painted all of the suspension components such as the roll and traction bars.

I also shaved off the metal along the rear fender wells to give the tires more room to prevent rubbing. I reoccuring issue that I hoped to have solved.

What else are we doing - installed a oil temp gauge and sensor, as well as a fuel sender and gauge. Still need to do the electrical wiring for these two gauges. I took care of a few oil leaks where I did a poor job of applying plumbers tape and had to clean up that mess. Oh yeah, something real exciting - Third Wave Advertising - my sponsor - funded a new set of Hoosier Street TD racing tires. They are mounted and sitting in my garage.

On the support side, we had the Camper's - a.k.a the Cramper - roof re-sealed and my wife bought me a generator as an early Father's Day gift. So, now we will have power and be fully self-sustained at the track. That AC will be down right nice in the hot Georgia sun this July.

Shooting for a test day at Carolina Motorsports Park - http://www.carolinamotorsportspark.com/ - on July 5 to get a few more miles on the motor, shake down the rear suspension and see if we cured the tire rub issue. Should be a good time.

2008-04-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

It's official, I'm a racecar driver!!

Everyone says, this is just a school, get your time in and pass. And I absolutely agree, but I have to tell you, I want to race. The Daytona school was a blast. It was full of drama, both my fault and not my fault. All the way up to the end, but when the steward of the meet said, congratulations, you can now go racing, you could not wipe the grin off my face.

We had a few teething issues with the new car, so we parked it and I rented a Neon from an owner that was there with another student. Since I was sharing the Neon with another guy my agreement was don't rev it over 4,000 rpm, drive it safe, put your time in and pass the school.

The best thing about that part was that it truly taught me that slow is smooth and smooth is fast. By my second session, in a car that I had never driven, I was lapping faster than the other guy who had been driving it all weekend. And, who did not have the restrictions that I did. Slow was smooth and smooth was fast.

Because we were sharing the car, I got bumped from Group 3 (HP, FP, SM and other small bore cars) to Group 2 (Large bore cars). This meant that yet again, I was going to be doing more driving in my mirrors as I was engulfed in faster cars. This bothered me, because I knew that in the B, I would have been a contender and more importantly been in a position to truly race other cars. Now, it would seem that I would be out there doing laps waiting to get lapped. The best part of the weekend was during the third practice start which kicked off my five lap race. I was already familiar with how poorly a particular RX-7 was driving, as well as an ITA Neon. And this was confirmed during the two practice starts. So when the final start came, I had already figured out how I was going to get passed those two guys. I went outside knowing they would brake too early. After all, speeds at that point were nothing compared to the race, because we had just got the green. By going deep, I was then able to take the line going through the International horseshoe and complete my pass of two cars. For the next three laps it was a blast. I swapped positions with the RX-7 about four times. A few mistakes on both he and the other Neon's end and I had the space I needed to keep my position. I crossed the finish line in my SSC Neon having gained two positions. It was the best.

As for the B. It hauls. For the 1.2 mile course 3/4 is flat out in my car. With my suspension and Hap's motor I was posting times that were faster than Group 2. There is some work to do, but I learned a lot about the car, including some changes I need to make. The problems also gave me a chance to learn from Hap as he instructed me on paddock rituals related to the care of the car and how to work through a problem using its symptoms as a guide.

The garages at Daytona will spoil you, the people were great, weather amazing and I made some new friends. The car drew some attention and there was always a crowd in our space talking with Hap. This weekend was an eye opener for me in that Hap and Dwight - my "car owner" - are pros. These guys have won championships and competed at the highest levels as contenders. I just soaked it all up. I know that I won't sit on the grid at the runoffs, but that does not mean that I can't take the discipline and knowledge with me to the vintage circuit. Oh well, I could go on. Thanks for the well wishes. I passed and am official. A dream come true. Now its time to see what it is like for real.

The women were not with us this weekend and normally I ask them to own the pictures, so I don't have many, but I will post some. Also, not many of the car since it only completed about 10 laps :)

2008-04-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

This is it!! The last post until after the Daytona School

I would love to post pictures of the car on the trailer, packed and ready to go, but the truth is, the week ahead is a hectic one.

Work is very busy right now and I am leaving on Wednesday for a trip to Chicago. So, the car has to be done, on the trailer and the Explorer packed tomorrow night, so I can leave for Chicago and dad can come down and take the car to Daytona.

So, tonight, I will finish the alignment and make sure that I have my tools, spares, etc. ready, so Tuesday I can load and cover for its Thursday departure to Daytona.

Then Friday, I fly to Daytona direct from O'Hare and meet up with dad and Hap from Acme Speedshop - who also is flying in that morning.

Hopefully "The Biscuit" and I will successfully complete the course and return ready to go racing "officially" in May at VIR.

So, thanks for following along. Wish me luck and I will tell you how it went when I get back. I'll post some video too as I am going to be using a new race cam for the first time.

2008-04-08T20:48:00.000-07:00

SHE RUNS!!

I had the distributor in 180 degrees backward, so I was firing the piston at the wrong time. Anyhow, she runs sweet. Loud and quick with the revs.

Now, we are just doing some final things in preparation for the school in about a week and a half.

2008-04-04T10:01:00.001-07:00

Not running yet.

She is not running yet. Everything is in order, but it is timing related. I just got some great advice and have a friend coming over tonight to assist. We have it licked this evening.

We are a week and a half away from the driver's school. I really have not thought about it much, nor prepared myself mentally, because I have not gotten the car running yet.

Hopefully, it I get it started, I can move on, start packing and organizing parts and tools and prepare mentally for the school.

Then it is off to the races.

2008-04-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

The Engine is in, but the beast has not awakened.

We got the motor in over the weekend, but have yet to fire her up. I am certain it is a combination of issues that I am slowly solving.

At first we had no spark, and then I noticed this evening that the valves needed adjusted again. I will check the initial start up timing tomorrow. If all goes as it should hopefully she will start.

If I can get her started and running smoothly enough to run the first couple of initial heat cycles, it will be good enough for our trip to Daytona in two weeks.

That is the pressure point. Daytona is just around the corner. This baby needs to run.

2008-03-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

Engine is at home and waiting for installation this weekend. It looks amazing. I had a great time at Acme Speedshop this past Friday and I cannot wait to get this thing in, primed and started up. The neighbors are excited too, especially when I set the timing while reving the motor at 5,000 rpm :)

2008-03-20T06:35:00.001-07:00

2008-03-19T16:27:00.001-07:00

Third Wave Advertising MGB

Earlier this month we were able to finally wrap the car in its new livery. Introducing the Third Wave Advertising MGB.

