If We’ve Only Ever Met at a Track…. Know This

You met the most hyper version
of me that exists.

In everyday life I am not so animated and yell-y… opposite actually, unaffected, stoic almost. Was once called “the Grumpy Cat of auto journalism.” Doesn’t help that I have “resting b*tch face.”

A handful of fellow auto journalists have commented, “It’s different, Keri you’re so… is it the track time?”

Yes it’s the track time.

I love it so much. Stopped trying to suppress it. Can’t.

KeriBlog - Ever only met at the track

Good seeing these fellas the other day, as always!

This was during a 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport auto-cross event.

A 2.0L turbo outputting 240 hp and 250 lb.fts to a 9-speed transmission and standard all-wheel drive, starting at $41,790.

Same thing I always say about Land Rover – YES the launch and cornering on these elegant machines.

Did you guys proud – returned it reeking of brakes.

 

 

First Track Day of 2015 COMPLETE

Yes I’m yelling, it was that good.

Let’s just lead with the highlight – learning to J-hook:

Executed it well twice like, there was clapping. Have interior & exterior footage.

Thanks to BF Goodrich Tires for kicking off KeriBlog.com’s 2015 Track Season to an excellent start!

For sure the j-hook gets its own post, and I learned a lot about tire technology too (which further backs up my viewpoint – don’t cheap out on the ONLY part of your car that touches the road.)

For now, here’s a couple shots from today TTYT

 

 

 

Powered by a Stock Honda Fit Engine

It’s an F2000, like a starter Indy Car.

And it’s powered by the same engine as Honda’s Fit.

Not modified either, total stock. Really!

It’s a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine outputting 130 hp and 114 lbs.ft. 

(my review for the above 2014 Honda Fit, and a few Fit animated gifs)

Got to go around the DDT track at Mosport 3 times.

Arrow – went off, twice.  Too aggressive into the corners + queen of the late-brakers here.

So they kindly let me go around one more time. Got it.

 

 

Best Part of Attending a Race: Borrowing an ATV

Watching motorsports is dull. Even when you know someone to root for, meh. The start and finish of the first race are okay, then nah.

Racing is only interesting when
you’re behind the wheel.

So spent Sunday on this instead.

Started pining for an ATV this summer, and this is a nice one.

And now that I own land, it’s possible.

I’m coming across a field at 40 kmh, am 300 m from homebase, when from that distance I see all the guys eyes widen simultaneously, and I instantly know, “oh no, I’ve forgotten about that second rut in the field”.

I look down, ah I’m starting descent into it, throttle throoooottle, and when I hit the water in the rut’s bottom it’s a massive 360º splash, so dramatic, think “what a missed blog photo”, bounce out keep going kk that was cutting it fine.

 

 

How to Cheat at Motorsports

Racing is a real dirty sport, so it surprises me a group with such minds haven’t gotten into this, and we don’t hear more about it.

Got the idea at Indy 2012.

Why not attack the other team’s
networks, internet & communications?

Examples:

The WiFi connection went down? And you were relying on the cloud?

The telematics, feedback and monitoring systems stopped functioning? Or instead, started to output false data?

An F1 engineer in the pits can remotely control the car, so how about altering those settings? Make the engine blow, you only get so many engines per race…

You in position? Preparing to cut crew-driver communications, you’ll have 5 seconds to pass until the system is live again in 3, 2…

This isn’t a barely-subtle way of saying I’m for hire, these are not rate card items, don’t ask me that at races.

This photo has nothing to do with anything, just needed one more to round out this post.

It’s a 2015 Jaguar F-TYPE S

3.0L V6 Supercharged
380 hp
339 lb-ft
$110,000-ish
Googly-eyed button
Best engine note ever.