428 replies to this topic

[Jim Drago]

Jiim, when you have the chance... can you tell us about the specs of the STL car please? Another heck of a race...

STL car is a 2002 Sm that we built an STL engine for and put in, very late in the game, car really needed another month or two or sorting for sure.. It was literally baptism by fire. The first session was practice Monday and with SM problems, the plan all along was to put a car cover on STL and try to win SM and not let STL get in the way at all. I never expected to even get to the race to be honest!

Specs..
2002 Miata
Engine is a 1999 Miata engine, not 2002 ( although I am thinking about it now)
11:1 compression
Very big cams designed by Sam Henry at Springfield dyno 425 lift.
Carillo Rods
Super tech pistons and valves
.040 over
Hydra nemesis computer from Flyin Miata is engine management
ended up at 181/137 on power
We started with full built 6 speed box, whaty a piece of junk... 25 missed shifts in one session, way too tight to race with IMO
4:77 rear gears
Sport brake kit from 2002 miata
Sport kit front fascia
Car is tubbed out under neath back to the subframe an d a really trick cold air intake, i will try and get some pictures.
Full SM suspension ( no time to work on Suspension)
Revalved Billsteins from Shaikh at Fat Cat, we missed a little but we never even tested, so that was my fault, not his. We will get it right.

Had we been able to even duplicate SM times through Carousel and Kink, I think we would have won by 20+ seconds, but it was not to be

Very fun to drive, when you hit the gas it actually goes. The car sounds bad ass, ask anyone who was there, coming yup the straight, that car was fast and sounded awesome! The bad thing is if we had that much power and speed in SM, we would kill a few people a year

Jim

[DrDomm]

Congratulations Jim. Nice to meet you (briefly).

No discussion about the other (on-track) drama...wow.

But it was cool to watch some great driving...Bravo!

[Jim Drago]

Also Congrats to other Sm drivers Sam Henry and Charlie James
Sam Henry for p2 in F production. It was a great race!
Charlie James P3 in SSC

[KAGEY]

Jim, you are now and will aways be a National Champion. That is pretty cool.

Kurtis

[Andrew Charbonneau]

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[Caveman-kwebb99]

http://www.simplerna...e-dance-ad.html

I just found your dark secret my friend...

[tburas56]

Mr. National Champion and anyone who wants to be one in SM.

Jim’s entire year has been devoted to just that, winning at Road America in a field of Multiple National Race winners. Only Twenty 24 cars showed up this year but pretty much any one of the 20 could have won the race. Jim you made it look easy, it’s not.

I am very proud to have watched the year come together under the East Street banner, so much work. This whole year leading up to a National Championship.

Thank you for the all the help you have provided me over the past 11 years when we met in warm Sebring, FL. Well that week it was as cold, 44 Degrees, raining, windy 20 mph and you were in shorts and flip flops changing a tranny with no power tools. Glad I walked over to help out. J

Enjoy this championship, no one worked harder or deserves it more.

[D Tesch]

Jim, congrats. For the regional guys who are thinking about running for the runoffs title can you give them a general idea how much time and $ it took you to get there. I don't think many realize your dedication!

[Jim Drago]

Jim, congrats. For the regional guys who are thinking about running for the runoffs title can you give them a general idea how much time and $ it took you to get there. I don't think many realize your dedication!

First, The money thing is overstated. I think that is the easy answer for many to dismiss.

Make wherever the Runoffs is being held your new home track an d your new favorite track.. Learn to love it... I do.

If you can't build a proper car, buy one. for under 35k you can do this easily IMO I will likely be selling my car, haven't decided yet. It will be about that price

Know set up inside and out... know what the tires do at every temp and pressure

details details details.. leave no stone on that car unturned, it will bite you at the worst time.

know what curbs to hit and which to stay off of.

hire a great coach like JIm Pace or Todd Lamb

team mates... Like it or not, team mates in equal equipment and ability are a very big asset. You can not qualify there without a team mate. My team mates have every bit the car I do or more. You can't be selfish. None of us are. Those guys are happier for me than I am myself.

