RapidG

Hey, StarFest was a blast! 3 full days on Mid-Ohio! 6 C32's and 6 SLK 32's, one C55 and an SL55. 109 cars showed up to run. Rob Allen, GM of AMG USA was there with two truck loads of AMG's. Just hop in one and drive it around an autox course.
Of course, yours truly got top honors on the track, beating out 2nd place by 4 seconds. Best lap of 152.1. FTD was the SL55 - 148+.
We used transponders for the first time. Great, because you got your practice laps, as well as record laps. They have the technology to download your time directly to a Gameboy, so you can get realtime info.
Check the results at www.starfest2004.org


**** Gortz
StarFest CoChairman
'02 C32 Black Opal/Blue

Norm C32

Good job RapidG! Both on the track and off, helping to put on an excellent event.

Also good job to jcanabal, CarlAMG, dsC32, and my father who times during time trials were taken in the rain. Not bad for his first time on the big track.

In the C32/C55 class the 1/4 accleration times were left to experienced drag strip runner when drag racing was at it's peak, my father, and 5 bags of ice on the blower during our almost 90F runs.

C32 fell to the C55 in the autocross which is the painted one at Mid-Ohio. A tight course that does not let horsepower rule it but the torque of the C55. Impressive job!

Carl AMG

Check for my times in the mod class, I was in mod for my RENNtech springs. As those who were there know, I corded out a front tire after the first two practice sessions on the track. I ran the autocross that afternoon on the corded tire and was the fastest of the C32/C55 group with a 37.009.

I had two front tires (full tread depth Victoracers; no shaved available) overnighted to my hotel and mounted up the next morning but I missed my practice sessions and went straight to the time trials. I ran the time trials on the track with about 5 miles of street use on the Victoracers. There was a lot of understeer compared to the previous session with scrubbed tires but I ran a 1:54. Not suprisingly, my times got faster with each lap as the tires got scrubbed. RapidG graciously offered to let me run with the group going the next day so I could get the practice laps in but I needed to get home for work.

The AMG autocross was a blast with a CLK55, C55 and SLK32 there for us to use and abuse. Other than some more torque and a little sharper steering from the 18" wheels, the C55 didn't feel that much different than the C32 to me. I've driven the SLK32 before but never that hard. I found it was so much quicker and more nimble than the C32 because of the size and weight. I guess that 400 lbs. makes a big difference.

Thanks to RapidG and the rest of the team for putting on such a great event! It was great to see some of you again and meet some new people.

jcanabal

Definetively a great event! Mary Alice Cozza and rest of the team did an awsome job! Check pictures of all Starfest events at www.huskyphoto.com

Just to clarify......second place....was with practice time and not real time trial! Call me "chicken s h i t" but I don't like "racing" when it is wet! It was tons of fun!
Next race we hope to have the Schumaker family (the Crow's) back again. For sure NormC32 will beat us all!

Looking forward for next year events. (I guess there is nothing else in the near future....at least near-by)

JMC

Norm C32

Carl, what was going on with the CLK500 in modified class?

Carl AMG

I have no idea about the CLK500 and why it was in mod class but it was the black one with all the stickers on it. Definitely not my taste and I never spoke to the owner. Although I understand why, I didn't know I was in mod class until I heard about it and saw results this past weekend when I was at Summit Point. At last years Tri-O-Rama, I was placed in the C32 class even though I disclosed that I had RENNtech springs in the registration.