Third Wave and Think Racing are set to compete together in four races in this year's upcoming SCCA SARRC championship.

Yes, we are going club racing in this vintage bodied MGB. Once we obtain the SCCA license, we are going vintage racing. The hybrid approach will allow us to rotate in and out of different series.

2008-03-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

Picking up the new motor this Friday!!

I have Good Friday off, so I am traveling to Greenville, SC to Acme Speedshop to pick up my new (and first) race motor. Immediately after my October driver's school, I yanked the old modified street engine and took to Hap Waldrop.

For a few months we worked out my plan. This motor has:

Acme fully ported race head

JE flat top custom Acme pistons, with nitirted low tension top rings with gas ports

Stock rods with ARP rod bolts balanced

Crank is std/std and balanced

David Headley race oil pan

Rollmaster vernier timing set

Comptune CT-295 race cam ( same cam grind Eric Kruger won the runoffs with)

APT CF-04 lifters

ARP hardware thru out

12.2 to 1 compression ratio

Fully blueprinted

David Headly aluminum backplate

Fidanza Aluminum flywheel

Competition heavy duty pressure plate and clutch disc

Durabond cam bearings

As was planned from the beginning, this is a starter motor - probably more motor than some starter motors - but one that can be improved upon as I get more seat time.

Dad is in town at the end of the month and we are going to get this thing mated to the transmission, installed and the oiling system plumbed.

2008-03-04T09:43:00.000-08:00

Latest update:

Since my last post we have been busy. I had the new roll cage put in the car and painted it. When my dad was in town, we re-wired the car minimizing the amount of wire and circuitry. It also cleaned up the engine compartment and dash area.

This has been a pretty hectic time with work and travel, so I have had to compact a lot of work into many small points of time on those days that I have time. The car is just about back together. Third Wave Advertising and I are finalizing the graphics package and Hap Waldrop is building my motor and carbs.

I'll post some pictures soon of the progress. I still need to bleed the brakes and connect the brake bias knob. Also I need to align the front wheels, bundle the wiring under the dash, put a bulkhead fitting in for the accusump, drain the fuel tank (replacing the fuel with a higher octane - from 100 to 110), put in the fuel test port, soften the tires and several other smaller things. Once the motor is complete, Dad will drive down and help me with the installation.

There seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. On April 19 & 20, I'll attend my second driver's school at Daytona International Speedway and upon successful completion, I'll be off to the races. But it will be a circus getting to that point all the way up to the actual school itself. I will be in Chicago Friday, April 18 and will have to fly directly to Daytona. So, my dad is going to fly to Greensboro and tow my car to Daytona meeting me there. Hap is also coming along, so I am flying him from Greenville to Daytona. It will be great to have him there to help set up the car and support dad while he takes care of me. These driver's schools are intense. When not on the track, I'm in the classroom. I am totally reliant on my crew to have the car ready and on the grid for each of my sessions. And dad does a great job of also helping me into the car and get my gear on prior to each session.

This is an exciting time. I will be glad to have this build past me. It is very consuming and draining all at the same time. However, finishing these schools, competing in two races and getting my competition license will be an incredible payoff.

2008-01-18T09:18:00.000-08:00

What is going on?

When I started this project I never envisioned a number of things that would become a reality:

1) This can be consuming. Obviously, a project like requires a lot of time in the garage just to get things done, but beyond the garage you have to research the rules, sanctioning bodies, safety equipment, vendors, parts, etc. etc. I am tired and am starting to look forward to a maintenance mode that does not require as much time and focus.

2) I have learned a ton. I have driven MGs for years, but never went too deep beyond changing the oil and maybe a few other low hanging fruit type maintenance. Now, I am pulling motors, installing transmissions, rebuilding suspensions, doing electrical work and figuring out innovative ways to make things work that were not necessarily built for my car.

3) I have made a ton of new friends. The racing and MG community are made up of some great people. There are those like myself who love the marquee and others who share that love, but also offer valuable and top-notch services. None of the above could have been accomplished without having had these people in my life.

4) There is a renewed closeness with my family. One of my hopes through going racing was the experience that it would bring to my family. Sharing this experience with them has brought us all closer, because it has been an outlet, or platform, for us all to spend time together.

5) It would be a strange trip that is full of zigs and zags. To go Vintage racing has always been the main objective and that has not changed. It takes a lot of resources to build a competitive car and realistically I knew it could not be done overnight. And then when you combine licensing requirements, etc. it can be daunting if you understand it all in the beginning. I did not, which is good, because I probably never would have started :) However, as the objective remains the same, the road map to get there is always changing. This year is a prime example. I have decided to go SCCA club racing in order to get my license and experience prior to hitting the vintage circuit in '09. This eliminates a lot of complexity as it relates to licensing and will also ensure that I am a better driver.

The car is getting its cage installed as I type this and I have started ordering parts to install the oiling system for when I get the motor back. There is still a formidable amount of work to do, and I have until the middle of April to get it all together.

Then it is off to the Great Lakes Division and Nelson Ledges Road Course in Ohio for my second driver's school. After completing the school requirements, we have four SCCA Southeast Division races scheduled. VIR in May, Lowes Motor Speedway in June, Road Atlanta in July and VIR's production car festival in October.

Going SCCA racing has required a more robust roll cage and a couple of additional safety modifications, but not a large deviation from the car's current design. It will remain in vintage form, so it will be less competitive in SCCA, but ready for '09.

We'll keep you posted as progress continues.

2008-01-04T16:58:00.001-08:00

Back from Paint

My daughter and I picked the car up from the painter yesterday. Painted the exterior black. There is some painting still to do as we work past the green elements that still exist. I may keep some of the green, because its accents will look great once the graphics package arrives.

Here are a few pictures. This weekend, we get most of the exterior badging, grille and other bits and pieces back on the car. Next weekend, she goes to get the full SCCA legal roll cage. Then we wait for the new motor.

2007-12-29T20:32:00.000-08:00

Progress Continues

A good friend of mine said that I did not do a good job of updating my blog. I was surprised to know that someone was reading my blog.

I am continuing to track ahead as mentioned below. The motor is out and in Greenville, SC. The dual brake master cylinders are in with the balance bar attached and the brake lines re-plumbed and the dropped swivel axle assemblies are installed.

