[RallyBob]

Jim MacMahon of New Hampshire ran in an ITB race at Lime Rock today, finishing 2nd place in class, and 4th overall in a field of about 45 cars today. Jim won the New England Road Racing Championship last year, as well as the North Atlantic Road Racing Championship. He holds the record at New Hampshire International Raceway for his class, and last year set a record string of pole positions at 9 in a row! He's also a regular winner at Lime Rock, which has caused enough recognition of the Opel marque locally that the track's racing store has started stocking Opel patches this year....not bad Jim!

Bob Legere

 

[Gary]

Jim's Race Schedule?

Do you know Jim's schedule? I'd like to go see him at either Limerock or NHIS this summer and wave the Opel flags!!

 

[RallyBob]

I *believe* he said that he'd be racing next weekend, and then the first two weekends of August. Pretty sure next week is at Lime Rock again (he called it the 'Pig Roast'), but not sure about the other events. I'll have to go to the schedules for the various regional events to find out where/when.

Bob

 

[davegt27]

Way to go Jim

Glad to see someone kicking butt with an Opel GT

have to tell Marty about this, he keeps telling me you cant win

With an Opel.

Bob I like his paint job too, it looks like the DTM Calibra that i was telling you about

Later
David L

 

[RallyBob]

Yup, and he's winning races because of the handling and the driver, not the power. Too many people concentrate on power, but handling and driver ability really wins races. Case in point, my friend's girlfriend raced an ITB Ford Escort GT in the same race, she actually drove the car to the track 1.5 hours, raced it, and drove home. At one point yesterday, Jim was lapping her, and when he was behind her on the front straight, she said she wondered why he didn't go 'blowing by' her, but instead he passed her at high speed in turn one on the outside. Well, Jim couldn't pass her, that's why, her 165,000 mile stock Ford Escort GT has more torque, and the Opel couldn't get by on the straights. But in the corners....that's another story. It's all about the suspension. I've checked out Marty's car up close, it's pretty stock as far as suspension goes, even though the car has plenty of power with the rotary engine.

Jim likes the Keke Rosburg Calibra DTM paint scheme, so he adapted it to the GT. Looks pretty cool. There's another Opel in the region (Manta) that has another (different) DTM paint scheme as well. My Ascona ITB car will have one of the old Opel rallycar paint schemes, a little more 'retro'.

Bob

 

[davegt27]

Yup, and he's winning races because of the handling and the driver, not the power. Too many people concentrate on power, but handling and driver ability really wins races.

my street car made 88HP, and with out the driver the car weighed 2400lbs. that's with a striped out interior and no passenger seat.
so i would say he would have to be one hell of a driver

they have changed the rules in IT a lot since i looked at IT. the rules used to be the car weight was without the driver but know its with the driver
so if you weigh less then 180lbs that will be a big help

for an Opel to win in ITB you have to be a hell of a driver that's why i am jumping up and down i understand what Jim is up against
I think more people would cheer if they knew what the Opel racers like Bob, Stan, Jim where up Against
at second creek an FP racer (midget) let me climb into his car
man that thing is like a rocket it was closer to that formula ford that i drove
than and production car and it gets to weigh 300lbs less then a GT


I've checked out Marty's car up close, it's pretty stock as far as suspension goes, even though the car has plenty of power with the rotary engine.

Yeah Marty does not car about all that stuff he just wants to have fun he keeps say screw SCCA and all there rules
we had a lot of fun at PCA events, just a real laid back.

Marty makes sure we get a Hotel next to the bay and at night we go up to the roof of the hotel and kick back with a few beers and watch the ships come in. VERY COOL!
hope to do it again.

later
David

 

[RallyBob]

A view of Jim's GT in the left hander (turn 3) at Lime Rock, just before passing a Showroom Stock BMW Z3.

Body roll, what body roll?

 

[RallyBob]

Here's Jim braking hard on the main straight, just before turn 1.
Cars in this class (ITB), will hit about 115 mph here before having to brake.

 

[davegt27]

that's a dam good digital camera

I think Stan broke at 2nd creek today

he said he was over heating during the first practice session.

when he dropped into the 1.28's i hit the road (he had been running 1.20's)
needed to get the MR2 ready for another emissions test

i took some PICS with my cheap EarthLink camera but i still don't know how to post pics


Davegt27

 

[davegt27]

Bob whats Jims time at lime rock?

David

 

[RallyBob]

I think his fastest official time at Lime Rock is a 104.3, but last week in practice someone got him at a 103.9. The record there is something like a 103.4, but that was in the days before transponders were required, so it's questionable. Nobody has come close to that time since then, and that was set about 5 years ago.
At NHIS, he has the record at a 117.82. Most of the ITA cars are turning 119's!

Bob

 

[Travis]

Bob, could you quickly describe Jims suspension..spring rates, sway bars, other mods....?

-Travis

 

[RallyBob]

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you....

Seriously though, I'll let you know via e-mail his setup, don't want to give away all my secrets.


Bob