Reflections of an Aspiring Rally Racer

Swing of the Pendulum

2006-08-27T16:35:00.000-06:00

No...this post has absolutely nothing to do with pendulum turns or chassis weight transfer. Sorry to mislead. The pendulum motion I refer to here is in fact the direction of my life. Those of you that know me personally are aware that only 9 months ago, I had hit virtually rock bottom. Fast forward (cause we do that often in the rally world) to the last 2 months and the situation is so much to the opposite that one wonders where it will peak...how far can the pendulum continue to swing in my favor?

As my last post indicated, there is no longer any question as to when I join the world of WRX owners. That day came and went nearly 2 months ago now. First impressions? That thing under your right foot is less of an accelerator and more of a hyperspace button! Those of you that follow the world of Subaru will no doubt be aware that for MY06 the Impreza went to the 2.5L block clear across the board. The result is that for the EJ2.5 Turbo engine that the WRX runs, significantly more torque is available lower in the rev range. Translate to the real world? It pulls out of corners harder than most roller coasters and you quickly find out that the limits of the car are not under the hood. They are the limits of grip that the factory RE92s afford you and the audacity with which you fire yourself into a hard 90. Amazingly enough, the WRX runs 12s out of the box (hard launch) and even the factory tires allow you to turn on a dime and get 9 cents change. Ok, so the 5MT doesn't slot as smoothly as the rod driven system in the vic, and the flutter of a flat 4 is hard to get used to at first. The reward for accepting these minor inconveniences is a rush of acceleration akin to the Acme rocket packs purported by old Bugs Bunny movies.

More significant than the realization of Betty in my life is the fact that the dream which has been core to this blog is no longer the central focus of my life. Without revealing too much, I've met an amazing girl that has reshaped the definition of joy. To put it in perspective, she's more amazing that my first time down 1A with Betty, and those of you who know me will understand just how big a deal that is.

Progress At Last!

2006-05-22T13:01:00.000-06:00

Those of you that have been following this journey will understand how difficult this process has been. Unforseen circumstances kept popping up that delayed my advances in the racing world. Well, I'm pleased to say that 2006 has been a monumental year to date. Major life changes ocurred at the end of 2005 which led to the seeds of success in January 2006. By February, I found myself in a solid career building position and an equivalent amount of financial success. Building on those first steps to achieve security and stability, I've now signed the papers on a 2006 Impreza WRX. Things are finally on track, and as of 2 days ago the Civic has been sold.

Now onto the relevant details....the WRX arrives here straight from Japan on July 3rd. Those of of you that know me understand that it will be an important date on many levels in myl life. 2000km after that, the engine should be nicely broken in and the fun can begin. I'd like to partake second half of this year's Solo II events as a precursor to some wintercross events. Then, in the early spring, the WRX and I will be in some formal Solo II training and perhaps some early season amateur rally events.

The action picks up now...stay tuned!

A Day to Remember...

2006-02-16T23:09:00.000-07:00

Today was an important day indeed! The transition I mentioned in my last post has resulted in a major step forward for me. Despite the fact that I'm not at liberty to directly mention the details of the contract I signed today, I can definitely say that it has bolstered the chances of getting the WRX in the early summer, and hopes to make it to the Targa Rally in the fall. Celebrations were definitely in order this evening, and tomorrow ushers in a new era for me.

Petter Out! So am I...

2006-01-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was cruel to the Subaru World Rally team indeed! Petter had a promising first leg in the Rally of Monte Carlo (my favorite), and just as he was recovering from poor tire choice to finish the day strong, his Impreza WRC succumbed to an oil leak which damaged the engine beyond repair. As a result, Petter couldn't even take advantage of the "Restart Rules" brought to bear last year. Sarrazin and Atkinson both had strong showings this weekend, but honestly, neither is a contender on the Gronholm / Loeb level. What was even more infuriating was that Speed Channel didn't cover the event the way it covered all the rallies last year! No TV coverage means that all I have to go on is the web coverage which is sparse at best. Questions that weren't answered this past weekend include whether Subaru can take advantage of the Electronics Changes in this year's WRC rules, and whether the new, less sophisticated differentials will hurt Petter's pace.

On the matter of changes, my life has taken a swing as well. I'm no longer with my employer of almost 1.5 years, and am now in a transitional phase. Whether this transition will enable the breakthrough Rex purchase has yet to be seen, but large things are on the horizon....that much is sure.