Sam Neave at LNA Enterprises (http://home.earthlink.net/~samneavelna/) is going to augment my roll bar to SCCA National Specifications. The added door bars and front hoop will give me added confidence. For years people raced with either no bar, or only a main hoop like I had, but there were times when I hung it out there and thought, if I lose it, am I safe and secure in this car. This new bar will resolve those concerns.

Ron Davis is building my aluminum racing radiator as I type this, because my original radiator which I said was being re-cored was rotten throughout.

This Monday (December 31, 2007) the car heads to the painter for a fresh coat of black, before receiving its sponsor and number decals.

In another post, I will officially announce my sponsor for ‘08, but I will tease you a bit now by giving you their Web address – http://www.thirdwavedigital.com/.

Santa mom and dad gave me a new sebring front valence for the car and I finished its installation today. Here are some pics that show it off, as well as what my car looks like prior to the paint shop. Just a couple of months ago it was successfully navigating the race track – now it is just a rolling tub – what have I done? J

2007-11-12T19:40:00.000-08:00

No rest for the weary.

It is funny. If you ask any racer they will never say, "my car is done." So for the longest time I have been saying that I am building a race car. Well actually, it has been built, it passed tech inspection and oh yeah, it also successfully completed a driver's school.

However, those of us who build and drive these cars also know that there is so much more that can be done.

So, in preparation for next March's driver school, I am fast at work on my 2008 MGB. Current projects include: Pulled motor for a complete rebuild by Hap Waldrop. This work will include all of the internal goodies that will make this car much faster and more competitive, as well as a completely rebuilt and modified set of HS6 carbs. I will also add an aluminum flywheel and backplate care of Dave Headley that won't give me more horsepower, but will give me that horsepower sooner.

In addition, MG Limited is setting up my braking system to include rear bias, so I can adjust the pressures on the track. Dave Headley is going to shorten my spindles so I can get another inch lower to the ground in the front (to match the rear). My radiator has been re-cored so that the engine will run cooler, an accusump is going in to protect the internal components of the new engine and I am considering adding to my existing roll bar to increase its safety.

No small task at hand. However, I am enjoying every bit of cleaning, dismantling and planning that is going into this build.

Stay tuned for more updates. March will be here before we know it.

2007-10-29T19:12:00.000-07:00

Mission Accomplished

First of two SCCA competition driving schools successfully completed

It was a great weekend. Intense, but not truly appreciated until I saw the checkered at the end of my five lap race to conclude the school. At that point, the getting down to business attitude rested and I reveled in the accomplishment of a lifelong dream. It was a liberating and emotional moment that I will never forget.

As I had mentioned earlier, I chose the WDC region and Summit Point specifically, because it is my home track and region. Dad ran in a Sprite and we both were volunteers for many years. I love the course, know many of the workers and felt at home in a newly intense environment.

It was raining hard all throughout the Southeast and Summit Point was no exception last week. I remember waking up in the Camper at 4 a.m. Saturday morning to the sound of rain and thought oh man is this going to be miserable. But by 6 a.m. it was all clear and the sun was out for the rest of the weekend.

I was in Group 3 of 3 total classes - large bore closed wheels. Production, IT and GT cars. I had classed myself in GP because my car best suited that class, but did not really matter, because I am going vintage racing. There were 13 total cars and I was probably 11th fastest in front of a GTL Pinto and an EP '63 Morgan driven by a Michael Mulrooney. My car in more capable hands may have had something more to offer an MR2 and RX-7 who were about 5 seconds a lap faster.

Summit Point is a great track [http://www.summitpoint-raceway.com/]. A long straight, increasing radius turns and several turns that can test your willingness to go fast. It was repaved about four weeks ago, so when dry it has a lot of grip, but all of the reference points were paved over and a lot of dirt was used to fill in around the edges. Which when combined with torrential rains and students created a dirty track.

My first outing out tested my desire to continue. It was not fun. Very wet, I had tons of oversteer, understeer and a good spin in the Carousel left me questioning whether I really wanted to do this. However, as the day dried and my sessions increased (about 10 total over two days) I began to have a blast.

The car ran great considering the odds were against it. It was completely new. However, it all held together well.

The five lap race which ended the week had me grided on pole. The instructors stacked us slow to fast for their enjoyment. So I followed the Ferrari 360 Modena around for the green flag and lost three positions immediately after it dropped. The second start I lost two more and by the third start I quickly found my usual position. However, I was not too far from the pack when the checkered dropped.

Each session, my dad made sure I was gridded first which ensured that for the first couple of laps I had an opportunity to work with traffic, go door-to-door and experiment with different lines.

At the end of the week, I received high marks from the instructors, had only one involuntary off track (got pushed off the road at turn ten by an RX-7), experienced a number of pucker moments and left with the respect that all racers have of how hard it is to be consistent, aware, strategic and safe, but still wanting to win.

I look forward to next year and a faster car. For this same description and more pictures you can see them at:

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?41,663623

2007-10-11T09:56:00.000-07:00

REGISTERED!!

Well approximately one year and four months later (since this endeavor began), I am officially registered for my first SCCA driver’s school.

Think Racing is heading to the home track of Summit Point Raceway (http://www.summitpoint-raceway.com/) for the Washington DC Region’s annual driver’s school.

Registration has been confirmed, car is teched, the packing list is complete.

Now, all I need to do is install my recently rebuilt head and carburetors from Acme Speedshop, tune and load up.

It should be a good time for all of us.

2007-09-06T19:35:00.001-07:00

Passed Tech!

I took the car up to Northern Virginia two weeks ago for its first tech inspection. This can be a nervous time, because the car is a brand new race car and though you read the rules there is always a chance that you missed something or misunderstood what was said.

Now I have done a lot of reading, studying, research trips, ask the expert etc. so I felt confident, but it is different once the official is actually poking around the car, pulling on things, pushing on other things and then referencing the rule book.

Especially since this inspector was SCCA licensed. SCCA has strict rules and has to because it has an agressive and highly competitive club racing program. But its rule book is not the vintage rule book. I am attending in October a SCCA school and they allow Vintage racers, but only because technically it is not "racing," but a school. Therefore the safety requirements are lifted enough to allow my car to participate.

So the car passed tech inspection. What does that mean. For me and the car, it means that it has been issued a log book and has been registered with the DC Region (my old "home" region). It also means that I can arrive and drive at the driver's school without the added worry and hassle of completing tech at the track outside of having my helmet inspected. It also means that my car has received an annual inspection meaning that it will not need to be looked at again until August of 2008. So, I can attend the March school too with the same benefits as the October.

