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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:06 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
Posts: 14779
Location: CT
At a CTZCC meeting last Spring, I opened my big mouth and suggested the Club conduct our first Auto Cross together. It was unanimously approved and I was immediately "volunteered" to put it together and make it happen :roll:

Events Director Keith H had not been discovered yet.

It has taken me the better part of a year to search out a club which conducts such events, from whom we can eventually learn how to safely conduct our own AutoX and track day events. The name of the group who has conducted safe AutoX events many times yearly in CT for the past 32 years is CT Autocross and Rallye Team, or CART-CT. I have been communicating with their Vice President for several months, and tonight Events Director Keith Hultmark and I were invited to their monthly meeting in Waterbury.

About 60 CART members met in NINO's Restaurant in Wtrbry. Their 1-hour meeting was conducted under Roberts Rules of Order, and enjoyed open and spirited expression among nearly all the attendees.

Keith and I were introduced under New Business. We gave a 5 minute presentation of the CTZCC and encouraged any Z owners to visit the website and join us. We explained our interest in becoming affiliated with CART for the purpose of participating in one or more of their AutoX events this year, so we can learn how to do them ourselves eventually. We also invited a CART representative to attend our April meeting and give us a presentation on CART, to give the CTZCC mbrshp a chance at a Q&A about AutoX. Finally, we handed out all the "Z-Spotter" cards we had on us and encouraged everyone to visit the site. We were rewarded by warm applause.

The CART Activities Director (Keith's counterpart, Liam Dwyer) owns and races a NISMO Z car, so we can expect to hear from him. Another CART member (Nick) is a proud Z owner, and I was happy to find his membership application on my computer the minute I returned home.

One of the most-active discussions on the floor at this meeting was their ernest attempt to save a scheduled Track Day on 29May09 at the NJ Motorsport Park. Plans for sharing that day with the Aston Martin Owners' Club (AMOC) are threatened, due to lack of paid respondents (there aren't many Aston owners around, as we have discussed in here before). The CART team wants desperately to honor this commitment, but unless they can get about 20 more cars to participate, the issue is in doubt and they will forfeit their (considerable) deposit money. Additionally, the AMOC will loose the day and their deposit as well.

They asked us if we thought any CTZCC members would care to race their Z cars around the NJMP racetrack for two hours on 29May. :lol: I nearly choked! I told them we were all so eager to get the cars out of the garage that we were going crazy, and if the price was right we could probably interest a fair number of owners. The price is $135 per hour, for two hours of Open Track (total $270 per driver). For the two hours before we get the track to ourselves, we get to watch Aston Martins zoom around (street and full race models), AND, all day there is a Vintage Sports Car Open Track racing on the infield course! :shock:

I'm signing on if my car's ready by then. Heck, I'd pay that just to see all the other cars race, even if I don't run that day. Participants need an approved helmet (less than 10 yrs old) and Roadsters/convertibles need a roll bar. CART covers the insurance and will give novices full safety instructions. Nearby motels are as low as $60/night thru CART.

The CART President (Bob Doiron) will assign someone to contact Ross with full details about this event, which Ross can then publish here.

Our participation in this Track Day would effectively save both CART and AMOC from having to cancel, and both losing their deposits. I know we are all Heros, but we seldom get the chance to prove it to others. I know the New Jersey members are all anxious to get some track time too, so my hope would be to gather 20-30 cars and spend two hours wearing out some brake pads and Dunlops while Phil wore out his trigger finger, riding in everyone's car taking pictures btwn his own laps.

These CART members are impressively motivated car-nuts and very friendly. We were treated with respect and friendship and their invitations were warm and genuine. Three CTZCC members currently belong to CART; Mike Hale, AirJockie, and CHAOS_CT. I'm sure they can add their experiences to this report.

You can check out the activities they conduct on WWW.CartCT.COM.

Z Ya!
Frank T
MbrshipDir/CTZCC
240Z (#02807)


Last edited by Frank T on Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:28 am 
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Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 1:12 am
Posts: 2228
Location: Darien, CT
Frank,
Thanks for attending this meeting (you too Keith!) and for a great report on CART and their activities. I am excited to link up with this group and believe it will be a very positive affiliation for us as we expand into the Autocross arena. Sincerely, Ross


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:06 am 
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Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:06 am
Posts: 205
Location: NY/CT
These guys run great events. I've ran their autocrosses and Lime Rock track events a few years ago (in a VW Corrado SLC and Neon ACR....gasp!). They were the best with track events...the safest and most organized I thought. Not sure if my Z is quite track-worthy yet, but nice to know a relationship is shaping up....good stuff!

I'll probably run down to that NJ event to spectate regardless, as vscca.org will be there as well....as mentioned.

Cheers,
Colin


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:05 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:38 pm
Posts: 3411
Location: rhode island
Sounds like a goal to head towards, so I think I'll use my 79, and work on it. Of course I'll have to have a "N" on the back window, but it's all on how you look at it, "Z" 8) so I'm alright with that. Might be a couple years, but I'm all for it. For now, I can show up in a Z to watch. :D


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