Yet another interesting weekend of Hill climbing.
I managed my first FSTD and my first OC (off course) on a hill climb (nothing losing the ass of the car over 75 mph!).

This is one of the oldest racing events in the country.
It started in 1906 ... the first driver to do this 1 mile hill climb in under a minute was Caroll Shelby. Roger Penske has also run this hill aloing with many other famous drivers. Next year will obviously be the 100th anniversay of this event. :)

Anyway, there were over 90 cars entered and I actually ended the event Saturday with the FSTD (second fastest time of the day). It's cool, I have the newspaper coverage to prove it :)

There are 2 runs groups and the 2nd group includes all of the insanely fast open wheel cars ... and it just happened to only rain on their runs. hee hee ... So Gordon Wise, the fast guy in his TT RX7 was FTD on Saturday and I was SFTD. wooohooo.

Anyway, this is a very fast hill with lots of straights, but serious grades.
The first 1/4 mile and the last 1/4 mile are basically dead straight but at a huge inclune. My drag experinnece paid off. The last 1/4 mile is at a 22.5 degrees grade!! ... the steepest part of Pike's Peak is only 18 degress!

Fabio had set the hill record last year in his CT26 MR2 (he usually races his TD06 MR2) at a 55.XX. We both new the record would fall since he was bringing his TD06 car and we both figured Hyde would be very happy on this hill. He kept telling me I could do a 47 or 48 in Hyde and I thought he was completely cuts :D

My first run up the hill I managed a 49.8 ! .... I could not believe it.
I overly broke for the first "curve" because I was well into triple digits and got nervous. (it happens :) ). Fabio had his TD06 car on very old street tires and was running in the 55-56 range.

I had been playing around with the idea that I could do this entire hill without using any brakes since it is so steep. If I used well timed throttle lifts, the steepness of the hill was plenty to slow me down even from triple digits.

So with bravery and a bit of stupidity I went into my 3rd attemp at the hill.
Flying up the first 1/4 mile straight I topped 110 mph, lifted, glided into the "curve", down shifted into 3rd and punched it around "the devil's elbow" into a short, quick left hander and I lifted to slow down for the very healthy S-turn that starts with a right.

Enjoying the ignorance I had of this hill, I proudly entered the S without ever touching the brake ... and made the mistake of diving into and nailing the apex as you would want to drive it in an ideal world.

Unfortunately, this is not an ideal world. It is a hill climb with unusual, unexpected bumps, curves, divets, camber and other unwelcomed guests.
As I drove the mythical perfect line while on throttle I started to realize that I was having one amazing exit speed ... which would be great since I was heading into the last straight and carrying that speed would have been wonderful.

As life would have it, I was carrying too much speed and the rear end started to come around in a rather healthy way ... and I did my "normal correction" for this kind of a thing. This normally wouldn't even fluster me, but ... but I was dealing with healthy oversteer on really sticky, really wide tires for the first time and I did not realize you do not have to correct as much since they hook up.

So I entered the land of overcorrection, which I corrected for and promptly swung the ass back where originally wanted togo and I flew off course. Normally this would be devasting at a hill climb, but luckingly this hill has a rather wide stone-, rubble-, rock-filled shoulder. I wish I could attribute it to some amazing driving skill, but I managed to go off between a rather large reflector and the fast approaching speed limit sign.

Amazingly I did not contact anything hard other than the crap on the ground ... as the car slowed I put it into 2nd and drove to the finish.
I did manage to do the whole run with no brakes.

I did not try it again though :D

Anyway, on that same run, Fabio went off at the same spot.
I think he had a little more contact than I did. I'll let him tell his tale if he wishes as I do not know all of the details.

I never bettered my 49.8. I managed three runs at 50.x and today I hit a 49.9. The off course run was a 56 and my first run today was a 52.X, but I was taking it easy to make sure nothing was broke from going off course.

I'm still uncertain about that. Hyde is going to beed to be checked out since I do have an interesting clunk now.

On Sunday, Fabio came back with his race tires and was in the 53s and 54s.
This really was a horsepower track and I concede that is where a lot of my time came from. Fabio and I have drag raced each other enough to know, understand and appreciate the difference in the HP of cars.

Anyway, that was another win for Jekyl Hyde Racing and another hill record.
I'm not sure how I did overall, but I know at least 2 door cars beat me. Gordon in his RX7 TT went 47.2! (we are alternating beating each other and he is up 2:1). There was a guy there in a Z06 running in ASP that I was beating all weekend since he was running low 50s, but he pulled a 48 out of his butt on one of his last runs! Great driving!

... and I'll state for the record, that I really do not expect to win this weeknd at the IDRC event at Maple Grove.

The streak is about to come to and end :D

Man you are sure burning it up buddy!

Good luck and keep it going! I went 3 rounds this weekend BTW. And now my car is only about a tenth faster then yours, lol, and you can even out 60 ft me too! My best was 1.624 this weekend and I ran a 4.791 in the 330.

good luck!

Photos are online here:
http://www.enter.net/~tdu/Places/Hillclimb/GiantDespair05/index.html

The very first photos are looking down toward the starting line. As you can see it is straight with undulating elevation changes. The point at where most cars are diving in (most of those photos), I was doing triple digits. You can see Fabio at that point here:
http://www.enter.net/~tdu/Places/Hillclimb/GiantDespair05/slides/P7096429.html

This is going into the "elbow" ... I think this was about 80-90 mph.
http://www.enter.net/~tdu/Places/Hillclimb/GiantDespair05/slides/P7096457.JPG

sounds like fun...i'm still searching for a track car :(

Very nice. Glad you had such a good weekend and hopefully very little damage.

Congrats on the win man! Let see some vids of your upcoming event to.

Jeff and Hyde rocks the house.

Good Jorb!

Jeff what's the hill climbing club deal? I'd like to look it up... I wanna do it in the Z28 as dumb as that sounds. :icon16:

Thanks everyone :)

RedNeck383, it does not sound dumb at all. There are bunch of American iron that run the hills.

The hill climbs I have been doing are through the SCCA, but I may be doing one through NASA later this year.

Hill climbs used to be a Solo 1 event, but as of this year they fall under "Time Trials."

Different regions across the country have different events. I have been running with the www.pahillclimb.org group.

If you want an idea of what you will need to do to prepare yourself and your car for a hill climb, see here:
http://www.jekylhyderacing.com/hillclimb.htm

There is no flex about the safety rules ... the hills are no joke. I have hit 115-120 on a number of hills.

Hmmms... do ya have to have a roll-bar? :lol:

This thing is a daily car for me and the interior is already cramped as it is... extra tubing wouldn't help! hehe

Hmmms... do ya have to have a roll-bar? :lol:

This thing is a daily car for me and the interior is already cramped as it is... extra tubing wouldn't help! hehe
It would give you MAAAD Stred Cred though, everyone would be like DAAAMN that Camaro must be running 10's he has a rollcage!!!11!


:lmao:


Just Buy a 1st Gen. MR2 already and join the legacy that JekylandHyde and ac427cpe have formed.

Both Jeff and Dan could of funded a NASA mission with what they've spent on their MR2s.

Ok, maybe not... but their cars are far from 'stock performance'.

Okay, let's set the record straight:

1. You need a roll bar for drag racing when you are 11.49 or faster.
2. You need a roll cage for drag racing when you are 10.00 or faster.
3. You need a roll bar for doing the SCCA and NASA hill climbs which you would have known if you looked at the link to my site I gave above with "what you need" to hill climb :p

There is another hill climb organization in New England that does not require a roll bar IF your car is stock (i.e. not modified at all). IF you are modified at all, they require a cage.

I would never even consider doing a hill climb without roll over protection. The event I did this weekend I was entering the first turn at 110 mph, not something I would want to do without a roll bar.

As for how much I have spent on my MR2, it is proably a lot less than most people. I only paid $1750.00 for Hyde in the first place :D ... and I get some nice help from my sponsors.