Needless to say it was a successful trip. The first race car I ever built passed tech and is an official race car.

2007-09-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

The Biscuit just got a new tow partner. This past weekend, my family and I drove up to pick up the latest edition to the Think Racing family - "The Cramper."

What exactly is "The Cramper." Named by my four-year old daughter, The Cramper, is a 1986 Winnebago Minnie Winnie. Don't be fooled by its faded exterior. This baby only has 56,000 miles and is pristine on the inside. Sleeps 4 comfortably, has a four burner stove, microwave, fridge, full bath and a bunch of storage just to name a few, this camper is the perfect match for our getaways to the race track and beyond.

Hopefully during the next week, I will get a chance to fire all of the appliances up as we begin to clean her up and make her ours.

2007-08-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

Bye Bye Pricilla

I wanted to memorialize my '71 GT that I took today to the scrap yard. I am feeling a bit sentimental about it, despite the fact that she was beyond restoration and I feel that I made the right decision. What better place to honor her than among friends.

She was my first MG and I drove her everyday for more than eight years. It was the summer of '92 and I had just graduated high school and I purchased her from a couple who never drove her. My best friend pointed the car out for sale. I had to sell my perfectly reliable and sporty Mazda 323 SE so that I could buy this car and did so without a second thought.

I was working part-time that summer at a small consulting agency (my dad got me the job and worked there too). Dad has a '71 GT too and we would parade to work and back together. Some days I would go my own way through the curvy roads that still existed at the time and you could not wipe the grin off of my face. It was mischievious looking.

During my college years, she did countless 1,500+ mile trips to Auburn, AL and back (my parents living in Northern Virginia) and never left me stranded. We slept many nights together at the rest stops among the rows of semi trucks. Through the years, there were many upgrades and modifications all to enhance her performance. I autocrossed her, swooned women with her, made all kinds of sketchy adventures in her, reported to my first real job in her and even courted my wife - she like the outside air and gas mixed cologne smell that I carried with me.

In about 2000, Dad was undergoing a restoration of his GT and I had recently purchased a new car and could not afford to insure two cars. So I gave the GT to him to drive while his was in the garage getting its extreme makeover. Unfortuantely it was winter when my parents picked her up and the drive back was 500 miles filled with salt and snow slowly churning. That was the beginning of the end.

For the last year it has sat in my garage slowly being stripped of its useful parts and otherwise just taking up space. During that year, I have also been building my '67 B race car which is fulfilling a life long dream. Something had to go. The car was taking up too much space, beyond restoration and even if I wanted to try, it would not happen anytime soon. I can only focus on one thing at a time. Besides I could buy a great GT for half the price that would go into restoring the car.

So I loaded her up on the trailer and took her to the scrap yard. So, here is her tribute. Pricilla, you were a great car. A prized possession. You always deserved every second look that I gave you, every compliment you ever received. You never failed me, you were always there for me and I enjoyed every moment we spent on the road. I don't regret a single knuckle busted, shirt ruined because of grease, or the upsets girlfriends who complained about how hot it was. I enjoyed every race we camped at, every turn we hugged and pylon we ran over We experienced true freedom together and many care-free days. During our hey day, life was less complicated. I will always remember the thousands of miles spent up and down the highway, windows down, exhaust note blaring. Every time I think of you, I will bear the mischievious grin that you introduced me to those many years ago. You were a good car and much more. You helped define me. Rest in peace.

Now, everyone, a toast. "To Pricilla and the other fallen Bs just like her."

2007-08-06T06:06:00.000-07:00

Things are cranking along. Though the updates continue to be slow, progress continues to move forward.

The transmission is in. It was quite the weekend sometime back in June (I think). My wife traveled to see family in New Mexico and my folks came down to help me with the kids. Actually what that means is that mom took care of the kids and dad and I played in the garage.

Let’s start first with this year’s Gold Cup at VIR. Dad and I met up there for research. There were about 18 racing MGBs which meant plenty of research fodder. I took some 200 photos – most of them were things like tow hooks, exhaust pipes, roll bars etc – not many of them glamour shots. I had a number of questions that I needed to answer and this was my one trip to get as many answered as possible. Plus I met a number of these drivers and made several contacts.

The following weekend, we put the gearbox in the car. This was a great exercise and learning opportunity. Not only did we pull things out, clean and paint them, as well as refresh bushings and gaskets, etc., I learned a ton. It was a great experience.

My first driver’s school is this October. The list of things needed to be done in preparation for that school and tech is quickly dwindling. Custom made tow hook – check, firewall plates – check, catch tanks, check …

I scheduled two important trips leading up to this event. One occurred this past weekend at ACME Speedshop. I took the car to Greenville for Hap Waldrop to go over it and tune it. In addition he had his local car club show up and we turned it into a tech and tune session. In addition to pulling my carbs apart, setting the timing and installing my new distributor and electronic ignition, he helped me – through a leak test - determine an issue I was having with my motor. Turns out I am losing a lot of horsepower through my valves – time for a valve job. That entire day was priceless, in that I could ask countless questions, as well as just hang out with the guys and talk about racing. It was a good time. I can’t tell you enough what a good guy Hap is and the work he does is top notch. His Web site is http://www.acmespeedshop.com/.

The other trip is at the end of August where I will take the car and have it teched by a DC region scrutineer. This trip will be important because I will have the car looked over well in advance of the driver’s school, as well as have the car issued a log book and the rollbar stamped.

In other progress, my medical exam is complete and my novice permit is being processed.

All in all, good progress is being made. More to come soon.

2007-05-16T10:01:00.001-07:00

Let’s see this vision become a reality

It has been quite frustrating at times as I have tried to plot a reasonable course to accomplish my overall vision of becoming a vintage MGB race car driver.

Originally, I was going to build a car and then I found a car that was closer than a ground up build. Then I figured I would enjoy the car utilizing PDX and time trials as a means to get on track experience all the while continuing to build the car up to spec for SVRA/HSR style vintage competition.

So over the winter I put a tremendous amount of time and energy in building the car to meet SCCA’s Vintage time trial rules. This included buying all of the necessary safety gear that I would have to don for both TT and on track wheel-to-wheel racing.

So, I got it done, registered for my first event – the Rush to the Rock Time Trial – at Rockingham Speedway and prayed for good weather. Well it did not rain, but the event was cancelled because of a lack of interest.

Here is where I came across an important crossroads. I was talking with my dad and it became apparent to me when he asked me what my long-term goal was that I should quit fooling around and just focus on the big prize.

