Third Time's a Charm?

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.

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?

By: Jake
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

By Jake

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

By: Jake

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

Mazda simply gets it...

NJ ProSolo 97 SSM Hamfist Racing RX7 - In Car Video

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

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

Enjoy.

Another STI vs. EVO Challenge

By: Jake

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

By: Jake

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

Details on the engine build to follow. Enjoy!

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

By: Jake

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.

Video: Rhys Millen Motorsports Pikes Peak Hyundai Genesis PM580

Photo By: Autoblog

NJ Motorsports Park Filed Bankruptcy

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:"