Hamfist Racing

SUBARU BRZ GT300 - Proud of Boxer

2011-12-13T20:02:00.000-08:00

2011 Nissan Juke vs. 1971 Datsun 510, Dave Coleman's Rally Beater

2011-11-29T17:59:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

The dream-team of automotive journalism, from the heydays of Sport Compact Car Magazine (SCC), has reunited. Dave Coleman, now Resident-Geek at MotoIQ, and Josh Jacquot, now Senior Editor for Edmunds Inside Line, have chronicled yet another completely irrational competition in their own special way. Dave's job was to haul his Datsun 510 (SCC Project Rally Beater) to put up against Nissan's latest Frankenstein-like creation, The Juke. Josh's job was to bring the shiny new Nissan and report back to the mother-ship on the happenings. Below is a brief video of the race for you all to watch, but I don't want you to stop there. Josh's full write up on the experience is reminiscent of the '90s articles in Sport Compact Car. The writing style, energy, and humor from Sport Compact Car (specifically when Josh and Dave were the head honchos) served as the inspiration for the Hamfist Racing blog.

2011 Nissan Juke vs. 1971 Datsun 510 Full Write Up, By: Josh Jacquot

Porsche Club of America - Zone 1 Autox Championship

2011-11-25T05:47:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Local autocross veteran, Rich Wayne, offered a co-drive opportunity at the 2011 Porsche Club of America Zone 1 Autocross Championship. Our weapon of choice was a mid-engine 1999 Porsche Boxster. The tires of choice were 2007 vintage Kumho V710. The car was an absolute blast to drive. The featherweight Porsche felt like a Miata with the motor at the wrong end of the car. The car was bone stock. It could quickly and comfortably be brought to it's limit. Over-steer was effortlessly corrected. Under-steer was minimal and only shined it's ugly head if the driver made a big mistake.

The competition was held at the Tobay Beach autocross site. Temperatures barely broke into the 50's but the sun was shining and it was to be the last autocross of the year. We made the best of it. Our times (both raw and clean) were mere tenths of a second from each other run after run. We were constantly pushing those old tires and the 190+ hp engine to their limits. Rich and I finished 1st and 2nd in class, respectively.

Here are some pictures and a video from day 1, November 19th 2011. Until next year, have a Happy Holidays!

2012 SCCA Solo Pax Index Figures Released

2011-11-22T19:55:00.001-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Thanks to dedicated SCCA Member and statistician-extraordinaire, Rick Ruth, the 2012 Pax Indexes have been set and released to the public. For those unfamiliar, The Tire Rack does a fair job at explaining the purpose of the Pax Index:

"The PAX index... is a commonly used handicapping system for comparing times of cars which are not in the same class. The index is composed of data from across the country, and tries to take the driver out of the equation and compare only the cars. These indices are based on cars prepared to the limit of the rules and driven by top drivers... The index is multiplied against your run time to provide the time you would have had if you had been in an A-Modified car. It is interesting to compare the index of one class to another to see how much time you should gain if you prepared your car to, for instance, Street Prepared rules. Look in the rule-book to find out where your car would be if you made modifications. You can also see that alphabetically, higher cars are not necessarily faster."

So with the latest 2012 figures posted, you can start planning your build now. Two big Pax "unknowns" were the new Street Touring F (STF) class, which had no data to base the index on, and the new ASP, since it absorbed the BSP Mitsubishi Evolutions and purged itself of the Corvettes. The STF index appears very light at first glance, dubbing STF officially the slowest class in solo.

iPhone Data Acquisition - MotorsportsNE Autocross in HamfistRacing.com Mazda RX7

2011-11-21T17:18:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

These videos were taken using the iPhone application, Harry's Lap Timer, on November 10th, 2011 at the Meadowlands autocross, hosted by MotorsportsNE. The Hamfist Racing Mazda RX-7 won top honors, as the Fastest-Time-of-Day, with a lap time of 60.705 (click here for the complete results). Harry's Lap Timer integrates racing data-acquisition through the iPhone hardware (GPS and accelerometer) and iPhone high definition video to allow for video-data-overlay. The program is not bad for a $19 application. After this first go-round with the program, it became clear the sampling rate was too low to provide any useful data for autocross application. It needed additional hardware support so an Emprum GPS module was ordered. The new unit will provide 5 hertz sampling rate. This will take five times as many data samples as the original iPhone GPS internals (1 hertz - illustrated in the below videos). Keep tuned to www.HamfistRacing.com for updates and reviews for the Emprum accessory GPS module and it's integration to the iPhone application, Harry's Lap Timer in 2012. Hopefully this program can become a new tuning (and driving) tool for the Hamfist Racing team.

Note: Video #2 has an accelerometer error (reading force of gravity after reorienting the phone)

Subaru Technica International BRZ Super GT300 Race Car Coming Soon!

2011-11-18T07:35:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Subaru Technica International Inc. (STI) has confirmed that they are "planning to build a race car based on the new small-sized FR sports car – the ‘SUBARU BRZ’ – and to compete with it in the GT300 class of the 2012 SUPER GT.” This is great news. Subaru has distanced itself from official motorsports, specifically WRC, since the economic downturn. This should spur a new wave of research and development for the new BRZ chassis, and its powertrain, on corporate dime! The campaign will replace STI's current Legacy platform in Super GT competition.

2012 National SCCA Solo/ProSolo Schedule Released

2011-11-18T06:38:00.001-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Well folks, it's the time of year when you should sit down with your boss to explain, once again, why you will be away from work for sporadic days throughout your 2012 work schedule. The hard part is getting "that look" from your boss when you tell him or her that you'll be driving a big clunky trailer through the middle of nowhere on a day you are supposed to be at work. You know "that look". It's the one where you know he's thinking, "This guy is nuts." Without further delay, below please find the 2012 SCCA National Solo and ProSolo Schedule:

3/10 Dixie National Tour – Adel, GA
3/17 Texas National Tour – College Station, TX
4/14 Maryland ProSolo – TBA
4/21 Mineral Wells ProSolo -Mineral Wells, TX
4/28 San Diego National Tour - San Diego, CA
5/5 El Toro ProSolo – Irvine, CA
5/19 New Jersey National Tour- East Rutherford, NJ
5/25 Lincoln ProSolo – Lincoln, NE
5/27 Lincoln National Tour – Lincoln, NE
6/8 Blytheville ProSolo - Blytheville, AK
6/10 Blytheville National Tour - Blytheville, AK
6/30 Packwood Tour - Packwood, WA
7/7 Packwood ProSolo - Packwood, WA
7/14 Colorado National Tour – Fountain, CO
7/21 New Mexico ProSolo – Farmington, NM
7/28 Toledo ProSolo - Toledo, OH
8/4 Peru National Tour - Peru, Indiana
9/1 ProSolo Finale – Lincoln, NE
9/4 Tire Rack Solo Nationals – Lincoln, NE
10/27 Tri-States Championship – Blytheville, AR

More details at www.scca.com/solo

Project SSM RX7 Update 2011 Season

2011-11-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

After a successful run for a trophy finish at the 2010 SCCA Solo National Championship in Super Street Modified Class, the Hamfist Racing RX7 experienced a devastating blow to its progress and development. A combination of over-boosting, over-revving, maxing out fuel system capacity, and suspect octane levels, led to a not-so-unprecedented apex seal failure. The long trailer ride to Speed1Allentown was the start of a comprehensive, yet premature, powertrain overhaul that would bring the car into the pinnacle of Super Street Modified competition.

Speed1Allentown, aka KDR Performance, began the tear down and port polishiing – intake & exhaust – of the 13B rotary engine. Before the engine could be put back together, the entire rotating assembly, including a pair of new high compression Series 4 RX7 rotors and a lightweight RX8 eccentric shaft, were sent to Racing Beat in California. Racing Beat shaved material off the sides of the new rotors and balanced the entire assembly. The end product was a rotary engine that could scream effortlessly to 10,000rpm without losing balance or flow. To support the new mechanical limits of the engine both fuel and ignition systems were enhanced. KG Parts supplied the FPR, custom rail, lines and 1600cc secondary injectors while an HKS Twin Power ignition amplifier would spark the initial bang.

A blown motor has a funny way of taking things down with it. The upgraded HKS T04E turbo was one such bystander. Realizing this dangerously close to the first ProSolo of the season, I called fellow SSM competitor Andy McKee in desperation, hoping he was still selling his old turbo kit. Sure enough, it was sitting on his shelf, covered in cobwebs. Don't be fooled by the cobwebs, however, the turbo – a ball bearing Garret GT35R unit – had very light duty before Andy decide to try something else. An unmentionable shipping bill and Mr. McKee’s alacrity got the new turbo, tubular exhaust manifold, ceramic coated downpipe, and dual Tial wastegates to my door just in time for the New Jersey ProSolo. The setup was installed the next day and dyno tuned by Dave Barninger at Speed1. The car made nearly 400whp peak, but the biggest gains over the old setup were in the 3,000 to 5,000 rpm range. Here the ball bearing turbo shined, boosting both power and torque nearly 50 units. Thanks Andy!

With fresh Hoosier A6 rubber slapped on the 18x10 CCW wheels, the car made it's appearance at the SCCA New Jersey Prosolo, but not without further drama. A last minute, parking lot repair of a damaged pulley almost left the car without power steering. Thanks to the support of fellow SSM competitor Jason Becker (commonly known as the nicest guy around) and his Pop, the car was repaired in time. Elena would be the first to shake down the car in Ladies 2 class. Competition in L2 is based on indexed time, making it difficult to outrun cars like the Kugler’s featherweight EP Honda CRX. Next, I finally got to experience the benefit of all the time, sweat and tears since the motor failed. The car held together and took the win in SSM by the second largest margin of any class at the race, earning “top qualifier” prize money, two tires from Hoosier, and $200 from Mazdaspeed. Not too shabby, just don’t compare the prizes to the cost of getting the car ready.

The next weekend the RX7 was back in action at Dover International Speedway for the SCCA Solo Dover National Tour event. After some competitor shuffling, SSM became stacked with the top cars & drivers from the 2010 SCCA Solo National Championships, including the BSP national championship Mitsubishi Evolution, the ASP national championship Corvette, and the podium finishing SM Nissan 240SX. In addition to the stiff competition, the course in Dover was exceptionally long and the climate was very hot. After my first run, which was an impossibly fast time right out of the hole, I nearly fainted idling back toward grid. The competitive pressure and heat were overwhelming, but the car itself may have been to blame for the lightheaded feeling of euphoria and adrenaline. Under full boost the car pulls nearly as many G’s longitudinally as it does laterally. That is no small feat considering the RX7 is arguably the best handling chassis ever manufactured and this particular example is rolling on twelve inch wide contact patches of Hoosier’s top of the line DOT approved race rubber.

By the end of the weekend, the car finished on the podium behind the Nissan and the Corvette in open class. In SSM Ladies class, Elena was competing against more bumped up machinery, two CSP Miatas to be precise. The goal was to show the little Miatas who’s the big daddy in the Mazda family. Elena, now more familiar with the SSM RX7, was able to pull away from the roadsters by a substantial margin, bringing home the big win for the weekend.

Within a period of nine days the car had seen twenty-four national level autocross runs. Sure enough, the abuse caused a new failure. A drivetrain brace – known as the powerplant frame (PPF), which joins the rear differential with the transmission – had cracked in various places. The car needed a replacement PPF and a fabricator who could reinforce the unit to withstand the 400whp, R-compound shroud, drag-race launches. Back at Speed1, Dave Barninger sourced a takeoff PPF from a bastardized V8 swapped RX7 and reinforced the unit with quarter inch thick steel plates days before hauling out to the Oscoda Prosolo in Michigan, where the car was to face off against the RX7 of multi-time ProSolo Champion, Carter Thompson.

After the Oscoda ProSolo it became clear the car needed further improvements. The car finished more than a few tenths back from Carter Thompson’s monster RX7. With months before Nationals I naively thought there was sufficient time to upgrade and retune the suspension. Countless hours of research led me to Penske race shock builder extraordinaire Angelo Zarra of ANZE Suspension, in Long Island. ANZE worked with Joe Stimola assisting top-tier race teams custom engineer racing suspensions.

With Angelo’s help we selected a hybrid Penske 8100/7300 precision engineered coilover suspension. The front 8100 series are external reservoir double-adjustable monotube shocks. The rears adjust rebound only and have no reservoirs to install. The shocks used a clevis compatible upper mount for dynamic articulation. To mount the reservoirs ANZE provided their proprietary canister sleeves and brackets ensuring heat insulation and convenient bolt-on nature. After wrestling with spring lengths, spring rates, and shock body sizes, the suspension was complete.

The Penskes instantly provided superior feedback over the old Konis. The adjustability range was also drastically improved. Turning the knobs made big differences in the car’s behavior at speed! It was exciting but also presented many new challenges. I'd never really tuned such an adjustable shock. Trial and error was a big part of the learning process. For anyone testing and tuning similar set ups I recommend making one big shock adjustment at a time and comparing the driving characteristics.

In addition to the shock and spring improvements, the RX7 also received an upgrade from the OEM rear torsen limited slip differential to the formidable OSGiken 1.5 way Super Lock clutch type LSD. The new differential made the car feel much more composed under breaking since it allows the rear wheels to spin completely independently. And when throttle is applied, the diff locks fully, allowing for minimal wheel slip. This is especially helpful at corner exit. Speed1Allentown installed the rear diff with all new Mazda bearings, along with a new Tweak-It rear differential brace which provides more rigidity to the housing under continuous ProSolo drag launches.

The last piece of the puzzle was to bump up the rubber size once again. While the car felt amazingly responsive with rocket-like gearing sitting on 285mm rear tires, jealously struck over the success of the extraordinarily super-wide-tire’d, top performers like Carter Thompson and Mike Johnson. CCW provided properly sized rear wheels and a borrowed fender roller made mounting the monstrous 315/30/18 Hoosier A6s feasible. Clearances were tight at the rear trailing arm, so we installed aftermarket arms and offset the mount at the sub-frame.