So I took my remaining money and dumped it into purchasing a fuel cell, as well as the necessary plumbing. In addition I have sought out several SCCA driver’s school and have been given permission to drive my Vintage spec car in their schools providing it meets the minimum standard provided in the both the 1972 SCCA GCR and the SVRA rule book.

In addition, dad helped me with the purchase of a straight cut, close ratio gearbox sourced by Hap Waldrop at Acme Speedshop (www.acmespeedshop.com). While at the PDX at CMP last year, my current stock transmission kept popping out of gear at high revs. I had planned to just rebuild one of my several spares, but dad came to my rescue and helped me get the real deal. It contains a new Jack Knight set and will go in the car soon.

In addition, dad and I have a research trip planned for this June. We are going to the Gold Cup again at VIR to research the racing MGB’s on hand. I need to look at and take pictures of several design, safety and performance components of these cars for use in my own build. Besides this being the second year in a row that we have gone to this event, it will also represent the one year anniversary since I made the commitment to go racing.

I think I have made good progress considering everything else going on in my life.

So in addition to the new fuel cell and gearbox, I have also installed a fire suppression system, quick disconnect steering wheel, aluminum racing seat, rebuilt the entire rear suspension including the install of a Fabtek rear adjustable sway bar (www.fast-mg.com) and a hybrid rear end built by Hap Waldrop and featured on the MG experience forum (http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?41,507209). I have also included a number of nice features such as new raydot rearview mirrors, a center mount sportscar mirror, racing windscreen, master cut off switch, push button start, 7/8” front sway bar with solid mounts and a number of other items.

As of today, I will keep working hard to finish the car, find someone to tech it and then register for the DC Region’s driver’s school at Summit Point Raceway in October.

2007-04-11T06:43:00.000-07:00

I wrote several updates to this blog and then my laptop died and I had no access to capture them for posting. As a result, my blog is severely outdated.

I have worked the entire winter prepping the car for this year’s time trial season, including applying for my time trials novice permit.

My first PDX/Time Trial event of the year is the North Carolina’s Rush to the Rock at Rockingham Speedway April 21 – 22.

I will follow up with all of the modifications that I made this winter with some detail shortly. In the meantime, here is one of my log book photos.

2006-11-10T14:54:00.000-08:00

Crewing in the Charge of the Headlight Brigade 13-hour endurance race

There is no better way to get experience than to participate. This was good advice that I received once encouraging me to crew for a team if I truly wanted to learn about racing.

Inmy 32 years of motorsports expereince, the only crewing I had done was for my dad, but that was back in the early 80s.

I had a chance to participate thanks to Stephen Figura, my instructor from the September PDX event at Carolina Motorsports Park.

Matthew Littleton, SCCA driver and car owner recaps the event below.

WDC Region SRX7s Again Dominate in Enduro

The SM2 Motorsports SpecRX7 fendedoff all competitors and overcame several mechanical difficulties tofinish first in class in the "Charge of the Headlight Brigade" 13-hourendurance race held at Virginia International Raceway on November 4th 2006.

This continues the car's unbroken record of endurance racefirst-in-class finishes and further reinforces the level ofcompetition resident within the Washington DC region SRX7 community. The car qualified 56th out of 80 and finished in 63rd place overall. The night before the race, car owner Matt Littleton took to the trackfirst for the 30 minute night practice session.

Confirming that thecar was in top race form, the car was driven by Marshall Lytle and Steve Figura for the night qualifying session. Setting a blistering pace, they outqualified cars such as the T2 Nissan 350Z (co-driven by none other than Rob Hines). The crack SM2 pit crew sprung into action following the qualifying session, ensuring the car had new brake pads all around, a fresh fuel filter, and was topped off with fuel. Race day dawned clear and cold? really cold. After removing the custom SM2 Motorsports engine block heater (two halogen floodlights) from under the hood, the car was fired up and brought to the grid by SM2 crew member and fellow WDC region SRX7 driver Chris Hubbart. Matt Littleton started the race and spent the first stint easily keeping pace with the two IT7 cars in the field. Marshall Lytle took over approximately 1.5 hours into the race and maintained race pace while also ensuring that the grass in several turns was kept to the appropriate length (which, for the uninitiated, is the ride height ofa SRX7 at full tilt on non-paved surfaces).

After managing to avoid the swarm of SMs, SSMs, and SRFs for over 1.5 hours, Marshall handed the car off to Steve Figura who ensured that the grass previously mown by Marshall had not grown back since it was previously cut. To further ensure that the spectators had an unobstructed view of the action on track, he engaged in a variant of slash and burn tactics known as "spin and burn." Deciding that the smoke from his tires as he exited the track backward in T4 was not enough excitement for the spectators and race officials, he continued his excursion until he reached the tire wall, executed a graceful SRX7 downshift (accompanied by the standard flame thrower effect from the exhaust) and promptly set the grass on fire under the car as he returned to the action ontrack. The firefighting action off the track dominated the race control net, requiring four backup firefighters to extinguish the blaze and ensured that we left our mark at VIR. The SM2 team will be having an internal vote to decide if "Smoky" is now an appropriate nickname for Steve.

The fourth stint of the race again saw Littleton in the car. Prior to jumping in, he was heard to ask, "what the heck is all that grassdoing hanging off the car?" Receiving the standard "I don't know"shoulder shrug from his co-drivers, he assumed that someone else must have brought it on track and leapt into the car following another flawlessly executed pitstop by the SM2 crew.

Several laps into thestint, the smoke filling the cabin of the car (conveniently appearingat the high speed T10 on track) indicated something was amiss. As the smoke momentarily cleared, he had enough time to think? "perhaps that was some of the dry grass catching fire and then burning out."Immediately following this thought, the belt that was being dragged across the now seized water pump finally failed with a loud bang and nearly every warning light on the dash illuminated and the water temp immediately began climbing. Radioing back to Chris Hubbart that he was coming in with an unknown problem, the pit crew was ready to leap over the wall (after Chris issued the emergency round up call) and diagnose the problem.

