 Barbeque at Willow Ranch and Global Time Attack’s new Pro-Am Time Attack Series in conjunction with Shift-S3ctor at Buttonwillow Raceway sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday. As most of you know I, “Travis”, moved up to northern California due to my wife Meghan getting orders to Beale AFB. After getting settled in, we decided to make the trip back down the I-5 to attend the first ever GTA Pro-Am event with Shift-S3ctor at Buttonwillow Raceway. Not having my normal Time Attack Wrx I decided to go with “Plan B” and run my 2012 Subaru Sti. I had a good feel for the car as I just ran it at Firebird West in the rain so I figured additional seat time at Buttonwillow would be a great idea. First session of the day didn’t count and was meant to get times for everyone to get a grid position. I thought it would be a great time to give Paul Kuzma a ride along so he could check the track out. We took to the track and ended up with a 2:05.154, which was not too bad for just getting started. Second run of the day I went out for few hot laps and a quick swing into the hot pits to pick up Ulrik Szirka for a few laps around the track. I was able to shave 2.3xx seconds off my time running a 2.02.784, putting me in 3rd place in limited AWD with my little street car.  During lunch, I reviewed the track in my head and after talking to Jeff Westphal I knew I could find more time in the car. The third session of the day came and I took the Sti out putting down a 2.01.945. knowing that I made a few mistakes on that run I couldn’t wait to get back out there in the next run group. Fourth session of the day came and I hit the track like a mad man giving it all I could in the little Sti. This session was my best all day! I was able to find my groove on track and laid down an impressive 2:00.743. A little story about my car and why I was happy with this time. The Sti is 85% all stock. lol Power is only around 330whp with a 20g-8cm turbo controlled by a Turbosmart IWG. Suspension is stock struts, Swift Spec-R Springs, Whiteline Front and Rear 22mm Adj Swaybars with Endlinks, and Whitelines H-Brace, while rolling on Wheeldude Rota T2R’s with Hankook RS-3 Tires. So needless to say I was pretty happy with the car for the day. Of course, after looking at the results I saw that I was only .072 off of 2nd place. I had to go back out for the final session of the day to see if I could find more time. On the warm up lap I was plotting my course in hope of shaving some time when I hit the Esses it was game time. Pushing the Sti as hard as I could, I made it to Cotton Corners without flaw and just as I was about to make the right into Club Corner, the car lost power like a intercooler pipe blew off. So I just coasted for a second with the car at idle. I didn’t hear anything so I just decided to call it a day as I was coming up to Magic Mountain, I heard a noise coming from the engine so I shut the car off and coasted on to the drag strip. Knowing everyone would be looking for me I got my phone out and texted Tony Szirka to tell him what happened. “I’m pretty sure I will be fined for using my cell phone on track like some NASCAR drivers LOL”  I ended the day being towed in and with no way to get home took 3rd place. Luckily my Time Attack family did everything they could to help us out. Jason from GTA got us hooked up on a place for the car to sleep until I got a truck and trailer to come and get it. Tony, Ulrik, and Paul took Meghan and I to get a rental car to get us back home. Noah and Adam at LIC Motorsports are letting us use their truck and trailer to pick the car up and bring it home.
I am looking forward to attending more of the GTA / Shift-S3ctor Pro-Am events in the future with the Snail Racer and the rest of the team later this year. The turnout was great, many awesome cars we there, and guys at Shift-S3ctor are top notch! See all you guys at the GTA Pro Series event on March 16-17 at Firebird Raceway!! For more info on Global Time Attack and Shift-S3ctor check out the links below. www.GlobalTimeAttack.com www.Shift-S3ctor.com www.Facebook.com/GlobalTimeAttack www.Facebook.com/ShiftS3ctor Big Thanks all of our 2013 Sponsors: Turbosmart USA, Whiteline US, Turbo by Garrett, LIC Motorsports, Wheeldude.com, Turbos Direct, and Mothers Facebook.com/SnailPerformance Follow us on Twitter – @Tayloratsnail, @SnailPer4mance, @Markos_mylonas Instagram – @Snailperformancetaylor, @PoweredbySnail, @Markos_mylonas
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
April 2019
|
RSS Feed
|
© COPYRIGHT 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
|