2025 One Lap of America (TomFree is running again...)

[tomfree]

I alluded to this the other night in some rando thread where it was mentioned, but it's that time again. The car is pretty much the same. Pagid RSL 29 brake pads in the front (vs CSG last 2 years), and AFE Control front sway bar end links to replace the stockers. Fresh set of RE71RS, flushed the brakes, etc. If you want to follow some high HP, very modded Supra, look elsewhere :-D . I know that the Toyota PE guys are running their monster again, as I talked to them at NCM a couple of weeks ago. Dave Marcus's very quick Supra is running again, but Dave loaned it to our friend Peter who blew up his GT3RS at that same NCM event.

I leave for South Bend on Thursday, Friday is sticker day/tech/registration, racing starts on Saturday with wet skidpad and autox.

My freshened FB page where I'll post stuff: https://www.facebook.com/midenginecrisis/ Hopefully some of you will get a chuckle out of my new logo.

The One Lap website: https://www.onelapofamerica.com/

One Lap FB page: https://www.facebook.com/OneLapOfAmerica

I'll try to post stuff here during the week as well, but the best source will be the FB page.

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[i3igpete]

I would be interested to see your packing checklist for something like this. are you allowed to share tools or is it "shit i need x tool, time to uber to a harbor freight now..."

 

[tomfree]

I would be interested to see your packing checklist for something like this. are you allowed to share tools or is it "shit i need x tool, time to uber to a harbor freight now..."

Tool sharing is a way of life at OLOA. There are a couple of folks who are better prepped than the rest of us, and we sponge off of them. The Toyota PE guys are ultra prepared, and extremely nice. They're generally my first go-to.

As for a packing list, I have something better...my whole event Google sheets spreadsheet. If you'd like a copy, DM me a gmail address and I'll share a copy with you. It has packing lists, schedule, hotels, etc.

 

[razorlab]

Hell yea, good luck man!

 

[Davo307]

Wait, Pete blew up his GT3rs?! Ooof, thats not a cheap day. And ya, Dave's Supra is a beast. I had an OLoA driver at my house last night turning laps on the sim for some last minute practice. Good luck!

 

[tomfree]

Wait, Pete blew up his GT3rs?! Ooof, thats not a cheap day. And ya, Dave's Supra is a beast. I had an OLoA driver at my house last night turning laps on the sim for some last minute practice. Good luck!

That's a nice Sim rig, I'm a little jealous. I'll be driving Grattan and Hedge Hollow on mine tonight.

Yeah, DJ was driving Peter's car and got an Oil pressure light, shut it down immediately and pulled over. When we got it back in to the paddock, the starter would not budge the motor. If you know Peter, he's the calm in most any storm, and took it in stride.

 

[tomfree]

Met another Supra forums member today...gorgeous car. I'm dead tired and we haven't even started yet. We had too many beers last night.

Today was sticker day, so the car is all ready to go. I didn't really shoot any video or stills today, but we do have one shot of the car with myself and my co-driver. I'm the bearded one.

 

[Davo307]

Met another Supra forums member today...gorgeous car. I'm dead tired and we haven't even started yet. We had too many beers last night.

Today was sticker day, so the car is all ready to go. I didn't really shoot any video or stills today, but we do have one shot of the car with myself and my co-driver. I'm the bearded one.

If you see Ian with his red Cayman GTS tell him hi. He was the one at my house on Monday. Down drink too many beers and go fast. Good luck!

 

[tomfree]

Day 1 of competition is in the books. Decent showing in the wet skidpad, 20th overall. Autox was a bust. I ran a safe first run, my co-driver ran 2nd and ran a nearly identical time, and I got greedy on the last run and plowed off course. It would have been a lot faster, but...no worries.

 

[FLtrackdays]

Day 1 of competition is in the books. Decent showing in the wet skidpad, 20th overall. Autox was a bust. I ran a safe first run, my co-driver ran 2nd and ran a nearly identical time, and I got greedy on the last run and plowed off course. It would have been a lot faster, but...no worries.

Will one set of tires will last for every event and the entire trip? I know you carry a spare. But damnnnnnn….. Can you squeeze in a bit more camber for the event in our Supra or is it not worth the risk of uneven treadwear?

Good luck and thanks for representing us Supras out there!!!!

