klaus
April 23rd, 2008, 13:31
4/22/2008 10:31:51 4/23/2008 05:12
SS4A
Wednesday @ Dabas
Cloudy cold day at the same course as Sunday’s SS1 (Note: “SS” refers to “Special Stage”, not the “Schtutzenstaffel” of the Third Reich) … except this was run bassakwards.
Knowledge is power.
This time we went to the ex-Soviet military base ... a tank training ground ... maybe, perhaps. “Orkeny City”
We scared up a white-tail. Klaus forgot his Schmeisser so no ‘ueno.
Basically, at this location, they ran the perimeter of a 40-acre-square of grassland: soft, loamy, damp, dumb-fast. Like a never lift deal. A “12” car would kicked names and taken ass.
They had a beer tent. NO deer cerviche, tho.
The top cars were railing the few turns on our area, masters of their profession, don’t ya know
We do not take Tag Heuer-quality time (Timex “WR 100M”-time), but the VWs looked:
Faster
Smoother
Quicker
But (and big BUTT) Robby Gee was very fast and tossed the most dirt running in 4th slot. Recall, remember, be aware, be well-d that this is all on aggregate time … start splits are 2 minutes – and details count.
The Mits ARE quick, make no mistake about it … but making a judgement would be a lot like going to Pomona for the Winternats without any timing lights of top end info: all subjective. But we will also be objective.
If this rally does not MAKE, solidify, cement* Robbie’s rep on the Continent and enhance the vision of Baja, well, nothing will. ‘Well, OK, Armin Schwarz’ efforts.
* Not like the crumby crumbling Soviet-poured stuff we’ve seen. Those pesky Reds, always cuttin’ corners for Communism.
The H3 carved the berms like Steve Kinser. TOP TIP; I would have dual exhaust to magnify the V8’s FULL SONG, IMNSHO. Make em BEG for mercy.
This morning route would , probably, turn into some sort of “polvo” if run multi-laps but, today, to was PERFECT! In this section, suspension was not an factor but V(ax) was.
The True Facts on Robbie watch R-D.C for Curtis’ PR posts … same for Volkswagen.
The “sleeper” of the top cars is the X5 BMW (The Ultimate Driving Machine) of Al-Attiyah .. looks like some kinda actual “CAR” .. not a race car. V8 and beats cheeks … with a typically-awesome “M5” auspuff note (German for exhaust).
Without hard data, one may only surmise that Robbie “Gorda” made up bo-coo tiempo this AM.
BJ Baldwin, stuck with the unwashed asses of Pajeros, has his work cut out for him but the “Water Carrier” H3 looks and sounds .. which is better? … supa-dupa (One gets into Yrrupean lingo … )
He HAD to have mad eup OA time.
Yank Jonah Street looked typically stylish on the huge KTM: the top picks ran this section on the throttle stop, deftly carving the generous berms. Not a “stein” in sight … meaning no rocks … the real steins were in the Biergarten.
SPLITS
#1 CAR 00:00 VW
#2 -3:00 Mitsu
#3 Mitsu
#4 RG
#5
#6 VW … did not lift, taped the brakes in LH-RH “S” with vergasser to the floor
#7 Aforementioned BMW
BJ 35 minutes in arrears wrt lead car Deiter Depping factory VW
BJ mired in little boxy vans: “Willie’s Pie Wagon”
Or did I mention that.
As odd as it might seem, the Monstroso Trucks are a total kick … need my radar gun I believe that they go REAL fast in this specific section: wheels on the ground, power down, stacks smoking, dirt flying.
Need some for a Peninsula Run. Put Cameron Steele and Popgun in some.
ON THE ROAD TO SS4B: light rain on the Hungarobahn, the Interpest, “M0” (true) … traffic tentative … need the Herbst prerunners.
“What, Officer, nerfing not allowed in Hungary?”
Ran into Kevin and BJ, metaphorically, on the “highway” to Veszprem … they hollered: “Overheating” … let us get in front of you.” We did, they did, they schplitten Sie. Getting’ some through-flow air.