After all was said and done, what was created, in theory, was a car completely capable for the task at hand… a National Championship. However, at this point, months of our time cushion had elapsed and Nationals was only weeks away. Due to other commitments and very uncooperative weather, testing the new wheel/tire/spring setup before Nationals was not possible.

We loaded up and proceeded on the endless drive to corn country in a borrowed Chevy Suburban (Thanks Sandro!) with the Mazda traveling in luxury on a trailer – rather than the typical protocol of tires dangling out the back of the hatchback, held in by bungee cords. Anxiety ridden throughout the entire trip since I didn’t know what to expect of the new setup, I tried to calm my nerves with endless stops for coffee and Redbull.

Nationals Update to Follow…

ANZE Suspension Has A New Home

2011-11-15T12:37:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Hamfist Racing marketing partner, and shock builders extraordinaire, ANZE Suspension has relocated to a brand new facility! Their new shop is located at 66 Glen Cove Road, Greenvale, NY, which is easier to get to and from and will offer a host of services. In addition to producing their championship-winning custom struts, they can also assist you with all your damper needs, design and fitment, dyno testing, service, rebuilding and sales or advice. Give them a try. You won’t be disappointed...

2012 NNJR SCCA Solo National Tour - Date Released!

2011-11-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

The Northern New Jersey Region SCCA and the SCCA National office have booked a National Tour event at our favorite local proving ground for the 2012 season! The Meadowlands (aka Met Life Stadium) will host a tour event, rather than a ProSolo, this year, on the weekend of May18-20, 2012. I am sure the region is looking for volunteers to help plan and organize the event. If you are interested, please reach out to the NNJR SCCA core workers. See you there!

Tow Vehicle Feature - VW Touareg V10 TDI

2011-11-03T07:45:00.001-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Are you looking for a tow vehicle to haul your heap of carbon fiber and engine grease to the nearest (or farthest) race venue? Do you want that truck to be comfortable, luxurious, capable and affordable? Enter the Volkswagen Touareg V10 Diesel TDI. With model years from 2004 to 2008, a used example can be had for less than $30k, provided you can find one. Few were manufactured, but if you can get your hands on one, the possibilities of towing stuff is endless. Need to move a 300,000 lbs airplane? No problem. Really! Watch the Fifth Gear video below.

Mitsubishi Plans New Lancer EVO Diesel Hybrid

2011-11-03T07:25:00.001-07:00

By: Jake Namer
Stiffer international fuel economy and emissions standards have pushed automakers to get creative with their performance cars. Mitsubishi is officially pursuing a diesel iteration of the very successful Lancer Evolution platform. People are speculating that the Diesel Evolution XI will be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in less than 5 seconds, with CO2 emissions of less than 200 g/km. The Peterbuilt sounding EVO will of course feature the latest version of the advanced all wheel drive system, Super All Wheel Control.

In Depth View & Simulation of 2013 New Jersey Formula1 Grand Prix

2011-11-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Below you will find an in-depth, Google Earth fly-by view of the proposed 2013 New Jersey Formula1 Grand Prix circuit through Weehawken, illustrating the drastic elevation changes and incredible skyline setting. Additionally, below is a simulation lap of the 2013 New Jersey Formula1 Grand Prix circuit run by Lewis Hamilton. The course looks incredibly fun, challenging and beautiful.

The Official Subaru BRZ STi - RWD Coupe!

2011-11-03T06:34:00.001-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Subaru officially released images of their proposed 2013 BRZ STi rear wheel drive coupe. The car looks small enough to keep weight down and performance up! The coupe is expected to be on display at the LA Auto Show soon and production will begin in Spring.

Subaru says:

The lightened Concept – STI features an STI-tuned suspension, Brembo brakes and unique 18-inch wheels and tires. The Subaru-engineered and built chassis boasts a rigid frame housing a two-plus-two interior and front engine/rear-wheel drive layout. With the engine mounted low and rearward in the engine compartment to allow for near-perfect balance and one of lowest CoG's of any car on the market.

The BRZ Concept – STI is designed to combine lightweight, a low polar moment and razor-sharp reflexes for the ultimate handling machine. The low engine placement also allows for a very low and blade-like hood design. Short front and rear overhangs reduce the yaw moment of inertia.

Compared with other Subaru models, which already feature a low centre of gravity and optimal weight distribution, the engine in the Subaru BRZ - STI - sits even lower, 4.7 inches lower in fact and is positioned 9.4 inches closer to the centre of the chassis.

Specifications:
Body size (Overall: Length x Width x Height): 166.7 X 70.9 X 50.4 inches
Wheelbase: 101.2 inch
Engine: Subaru Boxer "FA" engine - 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder Horizontally-Opposed Boxer engine
Tire size: 215/45R18 (Front), 225/45R18 (Rear)

For your reference as to the size of this micro-suby, the 2011 Mazda MX-5 (Miata) dimensions are as follows (Overall: Length x Width x Height): 157.3 X 67.7 X 49.0 inches

Mark Daddio - AMS/NOS Time Attack EVO X

2011-11-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Here is a quick throw back video from the days when hot-shoe-extraordinaire, Mark Daddio, piloted the AMS/NOS Time Attack EVO X. I'm not sure if AMS is actively pursuing time attack competition, but if they do, they better wise up and put the alien back in the cockpit.

Hybird Pfff - 84MPG Internal Combustion FTW!

2011-10-27T13:17:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

This lightweight chassis VW Rabbit with a properly tuned modern diesel motor drastically out performs every hybrid on the market. Dave Coleman and the team at MotoIQ.com take this VW Rabbit retrofit and break a lot of automakers' hearts.

Proposed F1 Circuit for 2013 Formula 1 Grand Prix

2011-10-26T06:55:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Below is the proposed 2013 New Jersey Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit spanning through Weehawken, NJ; not Jersey City as previously speculated. The event organizers should also host a Time Attack in conjunction with the F1 competition like an opening band for The Beatles. This is not a entirely unique concept. In 2008 the Long Beach Indy Grand Prix hosted a Time Attack in the streets of the great California city. There are many people who would jump at this once in a lifetime opportunity to run a city circuit with a NYC skyline back drop.

Spotted: Team Polizei's M5 Interceptor Goes Sleeper

2011-10-25T16:27:00.001-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Hamfist Racing spies Team Polizei's M5 Interceptor: Alexander Roy's record setting road rally car, infamous for completing the highly illegal and dangerous Cannonball Run - NYC to LA - in less than 32 hours! The notorious car has gone sleeper. No more stickers. No more vinyl. Perhaps Mr. Roy is planning on setting another record - or breaking his own record. The stripped down, no frills car only has the bare essentials - night vision goggles, laser jammers, CB radios, sensors, radar detectors, etc.

http://teampolizeihq.com/the-m5-interceptor/

Axis of Oversteer Report Speculates Special Announcement Over F1 Running New Jersey Grand Prix!

2011-10-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

2013 Formula 1 New Jersey Grand Prix

Speedway Motors 2011 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships Music Video

2011-10-17T18:19:00.000-07:00

By Jake Namer

Below is an excellent music video prepared by SCCA marketing partner, Speedway Motors. The video features the best of the best competing for top honors at the 2011 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska. Don't miss the Hamfist Racing RX7 shooting a quick fireball from the exhaust at the 3:53 mark. Enjoy!

2011 SCCA Solo National Championships Run - West Course Hamfist Racing RX7 #197 SSM

2011-10-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Thanks to some inclement weather on the east course day 1, the final finishing position for the Hamfist Racing RX7 #197 SSM was 9th of 24 in class. Thanks again to my codrivers Dave Corsaro & Elena La Rosa and my marketing partners, including ANZE Suspension, OS Giken & Park It NY.

Lincoln Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Hamfist Racing Interview: 2011 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships

2011-10-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Below is an interview with Hamfist Racing (specifically Elena & I) by the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce regarding the 2011 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships. I hope we were able to successfully promote SCCA's appreciation to Lincoln for hosting our championships and the symbiotic relationship that ensues. Thanks again to all our marketing partners/sponsors, without whom we would have never been able to compete in Lincoln - Park It NY, ANZE Suspension, OSGiken, Hoosier Tire, Mazda Motorsports and Speed1 Allentown!

Thanks Park It NY & Marty's Auto Body!

2011-09-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

Marty's Auto Body Service and Park It NY really came through in a pinch with last minute tire mounting services. The guys at Marty's, located at 500 West 25th Street in Manhattan, really got their hustle on and popped on a set of not-so-easy-to-mount 315/30/18 Hoosiers onto 18x11 CCW Classic Race wheels without much drama. In addition to being able to handle big rubber they also offer full service auto body and mechanical services. These guys have a good reputation and service the entire fleet of Zip Cars in the area.

Congratulations Andy Mckee! 2011 SSM Solo National Champion

2011-09-07T19:53:00.001-07:00

Andy drove the A.R.E., SiasTuning, 7Parts RX7 absolutely stellar as evidenced by his videos from both East and West courses at the 2011 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships which he shared on YouTube.

Third Time's a Charm?

2011-08-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

by: David Corsaro

Chances are high that this old adage has been uttered by most of you reading this. Thousands of scenarios may summon this little phrase in times of much needed luck or good karma, usually when exhibiting a skill or talent. Even everyday tasks like closing a door, or walking your over-fed dog around the block more than twice trying to get it to... you know.

During these final days of August, Jake and I will be making our third visit to Nationals since 2009. In two prior visits, I have struggled trying to find my usual comfort zone. When I am not comfortable, I am not confident. When I am not confident, I am slow(er). The onboard video of my Nationals' runs last year were really uncharacteristic of my driving at every other event. Immediately after Nationals, I made some very simple changes to my car (and to myself) that allowed me to drive with confidence once again. Live and learn.

Jake, Elena, and I will be driving the Hamfist Racing RX7 at Nationals this year. I would like to thank Jake, once again, for letting me co-drive his car. I have made a few rogue passes with this monster, up and down an unnamed parking lot in New Jersey. The car is fantastic with the new setup and I am eager to compete with it.

We are all going into this, first and foremost, to have fun but also while leaving nothing on the table. Let this be the year for Hamfist Racing... third time's a charm!!!

A Double Post.

2011-08-20T08:32:00.000-07:00

After last year's SCCA Solo National Championships, Speedway put together the below video compilation of the event. It was inspiring but viewed by all at the wrong moment. The season was over. The adrenaline was gone. I've RE-posted the video to further fuel the fire and enthusiasm for the fast approaching 2011 SCCA Solo National Championships, now only one week away! I hope this video helps you get through whatever hurdles you may have to overcome in preparation for the Championships.

Garage Love?

2011-08-16T07:07:00.001-07:00

By: Jake Namer
Do you have a Garage-Mahal or simply have garage-envy? If so, check out these two great websites showcasing the greatest treasures of every car guy's home, the man-cave. CarProperty.com showcases garage oriented real estate of all kinds - for sale, for rent, or just for show - including commerical & residential properties all across the country. GarageJournal.com is a blog style garage-centric forum that inspires and assists users in creating custom garage space for their machine of choice.

Above: Alan Jackson's Sweetbriar Estate in Franklin, TN Featured on CarPorperty.com with 20 Car Garage

Hoosier Win's GRM Tire Battle

2011-08-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

By Jake Namer

Grassroots Motorsports Magazine reports tire test results in their latest issue, the Hoosier A6 is one second faster than a Goodyear Eagle RS! The folks at Grassroots Motorsports graciously decided to test the Hoosier A6 tire versus the new kid on the block, Goodyear Eagle RS, to determine who's got the best D.O.T. legal rubber for autocrossers. Limited supply had prevented many from experimenting, but GRM came to the rescue releasing the results of the test just weeks before the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships. The GRM Mazda MX-5 preppared for SCCA Solo competition in STR class was the test mule for the battle. The results were staggering. On a fifty-five second course the Hoosier ran over one second faster than the Goodyear. Our favorite home brewed American tire manufacturer emerged victorious. I know what I will be running at the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships!

Hoosier Vs. Goodyear Battle Updates

2011-07-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

It's nearly August. The 2011 SCCA Solo National Championships are a month away. I have yet to see - let alone drive - a Goodyear Eagle RS autocross tire at a single event here in the northeast. Activity in the west coast, however, is sending mixed signals. The results are up from the Packwood ProSolo in Washington state. SSM driver Andy Mckee, having won on Goodyears new Eagle RS tire early in the season, is shown competing on Hoosiers in Packwood very successfully. Mckee took the class win over nationally ranked SSM competitor Duke Langley and posted a near-top-pax-finish overall. Meanwhile Bump 1 and Bump 2 classes in Packwood were dominated by two cars (one F Stock the other Super Stock) sporting the new Goodyear stickies.

There is little time to test and tune for those who haven't experimented (east coast drivers, I am looking in your direction). It appeared that only after the 2011 SCCA Solo National Championships would we know who makes the best rubber in town; however, Tire Rack is working in collaboration with Grassroots Motorsports on a formal tire test will be on newstands mid August. Let's just hope that Championships are not determined by the "haves" and the "have-nots" since it seems getting your paws on a set of the Eagle RS tire is easier said than done.

Defy Convention - Mazda Commercials

2011-06-12T18:58:00.001-07:00

Mazda simply gets it...

NJ ProSolo 97 SSM Hamfist Racing RX7 - In Car Video

2011-06-06T07:50:00.000-07:00

This is in car footage of #97 SSM Hamfist Racing RX7 on Saturday afternoon runs at the 2011 NJ ProSolo.

2011 New Jersey ProSolo - SSM RX7 vs. SSM M Coupe

2011-05-24T19:37:00.001-07:00

Sunday May 22, 2011

The full story from the New Jersey SCCA ProSolo to follow shortly. Hamfist Racing RX7 Final Position: 1st Place Super Street Modified.

Rhys Millen's Pikes Peak World Record Attempt

2011-04-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

Enjoy.

