How did You hear about COM?

[eclip5e]

I was at an Auto-x at NHIS, and spend the down-time looking over the fence into the bowl thinking "I wish i could do that".

Fast forward two years later...

I was driving on Boyleston at the stop light in front of MACHINE (a gay club) in Boston, and a guy parked out front in a Miata was like "YOU SHOULD RACE WITH COM!" and that was that...

[cfossum]

From Mosport, 2007
10 Gordon Andrade 1:42.259 1:43.516 1:42.866 1:42.259 2-T Mazda Miata
47 John Spain 1:44.557 1:43.894 1:43.842 1:43.842 3-T Mazda Miata
919 Clifford Collins 1:46.165 1:44.549 1:43.870 1:43.870 4-T Mazda Miata
491 Greg Hosselbarth 1:45.705 1:44.355 Error 1:44.355 5 Mazda Miata
471 Nate Hine 1:44.413 1:44.595 1:44.682 1:44.413 6 Mazda Miata
49 Bill Hosselbarth 1:46.571 1:45.440 1:44.933 1:44.933 7 Mazda Miata
072 Will Martins 1:44.993 1:45.605 1:45.411 1:44.993 8 Mazda Miata
315 Jeffrey Collins 1:45.031 1:45.182 1:45.135 1:45.031 9 Mazda Miata
827 Frederic Roy 1:43.838 1:44.722 1:46.169 1:43.838 4 Mazda Miata

77 Ron Adams 1:45.345 1:45.067 1:45.185 1:45.067 2 Subaru Impreza WRX

visit Machine offten?

[cfossum]

I joined COM in '98
An autocross (CART) buddy told me about it. I sold my eclipse, and bought the RX7 before my first event.
This may be controversial, but I find it a bit easier than autocross!
-Carl

[zip4zat]

From Mosport, 2007
10 Gordon Andrade 1:42.259 1:43.516 1:42.866 1:42.259 2-T Mazda Miata
47 John Spain 1:44.557 1:43.894 1:43.842 1:43.842 3-T Mazda Miata
919 Clifford Collins 1:46.165 1:44.549 1:43.870 1:43.870 4-T Mazda Miata
491 Greg Hosselbarth 1:45.705 1:44.355 Error 1:44.355 5 Mazda Miata
471 Nate Hine 1:44.413 1:44.595 1:44.682 1:44.413 6 Mazda Miata
49 Bill Hosselbarth 1:46.571 1:45.440 1:44.933 1:44.933 7 Mazda Miata
072 Will Martins 1:44.993 1:45.605 1:45.411 1:44.993 8 Mazda Miata
315 Jeffrey Collins 1:45.031 1:45.182 1:45.135 1:45.031 9 Mazda Miata
827 Frederic Roy 1:43.838 1:44.722 1:46.169 1:43.838 4 Mazda Miata

77 Ron Adams 1:45.345 1:45.067 1:45.185 1:45.067 2 Subaru Impreza WRX

visit Machine offten?

wow

[rajito]

Brutal, Carl, brutal =D> =D>

I started running with COM pretty early in my track life, in 2003. Up until then, I had done a couple of track days with SCDA (this is back in those days when their event fees were still sane).

There was a contingent of WRX's already taking part in COM events, and our own figurehead president, Alex Teng, told me to come and join the fun. I guess this was his way of getting back at me for introducing him to the race track. The rest is history. COM's the best club I've run with, and I don't know any other non-wheel to wheel racing club where people drive as well.

Carl busted me on my first event for running in ST with a boost controller. I didn't know anything about the rules, except all the other Subarus seemed to be in ST2 or SS something. My response which was something like, "Huh? There's a rule book?" probably did not amuse him, but I hope I've provided amusement over the years

Raj

[RyanC]

Oh damn! Carl with the comeback! Ron, you just got pwned, my ricer friend.


I heard about COM thru a guy I was doing some consulting for, Willie Maurer. He raced an Alfa GTV-6 with COM back in the '90s, and told me I should give them a shot since I was bored with the slow pace of the BMW CCA events I'd been attending.

[eclip5e]

From Mosport, 2007]visit Machine offten?

No, my girlfriend wont let me.

[zip4zat]

From Mosport, 2007]visit Machine offten?

