Recent Comments:
Tokachi 24-hour Nissan GT-R build up underway {Autoblog}
Jul 2nd 2008 6:11AM Wow, it's like no one read the part where it has been stated in several posts "the cage and other safty equipment adds weight back into the car".
All stripped out, they probably had just shy of 500 lbs. of weight shaved off. You throw a roll cage onto the chassis, and youre easily back up into the high 200 lbs. range. Its really not that difficult to figure out. Steel tubing = heavy. And it wont be some little hoop bar either. It will be a proper fully tied FIA spec cage.
Unless they start putting scafolding into the V-Spec, i think with some material changes, and some feature omitting its not unreasonable to get the V-Spec down 300-400 lbs.
Easy? No. But quite possible.
Nissan bringing tuned R35 GT-R to Tokachi 24-hour race {Autoblog}
Jun 30th 2008 7:22PM Dont get your hopes up for ALMS.
The Tokachi 24h Race is a Super Taikyu race. Almost all of the Super Taikyu cars are lightly modified street cars, think Group-N, Group-A, type builds. But predominately, they are stock cars built for endurance racing, as Super Taikyu literally translates to Super Durable. I would likely imagine, given my understanding of the Supet Taikyu rules, you will see a modified exaust of somesort, probably lighter weight wheels, the alot of V-Spec parts, like larger rear wing, front air-dam/splitter, carbon ceramic brakes (maybe, they might not be able to under the rules), stripped interior, full cage, and alot of CF where ever they can throw it. Most of the weight savins will likely come from removal of interior and finish items. You can find out more about the Super Taikyu by checking out their official website.
http://www.so-net.ne.jp/s-taikyu/
Travis Pastrana getting a new co-driver {Autoblog}
Feb 25th 2008 10:32PM Derek Ringer. Thats a real shame, i was REALLY hoping that he would have partnered up with the Welsh Wizard (thats Nicky Grist for you non-rally peeps).
For the record, Travis IS competeing in the WRC. The Production WRC, which is for Group-N homologation vehicles, similar to what they run here in North America.
Saddly his pace has been EXTREMELY slow. Mainly becuase of the pace notes. International rallying is 90% pace notes, you simply cant get away with driving the road "semi blind" like you do here in North America. And the European competitors have pace notation, and recce down to a scince, maybe even a fine art. And both Travis and Christian admitted that they struggled to make half decent pace notes, and where astonished at the level of complexity, and general organization of the notes and time tables of the PWRC competitors.
I have this sneaking suspiscion that these factors had alot more to do with Christian "throwing in the towel", then did obligations to family, or Travis's hot headedness.
Personally i think Derek will be a good companion for Travis, hes a profesional, hes calm, and he will help Travis to set a proper pace, and maintain it, rather then running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
