Not a lot of them, but I did...2,100 miles round trip to Portland, drive there, race it and drive it home....

So... Guess who's DVR was locked up when I got home, and nothing after 08/14/2014 that was supposed to record, did. :bang:

First thing I did was run over to my Dad's and check his DVR, it's on there...so we'll have some Father-Son bonding time later this week while watching it there.

PowerNation, the Nationwide Race, Cup race, and Ice Road Truckers I can do without seeing though I guess. ;)

I too want to know more about the cars. Not really a fan of the host either. I'm probably one of few here, but IMO Goldberg did a better job.

thus increasing the actual cost of participating in the event which will exclude many drives.

Just like racing this event is more for the big players then most of the bench racers on these boards. It's one thing to have a really nice pro-touring car but it's another thing to have a full on race car to compete at these Optima events.

It's odd from memory I thought the Optima challenged started was started to get Street cars on the track and like everything it has evolved into full on race cars.

In the end I think the Good-Guys Autocross is best suited for most of us on the boards and Optima has become something for the Elite. Which isn't a bad thing but it is a much smaller group of guys and in most case it's for the big players ( re: Vendors ) not the normal average guy / gal.

I watched Texas last night and it was way better then Laguna. But it still had some infomercial vibe just not as much as the first one. I would describe Laguna as looking at a bunch of sales brochures. Texas was more like postcards ( in the fact we saw action just not of the actual dual between the guys ). They spent more time covering the fact Brian beat Finch then actually showing them actually driving to beat each other.

But I'm also quite sure I'm not the target audience.

Shocking as it may be, I disagree. The Optima deal seems like endless run times ( possibly due to lower then expected attendance ) and ride along instructors and a more ideal way to get some hands on experience. The Goodguys deal is really about the show now, if you want to autocross at a big show like Columbus and you are not a qualified Pro, you will only run a couple times that weekend. The less busy shows are going to offer more runs and practice but there is no instruction or help to be had except from other racers. Plus the Optima deal is a longer course so you get a chance to practice longer. There is just alot more time at these events so you have a bigger chance to get more experience. I think you could come back from an Optima event with more improvement then a Goodguys weekend.

I completely agree with you and I never thought of that angle. I actually have signed up to do a couple events with the Lotus club as they offer the instructions and actual class time which I feel is what I need.

As of lately I have been going to the local go-cart tracks with these guys learning just the basics and I am actually having a great time and look forward to the weekly racing.

btw - you do realize it's 6:30 in your neck of the woods

Funny that you mention the "duel" between "The Brian's". These two guys are serious competitors and bring the goods. Both quiet guys... with skills beyond the norm. Hobaugh was struggling to bring the times down on the AutoX because the Camaro just didn't have the turning radius... and the course was tight with 180's. At the end of the day - Steve Hobaugh (Pops) - Brian - and I busted out some tools and whacked the steering stops off the LCA's. This is the kind of crude "mod" done at night - at the back of the trailer that a serious competitor does in an effort to see some improvement. That small mod netted 1.75 SECONDS the next day - for a First place finish. Next up was the Stop Challenge. It's the end of the day and everyone else has given up -- but not "The Brian's" -- these two guys are just going at it like true competitors. They run - circle back - line up - and run again. Over and over.. dueling it out. The times inch down .01 at a time...

I consider both these guys as friends... and everyone here knows I hauled Hobaughs Camaro to the event... Chad and I and Steve are hanging on the fence watching these guys duke it out. We're offering "advice" to each guy as we see "something" that might help. Launch, 60 ft spin, blah blah blah.... When I noticed that each run - Hobaugh is leaving half the stop box "empty", i.e., he has 10 more feet before he runs out. When you're fighting for hundredths of a second - 10 feet can get you that! Easy to tell someone what to do - harder to do - but we're talking about guys with real talent here. I "advise" Mister H to think about where he's going to pound the brakes - and then to inhale - and then hit 'em. BINGO.... his front end is now a foot from the cones and the time is good for a win.

The point of the above is not about "ME" --- I just happened to be there... in fact by this point in the day - there weren't half a dozen people left out there watching. The point is about the COMPETITION and what was going on between two leaders/gladiators/winners. The amount of EFFORT these two guys were putting in -- and the abuse they were willing to put into their cars... its the end of the day - and you know they're pooped... and here they are - with no audience... beating on each other and both of them with grins as big as all Texas. The cameras were long gone.... and it was the best duel in the Universe. The people hanging on the fence wanted BOTH of them to win. The respect for their effort was palpable. It would have made great TV.

Do you realize I have been at work for an hour already?

When did cruising the internet become "work"??




HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA