Spec Rx-7

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Spec Rx-7</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="21"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Formula Ford"><U><B><IMG SRC="01c151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Club Racing"><U><B><IMG SRC="0210d1d0.gif" border=0 width="13" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="06b90660.jpg" border=0 width="144" height="102" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Allreds Motorsport"><U><B>Allred's Motorsport</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Solo Racing"><U><B>Solo Racing</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="06c905d0.jpg" border=0 width="144" height="93" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFF99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>  </B></div> <div> <B>A GREAT CAR & CLASS FOR A NOVICE</B></div> <bR> <div> In solo events, there is a class for virtually every car made, new or old, stock or modified.  In Club Racing, however, participation is a bit more regulated.   The first generation Mazda Rx-7, 1981 through 1985 models, make up the SCCA Spec Rx-7 class, and offer the beginner and veteran competitor alike, a great combination of readily available, reasonably priced  and decent handling cars to start with.  The rules allow for straight forward improvements to the suspension and brakes, as well as mandatory safety equipment.   Wide wheels are optional, and high performance racing tires are specified.   Most all other components must remain stock, as supplied from the factory, including emissions and street legal status!  The rules, very similar to showroom stock rules,  also include a minimum weight that reinforces near stock preparation.  Consequently, driver skill, experience,  and development are more important that expensive tuning and preparation.  Racing isn't cheap, but a Spec Rx-7 delivers as much or more racing for the dollar as any other car, and the popularity of the class ensures plenty of friendly competition opportunities in a variety of venues and formats!   Visit Darren Loher's excellent <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://s7.nu/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://s7.nu/"><U>Spec Rx-7 Racing Page</U></A></FONT> to learn more.</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="634" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 209 WIDTH="316"><div>                                                                                                </div> <div> My choice for a Spec Rx-7 project was this clean, one owner 1984 model, in GSL trim.  With 74,000 miles since new, and very well cared for, it was probably the nicest, and certainly the most expensive race conversion candidate I looked at in two months of shopping during early spring of 1998.  I enjoyed it as a daily driver until the end of the year, and began preparing it to Colorado Region rules the following January.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><bR> <bR> <div>   <IMG SRC="06ddb900.jpg" border=0 width="219" height="144" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 212 ><NOBR><bR> <div>  </div> <div> <IMG SRC="06edf900.jpg" border=0 width="223" height="144" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="307"><bR> <div> With a conversion package from Dave Turner Motorsports and a month or two of fussing in the garage, I accomplished the conversion myself, with only a bit of help now and then.  In addition to safety and handling improvements allowed by the rules, I also replaced many  wear parts to maximize reliability, then signed up for the nearest driver's schools, 500 miles away in Denver!  </div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 190 WIDTH="316"><bR> <div> A  Danny Collins school, two days later a Colorado Region school, were successfully completed and with the newly earned novice license I entered my first race at 2nd Creek that same March weekend!  Lots of fun and many new friends.   An April novice regional at Mead, earned my Regional Competition License.  Finally a  double regional at Pueblo completed my Spec 7 season in June of '99.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><bR> <div> <IMG SRC="06fdd900.jpg" border=0 width="221" height="144" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> There were also some Novice Solo Trials events with the Utah Region, at Wendover, and  a couple of fun club racing weekends with <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.team.net:80/ivr/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.team.net:80/ivr/"><U>Intermountain Vintage Racing</U></A></FONT>, Utah's only road racing sanctioning body.  The car came though in fine order, never missing a beat providing some real training and wheel to wheel racing.</div> <bR> <div> A combination of bad weather, and conflicting Solo 2 and IVR dates kept me from traveling to as many club racing events as I had originally planned for the 2000 season.  However, enduro racing sounded fun, and with Cousin John Allred recruited as a team driver, and stepson Walter Scott, as crew chief, the team successfully prepared, traveled, qualified and finished a 3 hour Timex Enduro sponsored by NASA, at Laguna Seca in May of 2000.   Pit stops, driver changes, and refueling, what fun!   A Solo event and a three more IVR events were entered, with the season ending at PPIR in August for another double regional race weekend with one race for me, and one for Cousin John.</div> <bR> <div> It was then, and there, after a brief two seasons of Spec 7 experience, that I began to make plans to transition to the class of car and racing that I have always been most interested in....since the days of Jim Clark....single seat, open wheeled, formula cars!  And so it is, that as of this writing, Thanksgiving weekend of 2000, I have acquired a Formula Ford race car, and will be preparing it for the 2001 season.  And, so too, it is, that I am with some reservations and mixed feelings, preparing to move on from my well regarded Spec Rx-7, and sell it to some new experienced racing friends now transitioning to Spec Rx-7,  Annie and John Bonvouloir, of Colorado Region, whom I hope will have just as much success and enjoyment from # 4 as I have had the past two seasons.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>