Who knows.
SS4B
Veszprem
Old Soviet military area …
Different terrain from the morning:
Red dirt
Water
Dust
Elevation changes … rollers
Windy
Cold
Cloudy
Think: “Road to Mike’s off the Highway.”
The red beds, decomposed sandstone, is intersperced with the white limestone .. both materials turninto GUMBO MUD when soaked. Will it rain tonight? It sprinkled. One can only hope.
The transit stage was 206 klicks through traffic … think driving from Ensenada to Tijuana.
The Ginie De Villiers VW was #1 on the road with Peterhansel 2 minutos behind … Robby was 4th, 7 back off a 6 start delta. Looked very sharp. The monring’s #1, Dieter Depping, was no fifth. So simple to fall back!
The X5 … which LOOKS like an X5, was 12th and was REALLY being driven hard.
Make no mistake, the VWs, which are silent, are the stylers of the crop: the design sticks to the ground, and drives on all corners.
As we travel, the spectator pool changes. One thing does not: “ROBBY”. Hoots. Hollers. Hand-slips. Bier swillin’.
The H3s seem to be THE draw.
Baldwin also puts on a great show … 27 minutes behind. Remember, starts are per previous stage/section and are 2 minutes apart for the top ten and then one for the remainder.
We are in El Darko as to standings until we get access from BC’s load. Anyone one can be stage winner without a pass … it takes seconds, either way to fall forward or fall back.
The course appears to favor the H3s … the rougher the better. But, once again, the Mitsus and the VeeBubs are on THEIR type of terrain, i.e., no rocks, no SF250 whoops, or Matomi. But rest assured they will not roll over and bark at the moon!
The next days promise to be the deal. No one can stumble. No one can stub their toe. No one can blink.
So we shall wait and see, standing by, in a small hotel listening to Lenny Kravitz … drinking a Goesser Bier.
SNIVEL CORNER:
Klaus says that RG roosted him, on purpose, “for cause”: “makes for great footage.”
Klaus is now watching “Pimp My Ride” in Hungarian …
################################################## #################
SS4A
Wednesday @ Dabas
Cloudy cold day at the same course as Sunday’s SS1 (Note: “SS” refers to “Special Stage”, not the “Schtutzenstaffel” of the Third Reich) … except this was run bassakwards.
Knowledge is power.
This time we went to the ex-Soviet military base ... a tank training ground ... maybe, perhaps. “Orkeny City”
We scared up a white-tail. Klaus forgot his Schmeisser so no ‘ueno.
Basically, at this location, they ran the perimeter of a 40-acre-square of grassland: soft, loamy, damp, dumb-fast. Like a never lift deal. A “12” car would kicked names and taken ass.
They had a beer tent. NO deer cerviche, tho.
The top cars were railing the few turns on our area, masters of their profession, don’t ya know
We do not take Tag Heuer-quality time (Timex “WR 100M”-time), but the VWs looked:
Faster
Smoother
Quicker
But (and big BUTT) Robby Gee was very fast and tossed the most dirt running in 4th slot. Recall, remember, be aware, be well-d that this is all on aggregate time … start splits are 2 minutes – and details count.
The Mits ARE quick, make no mistake about it … but making a judgement would be a lot like going to Pomona for the Winternats without any timing lights of top end info: all subjective. But we will also be objective.
If this rally does not MAKE, solidify, cement* Robbie’s rep on the Continent and enhance the vision of Baja, well, nothing will. ‘Well, OK, Armin Schwarz’ efforts.
* Not like the crumby crumbling Soviet-poured stuff we’ve seen. Those pesky Reds, always cuttin’ corners for Communism.
The H3 carved the berms like Steve Kinser. TOP TIP; I would have dual exhaust to magnify the V8’s FULL SONG, IMNSHO. Make em BEG for mercy.
This morning route would , probably, turn into some sort of “polvo” if run multi-laps but, today, to was PERFECT! In this section, suspension was not an factor but V(ax) was.