Another STI vs. EVO Challenge

2011-04-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Maybe I am just stubborn, but I am sick of hearing about how the Mitsubishi Evolution is so great. Yeah, it's a good car. Yeah, I have lost to them on many occasions when I bring out the Subaru for Time Trials, Time Attack or SCCA autocross STU competition. But I like my Subaru a lot! After recently parting with my '04 Subaru STi I went ahead and picked up an '06 STi replacement, I think it's safe to say I will not be detoured. I've been tinkering with my '06 project lately and plan to really drive it home and take down the Evolutions once and for all. In the meantime, I will bask in the glory of James Wilson's success in destroying the Evolution in the latest iteration of Forum Wars. Enjoy the video below.

2011 Tire Wars: Hoosier A6 vs. Goodyear Eagle RS

2011-04-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

April is here, but signs of Spring have not surfaced yet. It's 40F outside and we have only had one autocross in the New York metropolitan area this year. The autocross season is here, but it's hard to take it seriously when Mother Nature doesn't cooperate. However, that doesn't stop many autocross nuts from casually browsing the internet researching the latest autocross happenings around the country.

In my latest browsing session, I found a bit of news that will certainly turn the autocross community on it's head. Goodyear shroud cars are dominating Super Street Modified AND - the very competitive - Super Stock classes at the 2011 SCCA San Diego National Tour event! Goodyear had been quietly testing its new D.O.T. compliant Eagle RS race tire in 2010 and the 2011 official release happened all too subtly. Just days before the event, SCCA announced the tire had met the requirements of Section 13.3 in the 2011 Solo Rules.

The event is only halfway complete, but autocrossers from around the country are taking note of the impressive preliminary standings of Andy Mckee (SSM), Gary Thomason (SS) and Jason Uyeda (SS), all competing on the new tire. Their registration information suggests these key players have been blessed with direct manufacturer sponsorships from Goodyear.

As a recent adopter of the Hoosier A6 for all my tarmac biting needs, I was shocked to learn there was a new game in town. I cannot remember a time when Stock and Street Prepared/Modified classes' tire choice was, well, a 'choice'. Granted I'm young and I've spent a lot of time perusing the Street Touring classes of SCCA autocross (140+ treadwear), but for as long as I've known the sport, the A6 was THE tire. Clearly, Goodyear has set out to change the status quo.

For the readers thinking how you wasted your hard earn bread on a fresh set of Hoosiers, remember this: When the wind picks up in that parking lot at the 2011 San Deigo National Tour, the drivers sporting Goodyears will also be sporting their SCCA National Championship jackets. In other words, these guys are some of the greatest autocrossers in the country and would very likely be winning their class on A6's or possibly all season tires - they're that good.

While the fresh Goodyears may be making a splash at their inaugural SCCA Tour event, don't think for a second that Hoosier fans will give up without a fight. Many sectors of motorsports experience tire battles, and given that autocross is one of the largest competitive motorsports in the world, expect your local arena parking lots to play battlefield to a great "Tire War".

Will Goodyear Eagle RS dominate the DOT compliant classes of SCCA and other racing organizations? The first bomb has been dropped and only time will tell who will be the victor in this "Tire War". What will be your weapon of choice?

NOTE: Early signs suggest Goodyear will NOT be offering contingency sponsorship to SCCA Solo Racing or NASA Time Trial Racing, and only to SCCA & NASA Club Racing.

400 WHP RX-7 on Speed1 Dynojet

2011-03-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

Details on the engine build to follow. Enjoy!

Drift vs. Grip... Drift Can Be Fast & Hamfist Proves It!

2011-03-20T09:07:00.001-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Hamfist Racing driver Brian Goldstein has been under the radar for years on the racing scene. He is always just out to have fun. He doesn't run the national level autocross races, but when he races he destroys any cometition in his path. Greatly influenced by the drift culture and the recent Ken Block gymkhana videos, Brian has always had a penchant for driving sideways. However he doesn't compromise his speed like a lot of Formula D fanboys. So, in his search for the marriage of drifting AND speed, he explored new varieties of motorsports.

In the 08/09 winter Brian discovered Monticello Motor Club's winter driving series. The event was a "balls out" time trail rally on the private Monticello Motor Club racing circuit blanketed in ice and snow. The venue finally afforded him a place to showcase the speed in drifting his 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi. The first event Brian ran on all-season tires to get acquainted with the Ice-Age-like conditions. But it didn't take long to realize he was competing on the wrong rubber. By the second event, Brian had picked up a fresh set of dedicated snow tires and took to the rally race once again. The improvement was extraordinary. He was able to blast through every turn at full opposite lock with total control and lots of speed. The end result was an overall 1st Place - Fastest Time of Day. Check out the video below!

Monticello Motor Club disappointed the rally community over the 09/10 winter season by discontinuing the Winter Driving Series time trial races. Frustrated that he couldn't continue showcasing his drift skills in the snow, Brian began looking elsewhere. The drift scene was too much about show and not enough about being fast. Autox after autox you could hear Brian asking course designers to implement gymkhana elements and 360* turns around single cones. Finally, his requests were heard... sort of. NOPI and Hot Import Nights hosted a Gymkhana competition at Englishtown Raceway Park. Brian once again failed to disappoint, executing drifts and rotation far better than the rear-wheel-drive machinery in the mix. The spectators loved it! Check out the video below of his last run. Half way through the run the car fuel starved and turned off. I suspect that run would have been FTD if the fuel pump didn't start sucking air.

What sideways action will Brian get into next? Time will tell. But I suspect he is already having fun with his new RWD daily driver Miata in the secluded roads of some backwoods NY State Park.

2011 World Time Attack - Sydney Australia

2011-03-19T07:32:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Do you have some extra cash, spare time and an urge to compete in time attack for global glory? Throw your car on a boat or carrier jet and head over to Sydney Australia for the 2011 World Time Attack event. For the rest of us realists, we'll catch up by watching the Youtube recaps stateside.

Video: Rhys Millen Motorsports Pikes Peak Hyundai Genesis PM580

2011-03-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

Photo By: Autoblog

NJ Motorsports Park Filed Bankruptcy

2011-03-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

The Daily Journal
Written by: JOSEPH P. SMITH

"MILLVILLE -- The fact that New Jersey Motorsports Park got through its 2010 season is a debt it owes, literally and figuratively, to the Millville Rescue Squad.

One result of the federal Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection motion the park filed Monday is that the privately owned park's financial picture is now public business. Everything from ownership portions, to mortgage structure, to outstanding vendor balances is disclosed -- or soon will be.

According to court papers, the Motorsports Park's largest local creditor is the Millville Rescue Squad. The park fell behind $520,035 on payments to the private nonprofit last year. The squad provides a range of emergency response services, without which the park cannot operate.

"As the debt was accruing, we knew that discontinuing service would stop track operations and cost people jobs," Rescue Squad Chief John Redden said Tuesday.

Last month, with the squad threatening to hold back its services for the 2011 season, an agreement was reached to repay the debt. The terms of the deal require a $200,000 payment to the squad by this Friday, and another $200,000 in July.

The remainder of that debt will be settled in monthly payments, along with concurrent 2011 payments, park and rescue squad officials said.

Among other details contained in the massive bankruptcy filing is the park's gross annual income. Since opening in 2008, it has averaged about $9 million annually from racing events and concessions, a sum an official said is less than projected. The park, which employs 250 full- and part-time workers, has spent more than $45 million on capital improvements, of which half was paid to contractors in Cumberland County, according to the court papers.

Joseph Savaro, a partner in the Motorsports Park, said the recession's impact on residential and commercial real estate depressed the park's earnings. Efforts to sell villas, or townhouses, at the park took a particularly hard hit, he said; only eight are sold.

"We still have faith in the project," Savaro said. "We'll get through this Chapter 11. A lot of companies have been through that."

Savaro said the proposed construction of a motocross facility, called the Field of Dreams, also is important financially.

"That clearly would have helped us," he said. "We tried to create critical mass and have diversity. We're still going to attempt things to turn it around, but the Chapter 11 helps us get on our feet."

Park owners want to restructure their debt and continue to operate the facility, including the upcoming season of scheduled races. But what happens next is up to the judge overseeing the bankruptcy proceedings.

Even the validity of the Motorsports Park deal with the rescue squad is now in question -- thanks to the bankruptcy filing.

An attorney the squad hired to sit in on talks with the park advised the nonprofit squad is in a "positive position" even if bankruptcy occurred, Redden said. And Motorsports Park officials said their attorneys advised the deal with the squad will stand despite court oversight.

However, the parties acknowledge there is a chance the presiding judge may disagree.

"It's in the hands of the court right now," Redden said. "We'll be consulting with an attorney to determine how we proceed."

Monday's filing lists the park's top 20 creditors -- that is, businesses to whom it owes money. Court documents indicate there are 150 creditors in total.

Topping that list is Merrill Lynch Mortgage Capital Inc., now part of Bank of America. The bank is owed about $30.54 million, although it has "knocked down" the amount to $20 million to aid the park in its reorganization plan, according to the filings.

Other area creditors include Henry Cifaloglio Inc. of Buena, at $14,003; Kavanagh, Kavanagh & DiLazzero LLC of Millville, $9,684; and Waste Management of New Jersey at $8,374.

Also owed money, but in a separate category, is the Cumberland County Empowerment Zone Corp.

The Empowerment Zone, which is federally funded, loaned $425,000 to the park at a 5 percent interest rate to go toward 2010 operating funds.

Jeannine MacDonald, the zone's executive director, said Tuesday the loan is guaranteed with personal notes from park investors Lee Brahin and Harvey Siegel. The bankruptcy proceedings should not have an impact on the debt, she said.

MacDonald said the park paid only interest on the loan through 2010. The principal was due this past December but has not been paid, she said. MacDonald said the park in January started making payments of both principal and interest on a 10-year amortization schedule.

"We are of course concerned about the local vendors and the long-term success of the park," MacDonald said. The zone has met with the park about the loan, but put further talks on hold to let the bankruptcy case proceed further, she said.

Savaro said Tuesday the owners have no interest in selling the establishment and that the park's managing partners remain Lee Brahin and R.J. "Dick" Valentine. However, the reorganization is affecting the ownership structure.

The reorganization plan calls for fresh capital of at least $2 million from an entity identified as NEI Motorsports LLC, a group headed by Valentine. NEI also includes some new investors.

In return for the $2 million, the papers indicate NEI receives enhanced ownership rights.

The filing states the $2 million is meant to meet the costs of the restructuring, including:"

The Unofficial Hamfist Racing Jack

2011-03-08T11:56:00.000-08:00

*Don't try this at home.

Photo Courtesy of La Repubblica Italy

The Abominable Subaru STi Convertible

2011-03-04T05:46:00.001-08:00

By: Jake Namer

No, this monstrosity is not part of the Hamfist fleet. I can appreciate a mild-day cruise in a drop top as much as the next guy, but with the money spent on destroying this Subaru, he could have bought himself an S2000 or Miata.

Petter Solberg's Personal Car Collection

2011-03-02T18:28:00.000-08:00

Mitsubishi Evo X - The Last Evo Ever

2011-03-02T14:06:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

In the words of Sport Compact Car editors, Leh and Chen, "the Evo is the kind of machine that only really comes to life when you drive it... like a complete asshole." No car has ever made the common man appear so skilled as the Mitsubishi Evolution. Hack the wheel, mash the gas and clench where the sun don't shine. You'll be rewarded with blazing fast lap times and lots of trophies. In the near future, you will not be able source such a car from your Mitsubishi dealership.

Mike Prior, of Autocar.co.uk, reports that the Evolution X will be the final Evolution produced by Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi’s global product director, Gayu Eusegi, insists “Our influence now is EV technology,” Eusegi said, adding that the decision was a “policy change”, Prior reports. "Mitsubishi... decided its image is about lowering CO2, not making lurid replicas of rally cars that don’t go top-level rallying any more."

Hamfist Racing recognizes and appreciates the sustainability movement, however, it pains us to see the death of the Evo. Maybe this will give a wake up call to Evo owners, reminding them that performance driving is an art that must be learned by the driver and not algorithmically computed by your car's brain.

Toyobaru Video Captured at Nurburgring

2011-03-02T13:52:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Edmunds spy crews captured the 2011 Toyota FT-86 prototype lapping the Nurburgring wearing some pretty heavy camouflage sheet-metal. The car doesn't look particularly fast, but we all know that comes down to the driver.

Rally New York USA | March 25-26

2011-02-28T21:27:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Rally New York USA is always full of gifted hot-shoes not afraid of a little cliff-side drifting. These guys were born in the dirt with a steering wheel in hand. If you're a fan of loose surface antics, Rally New York is as good as it gets, barring WRC stages! For the price of a tank of gas, you can experience thrills rivaled by WRC Vodafone Rally de Portugal, taking place simultaneously halfway around the world - estimated airfare $2,000.

Hamfist Racing Subaru STI on Real Time Attack Flyer

2011-02-26T14:21:00.000-08:00

New Circuit Only 2.5 hours from NYC Begins Construction 2011

2011-02-25T20:51:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Last year developer Louis J. Mascaro received final land use approval to build a "multi-functional, state of the art motorsports complex situated on 668 scenic acres... in Berks County, Pennsylvania" called Liberty Bell Motorsports Park. The site is a brief 2.5 hour drive from NYC. "The park will consist of 4 different racing circuits - two 26 foot wide tracks that are approximately 0.5 mile in length can be operated independently of each other or operate as a 0.84 mile road course. Both are served by their own pit/paddock areas and are designed for Karting, SuperMoto, MiniMoto and MiniGP... The two 40 foot wide, 1.5 mile courses can be operated independently of each other or combined to form a world class road course totaling 3.11 miles in length. All courses were designed with minimal concrete barriers... [and] incorporate massive run-off areas, many larger than football fields. The absence of tunnels or bridges minimizes the damages encountered by these structures. This modern technology ensures being able to safely compete in events while greatly minimizing the chances for driver injury or damage to equipment." The park will also include extensive campground facilities and a car museum. Construction is poised to begin this year.

Liberty Bell Motorsports Park website

New Supporting Vendor Section Thanks Mazda Motorsports

2011-02-24T20:32:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

We have added a supporting vendors list to the website. In recognition for all of Mazda's support to the Hamfist Racing fleet over the years, www.MazdaMotorsports.com is now our first official supporting vendor! We hope to be racing Mazdas for many years to come with continuation of the Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development program. Readers can keep an eye out for new supporting vendor updates. Please remember to support vendors that support racing.

