[Lurch]

Since the price structure for Pikes Peak is such that it behooves one to enter before Dec. 31, 2003, I would think most competitors have either already decided about running, or they will very soon.

My question is...how many of you G2 or P class drivers are considering running up the mountain with what little air is there?

Looks like a 40 mile rally this year which is neat, but all on the mountain. I have little (read "no" ) interest in running a normally aspirated car in this event.

I will likely be there in something, but I have a hard time justifying the remapping required for this one off race just to have a joke of a vehicle (HP-wise) at the summit. That does nothing for me...or Mazda.

Thoughts?

BTW...I am glad to see this event happen and the new format sounds great. Just not for those who don't bring their own air.

 

[grinner323]

To bad that you can't throw the Mazdaspeed Protege's engine in it and run group 5

Philip J. Boer
grinner323(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

 

[Trevor Donison]

>Since the price structure for Pikes Peak is such that it
>behooves one to enter before Dec. 31, 2003, I would think
>most competitors have either already decided about running,
>or they will very soon.
>
>My question is...how many of you G2 or P class drivers are
>considering running up the mountain with what little air is
>there?
>
>Looks like a 40 mile rally this year which is neat, but all
>on the mountain. I have little (read "no" ) interest in
>running a normally aspirated car in this event.
>
>I will likely be there in something, but I have a hard time
>justifying the remapping required for this one off race just
>to have a joke of a vehicle (HP-wise) at the summit. That
>does nothing for me...or Mazda.
>
>Thoughts?
>
>BTW...I am glad to see this event happen and the new format
>sounds great. Just not for those who don't bring their own
>air.

I will for 100% sure. And if Halley still has the bug by then, I'll pay his entry fee so I have someone to run against.

 

[Mad Mike]

>I will for 100% sure. And if Halley still has the bug by
>then, I'll pay his entry fee so I have someone to run
>against.

You serious (like you'd put that out here if you weren't)?

Halley ...
Owner/Driver ProRally #86 - world's first New Beetle Rally Car
RealAutoSport, LLC
http://www.realautosport.com

 

[J Cox]

>
>I will for 100% sure. And if Halley still has the bug by
>then, I'll pay his entry fee so I have someone to run
>against.

I'll go if you pay mine!


In fact, I'll chase you all season if you want to pay all my entry fees!
}>

Actually, if any top teams want a chase truck entered in the events, loaded with spare parts, fuel and tires, and ready to tow you, fix you, roll you back over,... to shadow them during the event, I'd be up for that to!! Just like the ISDE.
}>

Jim Cox
#558 P-Class pile-for-hire
:+

 

[Brian Scott]

Where is the schedule listed? I have been told that with the 40 miles it is including the practice run to the half way point and some other practices?

I was told that one stage starts at 3am or something? but I cannot find this info?

I thought the 12 mile run was going to be a stage as part of a real rally? Counting the practices, test runs, etc.....and not running any other roads doesn't interest me at all for the $950 early fee plus the $150 for notes....and the week of vacation it requires.

Brian

 

[Matthew Johnson TRI Rally]

Hey guys,

I may be missing something... so please pardon me if that's the case,

Where can I find the info on Pikes Peak?!

Cheers,

Matthew Johnson
TRIrally.com
MatthewJohnson.us

 

[jimmy]

http://www.ppihc.com/

http://www.scca.org/news/tech/prorally/PRCB103103-04pikespeaksched.pdf

http://www.scca.org/news/tech/prorally/PRCB101503-pikespeak2004.pdf

press on,

 

[Bruce]

The schedule sounds interesting...but I can see some of the other Pike's Peak runners saying, "Why can't WE get more than one timed run?"

As a side note, there are other normally aspirated cars on the Hill, as well as the occasional electric car and some other things that are pretty slow. I think even Production rally cars can put on a good show. Mad Mike, in particular, knows his way up the mountain...

Bruce

 

[Guest]

Production cars find their way to 11,500 without being too terrible.

I haven't personally had a chance to regularly drive above that.



The altitude is just another condition, like participating in an ice or snow rally. Driving styles have adapt to the cars grip there; driving will have to adapt to the decrease in HP.

Instead of changing tires, you have to adjust your engine. Changing tires is just a little bit less of a hassle.

What do you get out of Sno*Drift vs. other rallys?

I could lie and say that the remapping will help you at the COG. Probably not. It depends on how far you want to take the push for power. Most of the stage roads there are probably 6000-6500 ft ASL.