The car was immediately taken behind the wall to the paddock where Kyle Russert, with the same precision of a trauma surgeon in the ER, took charge of the repair efforts. Putting his RPPerformance experience to good use, he directed the cannibalization ofthe water pump, alternator, and air pump as a complete assembly from the spare engine (also built by RP Performance) as he dove into the now crippled engine and began ripping off coolant hoses. He was heard to utter words to the effect of, "Golly, that really 'is' rather warm"when the boiling coolant shot over his hands and arms. Paying no heed to the pain, he continued directing the repair efforts directly assisted by Travis and John V. The three drivers served as tool-fetchers and had the good sense to get the heck out of the way. Kyle is now under consideration for the nickname "Bolt Killer" as his superhuman strength was just too much for several of the bolts associated with one of the front pulleys. As the repairs were beingfinalized, Joel, Chris, John and Steve led the refueling, tire and brake pad change on the car as Littleton re-strapped in to return to the track. DTR Pam Linger was standing by at the tech shed to ensure the car got the proper paperwork for race re-entry.

Once again in race form, the car continued on but developed an unknown vibration that required several trips to the pits for new tires, re-torquing of the lug nuts, wheel bearing and driveline inspection.The problem was ultimately diagnosed as "it's a SRX7, shut up and drive? you'll get used to it." During this drama, driver Littleton failed to notice the voltage needle slowly moving left as the cannibalized alternator failed. Absent the info that the voltage had dropped, the wild gyrations of both the stock and aftermarket tachometers, coupled by the miss in the engine led the crew to diagnose the problem as a faulty igniter. Kyle again leapt into action and stripped the distributor from the spare engine and installed it into the car as Steve Figura strapped in. After the car failed to turn over due to the nearly dead battery, the car was push-started by the crew and taken back to the SM2 paddock where the alternator swap occurred faster than some of the crew members could walk from the hot pits to the paddock spot and redefined "Charge" ofthe Headlight Brigade for the SM2 team. DTR Pam leapt into the car and rode down to the tech shed to again process the paperwork required for track re-entry.

Steve then brought the car on track, waved to the corner workers that still smelled of smoke, and drove a consistent pace into the night. During this stint, the car also had a rattle and an undiagnosed "ringing" noise on several occasions. This was diagnosed at the next stop as Pam's cell phone that had fallen out of her pocket into the passenger footwell of the car while she rode tothe tech shed in the paddock. Removal of the phone and return to itsowner cured both problems.

Marshall Lytle then assumed driving duties for the longest stint of the race and managed to avoid the still furious SM, SSM and SRF battles occurring at the 12 hour mark in the race. After returning to the pits on fumes, the car required a shot of starter fluid to fire, likely due to the fact that the car's timing was set at "about there"during the hot swap of the distributor. The final portion of the race was driven by Matt Littleton. After taking the checkered flag, he brought the car to impound on pit road where the engine promptly and quite fittingly died at idle.

Rejoicing in their class win, the SM2 crew was heard to say? "So? can we eat now?"A true team event, the outstanding first in class finish and overallbeating of cars such as a BimmerWorld prepared BMW Z3 would not have been possible without the work of the crew. The drivers of SM2 would like to thank: Pam Linger for serving as DTR, Chris Hubbart for hismultiple duties including designated gas can man and supplier ofdistilled water/coolant, John Vacca for going over the wall as wheelman and engine maintenance, Joel Gallun for going over the wall inengine, wheel and other duties, John Counts for duties as team bartender, photographer, and fire bottle man, Fred McConnell for duties in the pits and repairs in the paddock, Travis Ashley for mechanical assistance in the multiple engine issues during the race, Jay Vacca and Cody Linger for outstanding paddock logistics and transportation support ensuring the team was always ready to execute its fuel stops, Kyle Russert for his duties as master mechanic and resuscitator of engines, Keith and Lori Ashley for their support infeeding the unruly mob for the duration of the event.

A special thanks also goes out to: Dave "Kitty" Ade for supplying the drivinglight assembly from his 2003 12-Hour at Summit Point class-winningSRX7 (also co-driven by Littleton and Figura), Bret DePedro for allowing the team to borrow his custom endurance race pit light setup, and Matt Geidl for lending a spare clutch that, thankfully, wasn'tneeded.A fantastic experience, SM2 Motorsports is already planning for its next endurance race challenge!

(Editoral Comment: In the interest of journalistic integrity? and since you read this far ? we were the "only" SRX7 in the race! Inspite of our mechanical difficulties, we did manage to beat one of theother two IT7s in the race. It is also important to note that threefirst-gen RX7s started the race and all three were still running atthe finish of the race.)SM2 Motorsports consists of 'S'teve Figura (former SRX7 driver,currently piloting a SM), 'M'att Littleton (SRX7), and 'M'arshallLytle (ITS/E/R BMW)

2006-10-30T07:51:00.000-08:00

2006 TSCC Dixie Classic Autocross

One of my favorite autocrosses to participate in is the Triad Sports Car Club’s (http://www.auto-x.com/) Dixie Classic. The event takes place at the Fairground in Winston-Salem on a figure eight race track. The course is always a fun one and changes up the typical convention center parking lot with nothing but a sea of cones.

This past Saturday, October 28, I took the Biscuit (name is a long story, but will share at some point soon) out for the event. It was a beautiful October day highs in the lower 60s, few clouds in the sky with a consistent wind.

I am not a huge fan of autocrosses, because I constantly get lost on course and I spend more time worrying about finishing than actually having fun. Road courses are preferable, because the speeds are much higher and you are able to really stretch the cars legs. However, when you have a strong club like the local one here, good turn out and a great track, you can’t help but get your car out and enjoy it with other sporting enthusiasts.

Things went well. We were given six runs and each session lasted about an hour. I completed all six laps without an incident, except for a +1 second for hitting a cone on my last run. The first four runs, I improved my time by a number of seconds, but never came within the four seconds of the class winner. The combination of newer cars and more seasoned drivers makes it difficult to be competitive.

The MG is a blast to drive given its good grip, minimal body roll and high torque. When compared to the high horsepower cars, the B does not require that you lift off the throttle as much and really challenges you to put it out there.

This was the final event of the season for me. The car is now going into the garage to undergo extensive preparation for next year’s season.

2006-09-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

So now that I know where I am heading in the short term – PDX style, I located an event close to home. There are many options through both the SCCA and NASA.

And here at home, there are two representative SCCA regions within North Carolina - The North Carolina Region (NCR) which serves the eastern part of the state and the Central Carolina Region (CCR) which covers the western part – that you can participate in.

It was late August and I located a September PDE event put on by the CCR at Carolina Motorsports Park (www.carolinamotorsportspark.com)

It is next week – Friday, September 15 – Sunday, September 17). Tech Friday night, classroom instruction followed by two 20 minute session on Saturday with the same schedule on Sunday.

My dad is flying down from Virginia to crew for me. Meanwhile, I have been scurrying about in preparation ensuring that my car was ready and able to pass tech.