New 2011 SCCA Solo Racing Contingency Program

2011-02-22T17:06:00.000-08:00

The SCCA released the 2011 contingency sponsorship programs for Solo & ProSolo racing last week. The roster includes the usual suspects, including some of our personal favorites including Mazdaspeed, Hawk Performance, AST Suspension & Hoosier Tire. Hamfist Racing would like to thank each and every sponsor. You are all in good form and understand what it takes to successfully market and promote your products!

SCCA Official Release Statement Feb. 18th 2011:

"With the season-opening event for the 2011 Tire Rack SCCA National Solo season just a few weeks away, participants should register now to be eligible for the thousands of dollars in contingency payouts.

Tire Rack SCCA ProSolo National Series

As part of its across-the-board Platinum SCCA contingency program, Volkswagen offers both event and year-end prizes for drivers finishing in the top three in either class or Gumout Super Challenge competition. Drivers taking a class win in one of 16 eligible classes earn $400. Should they take the Gumout Super Challenge, they win $800. Year-end class winners can also garner another $1,000 for doing it in a Volkswagen, with the year-end Challenge winner grabbing a $5,000 prize.

Honda, also a Platinum contingency sponsor, will pay $500 for a Super or Ladies Challenge win in each event, and $150 for a class win. Year-end class and challenge champions could take home $500 from Honda.

Longtime SCCA supporter Hawk Performance offers up $100 in product credit to any class or Gumout Super Challenge winner displaying Hawk Performance decals.

Bridgestone will post $500 for a Challenge win, as well as cash for a top three finish in any Street Touring class. Win a season-long class or Challenge title, and take home another $1,000.

Toyo Tires matches Bridgestone’s posting for Tire Rack ProSolo Street Touring® participants with its Silver level Contingency program.

Hoosier, Kumho, Mazdaspeed and TRD each post Bronze level programs, meaning registration and redemption are handled through those companies directly.

Kumho offers product credit for class and Challenge wins at events, including a $600 credit for a win in the Street Touring category. Hoosier offers two tires for a class win and one for a second-place finish. Event Gumout Super Challenge, year-end point Champions and Finale class winners each take four tires with a win.

Mazdaspeed will again pay out class, Challenge and year-end awards ranging from $200 for a class event win to $800 for a point championship. Likewise, TRD will pay class and year-end awards ranging from $200 to $1,000 for competitors in Toyota vehicles.

Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Tour

In Tire Rack Solo National Tour competition, Volkswagen will pay up to $500 for a class win and $300 for second place for VW drivers in any of 34 eligible classes.

Bridgestone, Toyo and Yokohama will each pay out top three finishes in the Street Touring Category, with $300 going to the winner.

AST Suspension continues as a contingency sponsor, offering the top-three finishers in eligible classes product certificates, with a $500 award going to class winners.

Like AST, Hoosier and Mazdaspeed also offer Bronze packages. Winners on Hoosier tires win a pair of tires, with a single tire going to second-place finishers. Mazda will pay a National Tour class winner $200 for a win and $100 for a second place finish.

Kumho Tires offers product credits to top-three in class finishers, rewarding the Street Touring Category with $600 in credit to champions, and $400 and $300 for second and third. All other classes receive $300, $200, and $150 in credit for a top three finish.

In addition to the National program contingencies, Bridgestone and Toyo Tires have also posted programs for the Tire Rack SCCA Divisional Solo Championships that matches their National Tour payouts.

For complete details on all of these contingency programs, visit www.scca.com/solo and click the “contingencies” link. A link for online registration is available there as well.

The 2011 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Tour begins March 12, with the Dixie National Tour in Adel, Ga. The Tire Rack SCCA ProSolo National Series begins with the Mineral Wells Pro Solo, March 26, in Mineral Wells, Texas."

2011 SCCA Solo contingency registration forms and additional info available HERE

"Senna" (Ayrton Senna Documentary) - Limited Screening NYC

2011-02-18T19:00:00.000-08:00

Senna, a documentary about Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna, who won the Formula 1 world championship three times before his tragic death at age 34, will be showing at East Village Cinema only until February 24th. Show times are limited to just 12:15PM and 2:30PM daily.

If The Stig Could Talk

2011-02-17T18:27:00.000-08:00

Having Randy Pobst test drive AND comment was brilliant! It's as if The Stig could talk. Enjoy this superb road test from Motor Trend of the GTR, Z06, and Shelby GT500. If you want a spoiler hint on who wins, just look at the 0-60 times.

SCCA Autocross on TV News

2011-02-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

Maybe this video is a little stale for some, but it does a great job describing what autocross is all about to the public. Perhaps pitching autocross to our Hamfist followers is moot. You all drank the Kool-aid a long time ago.

They've Been Calling it a Toyobaru

2011-02-14T09:01:00.001-08:00

By: Jake Namer

They can call it Shirley for all I care, as long as they build it and we can drive it. All automotive biz rumors suggest it will be built, in both Subaru trim and Toyota (or Scion)! Here are the latest images in the rumor pool. One magazine seems to know some technical details, but take them with a grain of salt. The car will have three things going for it: 1) It'll have a Subaru boxer motor, 2) It appears to be sexy, 3) It's rear wheel drive. Everyone keep your fingers crossed and if we're lucky Santa will put them in dealer showrooms by next Christmas.

120 Seconds of Fury - The Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals

2011-02-13T19:24:00.000-08:00

Road & Track talks about what makes the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships such an intense event.

Hamfist WRC Threat

2011-02-09T20:12:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Dave Corsaro, hamfist or precision rally driver extraordinaire? At his first rallycross ever, held at Stafford Speedway CT, he reeled in a podium finish piloting his 90-something horsepower '91 Civic DX across icy surfaces, 2 foot tall snow banks, and slushy mud ruts. Backing it all up on day two, Dave posted fastest time of day in class on his first run out. After which, he decided to pack it up and head home for the long drive back to NJ. Could Corsaro have been bothered to finished all his runs on day two, he likely would have snagged the top spot and brought home some gold. Sebastian Loeb, watch out! We got the next WRC hot shoe in our stable of hamfists.

Check out day one results here
Check out day two results here

AxisofOversteer.com - A Hamfist Racing Top Pick!

2011-02-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

AxisofOversteer.com has been added to the preferred favorite websites for Hamfist Racing readers and drivers.

ProSolo Invades Dirty Jerz: SCCA Stampede

2011-01-27T11:53:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

With the DC ProSolo nixed from the 2011 SCCA ProSolo tour, tons of East Coast autocrossers might be wondering where they will get their six minutes of ProSolo-Drag-Launch-Head-to-Head thrills this year. The SCCA has decided to appease the NYC metropolitan area with a ProSolo at the Meadowlands just across the Hudson. Registration will open for SCCA passport holder March 8th and for all else March 22nd. If history has taught us anything, it's that East Coast ProSolo's are in extraordinarily high demand. Expect the SCCA servers to crash the morning of March 22nd (Topeka time) when the stampede is released. Don't forget to mark your calenders. I'll be faxing my registration to avoid the server issues. I suggest Hamfist Racing readers do the same to secure your place in grid.

Why Wax?

2010-12-31T04:15:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Thanks to Dave's immaculate automotive hygiene his sleek Honda S2000 CR was printed on page 60 of the Feb. 2011 issue of Grassroots Motorsports Magazine. Illustrated as the poster child for SCCA's new hit class Street Touring R, his roadster was captured mid-run at the 2010 SCCA Solo National Championships. Team Hamfist will no longer be mocking him for his endless waxing - unless he comes to a race with a Brazilian Wax.

MotoIQ.com - A Hamfist Racing Top Pick!

2010-12-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

MotoIQ.com has been added to the preferred favorite websites for Hamfist Racing readers and drivers. If you poke around on their website you may recognize one of the writers on MotoIQ from the glory days of Sport Compact Car Magazine - Dave Coleman. SCC was an inspiration for Hamfist Racing and it's comforting to know, despite hard times for magazine business, witty, intelligent and hilarious writers like Dave still serve the motorsports community with their words of wisdom.

Recommended articles/columns from MotoIQ:
The Ultimate Guide To Suspension Handling
Technobabble
Project Sipster

Right Coast Time Attack

2010-11-15T20:47:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Whoever said East Coast car culture doesn’t compare to West Coast was flat out wrong! Although the Super Lap Battle and Redline Time Attack have all but banished east-coasters from competition, Real Time Attack is on board to provide nail-biting stopwatch glory for Atlantic born hot shoes. With promises of extensive media coverage, real prizes, and timing transponders for the 2011 season, Real Time Attack is filling the time attack void here on the east coast. Their demo event held at Raceway Park’s road course Nov. 7^th, 2010 was packed full of die-hard racing enthusiasts sporting everything from track-capable street cars to caged wheel-to-wheel, race-ready machines.

Honda Challenge drivers from the Northeast came out in full force including the Lo Buk racing fleet of featherweight Hondas. Both weighing in around 2000lbs with driver, the ’85 CRX was packing a D16A6 motor sourced from the desirable ‘91 Civic Si, while the ’84 Civic hatchback utilized an Integra LS B18B. Honda Challenge drivers Zephyr and Stephanie Belski, having recently tied the marital knot at NJMP Thunderbolt circuit days before, chased down one another throughout the day.

This sport doesn't just bring the grassroots competitors to the table. There were several Porsche 911 Turbos in the mix running in the exotic-class. Equally exotic, but not nearly as costly, the field was packed with custom built, forced-induced Honda chassis from Civics to S2000s. A supercharged S2000 - some of you may recall this car won the 2010 NOPI/HIN Gymkhana competition at Raceway Park - driven by instructor R. Santos, ran blistering fast lap after lap on Hankook RS-3 tires.

The dual clutch transmission experts at South Side Performance showcased Jeremy Rohcos’ 540 whp Mitsubishi Evolution X MR. Having recently competed at the 2010 Ultimate Track Car Challenge held at V.I.R. by Grassroots Motorsports, South Side Performance was back on track looking to tackle the apexes at Raceway Park’s road circuit. The car’s GT35R turbo was breathing well, sucking sub-50 degree air in the early sessions. While blowing exhaust flames, Jeremy literally blasted past fans through the showcase banked left-hander, all the while his BC Racing coilovers and Toyo R888 tires made clipping the apexes seem effortless.

Concerns of the track itself were stifled when drivers realized the circuit's technical nature is both safe and exciting. The course is not much shorter than the famed Lime Rock Park and faster cars were clocking a puckering 140 mph on Raceway Park's main straight. Track safety is always a big concern and despite the rumors the circuit has sufficient run off in many places. Raceway Park reports a stellar safety record for it's in-house HPDE program, stating that since the track's opening in 2008 there have only been two minor incidents, in neither of which anyone got hurt.

As promised the media presence was in place. Fueled Magazine, Local Scene Media (LSM) and Import2Race.com were also on site to showcase the event. All in all, many drivers were pleased with the demonstration and are planning their return for the 2011 competition season - but not before making the requisite off-season tweaks to their track monsters. Keep posted at RealTimeAttack.com for details on the 2011 season schedule.

Historic Hack.

2010-11-08T06:33:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

Long before I realized a 1:25 scale diecast replica STi wing would meet the rule requirements for SCCA Solo class STU, I envisioned and created a one off, custom spoiler for the Subaru STi. The spoiler was sleek, subdued, OE looking and best of all it bolts directly to an OEM STi trunk, covering all 17 existing holes punched out by the OEM whale wing. The reason I never ran this wing extensively was because a wingless trunk was much more "sleeper" and lighter! For SCCA classing purposes, doubleside-taping the tiny replica wing at the race kept the rule-nazis quiet. I thought I would share my original custom spoiler with the rest of you here. Enjoy.

2010 SCCA Solo National Championships and beyond...

2010-09-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

The dust has since settled and the SCCA Solo National Champions stand alone in glory. It was incredible to watch , and compete against , the 2010 SSM champion 3-Rotor RX7, (which sports what seems like every functional go-fast part conceivable) as it devoured the courses in record time at the hands of Erik Strelnieks. Even more astonishing was watching the Thompsons' RX7 run in its transient development stage (chassis tuning and weight reduction were prevalent but the powertrain was as virgin as that Mary chick I keep hearing about). The car posted podium worthy times at the hands of Carter Thompson. Undoubtedly, Super Street Modified breeds the best of the best in tuning and in driving.

As I was merely a sophomore at Nationals, I continued to discover new hurdles and small glories of national championship competition. A new season, a new class, and a new tire. There was a lot to learn this year. Afterward, like many others, I've been pondering how to improve the car setup in the off season and formulate an attack plan targeting a Solo National Championship.

Perhaps a blessing in disguise; the Hamfist Racing SSM RX7 had the unfortunate pleasure of popping an apex seal at the last NNJR-SCCA autocross of the season. I assure all she'll be back stronger and faster than ever. Despite the overwhelmingly popular trend of bastardizing Mazda RX7s with V8s (blaspheme), her surgery will include a Wankel heart transplant to boot - details coming soon.

PREPARATION-H.amfist 2010

2010-08-31T09:03:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

It's that time of the year again. The SCCA Solo National Championships and ProSolo Finale are eminent and everyone is scrambling to finish their last minute projects to ensure every last thousandth of second is cut on the vast concrete of Lincoln Airpark. The Hamfist fleet is no different. This year only the SSM RX7 and STR S2000 are making that 13o0 mile blast to corn country.

Each ride has undergone ritualistic last minute corner balance and alignments. The S2000 got fresh differential oil, a fender liner trim, other general maintenance, as well a fresh set of shaved ______ tires (make will remain top-secret until race day).