Okay, let's set the record straight:

1. You need a roll bar for drag racing when you are 11.49 or faster.
2. You need a roll cage for drag racing when you are 10.00 or faster.
3. You need a roll bar for doing the SCCA and NASA hill climbs which you would have known if you looked at the link to my site I gave above with "what you need" to hill climb :p

There is another hill climb organization in New England that does not require a roll bar IF your car is stock (i.e. not modified at all). IF you are modified at all, they require a cage.

I would never even consider doing a hill climb without roll over protection. The event I did this weekend I was entering the first turn at 110 mph, not something I would want to do without a roll bar.

As for how much I have spent on my MR2, it is proably a lot less than most people. I only paid $1750.00 for Hyde in the first place :D ... and I get some nice help from my sponsors.


Oh I read your link Jeff, I read about 90% of the links you post. That's why I asked do I need it. Cause I wasn't sure if it was something you were suggesting that people need. :p


Hmm, maybe I'll just stick to the open track days at the local tracks... err well by local I mean Buttonwillow Race way which is a good 170miles north and Willowsprings which is a good... I dunno it's forever aways to the east I think.

If I want to go racing on a track that has more than one turn, yes drag racing as A turn....... I have to travel 3-5 hours to do it. :mad:

Stupid California... :lol:


EDIT: there's always solo2 racing though... but cones just aren't as fun as realll turns with speeds that exceed 2nd gear.

Thanks everyone :)

RedNeck383, it does not sound dumb at all. There are bunch of American iron that run the hills.

The hill climbs I have been doing are through the SCCA, but I may be doing one through NASA later this year.

Hill climbs used to be a Solo 1 event, but as of this year they fall under "Time Trials."

Different regions across the country have different events. I have been running with the www.pahillclimb.org group.

If you want an idea of what you will need to do to prepare yourself and your car for a hill climb, see here:
http://www.jekylhyderacing.com/hillclimb.htm

There is no flex about the safety rules ... the hills are no joke. I have hit 115-120 on a number of hills.

there are hill climbs, but do they have downhill stuff?

cuz i would do that

Ok Takumi...

:p

shhhh

At different parts of these events, I am hitting 110-120 mph.

Do you really think they would let us race downhill? ... with just a rollbar?
Someone is watching too much Initial D. :D
I would easily be surpassing 160 if they allowed down hill.

Actually I wouldn't, because I would never race downhill.

i didnt think you would hit those speeds...

its not that i watch too much initial d (get off my back both of ya :P) its that my car is slow.

At different parts of these events, I am hitting 110-120 mph.

Do you really think they would let us race downhill? ... with just a rollbar?
Someone is watching too much Initial D. :D
I would easily be surpassing 160 if they allowed down hill.

Actually I wouldn't, because I would never race downhill.
You'd run out of gear pretty quick though. Don't e153s reach redline at around 160?

i didnt think you would hit those speeds...
I know I would.

If I am hitting 120 from a dead stop in the 1/4-mile on flat land, I am sure I could hit 160 going downhill from a 60-70 mph roll.

You'd run out of gear pretty quick though. Don't e153s reach redline at around 160?
I am not aware of the tranmission having a redline.

The OEM redline (7250) on the turbo MR2 with stock-sizd tires puts you right about 150 mph.

My redline is more in the 7500-7750 range and my rear tires are 2"+ taller than stock.

i mean i didnt know anybody would hit those speeds.

keep in mind my car isnt anywhere close to being an 11 second car.

but i might just check this hill climb thing out...

watch out mr. jeff...

So have you been drag racing at all lately? Have you run a low 11 1/4 yet?

I have not drag raced since my win at Survival of the Imports a few weeks ago. My best that weekend was a 12.0. I was going to race this past weekend at the IDRC event but it was rained out.

There seems to be an issue with my current tune on the new turbo. It falls off boost hard during shifts and when I hit the lower psi levels (as it builds) it is not running real smooth.

We haven't bothered fixing it since I am going to an entirely new intercooler set up and we are going to be retuning in a few weeks after the new IC gets in.

Then, I am hoping, we should see some faster times ;)