Tumultuous Times

2005-10-30T13:43:00.000-07:00

Its been a tumultuous year to be sure. I had originally hoped to have the new Civic tuned and ready to go for the 2005 Targa Rally of Newfoundland. Those of you who follow the Targa will note immediately that I didn't make that deadline since the car was in a garage in Calgary that week. Moreover, the tuning has almost fallen by the wayside as a result of work imposed time limitations this year. The body work had been coming along with the addition of a GTS spec rear wing, but the lowering kit, the body kit, and the roll cage were not realized this year. Its also not likely that they will get done before the 2005 is out. I did manage to get into a few SOLO II events this summer, but no where near as many as I had anticipated.

On a more positive note, my aspirations to purchase an Impreza WRX are starting to look more hopeful. Financial projects are coming to a head, and if all is well, I may be able to purchase the Impreza in conjunction with my insurance renewal in the spring. As a result of this possibility, further mods on the Civic have been shelved, and the funds are being pooled in what's been deemed the Rex (wrx) Fund. The sidebar on the right briefly addresses the mods I'm considering. I will definitely make a more sincere effort to update this BLOG more often, and use it as a forum to feel out my true intentions for the Rex Fund dollars.

I will also be covering some topics in the WRC ongoing. This weekend, Subaru had a fairly dismal performance in Spain. Not only did Loeb get his 10th win of the season, something that Petter Solberg had aimed for this year, but Solberg crashed out on the first leg and spent the rest of the event in "test and tune" mode.

One Step at a Time

2005-01-12T19:26:00.000-07:00

Well, the journey took another step forward this morning. I recently purchased a 2005 Honda Civic since for the time being, the WRX is out of my financial reach. I believe that with this car I can at least continue to practice my SOLO II skills and get more comfortable with rev-matching timing with my shifts so that the transition will be minimal to the WRX. The new Civic has ABS, full synchros, and a quick reving engine. Its been a large change from the last car but the learning curve is more than managable. Come the spring I'll be enrolling in more SOLO courses and perhaps doing some time trials on some SOLO events. The new car won't be heavily modded since the plan is still to compete in a WRX as soon as possible so I need to keep the costs down. Planned changes include window tinting, spoiler, performance exhaust and maybe full Tein suspension with the Electronic Damping Force Controller.

Onward and Upward

2004-12-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

Life continues to fly by at a mind blowing pace. It seems only yesterday I was updating this blog and now almost 2 months have gone by. A new car purchase is looming in the early spring, and insurance costs have almost been sorted out. This will allow me to reenter some SOLO II events in the coming year and continue to improve those skills that I will need when I finally get the Rally team off the ground. I discovered that there is already a Ducatti tuning house using the name Sigma Racing, but I hope that since they are confined solely to the realm of motorbike racing, there won't be any conflict in team names. Perhaps the new ressurection of Team Sigma Racing will take the form of Team Sigma Racing Canada. I've almost settled on the interim car. In consideration is a 2005 Honda Civic in black with silver rims. Other alternatives for the interim car include the current model year Mazda 3 Sport.

Transitions

2004-10-18T18:24:00.000-06:00

Wow, the last month has really flown by. Clearly its been hectic as I've had so little time that I haven't had a chance to update this page. More progress has been made, although its not what I expected. My career has led me to the fast paced city of Calgary. Although the money is definitely better here, costs are higher as well, and I now face all the expenses associated with having my own apartment. The SOLO II season is a lot shorter in Calgary, so I won't have a chance to get back to work on those skills until next spring, and a scale back may be involved in my next car purchase as I have many expenses to organize at this point. Hopefully, the wrx purchase won't get pushed back much more than 2 years.

Insurance Break

2004-08-30T12:50:00.000-06:00

Finally! Some good news about insurance. Got notification from my insurance company today that due to some new government legislations and a combination of my age and some other factors, my insurance will only be high for a couple of months after I get the WRX. Then it drops by half! Looks like all systems are go for when the WRX's get here in September. The new release date is set for September 15th.

Subaru Delays Again

2004-08-25T12:23:00.000-06:00

Called the Subaru dealership again today. They pushed the WRX delivery date back until September 15th. At this rate, we may just barely make the deadlines to get some snowcross events in this year. The frustration is brutal but we're left with little choice. Somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is a freighter with my car on it.

Training Begins

2004-08-23T11:59:00.000-06:00

Well, this weekend I restarted my strength and weight training program to get back on track for the long periods of physical strain associated with rally special stages. The most important point being that power steering does fail and if that happens, you have to finish the stage anyways. Anyone who has driven any significant distance without power steering knows that this can be exceptionally strenuous. Also, registration is complete for this Saturday's Solo II tarmac racing event just north of the city. I've been looking forward to that for weeks and its almost here! Still no word on the 2005 WRX's though.