Dave at Speed One (formally KDR Performance) strapped the RX7 to his trusty dyno and eeked out every last bit of power from the 1.3 liter rotary engine, upping the turbo pressure to 1.2 bar. The end result was 377 whp and 311 wtq. Then to shed some weight off the cars' hind quarters, the RX7 went on a diet at Speed One. The OEM fuel tank was hacked in half, minimizing the amount of gasoline required to race without starvation issues as well as dry tank weight. The car can now race with a mere 3 gallons in the tank. Sadly, the weight savings were offset by a gargantuan custom dual-element APR wing. The wing is a prerequisite to winning an SSM title at Nationals - the last 5 year's worth of champions were in big winged FD3S RX7s. Hopefully the added rear downforce will allow early application of the throttle out of turns and overall increased grip. The wing elements themselves were doners from an APR GT wing, however all the mounting hardware and risers were custom built by Dave Corsaro at his Johnson Scale workshop. Hours upon hours of precision measuring, cutting, drilling, and fitting had gone down without a hitch during this custom install until the inevitable 2:30am mistake occurred. In a state of utter exhaustion and frustration the wing was put on hold for another day. Remember kids, don't use power tools at 2:30am.

See you autocross fanatics in the field of dreams. Hope your last minute preparation went smoothly.

In Case Your Missed It...

2010-08-16T06:01:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Yury gets Duke of Hazard style when he races. Too bad the Mad Russian couldn't be bothered to come out to Nebraska. He's strictly business and needs to stay close to Wall Street. I suspect he would dominate in Lincoln could he be bothered to trek out there.

Hamfist Racing @ Meadowlands Autox Footage

2010-08-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

The first video comes to us compliments of John Torres of Import2Race.com. He did an excellent job capturing multiple angles on Corsaro's S2000 earlier this year, so I begged him to throw his camera rig and video skills my way. Thanks John! (note: the RX7 gets on 2 wheels at the 58 second mark!)

The second video is from PalsoMedia and includes myself, Yury, and certifiable hamfist, Chris Travis, in his stock black S2000.

-Jake

New 2010 Sponsor for Jake's RX7: PARK-IT

2010-08-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

Hamfist Racing's RX7 picks up a sponsorship from PARK-IT. PARK-IT Management is a family owned and operated parking facility management company with over 35 years of experience. There are plenty of locations in New York City that can accommodate parking needs. Please visit ParkItNY.com for contact information, rates and locations. Thank you for supporting a Hamfist sponsor!

AutoX4u Exposes 2-Wheelin' Hamfist Racing (not talking about motorcycles)

2010-08-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

Thanks Perry & autox4u.com for the awesome photography!

Hamfist Racing featured by John Torres / Import2Race

2010-08-08T19:12:00.000-07:00

Brian & Jake @ HIN Gymkhana Englishtown

Dave @ NNJR-SCCA Englishtown

Sea of Cones : A Documentary About Autocross by Stephen Chiang

2010-08-04T12:51:00.001-07:00

Sea of Cones : A Documentary About Autocross from Stephen Chiang on Vimeo.

Historic STU DC ProSolo Video Uncovered -- Heart Wrenching Loss 0.001 seconds

2010-08-04T12:22:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

It took about a year to recuperate from this heart wrenching loss at the 2009 DC ProSolo. Below are my STU runs from the fateful weekend. I walked away from that race 0.001 seconds from first place in class (the smallest measurable margin in the sport).

FOUND! Hamfist Racing Youtube Videos - Philly SCCA Autox Warminster PA

2010-07-28T08:09:00.001-07:00

Capital Punishment in DC: Northeast Divisional Championship

2010-06-11T06:10:00.001-07:00

Some drivers can do more with less. Co-founder Dave Corsaro is one of those drivers, having regularly dominated classes like HS in a street tire shroud Honda Fit, AS on a Toyo R888s, and STR in a stock sprung S2000. Despite his reputation for hamfisting the competition with under-prepared cars, Dave decided he was going to show the autox community what he could do behind the wheel of a "fully" prepared vehicle. His STR Honda S2000 was blessed with some air freighted coilover suspension from Japan's top performance parts manufacturer, HKS. Secondly, running the wrong rubber this year was out of the question. Dunlop made it easy for him to outfit his new 18x9 SSR wheels with the right treads (no pun intended).

A midnight-last-minute corner balance and alignment at Johnson Scale, in the great tradition of team Hamfist Racing, tied up all the loose ends. That weekend the car was rolling down I95 on it's competition rubber to make a run for the divisional championship in Washington DC. Needless to say, everything came together beautifully. By day one he had over 1.5 second lead. Day two was no different, sweeping a field of eight STR driver gunning for the championship. Dave Corsaro had won his first Divisional Championship, Congratulations! Next stop Nebraska.

2010 SCCA Northeast Division Solo Championship Results

Wrench, Weigh, Race... 2010 SCCA Dixie National Tour

2010-03-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

It was 4:30am, I was covered in garage grime from head to toe, and had a meeting for work in less than four hours. I had never felt better! The car was reassembled and the off-season improvements were complete. As an "e-mechanic", this was the longest project in which I had ever entrenched myself. It was rewarding to say the least.

The ambitious goal for 2010 was to build my RX7 for Super Street Mod (SSM) class from it's current state as an ASP car. The rules are very flexible in SSM, but my imagination and innovation is limited. I ended up simply improving on what I had, not yet going for the pre-requisite upgraded turbos and/or motor swaps.

My off-season goal was three fold; 1) Lower under-hood tempertures to optimize the factory turbos, 2) Lower overall mass towards SSM minimum weight 2500lbs, 3) Make it grip.

To address the temperature issues the car got a new thermostat, larger intercooler, custom insulated intake & intercooler piping and ducting, heat-wrapped 3" downpipe & midpipe, and a new OE radiator fan.

The car diet started with the rear end. A used Greddy titanium catback exhaust, weighing only 7 lbs, replaced the heavier Racing Beat Dual tips, saving approximately 20 lbs. '93 RX7's twenty gallon fuel tanks have notoriously weak baffles and mine broke late last season. To fix this issue a '95+ spec fuel tank, which has reinforced and re-engineered baffling, was installed. This enables the car to be run below a quarter tank without fuel starvation issues. Net fuel weight savings of approximately 60 lbs. To counter all the rear end lightening - and make room for the aforementioned intercooler - the mini Deka battery was relocated from the engine bay to the hatch directly over the rear axles.

Next on the agenda, make it stick so hard that the asphalt rips out of the ground it was laid over. What better place to start than with the tires? Second hand rubber in the form of 295/35/17 Hoosier A6s were snagged up off a corvette owner for a song. These black donuts were shoe horned onto a set of 17x9" wheels that I had laying around. Final fitment was made possible by 0-60 Magazine, thanks to a borrowed fender-roller out of their project car garage, also know as "The Gayrage".

The final stages of the "grip" improvements came from a corner balancing compliments of my '09 National Championship co-driver, and fellow hamfist, Dave Corsaro. The night before leaving for the 2010 Dixie National Tour we put the car on scales at his workplace, Johnson Scale. Not famous for their automotive application, Johnson Scale handles general weighing, force measurement, material testing, and scale inspection, calibration, service and scale rentals. Perhaps they just found a new market niche. By midnight we had the car at a perfect 50:50 cross weight, however not without incident. We spent about 2 hours adjusting perches and deciphering nonsensical corresponding weight changes. It wasn't until Dave scratched his head and murmured with deep concern "I should have been taking better notes" that helping hand Elena La Rosa discovered our major blunder. The left-rear and right-rear scales were placed at the right-rear and left-rear corners, respectively...

To be continued...

Jake - 59.XXX - Run 1 Day 2 Dixie National Tour (Spin)

Jake - 59.XXX - Run 3 Day 2 Dixie National Tour

VOTE: Hamfist RX7 for GRM Ultimate Track Car Challenge Invitation

2010-02-24T16:52:00.000-08:00

Readers,

Please take a minute and rate my RX7 5 stars at CarDomain for Grassroots Motorsports Magazine Ultimate Track Car Challenge. To rate the car, please use the following link. After you go to the link, click "Rate this ride". http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3837402/1

I promise, if I get into the GRM UTCC, I will drive the wheels off the car. This car has been built for track performance and reliability (as much reliability as one can expect from a FD RX7). I've spent countless hours in the off season trying to tie up all its loose ends hoping to create a highly capable autox and track contender. The car may be set up fairly conservatively (by some standards), but I hamfist any car I get behind the wheel of and generally embarrass machinery that should be much faster with driving skill and budget mods.

Thanks!
Jake

Retrospect of 2009 Print Media Coverage for Hamfist Racing & It's Drivers

2009-12-30T14:43:00.000-08:00

By: Jake Namer

The 2009 race season has faded to just a fond memory by now. Many racers have retired to their man-caves to diligently tweak and tune their setups in preparation for the 2010 race season. HamfistRacing.com has been updated with a Retrospect of 2009 Print Media Coverage for Hamfist Racing & it's drivers. In this latest posting you will find magazine cuts of articles featuring autocross and time attack events from Grassroots Motorsports Magazine, DSport Magazine, Performance Auto & Sounds Magazine, 0-60 Magazine and Sports Car Magazine. Please enjoy these articles at your leisure. Happy New Year!

*Click on images to expand*

Grassroots Motorsports Magazine February 2010

Grassroots Motorsports Magazine December 2009

Performance Auto & Sound Magazine November 2009

DSport Magazine November 2009

Sports Car Magazine November 2009

Grassroots Motorsports Magazine October 2009

0-60 Magazine Fall 2009

Sports Car Magazine October 2009

Sports Car Magazine September 2009

Hamfist Racing in Performance Auto & Sound Magazine

2009-12-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

*Click on images to expand*

From The Lincoln Tunnel to Lincoln Nebraska

2009-10-16T21:13:00.001-07:00

By: Jake Namer

2009 ProSolo Finale: Lincoln, NE Sept 5th - 6th

The journey to Lincoln Nebraska started out with a circus of undercover NYPD officers swarming my vehicle within half a block of my apartment. I knew it was a bad idea to leave the exhaust dump and those damn Redline Time Attack decals on the car. There I was, sitting in a flashy, sticker ridden race car with a matchbox spoiler on my trunk, surrounded by fifteen plain clothed undercover NYPD officers with shields dangling from their necks. The traffic stop was a hell of a spectacle for the hundreds of New York City passers-by.

NYPD Traffic Stop (Dramatization)

It was nearly an hour until they sent me on my way with a measly traffic violation (no massive drug bust here, sorry folks). I guess the undercover detectives were not very familiar with the practices of cutting traffic tickets. As it turned out, I allegedly honked my horn without any clear sign of danger. We were in Manhattan for Christ’s sake, who doesn’t honk their horn? That battle would have to wait for another day; I had a more important one waiting for me in Nebraska. It was peddle to the metal out of the Lincoln Tunnel on a mission to a new Lincoln.

Hamfist Racing Subaru Begging for Unwanted Attention

After about fifteen hours of driving I was in the middle of nowhere and getting restless. A quick glance at the GPS showed I was approaching the Mississippi River. If there was one thing I learned throughout the many years I was forced to take social studies in grade school, it’s that civilization cultivates around water. There was bound to be something along the river to do or see. I discovered downtown Moline, IL and in this city there was a hair salon... two actually. At that point I had grown an incredibly grizzly beard and a Jew-fro that rivaled Seth Rogen. I sat my ass down for a relaxing professional grooming - my first paid haircut in nearly 10 years - to take my mind off the fact that I still needed to drive another 12 hours. Despite being in Bumble-Guam, Illinois the two hair stylists were really cool. Without second guessing my directions – or mental state – they carved the mysterious pylon into my head.

Photo By : Danny Kao

Thanks Beth And David From DaVarah Salon For Making Me A Conehead Like Dan Aykroyd

Back on the road, I spent nearly half a day dodging oversize tractor trailers with one hand while the other was fingering the novel scalp terrain.

1300 Miles Worth Of Insecticide On The Street Driven Hamfist Racing STU Impreza

Upon arriving in Lincoln I could see the racers in attendance were the best of the best from the 2009 ProSolo series. A win in Lincoln, I realized, was going to take perfection. Expecting my Subaru to understeer on concrete, I decided several test and tune runs would be necessary to obtain that perfection. Since the car has non adjustable shocks I jacked up the rear pressure to astronomical levels in an attempt to induce oversteer. The concrete was too grippy for that trick, so I had to rely on alignment adjustments, which I have not played with all season, to get the car to rotate at corner entry. Corey Ridgick – driving the Bridgestone Mitsubishi Evolution in STU – helped decipher my rear toe adjusters, and Max Hayter – driving the ChaseCam/Fordhal Motorsports Subaru STi in STU – let me borrow his set of Longacre toe plates, to achieve a slight rear toe-out alignment, effectively dialing out the terminal understeer that plagued my car on concrete. Thanks guys!

2007 & 2009 ProSolo STU Champion Ridgick (left) and 2008 ProSolo STU Champion Max Hayter (right)

Day 1 of ProSolo competition started out well. On the left course I was chipping away at the clock with some solid runs and respectable times. On the right course, however, I felt off the mark having gone too deep into the braking zone after the far right slalom. Despite imperfection I was sitting behind Geoff Clark in second place going into the afternoon runs. In the afternoon it got hairy. I red lit after psyching myself out thinking I needed a solid improvement on the right course. With that red light still etched into my retinas I must have overlooked a wall of three slalom cones. Swinging around for what would be my last run of day one I shook off the cobwebs and yelled at myself to look ahead. With the announcer calling out all sorts of action at the top of STU, I tried my best to concentrate. On the right I pulled out a three tenths improvement moving me ahead of Clark, but it wasn’t enough. Both Ridgick and Hayter edged me out and I was sitting in third place, 0.517 seconds from first.

Hamfist Racing Subaru STI in all its impound glory

The spread to first was within reach but I knew Ridgick wasn’t going to give it up without a fight. Sure enough, on day 2 he improved by eight tenths. I simply needed to go faster… and I did, improving run after run with a near 6 tenths pick up on the left and almost a full second on the right! I stormed ahead of Ridgick and Hayter and ultimately secured my first ProSolo victory.