 

[tomfree]

Will one set of tires will last for every event and the entire trip? I know you carry a spare. But damnnnnnn….. Can you squeeze in a bit more camber for the event in our Supra or is it not worth the risk of uneven treadwear?

Good luck and thanks for representing us Supras out there!!!!

A less aggressive tire, like the Conti ECS02 or the Michelin PS4S will make the week easily. The RE71RS will make it, but at the end of the week, wet highway driving is harrowing.

Last year, my RE71s were pretty low on tread on Friday as we drove back into Indiana, and a torrential rain for most of the last 3 hrs made for a white-knuckle trip. I couldn't go over 50mph in standing water.

This year, I have a starting point of 600 less miles, as we towed the car to IN from MD.

As for camber, Verus plates in front, -3 deg, all stock in the back, -2 deg. I could get .5 deg more on one side, but wanted the car even, of course. With 0 toe, tire wear is just fine and the car is happy on interstates.

 

[tomfree]

Day 2 complete at World Wide Technology raceway (AKA Gateway) just across the river from St. Louis. My morning run had a bit of a spin (I'm fine, car is fine), so that added some undesired excitement to the day. That kinda screwed up my planning, as the morning session determined our seeding for the week, which determines when you run, and how early you get on the road to head to the next hotel.

My co-driver, Blake, commented how the car has issues putting power down, and wants me to slap a wing on it ASAP. I do own a Verus wing, but it's in the box in the basement at the moment. I was trying to collect a splitter, canards, and a wing at a minimum, but that really necessitates suspension upgrades. You guys all know how this cascades...

We're at Hedge Hollow Raceway tomorrow, just outside of Kansas City, MO. Hedge Hollow is a spectacular facility and a darn complicated track. OneLap ran there last year, so I'm not coming in completely cold.

 

[FLtrackdays]

If on coilovers or have aftermarket springs, can you make the rear softer? Before putting on a wang. Great write up btw. Just curious ?

 

[tomfree]

If on coilovers or have aftermarket springs, can you make the rear softer? Before putting on a wang. Great write up btw. Just curious ?

My car is SO stockish.

AFE Control sways, F & R
AFE Control adjustable end links F & R
Verus Camber plates
18x10.5 wheels/275 RE71RS
Race brake pads, Pagid RSL29 in front, CSG 11 in the rear. Castrol SRF fluid.

That's it. Stock springs, stock everything else.

Just got on the road after day 3 at Hedge Hollow in middle-o-nowhere Missouri. This is the 2nd year we've done HH, and it's one of the finest facilities I've ever seen. The track is great, but you can't help but be awestruck at how much money has been spent there. Good grief.

I had a decent morning session, but just didn't attack it like I should have. My co-driver had an excellent afternoon session and absolutely wants to come back to HH.

I now strongly dislike the RSL29 pads I have on the front. I guess I'm drinking the CSG kool aid, but I miss the stupid initial bite of the CSGs I ran for the previous 2 years. The Pagids just don't have much initial bite and require a ton of pedal pressure to get the car slowed.

I didn't really notice that in the HPDEs I did with these pads, but in the more aggressive mode of these OneLap time trials, they are just the WRONG pad for me. I just need to adjust my driving and stop going so deep into braking zones for this event.

 

[tomfree]

Day 4 writeup...National Corvette Museum raceway today. I did a recon day a few weeks ago in a friend's C8, so the track was fresh in my mind. I ran a PB and managed to beat my best lap time in the C8 by about 2 sec. I'm a lot more comfortable in my car, clearly, but that Corvette was quick. My finishing position was about what I expected - mid 40s.

My co-driver did the afternoon session, and had never seen NCM before the videos a friend gave him this morning. For those that don't know the track, there are a lot of blind elements that trick you into braking...when you should be flat. He struggled, but he'll be back.

It's a long, late night transit from NCM to VIR tonight. We'll get there around 1:30A, but we're staying in the VIR lodge, so we will sleep in and roll out of bed as late as possible.

We are taking a slightly longer route through the Cumberland Gap area, and we got pulled by a KY trooper for a speed that could have landed us a free night of room and board in KY. The guy was super cool and let us off with a verbal warning "Boy, you betta slow yo sef down." One of the competitors behind us took a pic of the stop. I'll get a copy and share eventually. We got SOOOO lucky.

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