Here's the Crossfire schedule for the NASA event at California Speedway on March 16th, 17th & 18th 2007.

I will be arriving on Friday March 16th at 6am to check-in (register) and get my garage assigned, un-load my tools into the garage and take the car for the mandatory technical inspection. I will then attend the mandatory drivers meeting before the first practice session (warm-up) laps (20 minutes) which will begin promptly at 8AM. There will be 5 timed events on Friday and all count towards the season totals in my TT class.

Since NASA, at the last minute added Friday March 16th as the first NASA TT points race, I am forced to run this event to stay in contention for the 2007 season Which means my brakes and tires will be toast by Sunday, So is anyone wants to help me swap out brake pads Saturday night, it would be greatly appreciated.

On March 17th
For those of you who haven't run HPDE with NASA before, Jody (MMZ-Timelord) has a good handle on the procedure and will help you through the process. It is very important that you arrive early to get your car ready by removing all the superfluous garbage. CD's, floor mats, center caps, "Floaties", etc... I will have my tool chest with me so you can torque your lugs, etc. But most importantly, you don't want to have to rush !!!

Make sure that you download the "TECH CHECK LIST" and print it out before your arrival, this will speed your tech process. Arrive early and find my CROSSFIRE garage then put all of your useless stuff in "OUR" garage area in a duffle bag. check-in with registration then proceed directly to the tech inspection area as early as possible because this is going to be a BIG event with lots of cars going through tech at the same time. If you have a car number assigned already, you must affix the numbers on both side doors before you take the car to tech inspection... TAPE is OK. I have some SPEED TAPE if you need to use it !

As mentioned, I will have most of my tools with me, so you can use them if needed... TP guage, torque wrenches, jacks & stands, compressor, etc.

Bring a folding chair since I only have a couple of them, and if you have a small cooler, fill it with water, redbull and munchies. My cooler is not big enough for the whole CROSSFIRE army we're going to have... LOL.

Also, for those of you running HPDE, fill your tank at one of the stations on Cherry Ave. before you get to the track, because they only sell Sunoco Race Gas 91, 100, 101, 105 and it costs a fortune $$$.

For those of you who are joining us as CROSSFIRE spectators. I will rope-off a few parking spots directly adjacent to our CROSSFIRE garage so we can make a big splash and make sure that the umbrella girls take lots of pictures with us... You will have full access to the entire track, including the pits and paddock area. Bring your cameras, because this is going to be a very interesting weekend... PS: spectators are required to be the margarita blenders at the end of the day...

 

I will have a pair of folding chairs connected by a small cooler with me. (Ordering today)

For those new to HPDE, Derek has pretty much covered everything. If you haven't read the HPDE forums... GO DOO EEET! The articles at the bottom of this page are also VERY informative. Please become VERY familiar with all the rules of the track and procedures to follow. Having most of this memorized or second nature when you get there will help you a lot. You WILL be nervous. There is a ton to remember being first timers.

TIP: Don't drink any coffee or soda right before the event if you can help it... diuretics are not good on a driving course. WATER WATER WATER... and WATER. Things like Gatorade or Power Water are okay in small doses to boost your energy.

The primary thing in your favor if you are in HPDE 1 is that you can milk your instructors for all the information you can get.
DO NOT ENTER THE TRACK THE FIRST TIME WITHOUT ONE!
These people are in race class and I believe must have a full race license to instruct... don't let that knowledge go to waste!

My wife and I will attempt to bring a lot of snacks and maybe a second cooler (space permitting in the crossfire). If you are coming to spectate... PLEASE try and coordinate on here with us so we get plenty of goodies for people to munch on and drink up.

Spectators and HPDE participants please review the NASA rules.

I am quoting the paddock area rules here mainly for the spectators...
With the amount of vehicles there, things will be a bit nuts... Worse than a shopping mall the day after Christmas! So be patient, be aware and drive slow in the paddock area.

Did I leave out anything Derek?

 

Nope, I think you covered everything... Just be aware that you can bring as many friends as you want and they will all have full access to the pits, garages and track viewing... There will be some SERIOUS race cars running during the race events... And there will be a trophy (BEER) party at the end of the day on Saturday.

MMZ-Timelord has been designated the HPDE mentor... Whether he likes it or not... So, follow his lead for the meetings and classes... This is a very time scheduled process and MMZ has it down... I'll be running my races and won't have much time to do much else...

 

here is a mock up of the sticker for the california crossfire racing. no text yet, just the car. which does you guys like?

 

HPDE Mentor eh? Oookey... I'll do my best.

X'ed, I would say the one with the thinnest nose line... but that's me.

 

X'ed, I'm impressed...either of the two on the left would be my choice(s).

 

Another couple of items for people who have never been to the track with their car.

I recommend changing out your OEM Brake Fluid (DOT4) with racing brake fluid with a higher boiling point, such as MOTEL RBF 600
Racing Brake Fluid. (Most people don't know they should change their brake fluid every two years anyway as it absorbs moisture and breaks down over time)

I will also be running with race compound brake pads. This is not necessary for first timers, but if you have someone with more experience take your car out with another level of drivers like I did (head HPDE instructor took mine out with Derek's TT group), you will experience brake fade. The ESP system is good at it's job... leave it on (you will be told to leave it on), but it also beats the heck out of the brake system.

So... who's done their own inspection and has their tech inspection sheets ready?