The win felt fantastic but at the same time bittersweet. All season I’ve been chasing one driver: Corey Ridgick. Every event I would get closer and closer to victory until I finally began to drive faster than him. The times I was faster, however, were always on one course out of two course events (National Tour or Prosolo format events). He would best me on the other course, by a greater margin, ultimately winning the event. I always “won the battle but lost the war.” This included finishes at DC ProSolo, Finger Lakes National Tour, Northeast Divisional Championship, and the Holbert Memorial.

The Provisional Hamfist Racing Win

After finally driving faster than Corey on both courses and securing the event win at the ProSolo Finale, Ridgick once again managed to edge me out and win the war. I finished 2nd place in the overall season points championship and Ridgick secured the 2009 ProSolo Season Championship. Congratulations!

Corey deserves the season championship. He was nearly perfect every second of every course of every event all season. That’s what it takes to win this game. I still wake up covered in sweat thinking about the 0.001 second differential from DC ProSolo and how things could have ended differently. I swear to the world, next year I will hamfist my way to perfection and to a ProSolo Championship. No more f’in What Ifs.

2009 ProSolo Season Finale Results
2009 ProSolo Championship Points Standing

Hamfist Racing win in Lincoln featured at SCCA.com...

2009-10-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

"Baker Wins ProSolo Finale, Strano Takes JCJ Cup
BY:SCCA Communications
09/06/2009

Photo:James Sykes

LINCOLN, Neb. (Sept. 6, 2009) – The first Tire Rack® SCCA ProSolo Finale at Lincoln Airpark ended with Ian Baker, of Herndon, Va., taking the top prize, while runner-up Sam Strano, of Knoxdale, Pa., earned enough points to claim the overall Super Challenge Championship and take home the JCJ Cup.

Driving a Stranoparts/SSC/KONI Honda CRX, Street Touring S winner Baker faced off against F Stock winner Strano in the final round of the Super Challenge. Baker, who had yet to win a Super Challenge this season, picked the right event to get it done, beating Strano’s StranoPerformanceParts/Capital Quest Mtg. Ford Shelby Mustang to the finish.

With a sturdy lead in the Super Challenge points heading into the Finale, Strano’s second-place finish was enough to claim the JCJ Cup for the top Super Challenge point scorer.

The leader of the Ladies Challenge points came away with the Ladies Challenge Finale win as well. It was only fitting that after winning Ladies Class 1, Leslie Cohen, of Cardiff by the Sea, Calif., would face off against the woman chasing her in the Ladies Challenge point standings, Meredith Brown, of Los Alamos, N.M. Cohen’s C2 Racing/Leslie Cohen Design Honda Civic bested Brown’s Automotive Pros/MidAtlantic Toyota MR2 to take the Ladies Challenge win and Championship.

The Honda Tuner Challenge went to Jinx Jordan, of Terrell, N.C., driving a SoloPro Driving School/Hoosier Honda Civic. Jordan managed to beat the Super Challenge winner himself, Baker.

In class competition, Jake Namer, of New York, N.Y., stormed to the front of the Street Touring® Ultra field to take the win in his HamfistRacing.com Subaru Impreza. The victory ended Corey Ridgick’s STU win streak. Ridgick, of Allentown, Pa., would finish second by just 0.026-second in his Bridgestone Mitsubishi Evo, but take the STU ProSolo Championship.

In D Street Prepared, Mike Sheilds, of Temple, N.H., took a slim 0.086-second win in his Ambrosia SW BMW 325is over Mark Alan Smith, of Denver, Colo., in a 3Zero3MS.com/Ska Brewing/Bildon Volkswagen. Sheilds, however, scored enough points to take the overall DSP ProSolo crown.

A Street Prepared was shaken up, as Eric Stemler, of Peoria, Ill., took the win in his Chevrolet Corvette over Jason Collett, of Smyrna, Tenn., also in a Corvette, while ASP point leader Jason Uyeda, of West Hills, Calif., finish fourth in his A.R.E./ProParts Lotus Elise. This finish turned the point standings upside down, as Stemler would take class honors with 53 points, followed by Collett, with 52 and Uyeda, with 51.

In H Stock, Ron Williams, of Topeka, Kan., made a comeback to take the win in his MINI USA/Hoosier Tires MINI Cooper, beating Joseph Austin, of Montgomery, N.Y., in an On a Dime Racing MINI Cooper by 0.352-second. The win secured Williams’ H Stock title.

The tie for the Ladies Class 2 ProSolo Championship was finally settled, as Annie Bauer, of Renton, Wash., beat Christine Berry. Driving a PMWLTD.com/SignEdge.com BMW 2002, Bauer topped the Hoosier/ChaseCam/BerryFamilyRacing Mitsubishi Evo of Berry, from Alta Loma, Calif., by 0.683-second.

The pylons won’t be put away just yet, as the Lincoln Airpark has one more event to contend with. The 2009 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships begin on Tuesday, Sept. 8, and run through Friday, Sept. 11. News and results will be posted, as they become available."

Stayed tuned for the Hamfist write up... For real this time.

2009 ProSolo Season Finale Results

Hamfist Racing Published at RedlineTimeAttack.com!

2009-10-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

RedlineTimeAttack.com September 23, 2009:

E-Town: A Racer's Perspective

We received this writeup from Jake Namer, driver of the Hamfist Racing Subaru STI, and want to share it with all of you!

No Risk, No Reward… By: Jake Namer

It was mere days before I needed to head out to Lincoln, NE for the SCCA Solo National Championships and Redline Time Attack was gearing up for a weekend of grassroots time trial battles at my local track. How could I resist.

For me, the deciding factors were contingent on a few things: cash prize money, weather, and my willingness to risk my car’s well being (track flogging can cause mechanical problems, in case you weren’t aware) the weekend before the SCCA ProSolo Finale and Solo National Championships. Scanning over RedlineTimeAttack.com I realized there were several companies offering cash prizes for top finishers. Most notably Subaru was offering up to $500. Money, check. Weather forecast called for mostly clear skies Sunday, race day. Weather, check. Lastly, I figured that if I drove conservatively the car would be fine. Naiveté, check.

I was determined to retaliate against all the Street class drivers from last year’s Redline Time Attack season finale at Round 6 of the 2009 Redline Time Attack series. Doug Wind’s Mopar/Continental Tire SRT4, Alex Sharanevych’s Slick Motorsport EVO and Thomas Hiromoto‘s Fuji Racing Miata all had huge targets on their backs. Now, with the support of team Hamfist Racing, I was aiming for a bull’s eye.

Since the '08 Redline season finale my Hamfist Racing Subaru STI has received a proper H&R coilover suspension, dialed in with additional camber, wider wheels and the almightily Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Specs… the perfect ammunition for time attack annihilation. Also, another similarly prepared STI, driven by local autocrosser Brian Goldstein, joined team Hamfist Racing for the massacre. There was just one problem... Turn In Concept's (TIC) and their new hot shoe – One Lap of America class champion Tony Weisenhahn. The TIC crew has campaigned a highly tuned Subaru WRX at all the east coast and mid-America Redline Time Attacks this season. The car pumps out close to 400whp on a 2.5L block; amped up by a GT30 turbo and fortified with forged internals. Because the car is straight out of Turn In Concept’s garage, you better believe the sucker can grip – running none other than Dunlops in the maximum allowable width of 255mm (10mm wider than my STU spec Dunlops), TIC/AST coilovers, and just about every other TIC bushing and suspension component they have on the market.

Team Hamfist Racing was running late Sunday morning and both the cars and drivers were running on empty. Trying to maximize our course time we jumped into the practice session, regardless – even managed to forget installing our transponders before heading out. The sun had not fully dried the course from the previous day’s storm so these runs were taken at 60 percent. Between the wet conditions and the heavy on course traffic we were only able to push hard on our last few laps. We both found we were getting fuel slosh starvation issues on the second fastest part of the course (at turn 6 on the not-so-accurate track map).

With only a short 30 minutes between warm up sessions we booked it to the nearest Exxon for a full tank of gas and grub. The brimming tank fixed the fuel starve issues and this time we remembered to pick up our transponders. We jumped in the front of the pack from the get go and got a clean run or two before hitting the L.I.E. rush hour traffic. Regardless, one of the clean runs was good enough for me to qualify 3rd out of the twenty-four Street class drivers. At this point it was clear I was going to edge out all of last year's competition. The two Street class drivers who out qualified me were the TIC Subaru WRX and the Draco Performance Subaru STI. As a result, I am sent out after the Draco Performance Subaru on our first official time attack session. Holding nothing back I pushed my heat cycled Dunlops until they could take no more. The tight 180 degree turn around on the far side of the course really helped open my eyes to the worn nature of my tires. The car pushed and wouldn’t turn in the tight corners. Understeer was apparent and I realized the next time attack session I would need to put on my fresh set of SCCA Solo National Championship tires, also Dunlop Z1 Star Specs.

Regardless of the worn rubber, I edged out the Draco Subaru STI and maintained the lead over the Mopar SRT4, Fuji Racing Miata, and Slick Motorsports EVO with a 1:15.0XX second lap time. TIC continued to dominate and held a two second margin over the field. Brian and his Hamfist Racing Subaru STI also performed well in the first session running a 1:15.XXX and sitting just outside the final trophy spot. For the next and last practice session I still had not swapped rubber. Naturally, my practice time matched my time attack run nearly identically. Brian however showed some significant improvement, nipping away at my comfort zone. Once the session was over I had 30 minutes to swap rubber and get in grid for the final time attack session. The street class drivers took notice upon unveiling the fresh rubber nestled under the seamlessly harmless blue tarp. The Dunlops were shaved to 6/32”, mounted to a brand new set of 17x9” Rota DPT’s and ready to grip the road like a fat kid holding a candy bar.

Released behind Tony in the TIC Subaru I went out for half a lap of tire scrubbing and left foot braking before going all out for the top spot. With the tires scrubbed and brakes warmed up, I headed into the main straight right before the timing equipment with the intent of tripping the start line with as much speed as possible. But at the end of the straight Tony slammed his brakes nearly parking his car at the timing equipment, his arms flailing wildly out the side of the car. I was confused and was forced to slow down. Tony continued his run awkwardly and because of his random braking frenzy I was right on his tail the entire session. On my last lap fuel level got so low the car began to starve again on the long right-hander. Needless to say my session was seriously compromised.

When we pulled into the pits Tony was obviously very upset. He proceeded to explain that there was a pylon on the main straight toppled over lying directly in his racing line. Now that he mentioned it, I do recall instinctively driving around the pylon on the straight like a good autocrosser. Tony made a very valid point that safety should always be the number one concern on track and the pylon was certainly a hazard. As it turned out the pylon was there for most of the Street class drivers and anyone affected by it was welcome back for a repeat final time attack session. Naturally the top 5 street class cars, Brian and I included, opted to hit the track for a pylon-less session.

I scrambled for gas in the paddock and found team WDS willing to sell me 5 gallons of my favorite go juice, Sunoco GT100, in time for the repeat session. Back out on track everything went smooth and safe. I continued to push harder and brake later. Apparently I wasn’t the only one pushing since 4 out of 5 drivers who opted for the session improved. Fortunately I managed to hold on to second place over the Draco Performance Subaru STI by a 0.074 second margin. TIC took first in Street class by 1.741 seconds, the smallest margin out of any Redline events at which they competed. Unfortunately, Brian suffered from fuel starve and a smoking hot turbo in the final session and had to park it off course until the session was over. He still managed to secure 5th place in Street-AWD with a 1:15.086 lap time. My best lap clocked in at a scorching 1:14.384.

At the conclusion of the time attack we check in on long-time-autocrosser-turned-time-attack-hot-shoe, Mark Daddio, to see how his day closed out. He had lapped the AMS/NOS Mitsubishi EVO X at a blistering 1:07.222 seconds despite power steering issues. Mark is an incredible driver and continues to impress at every event he drives for AMS. He commented on how fast I was in an STU prepped car and congratulated me on the podium finish. He then asked, “Is that the car you plan to run at the SCCA Solo National Championships next week?” “Yeah. Why?” I replied. “You’re CRAZY!” he insisted. Mark Daddio is the kind of guy who understands the importance of maintaining a national championship car (being a multi-national solo champion).

One recurring theme I’ve notice throughout interactions with top drivers in the country is that rarely does anyone understand the importance of maintaining the hamfist mentality. Without this critical personality trait Team Hamfist would just be another group of weenies wondering, “What if?” I say, “Whatever”. I didn’t break the car and I was off to Nebraska two days later for the SCCA ProSolo Finale and Solo National Championships.

E-Town Old Bridge Township Raceway - Round 6 - Results

E-Town: A Racer's Perspective

1993 Mazda RX7 R1

2009-10-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

Year: 1993
Make: Mazda
Model: RX-7 R1
Color: Vintage Red
Owner: Sandro La Rosa
Sponsor: IRPerformance

Class Eligibility:
• SCCA SOLO - A Street Prepared
• SCCA Rallycross - She doesn't rally
• Redline Time Attack - Modified RWD
• NASA TT - TTS
• MotorsportsNE - Unlimited

Handling Modifications:
• 1" 1/4 ST Front Swaybar
• Mazdatrix adjustable Endlinks
• Widefoot front sway bar mounts
• Disconnected rear swaybar
• Tein SR Coilovers 14k Springs Front and Rear
• Mazdaspeed upgraded Suspension Bushings

Wheels & Tires:
• 16"x8” OEM
• 245/45/16 Kumho V710

• 15"x10" Diamond Racing
• 275/35/15 Hoosier A6

Braking Modifications:
• Hawk HP+ Pads
• Stainless Steel Brakelines

Power Modifications:
• Downpipe and Midpipe
• Apexi N1 dual exhaust
• Cheap Bastard Intake w/ Custom Insulation
• Custom I/C Fans
• Apexi PowerFC ECU
• Datalogit
• NKG Wideband O2 Sensor/meter
• RP Denso Fuel Pump
• Direct Power 12V Fuel Pump Wiring

Exterior Modifications:
• Baseball Bat Fender Roll
• Permanent Cone Marks

Interior Modifications:
• OMP Steering Wheel
• 4 Point Racing Harness
• Widefoot Pedal Extension
• Removed Radio and Speakers

Other Modifications & Maintenance:
• ATE Super Blue Racing Brakefluid
• Mazdaspeed Engine Mounts
• Mazdaspeed Aluminum Shifter Bushing
• Pettit Differential Bushings
• OS Giken LSD
• A/C Delete
• Air Pump Delete

2005 Subaru Impreza WRX (Not an STI)

2009-10-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Year: 2005
Make: Subaru
Model: Not an STI
Color: World Rally Blue
Owner: Ron Zaras
Sponsor: Click HERE To Sponsor This Car.