Eliminate mistakes.. If you want to win, you need 13 clean and near perfect laps, not necessarily the fastest, but the cleanest and smartest and mistake free.

Experience.. I think every year my heart rate goes down in the car.. I think that helps with better decision making. Making what Stephan did in year one pretty impressive.

qualify in the top 5

Make a plan and stick to it.. Our plan all year long was after last years disappointment was for one on our team to win, didnt matter who, just one for sure, anything less would have been a real disappointment for us.

Lots of luck

[LarryKing]

A 30-35k car, a couple motors, 3-4 trips to RA each year, half dozen sets of tires, another week at RA - it's really cheaper than you think.

Just playing - glad to see Jim win.

[FTodaro]

A 30-35k car, a couple motors, 3-4 trips to RA each year, half dozen sets of tires, another week at RA - it's really cheaper than you think.

Just playing - glad to see Jim win.

I always tell my wife Club Racing is cheaper than a mistress.

[LarryKing]

I always tell my wife Club Racing is cheaper than a mistress.

Hmmmm, I've never really ran the numbers.

[Craig Berry]

Congratulations Jim, it almost makes me tired reflecting on this year. We set a goal for one of us to win the Championship...I knew it would take a lot of work, but I think the mental energy put put forth, starting last Nov. with tire tests through this last week, is amazing. I am so proud of our teams focus on this one goal.
Thanks for helping me with not only the Runoffs, but really all year. I set a schedule, beginning with Sebring to run the hardest races I could find, hoping to prepare myself better for the Runoffs, and besides the DNF while leading the Sprints, my worst finish was 3rd....so much of this is because of your help.

I feel many SM racers could go to other classes and it may be easier to be at the top, but if you get to know the guys at the top of SM you realize quickly that they are first and formost competitors!....they want and crave the challenge. Guys like Jim, Andrew, Todd, Blake, Danny, and Pat (many others) will never be happy being 2nd.....that is what makes this so fun!

[philstireservice]

Congrats Jim -

[Strongbad]

Back in the office this morning..
As I have said to a few others.. To my dismay, there were no fans holding congratulations signs at the Airport this morning meeting me at the gate, no one asked for a single auto graph, no ticker tape parade being planned that I am aware of and believe or not, we didn't even get a police escort to work today! I have a big email of accounts payables to look through and stack of other issues to deal with this morning.. Oh yes, back to the real world!

That was a FUNNY paragraph!

[Steve D]

...for under 35k .... I will likely be selling my car, haven't decided yet. It will be about that price

Absolute heresy. You should keep that sucker just like it rolled off the track. Stick it in the lobby of East Street Intergalactic Headquarters. Glue the $6 trophy to the hardtop and you'll have a REAL trophy befitting all your hard work, talent and good luck.

[Roger Caddell]

Absolute heresy. You should keep that sucker just like it rolled off the track. Stick it in the lobby of East Street Intergalactic Headquarters. Glue the $6 trophy to the hardtop and you'll have a REAL trophy befitting all your hard work, talent and good luck.

Funny, I recently found out our 2006 Runoffs winning 1.6 car is sitting in a shop in SoCal after only running 1 race since we sold it. I hope to go see it sometime soon!

[Tom Sager]

I always tell my wife Club Racing is cheaper than a mistress.

Yes, and a mistress is cheaper than a wife which makes club racing one of life's great bargains.

[Jim Drago]

Absolute heresy. You should keep that sucker just like it rolled off the track. Stick it in the lobby of East Street Intergalactic Headquarters. Glue the $6 trophy to the hardtop and you'll have a REAL trophy befitting all your hard work, talent and good luck.

I do have a pole.. and a big forklift

[Glenn]

I do have a pole.. and a big forklift

$35,006.00 Trophy......