Hello

[5.0 RACER]

New board user, long time driver.

Just wanted to drop a note to the board saying hello. some of you know me, but I imagine a lot don't. I've been running cars for eaons it seems. Autox with TSCC and ODR, then switching to open track about 1990 with Car Guys. Been doing the track thing ever since.

I've been instructing with Car Guys for 6+ years now, running a lot of the east coast tracks. The car is part 86, part 94, part 98, part thunderbird, part late model NASCAR stock car machine. However, the main uni-body is still original so I guess it is really a 86. Makes about 320 hp.

http://www.stangler.com/motorsports/pictures/VIR02.jpg
Spent this weekend up at Summit doing the last event of the season. Wet and cold. Yech. Can't wait for some summer runs again.

[98sr20ve]

So many nice cars out there. Good to see you here.

[lightningd]

nooooooooo! drag is turning into the attack of the old guys! hehe :D

[Eric16v]

Welcome Tom.

[Bandit]

welcome. where aroudn vb do you live? your stang looks familiar

[5.0 RACER]

Chimney Hill
Rosemont & Holland
The car plate is "5.0 RACER" with a "FEAR THIS" sticker on the rear glass above an american flag.

[VT VTEC]

Hi Tom..

this is my first post also. I was flagging the event, remember your car.

The weather sucked, but made for great entertainment. Gladly nobody was hurt (as far as I know). Well, except maybe a few egos.

-Travis

[roadRacer]

Hi Tom. Good to see you here. I am sure you recoginze a couple of us :-)

[5.0 RACER]

Yah, it was cold and wet. a horrible combo up at Summit. We do appreciate you workers. :worship: :worship: It can't be easy standing out there soaked to the bone. My mustang twitched every time I tried to put down some power in the corners. Except Saturday when we worked a dry line. I got a few power runs in before the rains came.

What corner were you in?

Hi Calvin. Noticed you and Dale were here. Who else?

[Slammed Sentra]

vt vtec.........you the guy with the red del sol right? or am i wrong?

for those who are newbies, welcome

[Bandit]

Originally posted by 5.0 RACER
Chimney Hill
Rosemont & Holland
The car plate is "5.0 RACER" with a "FEAR THIS" sticker on the rear glass above an american flag.

yeah. i've seen you. you know the guy with the white fox body stang that has(had blew it) a stroked 460 in it? he lives off bancroft(on rosemont by holland)

[5.0 RACER]

Can't quite place the car/engine combo....

[Bandit]

oh. well he has a fox body ltd with a 5.0l, had a blue aerostar with 17" mustang wheels, a 68(i think) stang, and 14 or so engine blocks in his garage and shed

[VT VTEC]

Yep, red Del Sol with white wheels..

It was my first time to a track. They said if we could make it through that weekend, everything else is cake. All the drivers were nice about waving through their last lap. I was at turn 5 all day Saturday and turn 1 all day Sunday. One more event and I believe I will have enough credits to drive. :D

[5.0 RACER]

Originally posted by VT VTEC
I was at turn 5 all day Saturday and turn 1 all day Sunday. One more event and I believe I will have enough credits to drive. :D

A easy way to get ontrack. Ayron threw a nice food fest Sat nite.

Saw you had a few go off at 5. Probably misjudged their brake points I imagine.
and Sunday, same at turn 1. Nice tracks into the gravel....:)

[VT VTEC]

Yes yes, lots of fun to watch. I recommend working for a weekend before racing, you get to see how different cars handle, what not to do, etc... Its a great learning experience.

[MisterTwoYou]

Hey Tom, it's Rich. I just found this site too.

I have spent a total of about an hour as a passenger in Tom's Mustang at full speed up at Watkins Glen over the last three years. It exposed me to a whole new world, and my two rides have been some of the most fun I have ever had in my life.

Now to get me and my car up to that level...

From another old fart in the forum...

[Slammed Sentra]

welcome to all the new old farts...........

[5.0 RACER]

Hey Rich.

You gotta try some other tracks than just WGI. However, here a a few shots of Rich getting down the front straight at WGI
http://members.cox.net/tstangler1/RichAtGlen.jpg
http://members.cox.net/tstangler1/RichAtGlen2.jpg

[roadRacer]

Ah I realize I know Rich too!!!

[GreyGT-C]

Welcome Tom .:hi: ....and for the record...WGI scares the shit outta me. I hate being in a blue *tunnel* which is all i could see outta my car when i was there.:(

[5.0 RACER]

I can think of worse things...like test flying aircraft to see if the repairs are done correctly....:)

---------------------------
Tom

[roadRacer]

At the first Shelby club national convention at WGI I think they pretty well wrote off 4 cars. 2 '93 Cobra R's back when they were brand new. The track is fun, but I have never liked running there.

[LXative]

Originally posted by 5.0 RACER
Chimney Hill
Rosemont & Holland
The car plate is "5.0 RACER" with a "FEAR THIS" sticker on the rear glass above an american flag.

Damn, I used to live in Chimney Hill also.....886 Sedley to be exact. Whereabouts do you live out that way? There are several Mustangs in that neighborhood........WHOA 50, red95stang, and some dude who lived a few doors down with a Mercury Capri and a blue fox convertible. Never saw your car......just wondering....

[GreyGT-C]

test flying the heli's is fun....besides....if something did go wrong......I would never know about it. Putting my car into that blue armco wall would haunt me forever though:(

[5.0 RACER]

Nice thing about open track is not having to go too fast. I respect the armco. but its still a great track to run. I think I have about 10 hlours on track there.
Not to say that you don't wreck at my events either, but we do try to keep it at a minimum....of course.

I live down the street from red93stang. the 86 stays in the garage most of the time. the 93 sits in the driveway with the tow van.

[MisterTwoYou]

Tom,

It was a surprise to see you post the pictures of me at the Glen!

The first year I went (2000), three cars were totaled in 5 incidents on the first of the two days! The track management almost kicked the whole organization off the track (no kidding, we got one hell of a lecture in an emergency drivers meeting by the track manager).

First, an RX-7 got a wheel on the grass, jerked the car back on the track and spun into the Armco. Then, a twin turbo Supra with lots of goodies added (and used exclusively at the drag strip up to that day) lost in in Turn 1 - just way too fast down the front straight. It left the track 2 feet shorted than it arrived. Next, a Mustang went out on totally worn out tires. I saw the impact, and had a lot of respect for those who put the styrofoam blocks around the track. Then, a BMW went out and lost a tire on the back straight. The driver later realized that as he went to check the torque on his lug nuts, he had the torque wrench set to loosen, not tighten the bolts. Oops. Lastly, a vette ejected most of the innerds of its engine.

In all cases, there were no injuries, but it was a black day.

In in the 2001 and 2002 events combined, there was one blown motor, but no contact with the walls, and very few spins. The moral of all this is that such track events are not racing, but driving schools. If you start at 7/10th and gradually make your way to 9/10 (and keep it there) you can still have an unbelievably great time. Two or three times I got to 10/10 (not intentionally), and decided I liked it better at 8 or 9/10th in my beloved car. And it is also very important to carefully check your hardware before every run. Considering the history, setting, and the excellent track conditions, I highy recommend giving Watkins Glen a try.

And yes, Tom I hope to get to Summit Point, VIR full course, and the Glen this year. I gave up a fall driving event to make it to the US Grand Prix at Indy in Sept. It was a good trade, I had a great weekend!

Hi Calvin, how are the Mustangs?