Buttonwillow Raceway "after action" report - pics..
06-10-2002, 02:56 PM
#1
Buttonwillow Raceway "after action" report - pics.. Up at 3:30am.. Met up with Rob (Poltergeist) for the drive up at 5am.. Two hours to go the 160+ miles and we arrived safe and sound.. Perfect timing and we were the first through tech and we spent time chatting with the other drivers..
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw1.jpg" alt=" - " />
We were put in group 1.. the fastest group, which had Z06's, vettes, vipers, etc.. So I wasnt planning on doing a lot of passing -- I was there to have fun not to wreck the car trying to beat everyone.. The car handled great but it was HOT on the track and I had a little pingine (need to add some 100 octane next time).. The Wilwoods performed VERY good with zero fade and while i didnt beat them to death (didnt want to crack them) i did push them and they never let me down.. BTW the track pads make a ton of noise and dust but they do stop better than the street pads. We got some great in car camera footage thanks to Robs tripod mount. No crashes so thats the good news.. a couple guys blew their motors but no accidents..
The bad news.. i guess the dealer didnt set up my gears right when they did my rearend.. at the end of a few laps I was getting a LOUD whine from the rear.. it got worse durring the day. There was a GM engineer there and he though it was the ring and pinon.. So i did run the rest of the day (He didnt think it would break) except the last run when it started to clunk also.. lol.. Plus I wanted to make sure it was drivable to the HB GM Camaro show on the 15th.. then into the dealer on the 17th..
Here is Rob lined up for his last run (notice car is clean)..
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw2.jpg" alt=" - " />
Here he is after.. the limitation of the stock breaks convinced him to try sideways 4X4ing in the dirt.. looked worse in person since his windows were down!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" />
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw3.jpg" alt=" - " />
Is it clean yet Rob??
Lots of cars there.. Around 90+.. lots of variety also.. from vettes to vipers to Ferraries to musclecars.. even a ford or two.. most drivers were cool and a very few were aholes who thought it was an actual race <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> -- the event staff treated us great and the food was good (except the flys)... Rob even got an E-ticket ride with John Hotchkis in the big braked Celica.. that guy can DRIVE! Here are a couple pics of other cars there:
Big $$$
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw4.jpg" alt=" - " />
Ceterforces 20" wheeled.. Magnacharger blown C5
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw5.jpg" alt=" - " />
A very nice box nova (those are centerline wheels.. sorta Z06 like)
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw6.jpg" alt=" - " />
I didnt go drag racing Sunday due to the rear-end so that was a bummer but I did get the car all shined up for the show next week.. Overall it was a great time!
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw1.jpg" alt=" - " />
We were put in group 1.. the fastest group, which had Z06's, vettes, vipers, etc.. So I wasnt planning on doing a lot of passing -- I was there to have fun not to wreck the car trying to beat everyone.. The car handled great but it was HOT on the track and I had a little pingine (need to add some 100 octane next time).. The Wilwoods performed VERY good with zero fade and while i didnt beat them to death (didnt want to crack them) i did push them and they never let me down.. BTW the track pads make a ton of noise and dust but they do stop better than the street pads. We got some great in car camera footage thanks to Robs tripod mount. No crashes so thats the good news.. a couple guys blew their motors but no accidents..
The bad news.. i guess the dealer didnt set up my gears right when they did my rearend.. at the end of a few laps I was getting a LOUD whine from the rear.. it got worse durring the day. There was a GM engineer there and he though it was the ring and pinon.. So i did run the rest of the day (He didnt think it would break) except the last run when it started to clunk also.. lol.. Plus I wanted to make sure it was drivable to the HB GM Camaro show on the 15th.. then into the dealer on the 17th..
Here is Rob lined up for his last run (notice car is clean)..
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw2.jpg" alt=" - " />
Here he is after.. the limitation of the stock breaks convinced him to try sideways 4X4ing in the dirt.. looked worse in person since his windows were down!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" />
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw3.jpg" alt=" - " />
Is it clean yet Rob??
Lots of cars there.. Around 90+.. lots of variety also.. from vettes to vipers to Ferraries to musclecars.. even a ford or two.. most drivers were cool and a very few were aholes who thought it was an actual race <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> -- the event staff treated us great and the food was good (except the flys)... Rob even got an E-ticket ride with John Hotchkis in the big braked Celica.. that guy can DRIVE! Here are a couple pics of other cars there:
Big $$$
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw4.jpg" alt=" - " />
Ceterforces 20" wheeled.. Magnacharger blown C5
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw5.jpg" alt=" - " />
A very nice box nova (those are centerline wheels.. sorta Z06 like)
<img src="http://members.aol.com/steven0932/bw6.jpg" alt=" - " />
I didnt go drag racing Sunday due to the rear-end so that was a bummer but I did get the car all shined up for the show next week.. Overall it was a great time!