I only work on my car during the weekends and normally for only half the day at best then. I value my time with family and do not want my hobby to interrupt my time with them. Given the public nature of this community, I don’t discuss them much, but my time with them is more important than anything else that I do.

However, my wife is a giving person and takes on the burden of caring for the kids while I bury myself in grease and parts J

Projects of late have included replacing the brake rotors (I went from standard to the cross drilled version which dissipate heat and water better) and pads to cure the shimmy that came from a warped right front rotor. I also have bled the braking system, reconnected the windshield wipers (a tech requirement), have changed the fluids and prepped my newly acquired trailer.

Progress continues and now, in the remaining days, I will knock a few smaller items, prepare items for packing and clean the car. I read somewhere that a clean race car is a happy one. If anything, it fits with my desire to be as professional and buttoned up as possible.

2006-09-08T10:12:00.000-07:00

"When you're racing - it's life. Anything that comes before or after is just waiting" ~ Steve McQueen in LeMans, 1971

So, I did an autocross and though not that successful it was fun and a good chance to “open” up the car and see how smooth it was in both handling and at high revs.

As McQueen says everything else in between has been waiting, and in my case preparing. I have been mapping out and planning my next steps. While researching other performance driving opportunities I stumbled across a new program that the SCCA has introduced. It is called the Performance Driving Experience (PDE).

The SCCA web site (www.scca.org) explains it this way.

“PDX events are about you, the driver. Plenty of seat time, plenty of individual instruction and a ton of driving exercises make up a PDX; all of which is designed to educate you and make you more confident behind the wheel, both on the track and on the street.Participants receive a solid blend of driving instruction, ranging from the classroom to in-car training to “follow me” drills. A wide range of topics are discussed and shown at a PDX, including: following a “racing line”, passing zones, speed limits and other general driving techniques. Of course, each driver receives feedback from his or her instructor at the end of each lesson. PDX events are non-competition based, but three other levels of the Time Trials program provide competition, but it’s important that the skills taught at a PDX are learned beforehand so you as a driver can enjoy the latter levels of the program the way they were intended.

When you feel you’re ready for something a bit challenging, Club Trials is where you want to be.Club Trials continue the instruction you received in the PDX, but adds advanced driving techniques, competition rules and introduces the elements of a timed event. Your street car is still perfectly acceptable, but you might start to see a few race-prepared vehicles too!With Club Trials, you now get to feel what it’s like to be on the track and go against the clock no matter what you’re running that weekend. There are two more levels to the Time Trials program, designed for even more racing action! Time Trials, Track Trials and Hill Climbs.”

The bottom line for me is that I think I have found my bread and butter for the next couple of years. For a number of reasons there is still a lot for me to do to get on track with other cars and this will be a great opportunity for me to utilize the car that I have and gain some valuable on trace experience.

2006-08-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

It's a battle against course and clock, sometimes called autocross, it all comes to down to driving ability. Are you as fast as your car looks? Autocross places a premium on precise driving skills and a singular goal – finish the course faster than your rivals.

I took the MG out this past weekend for the first time to participate in the North Carolina Autocross Championships. I had been anticipating this event for more than a month and had been planning for it longer than that.

However, I made a key error in my planning. I was consulting the wrong Web site for information and showed up late. I registered and passed tech, but did not get a chance to walk the course, but one time and that was quickly because the driver’s meeting was about to start. Combined with the fact that I was in the first group out, I was helplessly lost on course.

I accomplished one key objective. I took the MG out and for the first time was able to open it up. I was pleasantly surprised with both the cars handling and the power available in first and second gear.

The end goal for me is road racing in any form – specifically vintage racing. Autocross is a cheap and fun way to enjoy the car, as well as a chance to refine key driving techniques.

I will continue to compete with the Triad Sports Car Club (http://www.auto-x.com/) and look for other opportunities within SCCA’s Performance Driving Experience, time trials and hill climbs.

As I continue to refine and build the car, ultimately I will make it to full time road racing.

2006-07-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome enthusiasts!!

For several weeks now, my friends at Third Wave Digital (www.thirdwavedigital.com/) have been helping me pull together the beautiful site you just visited. They are great business partners and if you have a business and are looking at upgrading your Web site, contact them. They are a highly professional shop and though this site looks high speed, their rates are the best in the business and have made a living working with small businesses. Tell them Fred sent you and they will take good care of you. Their experience in motor sports is not limited to me. For years they worked with Team Kool Green back in the days when Barry Green was fielding two cars in the Champ car series.

As you have already read, I wanted to develop a site that paid tribute to my parents, the founders of the original Think Racing team. I also hoped to document the revival of that team as I make my own venture into vintage racing.

The Think Racing Too blog will do just that. Why Think Racing Too? It is a play on words – My racing team name is Think Racing too (also), but also in that I am the second generation of Think Racing. Work with me.

I want to keep the postings short to avoid reader fatigue. Thanks for visiting. Please come back, as I will be updating the graphics gallery on http://www.thinkracing.net/, as well as the Think Racing Too Blog. Next postings will be more about me and the Think Racing history as well as how I came about the MG bug, including postings on the progress we are making toward full blown competition.

Safety Fast.

2006-07-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

How many little British cars can you get into one side of the garage. Unlike a tootsie roll pop, this one is measurable. I think I have maxed out at three. In fact, in combination with tools and spare parts, there is not any room to walk around. Time to start liquidating. Look for an MG related ebay store opening up at a computer near you.

Picked up the green car (no name yet) and it is a dream. Drove it 170 miles home from its former residence in Darlington, S.C. with no top under clear skies. Fast, smooth and tight. Brand new front to back and the undercarriage looks as if it just rolled off the show room.
So many quality spare parts that I am not sure where to begin. Can't wait to take my wife out for coffee and a nice country drive.

2006-07-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

Dreams can be realized

Forget what mom said about just plugging along.

I have been daydreaming, planning and plugging along with the hopes and wishes of building the next great vintage race car. I want to compete - at first in SCCA's Solo competion ( http://www.scca.org/Solo ) and then eventually in vintage sportscar racing ( www.svra.com ).

It was going to be hard to swallow, but I had accepted that it would take a few years to build that car. Then a turn of events changed that plan for the better. As follow up to the last post, I did take the car to the welder and he did a great job. That car is in fantastic shape and will make a great project car, but for someone else:)

I logged in this morning at work and went through the daily routine of checking e-mails, planning the work day and reading the latest headlines. I also logged into my personal e-mail account, because I had not taken the time to do so last night. There was a message from a guy I was familar with through the MG experience forum. He was selling his pristine 1967 MG race car and was giving me the first right of refusal.