The True Facts on Robbie watch R-D.C for Curtis’ PR posts … same for Volkswagen.
The “sleeper” of the top cars is the X5 BMW (The Ultimate Driving Machine) of Al-Attiyah .. looks like some kinda actual “CAR” .. not a race car. V8 and beats cheeks … with a typically-awesome “M5” auspuff note (German for exhaust).
Without hard data, one may only surmise that Robbie “Gorda” made up bo-coo tiempo this AM.
BJ Baldwin, stuck with the unwashed asses of Pajeros, has his work cut out for him but the “Water Carrier” H3 looks and sounds .. which is better? … supa-dupa (One gets into Yrrupean lingo … )
He HAD to have mad eup OA time.
Yank Jonah Street looked typically stylish on the huge KTM: the top picks ran this section on the throttle stop, deftly carving the generous berms. Not a “stein” in sight … meaning no rocks … the real steins were in the Biergarten.
SPLITS
#1 CAR 00:00 VW
#2 -3:00 Mitsu
#3 Mitsu
#4 RG
#5
#6 VW … did not lift, taped the brakes in LH-RH “S” with vergasser to the floor
#7 Aforementioned BMW
BJ 35 minutes in arrears wrt lead car Deiter Depping factory VW
BJ mired in little boxy vans: “Willie’s Pie Wagon”
Or did I mention that.
As odd as it might seem, the Monstroso Trucks are a total kick … need my radar gun I believe that they go REAL fast in this specific section: wheels on the ground, power down, stacks smoking, dirt flying.
Need some for a Peninsula Run. Put Cameron Steele and Popgun in some.
ON THE ROAD TO SS4B: light rain on the Hungarobahn, the Interpest, “M0” (true) … traffic tentative … need the Herbst prerunners.
“What, Officer, nerfing not allowed in Hungary?”
Ran into Kevin and BJ, metaphorically, on the “highway” to Veszprem … they hollered: “Overheating” … let us get in front of you.” We did, they did, they schplitten Sie. Getting’ some through-flow air.
Who knows.
SS4B
Veszprem
Old Soviet military area …
Different terrain from the morning:
Red dirt
Water
Dust
Elevation changes … rollers
Windy
Cold
Cloudy
Think: “Road to Mike’s off the Highway.”
The red beds, decomposed sandstone, is intersperced with the white limestone .. both materials turninto GUMBO MUD when soaked. Will it rain tonight? It sprinkled. One can only hope.
The transit stage was 206 klicks through traffic … think driving from Ensenada to Tijuana.
The Ginie De Villiers VW was #1 on the road with Peterhansel 2 minutos behind … Robby was 4th, 7 back off a 6 start delta. Looked very sharp. The monring’s #1, Dieter Depping, was no fifth. So simple to fall back!
The X5 … which LOOKS like an X5, was 12th and was REALLY being driven hard.
Make no mistake, the VWs, which are silent, are the stylers of the crop: the design sticks to the ground, and drives on all corners.
As we travel, the spectator pool changes. One thing does not: “ROBBY”. Hoots. Hollers. Hand-slips. Bier swillin’.
The H3s seem to be THE draw.
Baldwin also puts on a great show … 27 minutes behind. Remember, starts are per previous stage/section and are 2 minutes apart for the top ten and then one for the remainder.
We are in El Darko as to standings until we get access from BC’s load. Anyone one can be stage winner without a pass … it takes seconds, either way to fall forward or fall back.
The course appears to favor the H3s … the rougher the better. But, once again, the Mitsus and the VeeBubs are on THEIR type of terrain, i.e., no rocks, no SF250 whoops, or Matomi. But rest assured they will not roll over and bark at the moon!
The next days promise to be the deal. No one can stumble. No one can stub their toe. No one can blink.
So we shall wait and see, standing by, in a small hotel listening to Lenny Kravitz … drinking a Goesser Bier.
SNIVEL CORNER:
Klaus says that RG roosted him, on purpose, “for cause”: “makes for great footage.”
Klaus is now watching “Pimp My Ride” in Hungarian …
################################################## #################