Class Eligibility:
• SCCA SOLO - ???
• SCCA Rallycross - Prepared AWD
• Redline Time Attack - Street AWD
• NASA TT - Unlimited
• MotorsportsNE - Unlimited

Handling Modifications:
• Whiteline Front (27mm) and Rear (24mm) Swaybars
• KW Clubsport coilovers
• Whiteline Max-C camber plates

• Whiteline Anti Lift Kit

• Whiteline Balljoint extenders

Wheels & Tires:
• 17"x9” Rays G07WT (BTCC wheels)
• 255/40/17 Hankook Ventus RS-3

Braking Modifications:
• Baer 6pot front brakes

• Baer 14" front rotors

• STi Brembo rear brakes + rotors

• Goodridge lines

• Hawk HP+ Pads

Power Modifications:
• Random Tech Catted Downpipe
• TXS Up-pipe
• Stromung catback
• OpenECU 18psi street tune

Exterior Modifications:
• Dents
• Scratches

Interior Modifications:
• Alpine Head Unit
• Speed Hole in Rear Floorboard

• Flocked dashboard

Other Modifications & Maintenance:
• Quick ratio 11.5 to 1 steering rack

• GFB adjustable short shifter

• Motul Racing Brakefluid
• Amsoil 5w-40 Euro Oil
• Removed Intake Silencer

Ferrari F430 Scuderia - Elena's Last minute ASPL ride for Nats

2009-09-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

Elena was fortunate enough to get offered a codrive in a Ferrari F430 Scuderia (lightweight race prepared edition F430, for those of you who don't know). Here are some images and videos of the experience. Note the discrete "Hamfist Racing" magnet that needed to be taped to the aluminum body of the Ferrari.

Click on the video links below to view inside the Ferrari during autox...
http://vholdr.com/video/scca-2009-solo-nationals-east-course-elenas-3rd-run
http://vholdr.com/video/scca-2009-solo-nationals-west-course-elenas-2nd-run

Click on the images below to view in high resolution...

(Photos By: mageep)

(Photo By: Gotcone.com)

Update Preview...

2009-09-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

By: Elena La Rosa

Congratulations to Jake on his podium finishes at Redline Time Attack Round 6, SCCA ProSolo Finale, SCCA ProSolo Championship, and SCCA Solo National Championship. Check back shortly for detailed write ups on these events.

Driver Profile / Resume - Jake Namer

2009-09-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

INTERESTED IN SPONSORING THIS DRIVER?
EMAIL US BY CLICKING HERE

Cars:
2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
1993 Mazda RX7 R1

Sponsors:
*Park It Management - www.Parkitny.com

*OS Giken - www.OSGiken.net

*ANZE Suspension - www.ANZEsuspension.com

Media Coverage:

Sports Car Magazine November 2011

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce September 2011

GarageSpec Magazine June 2011

SoloMatters.WordPress.com May 2011

Sports Car Magazine August 2011

Sports Car Magazine October 2010
Grassroots Motorsports Magazine June 2010
Sports Car Magazine June 2010
Grassroots Motorsports Magazine February 2010

Grassroots Motorsports Magazine December 2009

Performance Auto & Sound Magazine November 2009

DSport Magazine November 2009

Sports Car Magazine November 2009

Grassroots Motorsports Magazine October 2009

Sports Car Magazine October 2009

Sports Car Magazine September 2009

RedlineTimeAttack.com September 2009
SCCA.com September 2009
Motorsport.com September 2009
CarRacing.com September 2009
Autox4u.com September 2009
GotCone.com September 2009
UrbanRacer.com August 2009
EverythingTimeAttack.com August 2009
SCCA.com June 2009
TheAutoChannel.com June 2009
IndiaCar.com June 2009
BetterOffRacing.com June 2009
Motortrend.com April 2009
CartCT.com April 2009
RoadAndDriver.com April 2009
NetCarStop.com April 2009
Throttleblips.com April 2009
TrueStreets.com April 2009
Automotive.com April 2009
Pole Position March 2009
Holunfie.com June 2008
SCCA.com June 2008
Sports Car Magazine October 2008
GTLiveTour.com October 2008
RedlineTimeAttack.com October 2008
TimeAttackBlog.com October 2008

Solo / Autocross:
2011 SCCA NJ ProSolo - 1st Place & Top Qualifier - SSM
2011 SCCA Delaware National Tour - 3rd Place - SSM
2011 SCCA Oscoda ProSolo - Trophy Winner - Bump 2 Class

2011 SCCA National Championship - 9th Place- SSM

2011 SCCA ProSolo Finale - 5th Place - SSM

2010 SCCA National Championship - 6th Place - SSM
2010 SCCA ProSolo Finale - 4th Place - SSM
2010 SCCA Finger Lakes National Tour - 1st Place - SSM
2010 SCCA Dixie National Tour - 3rd Place - SSM
2010 NNJR SCCA Season Points Championship - 3rd Place Pro Class
2010 NNJR SCCA 10/16 Event - Fastest Time of Day
2010 NNJR SCCA 9/18 Event - 1st Place - Fastest Time of Day, Overall PAX & Pro Class
2010 NNJR SCCA 4/3 Event - 1st Place - Overall PAX & Pro Class
2010 NYR SCCA 9/26 Event - 1st Place -Overall PAX & STU
2010 Philly SCCA 6/27 Event - 1st Place - SSM
2010 Philly SCCA 6/13 Event - 1st Place - SSM
2010 MotorsportsNE Season Points Championship - 2nd Place Unlimited
2010 MotorsportsNE 8/8 Event #10 - 3rd Place Unlimited Class
2010 MotorsportsNE 8/8 Event #9 - 1st Place Unlimited Class & Fastest Time of Day
2010 MotorsportsNE 7/27 Event #8 - 2nd Place - Unlimited Class
2010 MotorsportsNE 6/4 Event #5 - 2nd Place - Unlimited Class
2010 MotorsportsNE 4/11 Event #4 - 2nd Place - Unlimited Class
2010 MotorsportsNE 4/11 Event #3 - 1st Place - Unlimited Class & Fastest Time of Day
2010 MotorsportsNE 4/11 Event #2 - 1st Place - Unlimited Class
2010 MotorsportsNE 4/11 Event #1 - 1st Place - Unlimited Class & Fastest Time of Day
2009 SCCA ProSolo Finale - 1st Place - STU
2009 SCCA ProSolo Season Championship - 2nd Place - STU
2009 SCCA National Championship - 3rd Place - STU
2009 SCCA Northeast Divisional Championship - 2nd Place - STU
2009 SCCA ProSolo Washington DC - 2nd Place - STU
2009 SCCA ProSolo Toledo OH - 3rd Place - STU
2009 SCCA ProSolo El Toro CA - 5th Place - STU
2009 SCCA Finger Lakes National Tour - 2nd Place - STU
2009 NNJR SCCA 3/14 Event - 1st Place - Overall PAX & Pro Class
2009 NNJR SCCA 3/21 Event - 1st Place - Overall PAX & Pro Class
2009 NNJR SCCA 5/23 Event - 1st Place - Overall PAX & Pro Class
2009 NNJR SCCA 6/06 Event - 1st Place - Overall PAX & Pro Class
2009 NNJR SCCA 7/11 Event - 1st Place - Overall PAX & Pro Class
2009 NNJR SCCA 8/29 Event - 1st Place - Pro Class & Fastest Time of Day
2009 MotorsportsNE 11/08 Event - 1st Place - Unlimited Class & Fastest Time of Day
2009 MotorsportsNE 7/12 Event - 1st Place - Unlimited Class & Fastest Time of Day
2009 NYR SCCA 8/23 Event - 1st Place - Overall PAX & Pro Class
2009 CART 4/19 Event - 1st Place - Overall PAX & STA Class
2009 Philly SCCA 9/20 Event - 1st Place - STU
2009 Philly SCCA 10/11 Event - 1st Place - ASP
2009 Philly SCCA 11/22 Event - 1st Place - ASP
2008 NNJR SCCA - Season Champion - STU
2008 SCCA Devens National Tour - 3rd Place - STU
2007 MotorsportsNE - Season Champion - A Class
2007 MotorsportsNE 9/24 Event - 1st Place - A Class

Time Attack / Time Trials:

2011 NASA Northeast 10/2 Event - 3rd Place - TTB

2011 NASA Northeast 10/1 Event - 3rd Place - TTB

2011 NASA Northeast 9/24 Event - 1st Place - TTA
2011 NASA Northeast 9/4 Event - 1st Place - TTA

2011 NASA Northeast 9/3 Event - 1st Place - TTA

2011 NASA Northeast 8/7 Event - 2nd Place - TTB

2011 NASA Northeast 8/6 Event - 2nd Place - TTB

2011 NASA Northeast 7/17 Event - 1st Place - TTB

2011 NASA Northeast 7/16 Event - 2nd Place - TTB

2011 NASA Northeast 4/17 Event - 3rd Place - TTA
2010 NASA Northeast 10/3 Event - 1st Place - TTS
2010 NASA Northeast 8/14 Event - 2nd Place - TTU
2010 NASA Northeast 8/13 Event - 3rd Place - TTS
2010 NASA Northeast 5/30 Event - 3rd Place - TTS
2009 Redline Time Attack Round 6 - 2nd Place - Street Class
2008 Redline Time Attack Season Finale - 3rd Place - Street AWD Division
2008 MotorsportsNE 5/05 Time Trial - 2nd Place - A Class
2007 MotorsportsNE 9/04 Time Trial - 2nd Place - A Class

Rallycross / Rally Race:
2007 NER SCCA 1/27 Rallycross - 1st Place - Prepared AWD

Volunteer Work:

NASA Time Trial Program Director

SCCA Autocross Instructor

Tire Rack Street Survival Drivers Education Instructor

MotorsportsNE Core Worker & Autocross Instructor

Porsche Club of America Autocross Instructor

INTERESTED IN SPONSORING THIS DRIVER?
EMAIL US BY CLICKING HERE

2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi

2009-09-14T09:06:00.000-07:00

Year: 2004
Make: Subaru
Model: Impreza WRX STi
Color: Silver
Owner: Brian Goldstein
Sponsor: Click HERE To Sponsor This Car.

Class Eligibility:

SCCA SOLO - Unknown
SCCA Rallycross - Prepared AWD
Redline Time Attack - Street AWD
NASA TT - Unlimited
MotorsportsNE - Unlimited

Handling Modifications:

Cusco Zero 2E Coilovers (7K Front / 5K Rear)
Carbing Rear Strut Bar
DC Titanium Front Strut Bar
Cusco Front Camber Plates
Cusco Rear Pillowball Tophats
Cusco 22-24mm Adjustable Rear Sway Bar
Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings
Whiteline 27-29mm Adjustable Front Sway Bar
Whiteline Caster Bushings (to be installed)
Kartboy Rear Adjustable Endlinks
Kartboy Front Adjustable Endlinks
eBay Fender Brace

Wheels & Tires:

17"x9" Rota DPT
245/40/17 Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Spec

Braking Modifications:

Powerslot Front and Rear Rotors
Hawk HP+ Pads
Technafit Stainless Steel Brakelines

Power Modifications:

Ingenuity Open Source Stage II ECU
Maddad 3" Catted Downpipe
HKS Uppipe
Perrin Turbo Inlet
K&N Short Ram Intake

Exterior Modifications:

eBay Front Lip Spoiler

Interior Modifications:

Recaro Speed Front Drivers Seat

Other Modifications & Maintenance:

Group-N Motor Mounts
Group-N Transmission Mount
Group-N Pitch Mount
TIC Clunk Killer Kit

If you are interested in SPONSORING a Hamfist Racing car or driver, Please Click HERE.

CONTACT US

National Scramble… See you in Nebraska.

2009-08-24T07:20:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

Team Hamfist Racing has its final roster of attendees at the 2009 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships. The list includes both La Rosa’s, Elena and Sandro, running in ASPL and ASP respectively with their Mazda RX7, Grant Winston running ES in his Mazda Miata, and Dave Corsaro codriving with me in STU class in the Subaru Impreza WRX STi.

After my shared experience of shifter issues at the Divisional Championships with Dave, and my expectation for having to shift at the National Championships (given the scale of Lincoln Airport), I pulled the trigger and ordered all new shifter bushings from Turn In Concepts. The parts include the Kartboy Rear Shifter Stay Bushing, TiC 04-05 STi Shift Linkage Bushings, and TiC 6MT Pivot Bushings. These are going in Wednesday, just in time to break them in at Warminster Park, PA Sunday at the Philly Region SCCA autox. There is no room for error at Nationals. Every shift needs to be spot on, otherwise you can kiss your chances of putting together the perfect run in three.

Also in the scramble before Nationals, Sandro has been working hard to get his RX7 healthy. All new Mazdaspeed suspension and shifter bushings were installed last week and tested at NYR SCCA’s autox yesterday. The car felt spectacular, despite having a boost pressure loss scare after the morning heat. We discovered the bypass solenoid hose had blown off the Y-pipe. Redoing the clamp remedied the situation for the afternoon heat; however, I strongly recommended that new worm and T-bolt clamps be swapped prior to Nationals. Much like a miss-shift can kill your chances at winning Nationals; a blown critical boost pressure line severely impacts your acceleration and thus your chances of Hamfisting the competition.

Even Grant Winston, National rookie, is scrambling to get every last tenth out of his Miata. He is running over a set of SSR wheels to the machine shop to get them within offset tolerances for stock. Thus creating the lightest ES Miata wheels one could own. Good luck Grant. I’m sure E-Stock is rolling deep this year, as usual.

Good luck everyone else heading out to Nebraska! Drive safe. I hope your mad scrambles for National readiness are as fun and stressful as us Hamfists'.