Called the wife, mentioned it in passing - surely she would not bite - she said get it. I did not hang up on her, but I came close as I had to hurry up and let the guy know in my pure excitement.

The big get is that this car is everything that I was planning to build and more. It will immediately put me on the autocross circuit and require very little to get me on the race track. And for a lot less money, time and sweat.

Dreams are realized. Now, how do I get that thing to North Carolina from South Carolina?

2006-07-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

Little by Little

Mom was telling me on the phone how much she appreciated my dad, because through the years no matter how big the project, or how long it would take, he would tackle it little by little and in the end always finished it.

That was a good story to help put things into perspective for me Little by little, I am making progress, but have a long way to go. Took her to the welder this morning. Needed to fabricate a piece of the left rear panel above the tire, as well as to weld down the floorboards, grind down some other welds from its restoration, remove the motor mounts and a couple of other odds and ends. I figured why he has it, why not knock out what can be done right now.

I look forward to getting the car back, so I can continue finishing the body work.

2006-07-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

The project moves steadily. I have done a significant amount of parts and rust removal, as well as some initial painting of the interior of the tub. Ebay has allowed me with some help from the office 'for sale bulletin board' to fund the project without any impact to our monthly family budget. At this point, it is slow moving. With time spent between family, life, house chores and yard work, it will be a miracle when things do finally come together.

I have during the last week been able to spend a good deal of time on the car, but it will be some time before it actually looks like anything is being accomplished. I have it scheduled to go to the welder soon for some fabrication work and when completed will have the interior of the tub cleaned and painted.

I have had a lot of fun working on this - so much in fact that it has been hard focusing on just one element. For some reason I can attach photos, so here is one of dad back in the 80s rounding the carousel at Summit Point raceway.

2006-06-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

I have to be careful or I will over plan a project and fall short in executing it – kind of like working for the government or a large company. Plan, plan and plan some more, but never actually do anything.

I have been carrying around a white binder that has numerous dividers. SVRA specs, so I build according to SVRA’s rules. I have created a build schedule, so I make sure that I do everything in the appropriate order, especially when it comes time to start removing parts from one car and placing them in the second. I have a tab that is keeping track of necessary parts and tools that I don't have, and I have a tab that is keeping the current copy and design ideas for http://www.thinkracing.net/ – a site designed to pay tribute to the Think Racing Team.

Of most importance prior to major build work has been the preparation of the work space. My garage is a dream. There are only two bays, but the space is large. Despite its size, it was not organized in a way that was conducive to a major build like what I am attempting to do.

I needed a larger work bench area, more shelf space for spare parts, plenty of room for sandblasting, places to put wheels, fenders, doors, etc. as well as keep two MGs leaving enough room to actually work, weld and paint.

I think I have accomplished that goal to the best that can be done. I have taken pictures but have not had any success uploading them. I built a new work bench complete with peg board and space to store the motor, transmission and air compressor. I have a permanent spot for my vise and drill press, as well as plenty of storage for nuts and bolts, spare/leftover part and other garage memorabilia that needed a home. The shelf units have been moved and the cars are sat horizontally in the garage bay.

I bought two wheel dolly sets from harbor freight (check out http://www.harborfreight.com/), my new tool mecca, so I could store my cars in the garage horizontally vs. vertically. They are great. However you need to move your cars around, stick them on the dollies and in direction desired. The benefit to me is that it gives me plenty of space between cars to do what will need to be done throughout the build.

I would include pictures, but currently they are not uploading.

So the work space is done. The car has been emptied of its parts boxes and awaits the next step. Guess I better go consult the build schedule. I have a feeling I am about to do some actual work on the car.

2006-06-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

So for years I have debated - What car would I run? Should I stick with the MGBGT, or run a MGB. Which series, SCCA or SVRA? Should I build a street legal, autocross/vintage race car? What color scheme? Colors are fairly insignificant, however I have made some decisions and things are starting to fall into place.

I am going to run the MGB as an SVRA spec vintage race car. The vehicle will not be street legal, but I will, as I continue to build and prepare it, compete in SCCA Solo II competition.

For the last several weeks, I have been studying the SVRA competition regulations, as well as creating a build sheet – what to do and when, budget development and a compilation of the necessary parts and needed tools list. In between all of that, I was also searching the southeast for a good MGB body that would serve as the donor recipient of my red 1971 MGB GT.

After countless inquiries and searches, during my lunch break, I typed MGB parts car into http://www.google.com/ and fate took over. With 37 minutes left, an ebay auction was about to close on a 1975 MGB.

I quickly shot the link to my dad and together over the phone we studied the pictures. I was not looking for a car that required a lot of additional body work and panel replacement. It was important that whatever car I moved on, it had to be in great shape.

It looked like this vehicle was the one. The kicker, I won the auction and purchased the entire car for a whopping $76.

I called my wife and told her, I bought the MGB. The only caveat - The gentleman that I purchased it from was moving from Maryland, where the car was located, to New Hampshire, so we had to get it that weekend.

Luckily, mom and dad were on the way, so we packed up the kids and made the trip to Northern Virginia. Dad and I were up that Saturday and off to claim this prize. We had no real idea what to expect. It took us the whole morning and afternoon – the most difficult part being a frozen rear wheel on the passenger side - to get the car in position to be flat towed home.

I flat towed the car – having named it Grace – back to our home in Winston-Salem, NC.

It now resides in my garage awaiting the first steps in its transformation. MGs are great, especially when you can fit two of them on one side of the garage.

The Second Generation

2006-06-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

Dad has always said that it was his fault. That his involvement in racing and British sports cars was what caused me in turn to want to follow in the same footsteps. He is right, but I don’t blame him.

My first race was in the fall of 1974, the last race at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), prior to its reopening in 2000. I was less than a year old. The years following were jammed pack with British car shows, bike shows, SCCA regional and national races, as well as a host of SVRA, HSR and IMSA racing.

Dad raced his Sprite back in the 70s and 80s and throughout the 90s we participated as volunteers. I have always been an enthusiast and had the desire to compete myself one day, but I have never taken the opportunity for some reason. Arguably, now is not the time to start given the fact that I have two small children at home and a stay at home wife. But, the iron is hot and I am ready to strike.

I hope to capture the moments from now until the day my MGB sets tires on the race track – no matter how many years it takes.

Follow the story, offer me any help and insight you might have and cheer me on.