One Lap of America - BeaveRun Friday 5/9/08

[PaxtonShelby]

Anyone interested in heading to / meeting at the One Lap of America at BeaveRun on Friday, May 9? The One Lap is sponsored by Car & Driver and Tire Rack. If you haven't heard of it, it's as close to the Cannonball Run as you can get these days. The participants DRIVE ( no trailering here - these are all "street" cars ) a total of 5,000 miles across the country, from track to track, to run in various events ( road courses, drags, skidpads, etc. ). It's a really grueling event for the participants & cars. I went to see the day at BeaveRun 2 years ago and it was a BLAST to watch! You can walk thru the pit area and chat with the drivers and owners and watch them wrench on their cars. Better than going to Disney World!!! :sticktonge:

Here are links to the One Lap website and the BeaveRun website so you can peek at your leisure.

http://www.onelapofamerica.com/

http://www.beaverun.com/

I'm planning to take the day off of work and drive out there, maybe in the Mustang if the weather is nice.

[99 GT Coupe]

I may head out, sounds like it could be fun

[crkthsky]

that sounds like a fun day. I love it out at Beaverun. I've run there myself a couple of times in the Mustang (great track car for those of you who haven't tried it)...

[biminiLX]

I'd love to go Ron, definitely interested.
-J

[PaxtonShelby]

I have 4-5 buddies interested already. It'd be nice to get together with as many fellow SCS'ers as possible. Anyone else interested?

J - don't forget - you owe me some photos!!! :-) Or maybe you're just planning on bringing your LX to BeaveRun???

[PaxtonShelby]

Anyone else interested? 94 Cobra is going. Get the vacation day scheduled!! :pepper:

[crkthsky]

I think I'll be there - gotta show off the new ride! Besides, I love Beaverun events, and this is going to be a good one...

[PaxtonShelby]

I think I'll be there - gotta show off the new ride! Besides, I love Beaverun events, and this is going to be a good one...

Cool!! :goodidea: Who else? C'mon folks - this is like Kennywood for gearheads!! :pepper:

[biminiLX]

J - don't forget - you owe me some photos!!! :-) Or maybe you're just planning on bringing your LX to BeaveRun???
Email sent.
Not sure how the LX would like the turns, but the straights would be fun. :goodidea:
I haven't been up there yet so this is a great excuse.
-J

[crkthsky]

What time do folks plan on meeting, and where do you all want to congregate? we can set up ouy own "pony corral"!

[biminiLX]

I might have to work but could probably still get up there by 1pm or so.
How long is the day?
-J

[PaxtonShelby]

I might have to work but could probably still get up there by 1pm or so.
How long is the day?
-J

From the BeaveRun website, it looks like the there will be 3 events that day. The first begins at 9am, the second at 12:30, and the third at 2:00.
It looks like there is some overlap between the events. The last event is scheduled to finish up at 5:00. I think the 3rd event is on the autocross course. I'm not sure if the first 2 events are both on the big track or not. At least one of them has to be on the big track.

Bring your video cameras and digital cameras - you'll get some awesome screen savers & wallpaper there!

I couldn't find what the spectator cost is - I think I paid around $15 two years ago when I went.

If the weather is nice I hope to drive the Mustang to the track. Last time I had to park in a grassy lot and the car got pretty dusty from a dirt service road that ran nearby. I managed to blow the dust off on the ride home though!! :D

[PaxtonShelby]

I called BeaveRun today and was told the One-Lap racing will happen rain or shine - unless the rain is very heavy ( instructors' discretion ) or if there are thunderstorms in the area. The fun starts at 8:30 and lasts until around 5pm or so. Admission is a whopping $7!!! :pepper:

Hope to see some of you there! My cell # is 412-292-2403 if you make it there and want to meet.

Don't forget the rain gear and the digital camera!!

Ron

[biminiLX]

Work schedule won't allow me to make it, bummer.
Hope the weather cooperates.
-J

[biminiLX]

So, how'd it go Ron?
-J

[PaxtonShelby]

So, how'd it go Ron?
-J

Sorry you couldn't make it J.

94Cobra - where were you?? :confuse:

We really lucked out with the weather today at BeaveRun. Just a little mist early on and dry ( even had a little sunshine ) the rest of the day. I'll post up some photos tomorrow afternoon. As always, there were a wide variety of entries, and lots of friendly people. :goodidea:

[PaxtonShelby]

Here are some photos from yesterday at BeaveRun.

As always, there were a good number of Z06 Vettes and Bimmers ( a 1-series, lots of 3-series, a new V8 M3, and two white M5s with the V10), as well as a good number of Porsches ( Carreras, a 944 with an LT1 in it, slantnose 930, a nice GT3 that went off track at 100+ and JUST missed an inner guardrail - then blasted across the track and turfed some more lawn - WHOOPS! ), but I won't bore you with those photos. Here are a bunch of the cars you won't see every day on your way to work...

Let's start off with this nice GT-R. It was pretty quick and very smooth. Only thing I didn't like about it was the auto-stick setup.

[PaxtonShelby]

This Ford GT was really strong, and was probably the best-sounding machine on the track. And the notchback was surprisingly strong as well.

[PaxtonShelby]

A few 05+ GTs were running and had me drooling a bit...although the gray one was a bit overdone with the wing and splitter... But they both were supercharged, and that can help me look past those errors in judgement...

