Mazdeuce - Seth does One Lap 2019

In reply to Robbie :

Huge thanks for that offer. Hoping to not need it, buy you're pretty central to the event, so you're very high up our list. 

I do hope to see some GRM people at the start, finish, and along the way. 

I have to be at Grissom on the 4th. May try to make the finish on the 10th. 

In reply to Robbie :

I have gone to South Bend before (the year before I then competed.)  I highly recommend that you go.  Here are some options:

Friday Night:  Registration happens at the host hotel.  

WATERFORD ESTATES LODGE
52890 SR 933 North
South Bend, IN 46637

Therefore, Friday night becomes a pretty cool parking lot car show.  Not that un-different than the night before The Challenge.  All the competitors are given their stickers at check-in so they will be in the parking lot applying anf dressing up their car.  Car owners are eager to talk.  Only sort of similar to The Challenge, the parking lot is set back a little so there is really very little attendance from a spectator perspective.  If you were just happening to be driving by you really wouldn't see much.  What you might see is a somewhat steady stream of cool car entering the parking lot.  

Saturday;

Its a morning event at The Tire Rack.  Unlike any competition you have seen before, the cars will make laps around the wet skidpad.  This is TRack's own paved circle with a full sprinkler system wetting the track.  The cars make 3 passes traveling clockwise, make an offshoot circle to turn around, and then make 3 passed going counter clockwise.  

Lap #1 in each direction is the drivers practice lap and then the sequential 2nd & 3rd lap is timed.  It is not the best of #2 & #3 but rather all the time of lap #2 & #3 is counted.  Mistakes really hurt you.    

This is a morning event.  The cars will start to move at 9am.  Once the car has made its passes, it is free to leave for the next event.  This means that the fastest cars will be pulling out an leaving the parking lot as early as 10am.  That car will be heading about 1 hour 20 minutes south away to Grissom airforce base where a autox course will already be set up.  First car off there is 1:00.    

Expect the TRack parking lot to be empty by 1:30

This year I will see the guys at Nelson Ledges.  

Drive safe! Lots of flash flooding in OK last night, and they suspect more (if you're coming up this way on your way north).

In reply to z31maniac :

We are, but that will be tomorrow during the light mostly. Thanks for the heads up. 

Well Friday night sounds like my speed but I have a babysitter and date with the wife planned. And I just asked but she doesn't want to spend our babysitter time driving too and from South Bend, understandably. 

So how does Saturday morning sound to everyone? 9am will be 8am Chicago time, but I could be there around then and would love to watch the circles and cheer a bit. 

alternatively, what about May 11th? Looks like there is the dry skid pad at 8 am - I assume there is an award ceremony and stuff afterward? I'm sure most people start heading home as soon as that is complete as well. 

The skid pad is actually a lot of fun to watch. You're close to the action, they announce things and you can watch times on the display. It's cool. 

Edit: and yes, there is a banquet and awards for competitors after the dry skid pad. It's also fun, but we're all more tired that day. 

The Sleepyhead has landed!  Now for the sikorsky to come pluck me out of the water!

In reply to sleepyhead :

YAY!

In reply to sleepyhead :

I imagine a funny scenario where you end up on the same cross-Atlantic flight with the Dubblers  

Welcome home

Don't forget about the GRM Assist list! http://grmotorsports.com/assistlist

Drive fast and have fun!

John Welsh said:

In reply to sleepyhead :

I imagine a funny scenario where you end up on the same cross-Atlantic flight with the Dubblers  

Welcome home

HAHAHAHAHA! I had the SAME thought. 

Safe travels. Mrs. ShawneeCreek and I will be there on the 11th for the dry skid pad. No minivan, unfortunately.

In reply to ShawneeCreek :

I'm disappointed to hear that.. That thing is glorious..

And we are settling down for the night at casa de spacecadet. More driving tomorrow. South Bend is a long way from Houston. 

Well, not the greatest start to the trip this morning when we split from spacecadet's place ahead of schedule without waking him... and accidentally forgot to grab his bag.

We decided to stop and buy donuts and coffee to help us properly drown our shame over that screw-up. I can happily report that the treatment is working fantastically!

Donuts heal all wounds 

Seth likes to talk about how 20 minutes saved is 20 minutes more sleep... 

they just cost me 20 minutes of sleep tonight waiting on a checked bag at midway airport.. 

UPSIDE though.. is I booked through southwest and the bag doesn't cost money.... AND sleepyhead is doing me a Real Solid delivering my Dad's new car... 



2010 Lexus 450h with 71k miles I found through a One Lap buddy of ours who lives here in DFW. scored for $10k.... retail value in the range of $15.5-16k.... Buddy cut my parents a MAJOR deal.

So as much as I sent them guiting texts this morning in my drowzy annoyance.. They're both starting one lap with 15 hr stints driving the Lexus AND the Accord to Chicago...so I'm really appreciative to have such awesome team mates.  

4:10 in the morning, light flips on. Sleepyhead, who I've been sleeping with in a bed that's too small for two grown men says "I'm up, you want to leave?" Time zones are not synced with his clock. I say "yes" and 10 minutes later we're driving. This all exposes the fact that I have precious little processing power between waking up and coffee. I can decide on a path. I can take that path. I cannot consider too many consequences. 

And anyway, spacecadet is at work, not on One Lap, so his sleep doesn't matter yet. 

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

Luckily you two have bed and an air mattress to rock paper scissors for who gets which one at my parents place tonight. 

And the reality is.. I rarely fall asleep before midnight on regular days.. So no matter what.. 5-6am tomorrow is going to come too soon.. 

ShawneeCreek said:

Safe travels. Mrs. ShawneeCreek and I will be there on the 11th for the dry skid pad. No minivan, unfortunately.

ooooh, maybe little Robbie and I will join you guys for the cheering crew then. I may be able to drive the new old jag !

mazdeuce - Seth said:

4:10 in the morning, light flips on. Sleepyhead, who I've been sleeping with in a bed that's too small for two grown men says "I'm up, you want to leave?" Time zones are not synced with his clock. I say "yes" and 10 minutes later we're driving. This all exposes the fact that I have precious little processing power between waking up and coffee. I can decide on a path. I can take that path. I cannot consider too many consequences. 

And anyway, spacecadet is at work, not on One Lap, so his sleep doesn't matter yet. 

Those aren't pillows (video) 

Robbie, sent ya an email if you are planning on going this Saturday.

Goodbye St. Louis, and your raintraffic. Keep the 0.5mpg I sacrificed to you.

Lunch back in Missouri has given me a second wind.  We'll see if we can make it to Chicago without another stop?