Guestbook Added

2004-08-19T08:57:00.000-06:00

Finally got a guestbook setup for this page. However, I can't tell how entries will look since no one's signed it yet. Be the first! You're on the page, you're checkin out the content, tag my book! Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time, you'll find the links on the right sidebar about half way down.

Sowing the Seeds

2004-08-18T23:17:00.000-06:00

Finally met with the prospective business partners and clients. The initial proposal went slightly differently than expected, but things are heading in the right direction. Processes have begun, wheels are in motion, and handshakes have been made all around. Now I have to complete the final proposal presentation which I aim to use in a couple of weeks time. Worked on that presentation fairly late into the night yesterday and that's also the plan tonight. I can foresee the necessity of some serious market research as well. The risks of this venture are great, but the reward well worth it if everything comes together.

Capital Potential

2004-08-17T09:01:00.000-06:00

It was a stroke of genius! Last night, as I began to drift off to the nether regions of my consciousness, I was suddenly startled by a revelation. A business deal that could entirely change my raw capital situation. It became impossible to ignore as it nagged at the back of my mind robbing me of the precious hours of sleep I so desperately craved. Rolling with the punches, I got out of bed and began to solidify my thoughts, sketching madly on a notepad in an effort to capture my raging thoughts before they disappeared into the abyss of former memory. Finally, around 4am, I thought I had a plan in place. The rough proposal is ready to go, but I'm still sketching rough notes and additions throughout the morning as I contemplate my approach, design, and delivery. Its big. Its audacious. Its ballsy. Its exactly the kind of thing I would try. Stay tuned, I'll update this as it progresses as well. This could well give me the resources I need to really get the team off the ground.

BLOG Evolution

2004-08-16T17:58:00.000-06:00

Created the Mods sidebar just now. I'll try to keep it as current as possible. The concept that I've used as my profile picture is what I'm shooting for, though not exactly the same. Its a good visual though, and it makes me smile every time I double check the layout of my posts.

Insurance Ups and Downs

2004-08-16T13:26:00.000-06:00

Called my insurance company today. The result is more mixed feelings. The estimate is way less than it was a year ago, but others have mentioned to me that it can be lower still. They recommended Provost Insurance in Edmonton since apparently Provost specializes in insurance for young people. The good news is that even the estimate from my normal company is within the budget. Things are falling into place...

Waiting is the Hardest Part

2004-08-16T11:02:00.000-06:00

Called Rally Subaru again today. The 2005 WRX's still aren't in yet. In fact, they can't even verify that the WRX's are in Vancouver yet. The STi's have been here for months, even the Legacy's are here now. Oh well, I guess it gives me more time to build up the capital for the purchase. Still have to get the insurance sorted out as well, that's gonna be hell. Looking forward to the Solo II event out at Namao Base on August 28th though.

Preparations and Goals

2004-08-16T10:08:00.000-06:00

As this is my first post, I feel compelled to give some background to my situation. Its been a long time goal of mine to become a competitive motorsports racer. More specifically, to be on the Canadian Rally Championship. To this end, I've initiated several tasks which on completion will pave the way to entering this championship. Clearly one does not wake up in the morning and simply decide to throw a car sideways into a corner at 110 km/h. Over the years, my interest in racing has been tuned and guided to rally racing, drawn by the challenge of something other than well groomed tarmac in an oval. The tasks that I mentioned reflect the necessities of a competitive racing team. Accumulation of capital to fund the team. Selection of drivers and codrivers. Preparations for smaller events to gain the much needed experience. Selection of mechanics and general crew staff. Enrollment in a driving school specialized in rally racing. The list is long and the steps are many, but I will do my best to report my progress in this BLOG for those interested. To date, I have accomplished the following. I currently own a 1992 Honda Civic, somewhat modified which I have raced in a few amateur rally events locally, and a snowcross event also held locally. The goal here is to accumulate the capital required to acquire a 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX, with the standard 2.0L engine to keep it within restrictions imposed by the FIA on recognized rally events. I've researched several driving schools, and am currently considering a few scattered throughout eastern Canada and the northern United States. I've planned some modifications for the WRX once purchased, and will begin competing in local Clubman Rallies and Solo II events as soon as possible to get my hours in behind the wheel. A larger current goal is to compete in the Targa Newfoundland Rally in 2005, which is a September event covering 2000km of tarmac racing. (www.targanewfoundland.com). As I move forward towards my goal, I will update this blog with my progress.