 

I thought I read in the NASA rules that it was the HPDE mentor? ;-)

 

I like the top one. Would like to see what the front spoiler would look like with the lower vents whited out instead of a solid black front.

 

Great advice MMZ_Timelord. I have run this track and it did boil my OEM
brake fluid. Can you spell "spongy"? Replaced it with Motel Racing brake fluid.

This is a very fast track and you WILL brake hard!

 

What's the likelihood of getting the number I chose during registration? And how would I know what number got assigned to me?

 

Preliminary Tech inspection should be done by you PRIOR to arriving at the track. This way you will breeze right through the inspection by the official inspector.

On the numbers... I was told (by the head instructor) that the numbers in HPDE really don't matter unless there are two identical cars of the same color on the track with the same number. Not very likely, but that is the reason they have you register more than one number.

So I will be the "69 Black" or "Black 69" or "Crossfire #69" when (and if) they call my number at a meeting. Usually if nobody else has the number it will be simply "#69".

NOTE: Having your number called during a download meeting is not always bad... but usually it's so they can illustrate a point about something you did or did not do to the rest of the class. That way they don't have to have you stand up and take the blame.

 

I know, just being a smart a$$ and a lazy a$$ :-)
Oh cool... my number 111 is perfect for a lazy a$$ like me, should take less than a minute to tape the #.

 

I agree, a little more detail in the bumper would be nice to see.

I'll head up there on Saturday to spectate. I'll bring some waters, gatorades & energy drinks too, any other requests?. What time would be a good time to arrive?

 

Here's the dealio: Download the tech form from the NASA website here http://www.nasaproracing.com/images/..._hpde_tech.pdf Fill it out and bring two copies. I filled one out as an example below for you guys. Also bring a copy of your online registration receipt. Arrive between 6:30 - 7:00 am (with a full tank of gas) then you can find our CROSSFIRE garage and unload all the "FLOATIES" in your car and remove them ALL. Then you can check your tire pressures with my gauge and compressor and apply your car numbers to each side door.

Keep your tech form, registration receipt in the car along with your helmet and we'll all drive over to tech inspection together promptly at 7:00 am. Mike Ellison is the main tech inspector and should fly through our four cars in about 5 minutes each (but there may be 50+ cars waiting in line, so it's important to be at tech early). Make sure your helmet has the appropriate DOT / SAE sticker inside or outside the helmet. / roll down both windows, they will require to stay down all day and open the hood and rear hatch for inspection.

We will then drive the cars back to the garage and go to the drivers meeting where you guys can check-in (I'll already be checked-in from the day before) The Drivers meeting usually begins at 7:45 am. Make sure you take a copy of the daily schedule from the registration table and keep it with you all day long.

After the drivers meeting, the racers will be released, but the HPDE groups will stay behind for their first class / introduction and have an instructor assigned. PAY ATTENTION YOU WILL LEARN ALOT IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

MMZ-Timelord will help you with the schedule since my events run at different times than HPDE. You will run a 20 minute event every hour, thus giving you a drivers download session after each event and about 30 minutes for some R&R before your next event...

My TT events are pretty interesting since all the TT race groups run simultaneously whereby 600 hp cars will be running at the same time as the 119 hp Miatas... So we get blow-bys at 180 mph... Quite a rush...

For those of you kind Crossfire supporters, I think you can roll-in about 10 am... Enter through the Cherry Street main entrance and follow the road around the facility and pass under the tunnel to the infield area, then follow the road right to the garage / paddock area where all the garages are. I'll have 5 extra parking spots adjacent to the CROSSFIRE garage to park your hot rod... I'm trying to get the south building garage so we'll have lots of room for everyone to show-off their Crossfire.

If you have any problems finding us, please call my cell phone 310.291.1372. My wife will be playing answering service if I'm on the track when you call !!!

 

Your attachment has an error... it can't be viewed...

 

Sorry about that, must be a MAC vs PC thing... Here's the link if you guys didn't get it before... http://www.nasaproracing.com/images/..._hpde_tech.pdf

 

Here's the schedule for CMS. Looks like so many people signed-up for HPDE that they had to break it into two sub groups. HPDE 1&2A, HPDE 1&2B and limit the entire field to four events per day.

I would HIGHLY recommend that you guys get to the gate at 6:00 am right when it opens and drive to my garage (yet to be determined), get your cars ready and hustle directly to tech inspection at 6:45 when it opens. Also, I would ask during the HDPE meeting that they keep you guys all in the same HPDE sub group so all the Crossfires can run together.

Since I'll be at the track on Friday 16th and get my garage assigned, you can call me and I'll tell you which garage # is ours, because I won't be arriving till about 7:00 am on Saturday since I already had my annual tech inspection done.

Save my cell # 310.291.1372

 

Derek,

Will the tech inspection station be open on Friday? Hopefully I'll be arriving shortly after noon or so to watch the last rounds of the day and get some things dropped off at the Garage.

I will ask in the first HPDE meeting that all the Crossfire drivers be kept together.

 

Yeah, Mike will have the tech trailer open all day on Friday, so mosey on down to take care of it when you arrive. I'll be there till at least 5:30 pm.

I sent Greg Greenbaum an e-mail notifying him that three Crossfires were going to be running in HPDE 1 and asked if he could facilitate keeping all of you in the same sub-group. Have not heard back from him yet...

Also, it looks like we have at least three other spectator Crossfires going to attend on Saturday... IF they follow thru with their interest...

PS: how'd the rotor swap go ? Those things are heavy as hell, aren't they ?