Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Race Video Clip from Oktoberfast 2010

Video clips provided by Clyde Coman, Birds Eye Photography at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit.

Video shows me making a pass on a competitor through turn 6, down the stretch to 7 and over the top of 8. I think it's from an early practice on Saturday sometime.

Monday, November 15, 2010

2010 PCA Palooza

Although the 914 didn't make the trip, I spent this last weekend at PCA Palooza(the 6th annual) in Eureka Springs, Arkansas and had just a great time. As I am sure many, many others who attended will tell you. Just ask them.

My compliments and thanks go out to Leonard and Melody Zechiedrich, Chip Gibbons, Rick Daes, and all the other people who made this event happen. And there's a lot of them - too many to list. I know what it takes to put an event like that, and it's no picnic. It's work. No one gets paid a cent, it's strictly volunteer. But sometimes the reward is great, the personal satisfaction of knowing you pulled something off. Something special. This, I think, was that kind of event!

PCA Palooza, generally, is a Porsche Club of America multi-region, multi-event weekend(whew!) that includes a variety of beautiful drives through the twisting and winding roads of northwest Arkansas, a car show/competition with over 200 cars entered, a banquet and an autocross. Raffles benefiting charities - like a ride in a Porsche Carrera GT, also were offered. This year's event was highlighted and made extra special by the guest speaker, Mr. Vic Elford.

For more about PCA Palooza, click here

For those of you who don't know who Vic Elford is, click here.

I, along with some 400+ other participants, had an opportunity to attend a meeting/tech session where he discussed vehicle dynamics and car balance, in particular. I also had dinner at his table at the banquet, and was fortunate enough to give him a quick walk around of the autocross course before he took our first runs on Sunday morning. Yep, we even autocrossed with Vic Elford. Amazing.

I think there's some video floating around somewhere on that. Or there soon will be...or should be.

Anyway, just had to say something about the weekend. Too much fun! If you're a PCA member, you've got to make it to one of these. If you're a Porsche owner but not a PCA member, become one.

Oh, BTW, I want to congratulate my good friend (and fellow Cimarron Region member) Brian Thomas, for his winning time at the autocross. Yep - he even beat quick "Vic". Pretty cool.

New video of the 914 from last race coming soon.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Here's the video from my new GoPro Hero Camera. 
Video shows my 5 runs at an local club autocross. Pretty darn nice video and I wasn't even using the high resolution HD format.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Great autocross today. Started a bit chilly bit warmed quickly. Got some good video. I'll see if I can get something posted. It needs editing. Car ran great!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Camera Test/Update

Did a test run with the camera using the suction cup mount, on the front of the car yesterday. I think it's going to work quite well.

Some observations about the camera.
Would be nice to have remote start/stop and a preview screen of some kind. Right now you just have to point it in the right general direction and hope you are framing the shot correctly. Doesn't seem to be a big problem though. Definitely needs a remote start/stop so you can operate the camera from within the car. When the action starts. Really don't want a view of me sitting on the grid waiting for the session to start. Can often waste a good half an hour. Lots of wasted/unneeded/unwanted video really.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Autocross this weekend

Autocross coming up this weekend. Last one of the year. I am way, way out of the race for the top spot this year since I have not had a car to compete with until the last few months. Bought a new in-car camera, a HERO Motorsports HD camera. Will be trying it out at the autocross too. Should be great pictures. We'll see.