NER gets double-'Fisted'

2009-08-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

August 8th-9th, 2009

SCCA Northeast Divisional event,
Devens, MA

by David Corsaro

I like to think of myself as someone who is spontaneous and over-analytical... two traits that rarely harmonize. I have no scientific explanation as to who, what, where, why, when, or how I decide how long something deserves my attention. It just happens. I can either say, "Yes. Okay. That'll work." or spend hours, days, or weeks picking apart the smallest detail on something that most people would say, "Why?"

Spontaneity is fun, hence me jumping at the chance to co-drive Jake's STI at the The Tire Rack® SCCA Northeast Divisional Solo Championships in Ayer, Massachusetts. My S2000 CR is more than enough fun locally, but without Hoosiers it wasn't worth driving up. Plus, Street Touring Ultra is always chock full of excellent competitors... so why not take a stab at it?

I have been fortunate enough to own both a 2004 STi and a modified 2006 STI so I knew what to expect as far as power delivery. What I didn't expect was how spoiled I've become to superquick steering racks. My 2006 Evo RS, a 2008 Honda Fit(yes, at a ratio of 12.8:1 and 2.4 turns lock-to-lock) and now a S2000 CR all have excellent steering characteristics. Further, the Hondas have some of the best shifters on the planet(more on that later).

A college friend of Jake allowed us to stay at his place in Boston which was approximately 50 minutes away. (Thanks Joe!) We crashed early on both Friday and Saturday night, to only be greeted by drunken urbanites screaming, fighting, arguing and playing loud music... it was as if by 2 a.m., someone had turned on a switch labeled 'Wake Up Mother F%^#$s!!!!!!'.
Joe, a college student and a new tenant, is going to have a lot of sleepless nights with the windows open.

Saturday: Wake up, drive to the site(stop for coffee, water and anything with sugar in it), sticker the car, put the numbers on, put the dump pipe on, tighten a loose diff mount bolt, walk the course, get in the mode. I have only driven Jake's car two or three runs last year and it was vastly different. What was on stock shocks, lowering springs, and different wheels/tires is now on a proper coilover suspension with 9" wide wheels and Dunlop Star Specs. To add to that, I had only 4 runs Saturday and Sunday to figure it out.

The site at Devens is something that everyone in the New England Region SCCA had better appreciate while they have it- it truly is one of the greatest places I've autocrossed on. The surface grip was stellar, the sheer size of the facility was excellent, and the course designs both days were engaging and fast to say the least. We were well into third gear on both days, with Sunday being the faster and consequently shorter of the two courses. It's a damn shame we live four hours away.

We were running the first session of three, while working the last.
With forecasts calling for 80° and sun, it couldn't be more perfect. Or could it?

Cars classed in STU range from Evos and STIs to Mustangs and Camaros. It really should be labeled Spec Evo/STI as nothing else really stands a chance competitively. Occasionally, a hotshoe in an E36 M3 will come along though. There are ten cars registered in STU for this event and 90% of them are Evos and STIs. The loner, a Camaro, was driven by a nice guy named Troy, who was also wearing a cast, on his right leg I believe.

So I took to 'tire warmer' duty and ran #97 while Jake ran #197.

My first run: "A sloppy mess as I was late on everything- think back to the steering reference and add to that my inherent stubborness to slow down when tires are making funny noises."

Second run: "Took some aggression off, still late on most elements, need to dial it back."

Third run: "Okay, starting to learn this car's habits, need to stay clean but also need to be fast. Better."

Fourth run: "Kept it clean, not perfect by a long shot, but still good for third place going into Sunday."

Four minutes on Saturday was no where near enough time to get comfortable, or more importantly confident, with Jake's car. It is a humbling eye-opener to watch some autocross greats such as Mark Daddio, Pat Salerno, or our own Perry Aidelbaum jump behind the wheel of ANY car and drive it to within 95% of it's capabilities. It takes discipline and a strict adherence to the following saying, "Go slow in the slow, fast in the fast". I sometimes battle with both the former and the latter because I just want to drive fucking fast, all the time. I think I do pretty well though considering that I usually show up to events with vehicles that are totally stock and on street tires.

Jake put down raw times that bested the entire STU field on Saturday. Unfortunately, all Saturday's runs were dirty for him going into his 4th run. Naturally, he dialed it back a bit a laid down a not-as-fast clean run which put him into fourth place going into Sunday. Being fast in this sport involves a mental and physicaly orgy of nerves and skill, and the reality of inches. Sometimes just skimming past a cone will wiggle it, or punt it. Sometimes running it completely over will smoosh it pancake-style while then instantaneously erecting itself to its prior, unmolested state... and completely in the box. (Sarcasm meter pegged, see Finger Lakes '09 event blog below for details on that).

Sunday: Wake up, get coffee, walk the course, blah blah blah. I needed to make up just over 0.75 seconds on the leader while Jake needed 0.86 seconds.

First run: "Car feels good, still late on elements in the beginning, slow it down coming out of the box next time."

Second run: "Okay, you don't listen, slow it the fuck down coming out of the box because you just screwed up what was a pretty damn good run."

Third run: "Oh great, damn shifter will not engage third for me, coasted about 160 feet entirely through a slalom with the clutch in. Please find third gear next time because you just blew that run."

Fourth run: "More of the same. Exactly the same... plus coasting, clutch in, through the finish. Ugh. Pack it up loser and tell Jake he needs shifter bushings."

I finished fourth overall.

'Shoulda-Coulda-Woulda' all the way home and to my co-workers the next day. Oh well. It still irks me as to what I would've run had I gotten into gear though since I still ran a 53.192 to Jake's 52.250- the fastest time in STU on Sunday.

Jake also cleaned it up on Sunday, and put down his fastest run on his third attempt, just as it should be. It narrowed the gap between himself and the leader, but not enough to take the lead overall, finishing second. Results are below.

I would like to thank Jake again for letting me drive his car for this event.

2009 SCCA Solo Northeast Divisional Championships: Final Results

'09 Toledo ProSolo

2009-07-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

After the 1st session for STU Ridgick and I broke out of the pack by 1.7 seconds and we were separated by 15 thousandths.

Going forward everyone improved, naturally. Unfortunately for me I finished up on the left with fast dirty runs. Woulda shoulda coulda not wobbled that last cone at the finish out of the box on my 27.1xx left side run for a 7 tenths pick up. On the last left side run I red lit with a 0.499 reaction time and decided to hold third much longer for experimental purposes. Plus one in the slalom and a 27.0XX. The important lesson learned, which should have been learned in DC, is that you can NOT rely on the announcer. Too bad. Congrats Cy, Corey, Greg, and everyone else. See runs on video and pictures below...

Results: http://scca.com/documents/resultfiles/13630_results%20rt.60ft1%5D.pdf

Pocono Grand Slam Aftermath - Brownbo's & Smoke

2009-07-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

Subaru STi brakes magically change colors when you hamfist the car for 30 minutes...

This is what happens when a hamfist tries to catch another hamfist on an open track.

Pocono Grand Slam 2009

2009-07-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

At Pocono Grand Slam this year, one hamfist blew up his motor. More to come on that later. In the mean time check out the video from my one session on the east course. Due to technical difficulties I am driving on the bizzaro world East Course in my car, just right hand drive. Don't ask... Stay tuned for the last lap where I put one wheel off.

Video: RX-7 Autox Shoot Off @ Raceway Park

2009-07-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Jake's run: 54.293 sec
Best Run: 52.939 sec (in Subaru STi)

Elena's run: 55.9XX sec
Best Run: 54.904 sec

Sandro's run: 56.294 sec
Best Run: 54.761 sec

Click here to view final results
Click here to view pax results

Note: Due to the fact that NNJR drivers power through courses so hard that the asphalt rips out of the ground, several midday course changes were made. The event results are therefore no longer being counted towards season points... Too bad considering I ran top pax in the Subaru on what I thought was the slower of the course designs for the day.

Hamfist Racing Goes To Waterfest... Blowing Hot Air.

2009-07-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

By: Jake Namer

This weekend Hamfist Racing had a small presence at Waterfest at Raceway Park, Englishtown, NJ. For those who aren't apprised of the German hot hatch culture in the US, Waterfest is a exhibition and motorsports festival for Audi and Volkswagen cars. A couple of us volunteered to work the autocross competition (the only competition that matters). We figured it best not to show up with a Japanese ride at such an event, so I called in a favor to a friend of mine who just came across a 1976 VW Beetle convertible, Bicentennial Edition.

Bug Butt (Photo By: Bob Macmillan)

Upon arriving at Raceway Park we quickly realized that there was something to the name Waterfest that us JDM lovers didn't quite understand. Air cooled cars were not welcome here and we had tomatoes thrown at us all day by water cooled Jetta's and Golf's (dramatic interpretation).

I paid no mind to the hate and drove the bug with pride flashing two-fingered peace signs palm facing out (as opposed to the knuckles-out peace sign used by gangsters and players) to all who dared glance at the blasphemous bug.

While the bug sat around looking pretty myself and the other instructors reeked havoc in other people's rides.

Three Wheel Stand in Stranger's Car (Photo By: Ciotti)

Holy Koni

2009-07-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

This Koni/Ground Control coilover setup is poised for installation pending arrival of helper springs and torrington bearings. They are going to provide god-like handling for the black RX-7. Holy (or should I say, "holi") Koni's FTMFW.

*Disclaimer: References to spirituality do not reflect the religious views of Hamfist Racing, its drivers, and its affiliates (we worship the laws of physics)

Hamfist Racing

SUBARU BRZ GT300 - Proud of Boxer

2011 Nissan Juke vs. 1971 Datsun 510, Dave Coleman's Rally Beater

Porsche Club of America - Zone 1 Autox Championship

2012 SCCA Solo Pax Index Figures Released

iPhone Data Acquisition - MotorsportsNE Autocross in HamfistRacing.com Mazda RX7

Subaru Technica International BRZ Super GT300 Race Car Coming Soon!

2012 National SCCA Solo/ProSolo Schedule Released

Project SSM RX7 Update 2011 Season

ANZE Suspension Has A New Home

2012 NNJR SCCA Solo National Tour - Date Released!

Tow Vehicle Feature - VW Touareg V10 TDI

Mitsubishi Plans New Lancer EVO Diesel Hybrid

In Depth View & Simulation of 2013 New Jersey Formula1 Grand Prix

The Official Subaru BRZ STi - RWD Coupe!

Mark Daddio - AMS/NOS Time Attack EVO X

Recommended Article: MotoIQ Project V8 RX7

Hybird Pfff - 84MPG Internal Combustion FTW!

Proposed F1 Circuit for 2013 Formula 1 Grand Prix

Spotted: Team Polizei's M5 Interceptor Goes Sleeper

Axis of Oversteer Report Speculates Special Announcement Over F1 Running New Jersey Grand Prix!

Speedway Motors 2011 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships Music Video

2011 SCCA Solo National Championships Run - West Course Hamfist Racing RX7 #197 SSM

Lincoln Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Hamfist Racing Interview: 2011 Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships

Thanks Park It NY & Marty's Auto Body!

Congratulations Andy Mckee! 2011 SSM Solo National Champion

Third Time's a Charm?

A Double Post.

Garage Love?

Hoosier Win's GRM Tire Battle

Hoosier Vs. Goodyear Battle Updates

Defy Convention - Mazda Commercials

NJ ProSolo 97 SSM Hamfist Racing RX7 - In Car Video

2011 New Jersey ProSolo - SSM RX7 vs. SSM M Coupe

Rhys Millen's Pikes Peak World Record Attempt

Another STI vs. EVO Challenge

2011 Tire Wars: Hoosier A6 vs. Goodyear Eagle RS

400 WHP RX-7 on Speed1 Dynojet

Drift vs. Grip... Drift Can Be Fast & Hamfist Proves It!

2011 World Time Attack - Sydney Australia

Video: Rhys Millen Motorsports Pikes Peak Hyundai Genesis PM580

NJ Motorsports Park Filed Bankruptcy

The Unofficial Hamfist Racing Jack

The Abominable Subaru STi Convertible

Petter Solberg's Personal Car Collection

Mitsubishi Evo X - The Last Evo Ever

Toyobaru Video Captured at Nurburgring

Rally New York USA | March 25-26

Hamfist Racing Subaru STI on Real Time Attack Flyer

New Circuit Only 2.5 hours from NYC Begins Construction 2011

New Supporting Vendor Section Thanks Mazda Motorsports

New 2011 SCCA Solo Racing Contingency Program

"Senna" (Ayrton Senna Documentary) - Limited Screening NYC

If The Stig Could Talk

SCCA Autocross on TV News

They've Been Calling it a Toyobaru

120 Seconds of Fury - The Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals

Hamfist WRC Threat

AxisofOversteer.com - A Hamfist Racing Top Pick!

ProSolo Invades Dirty Jerz: SCCA Stampede

Why Wax?

MotoIQ.com - A Hamfist Racing Top Pick!

Right Coast Time Attack

Historic Hack.

2010 SCCA Solo National Championships and beyond...

PREPARATION-H.amfist 2010

In Case Your Missed It...

Hamfist Racing @ Meadowlands Autox Footage

New 2010 Sponsor for Jake's RX7: PARK-IT

AutoX4u Exposes 2-Wheelin' Hamfist Racing (not talking about motorcycles)

Hamfist Racing featured by John Torres / Import2Race

Sea of Cones : A Documentary About Autocross by Stephen Chiang

Historic STU DC ProSolo Video Uncovered -- Heart Wrenching Loss 0.001 seconds

FOUND! Hamfist Racing Youtube Videos - Philly SCCA Autox Warminster PA

Capital Punishment in DC: Northeast Divisional Championship

Wrench, Weigh, Race... 2010 SCCA Dixie National Tour

VOTE: Hamfist RX7 for GRM Ultimate Track Car Challenge Invitation

Retrospect of 2009 Print Media Coverage for Hamfist Racing & It's Drivers

Hamfist Racing in Performance Auto & Sound Magazine

From The Lincoln Tunnel to Lincoln Nebraska