[PaxtonShelby]

This was one of my favorites. I didn't catch exactly what it was, and I'm not a HUGE fan of the whole rat-rod movement, but I was impressed with this guy's commitment to the rat-theme. This car sat on a Vette chassis and REALLY carried the mail. It had a mean stance and sounded great. This event was the first time the car has been driven since completion, and the owner had to work out bugs all week. One example was that the car kept running really hot - so he got creative and drilled the 2 inch holes in the front fenders and hood to allow the engine bay to cool. Two of the legs in this year's One Lap were 800 miles - quite a shake-down run if you ask me!

[PaxtonShelby]

This Hennessey Viper knew how to git-r-dun...

[PaxtonShelby]

Other than the rat-rod, this Odyssey was probably the coolest/funniest car there. It was built by some Honda engineers from Alabama who were great guys to talk to and were having a ball. They used a stock block with forged rods, a stock head ( all they did was polish the OUTSIDE of the heads ), install some type of limited slip diff, gutted the interior, installed a nice cage, coil over setup in front, and - oh yeah - a nice big turbo that, at 14 psi, put 403 horsepower to the front wheels!! :D This thing battled for traction all the way around the track. By Friday, they had already replaced the manual tranny ( which grenaded on Tuesday ). They said it was a 5-speed from a TL? That poor thing didn't stand a chance, and they already had another reserve tranny ready "just-in-case"...

[PaxtonShelby]

I guess this was some type of GT kit car. This thing was driven - HARD - for what must have been a lot of years. Definitely not a show car - but still really cool. It has a ZF transaxle mated to a stroked 351. I said earlier that the red Ford GT was the best sounding car at the track - but this car sounded almost as nice. And the guy who drove it ( not the owner ) really pounded on it. It was a blast to watch this car run.

[PaxtonShelby]

This little car was amazing. I heard at the end of the day that this guy was in 3rd place OVERALL. Keep in mind that you have to drive your car ( not trailer it ) from track to track in the One Lap. And over 7 days you travel about 5000 miles, getting very little sleep. Then consider that this guy did that in this car - with its tiny little windscreens - in rainy and cold conditions - while towing a trailer that was longer than the car itself. On top of all that, consider that this guy - who you can safely assume must be nuts already - did all of this with his WIFE in the passenger seat. WOW is all I have to say...

Actually, we did talk with the two of them for a few moments and they seemed really friendly. Nuts - but friendly. Here is a copy of a spec card they gave me for their car - some of the numbers are unreal - like the 2.7 second 0-60 time...and the 1430 pounds figure... Oh heck - ALL the stats on this car will make you do a double-take!!! Check them out...

And check out their helmets. They looked pretty funny at 130mph heading down the front straight...

[biminiLX]

awesome pics Ron.
The guy I was covering for owes me another beer after seeing the pics.
Hopefully I can make it next year if they come back.
-J

[Troll]

all of those peeps got some serious hardware. looks fun.

[bgblockelcamino]

wow i may actually have to attend one of these events it looks badass

[crkthsky]

thanks for the pics! I was spittin mad I could'nt make it - had to work!

[PaxtonShelby]

thanks for the pics! I was spittin mad I could'nt make it - had to work!

No problem Ed. You definitely have to make it to BeaveRun sometime. In July the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix will be hosting vintage races there, and that's even MORE fun to watch. LOTS of American Muscle everywhere, and the heats are longer than the One-Lap ( which actually has 3-lap heats ). I'll post up more info as we get closer to the PVGP. The nice thing is that the PVGP vintage races are during the weekend, so you won't have to take a vacation day! :awsome:

[somethingclever]

Awesome pics Ron...thanks for sharing...

The cobra in my sig was supposed to compete in one-lap this yr. New house and new baby for the PO changed that. LOL

Maybe i'll cruise the 69 car up to beaverun and watch the PVGP. What weekend is it?

[SV1000s]

I just read an article on those Honda guys (engineers)...they are really hardcore. Honda supplies them with parts, and they (the engineers/racers) invest their personal time in the vehicles. 90% of what they do goes towards the R&D of future Honda/Acura vehicles....one of the reasons Honda makes some of the best 4 and 6 cylinder engines in the world I'm sure.

Great pics and sweet rides Ron! Wish I could have made it out as a spectator.

[yeahloh95]

Did You See The Civic There? I Have Riden In It At The Last Autocross ,it Runs Really Well.

[03 OW SVT]

Nice pix...I should have come out. Beaverun is just 4 miles from my house.

I'd love to have seen some of those cars tear up the track.:woot1:

[PaxtonShelby]

Did You See The Civic There? I Have Riden In It At The Last Autocross ,it Runs Really Well.

Do you mean the newer ( 2007? ) Civic? I think there was a red one running. It was in a group with some pretty quick cars and it was holding it's own.

[PaxtonShelby]

Nice pix...I should have come out. Beaverun is just 4 miles from my house.

I'd love to have seen some of those cars tear up the track.:woot1:

4 miles???? I hope you had something REALLY good to do if you couldn't make the 4-mile trip to the track!!! :balls1: You really have to make it out for the Vintage Grand Prix races in July - they're even better!! :pepper:

[03 OW SVT]

4 miles???? I hope you had something REALLY good to do if you couldn't make the 4-mile trip to the track!!! :balls1: You really have to make it out for the Vintage Grand Prix races in July - they're even better!! :pepper:

When R they? I do plan on going there for a Flat out Friday, sometime this summer.