No, my girlfriend wont let me.

why does he work there?

I started doing COM days when I was helping a friend build a FFR SpecRacer. I figured If he was going to let me co-drive Id better learn how to drive. Since then I met Raj and it was all over and got sucked into the suburu thing. The closest knit group Ive been apart of since my ski racing days.

[brucesallen]

I used to autocross with Grove Marcy. When I got my new RX7 Turbo in 1987 Grove said I should do COM. I went up to briar about 10 AM on a Saturday and they took my money and put me on track. Wilson drive my car for a lap and then I was turned loose alone. I quickly learned that if you are going off the outside of a turn at track-out, the solution is not to lift and turn the wheel hard. Loop. Stdents parked their cars at each corner and climbed the towers with a single instructor and watched. Then move to next corner. Then drive. At the end of the day I listened to my old Doors album at full blast in the paddock. Ted Goddard was selling 25 cent beers. Men's room was a visit to hell where all the septic tanks empty. But COM had 8 weekends at Briar each year.

[TroyV]

Mick convinced me to join. It was the middle of 2002 and Mick had been campaigning his BMW 330.. I had been autocrossing with the SVTOA as a noob that season, and decided to try a track event. I joined Com and decided that LRP 2002 would be the first event.

Mick and I got up very early in the morning to drive out there from Boston. I was listening to the forecast which called for snow squalls in central Mass.. I brought this to Mick's attention and he replied with "BAH... it ain't no thing....lets get on the road."

Fast forward two or three hours, and I was caught in the afore mentioned squall and spun off to the side after tapping the guardrail.. It took awhile for a truck to pull me out of there, and Mick, who had pulled over to the side had gotten stuck as well... Both cars survived the trip, though mine was scarred.

As a result we missed the drivers meeting, but we were in time for the first sessions.. I managed to get "Wild" Bill Sarno as my first instructor.. GAS GAS GAS DAMMIT!!!!! BRAKE BRAKE BRAKE DAMMIT!!! TURN TURN TURN DAMMIT!!!...in my ear all day long.. LOL I'm not sure I ever told Bill that I was a little frazzled by spinning the car four complete revolutions and into a ditch just a few hours earlier.. His instruction was just what I needed at the time though..

So, I guess there is some poetic symmetry in this, because it was Bill that signed me off for my license last year.

I still autocross more often as now I'm running the club I had started as a novice with in 02, but I still try to make as many Com events as I can, and I'm looking forward to Tremblant.

[DanB]

I was at an autoX at Devin's AFB talking to a guy in a Wabbit 'bout how I'd rather be at a race track. He mentioned COM. Hmm, sounds PERFECT! If it weren't for COM, I'd have probably moved back down south years ago.

I got beat by six Miatas at Mosport, I guess I'm more than a little "bi-curious". So where do I find this "Machine" place?

[ryanthieme]

I was introduced to COM by Will Martins, Gordon Andrade, Lester Seal and Lee Walsh. I can reacall one Renegade Miata Club meeting when I was talking about how much fun I had autocrossing and Lester, I think, said if you like that, you will love the track.

~ryan

[zip4zat]

I got beat by six Miatas at Mosport, I guess I'm more than a little "bi-curious". So where do I find this "Machine" place?

I nearly snarfed my lunch, thanks dan

[boltonite]

I got beat by six Miatas at Mosport, <snip> So where do I find this "Machine" place?

Just cruise Boylston until you find a few bumper-to-bumper Miatas.

[ctkag]

I met our figurehead in Summer '02 at a dyno day in Auburn MA. I had mentioned I was doing an SCDA track day at Lime Rock in August. The following Spring, I saw a post by James Snow talking about 'mad track time' at Summit Point that April. So, I signed up and made the trip. I also had Bill Sarno as my first instructor. I recall after the first session, he was just about ready to throw up his hands and give up on me!! The second session was much better and the third session I followed him in his car for a few laps, then he followed me for a few. After then, I was on my own. I only did a couple of other COM events that year, but several more SCDA events. I was signed off for a license by Frank Cullen at LRP that Fall.

It's been one giant money pit since!! I swore I was going to cut back this year - NHIS 1 was cancelled and I skipped Mosport, I intend to do the rest of the events this year, I guess that's cutting back enough!