Above 6000, you'll probably have a headache your first day out. Above 8000, you're more winded walking. Above 9 or 10, you really start to think you're missing a cylinder on your car. I haven't spent much time above 11,000. I'm afraid of bears.

I am curious to see the drivers huffing and puffing if the stage lengths are long enough to really work them.

Matt
former Steamboat resident

 

[Bruce]

>I am curious to see the drivers huffing and puffing if the
>stage lengths are long enough to really work them.
>

At the summit, I was huffing and puffing just walking from the car to the gift shop...

If you haven't been to the PPIHC, I recommend it. After just driving up that road, I truly don't understand RACING up it...but it's fun to watch.

Bruce

 

[Bjorn240]

>If you haven't been to the PPIHC, I recommend it.

I second this. The section from Glen Cove to the W's is terrifying.
There can't be another piece of road like that in the world. For which I am quite thankful.

- Christian

Bjorn Christian Edstrom
www.christianedstrom.com

 

[Lurch]

>What do you get out of Sno*Drift vs. other rallys?
>

Sno*Drift has the opposite effect. The HP is great and the traction is the limiter for all. A good 2wd driver in a low power NA car can make an incredible showing at SD.

PP just makes the cars...and drivers...look boring without a lot of boost. The top open cars and Doug Shephard/Cindy Krolikowski were the ones to see out there this year.

 

[Trevor Donison]

>>I will for 100% sure. And if Halley still has the bug by
>>then, I'll pay his entry fee so I have someone to run
>>against.
>
>You serious (like you'd put that out here if you weren't)?
>
>Halley ...
>Owner/Driver ProRally #86 - world's first New Beetle Rally
>Car
>RealAutoSport, LLC
>http://www.realautosport.com

I'm serious. You know the Mountain and the drill when it comes to running Pikes Peak. Entry fee would be worth it to have that experience available and helping me get it figured out for the first time. Plus, us P guys might actually get some press at Pikes Peak because there will only be so many guys running.

 

[Mad Mike]

Trevor said:

>I'm serious. You know the Mountain and the drill when it
>comes to running Pikes Peak. Entry fee would be worth it to
>have that experience available and helping me get it figured
>out for the first time. Plus, us P guys might actually get
>some press at Pikes Peak because there will only be so many
>guys running.

Sounds like a deal. It may be the closest I'll ever come to being hired as a PPIHC consultant!

Halley ...
Owner/Driver ProRally #86 - world's first New Beetle Rally Car
RealAutoSport, LLC
http://www.realautosport.com

 

[Guest]

good point about SnoDrift.

As a head to head race, everyone is going to drop HP at the same rate in G2/P/PGT

At some point you think you've lost so much power, racing is pointless? or just not enjoyable?

Many racing series are built on Parity. Up to a point, you're margin for error decreases when you don't have power to correct with. Then again, at some point, you have so little power, it would be impossible to make a mistake.

So, is it chess, checkers, or tic-tac-toe.....

 

[Lurch]

>
>At some point you think you've lost so much power, racing is
>pointless? or just not enjoyable?

Not enjoyable. It is a lot like going to Road America on an ALMS weekend, paying the same entry fee as the ALMS teams, and having to race a golf cart around the track. In my opinion, of course.

 

[Guest]

You are starting to sound a lot like JV :+
Should be an interesting choice- getting down to the very essence of why you drive.

Must be why I try to stick to service vehicles

 

[Lurch]

>Should be an interesting choice- getting down to the very
>essence of why you drive.

Really it is.

>...at some point, you have so little power, it would be impossible >to make a mistake.

And the primal essence of rallying is that certain amount of risk, eh? If the vehicles are so slow that it is "impossible to make a mistake," we might as well be picking the most efficient lines to the dairy section of the grocery store with our shopping carts...its the same exercise.

Some may want to go to "just be a part of the show." That is fine. If that is what they want to do, I can understand that completely. That's just not enough motive for me. Some argue that the exposure is great, but I would counter that the kind of exposure an N/A car gets on the hill will be negative when viewed with the rest of the field.

Add onto that the financial burden of dyno work out there to run the engine safely and it just isn't worth it for the inevitable result of fair at best.

I was just wondering how many N/A folks wanted to be there. It sounds like there are a few who will and, frankly, I'm glad. It will help bring more rallyists up there and provide that experience for those who really want to do it.