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2008 Kit Car Performance Day - Seven V-8s & A Four-BangerKit Car Performance Day, The Sequel From the October, 2009 issue of Kit Car By D.Brian Smith Photography by Jim Rizzo, John Gilbert, Kevin Lee, Ryan Manson, Dakota Wentz, D.Brian Smith, Eric Geisert
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With the exception of the... With the exception of the BDR roadster, all the cars were lined up for a luncheon siesta. The afternoon sessions would include 0-60-mph acceleration and 60-0 mph braking. Last year we enjoyed ourselves and gathered a great deal of useful information putting a dozen replicars through a quartet of performance tests, so we made a sequel for 2008. In Hollywood, sequels oftentimes fall far short of the original's impact. Thankfully, the second annual KIT CAR Performance Day was a blockbuster. The very same KIT CAR and Source Interlink Media colleagues who worked in 2007 rolled up their sleeves and produced an even better '08 event. Associate Publisher Angela Schoof, Group Publisher Assistant and Event Coordinator Yasmin Fajatin, Advertising Account Executive Brenda Frias, and Advertising Account Executive Janeen Webb teamed up to produce our Performance Day along with Publisher Tim Foss and Editorial Director Brian Brennan. Automotive Marketing Consultants, Inc. (AMCI) manages the track facilities at the defunct El Toro Marine Base. By morning's end we had finished documenting via camera our test vehicles and began the evaluation process: a Backdraft Racing roadster, a Factory Five Racing Mk III roadster, a Factory Five Racing GTM, a Factory Five Racing Type 65 coupe, a Superformance GT40 Mk II, a Superformance Daytona coupe, a Superformance Mk III roadster, and a Westfield XI. The morning's sessions included a clockwise and counter-clockwise skidpad effort followed by the 420-foot slalom. As usual, the Carl's Jr.-catered lunch was a delicious, all you could eat (and carry home for dinner) affair. What's so great about the KIT CAR Performance Day is the camaraderie that occurs between competing kit car companies. Sure, the manufacturers' cars were running against each other in these four important timed criteria, but that didn't mean that we automotive enthusiasts couldn't break bread and socialize together. For a fitting after-lunch dessert, we put the eight sports cars through the 0-60-mph acceleration and the 60-0-mph braking tests. This year, we added a driving impression component to the performance testing. Each editor was able to go for a short spin in a couple of the sports cars and report back their seat of the pants experience. Led by Editorial Director... Led by Editorial Director Brian Brennan and Camaro Performers Editor Nick Licata (the two gentlemen standing and wearing baseball caps), we started the KIT CAR Performance Day with a Drivers' Meeting, which gave the details of how the four tests and the event's activities would proceed. Apparently, everyone paid attention, as Performance Day was once again a huge success! Standing far left in the background is KIT CAR Publisher Tim Foss. We'll be sharing all the performance results in upcoming issues of KIT CAR. For now, check out some of the fun and be sure to visit www.kitcarmag.com for additional coverage from KIT CAR Performance Day-The Sequel. For all those involved with making KIT CAR Performance Day, The Sequel, the blockbuster that it was, we say, "Thank You" to: Backdraft Racing, Factory Five Racing, Superformance, Manik LLC (Westfield XI), Publisher Ed Zinke, Publisher Tim Foss, Editorial Director Brian Brennan, Associate Publisher Angela Schoof, Advertising Account Executive Bill Middaugh, Advertising Account Executive Janeen Webb, Advertising Account Executive Brenda Frias, Advertising Account Executive David Stoker, Advertising Account Executive Michael Graham, Advertising Account Executive John Whatley, Business Manager Matt Cunningham, Group Publisher Assistant and Event Coordinator Yasmin Fajatin, Web Producer Ed Kimball, Editor Nick Licata, Tech Center Manager Jason Scudellari, Editor Kevin Lee, Editor John Gilbert, Senior Editor Eric Geisert, Technical Editor Jim Rizzo, Associate Editor Ryan Manson, and Associate Editor Dakota Wentz.  Thanks to Licata's wheelwork,...  Thanks to Licata's wheelwork, Lee's camerawork, and owner Jan Morgan's ability in constructing his Westfield XI replica of the famous 1957 Lotus XI, the Westfield XI appeared as fast as it went on the slalom course.  Frank Liataud, of Mission...  Frank Liataud, of Mission Viejo, CA, in his 302ci Ford small-block V-8-powered 2004 Superformance Mk III roadster, handled the skidpad quite well, despite the fact that the course was very dusty.  Editor Kevin Lee of R&C made...  Editor Kevin Lee of R&C made several nice pan blur photos of Nick Licata negotiating the slalom. Everything's a blur, except Nick, whose racing skill is literally, figuratively, and photographically well focused.  Depending upon where we conducted...  Depending upon where we conducted testing on the El Toro Marine Base airstrips, colleagues needed to move the Ez-up so that those monitoring the laptop would be shaded from the sun in the 90-plus-degree Fahrenheit temperature. Here, Editor Kevin Lee of Rod & Custom took the opportunity to ham it up for the camera, while Advertising Executives David Stoker, John Whatley, and Michael Graham moved the awning with the help of Business Manager Matt Cunningham (far right corner). Also in the photograph was Web Producer Ed Kimball (behind the video cam tripod).  Editor Nick Licata of Camaro...  Editor Nick Licata of Camaro Performers and ace hot shoe appeared ready to rock and roll in the orange over black Backdraft Racing roadster.  When Jan Morgan pilots his...  When Jan Morgan pilots his Westfield XI, he wears ski goggles and a beret. Hello 1957, with a downhill skiing sort of slant!  Superformance CEO Lance Stander...  Superformance CEO Lance Stander parked his SPFGT Mk II at the staging area in anticipation of making some swift 0-60-mph acceleration runs. Behind the #2 GT40 Mk II replica of the '66 Le Mans 24 Hours winner, Bill Putman of Backdraft Racing awaited his turn to mash the go pedal to go most rapidly down the tarmac.  Like last year, we utilized...  Like last year, we utilized a 420-foot slalom, with cones spaced every 70 feet. Unlike in 2007, we mandated that Nick Licata drive all the slalom runs for the recorded times. In 2007, some of the replica manufacturers and car owners had trouble negotiating the slalom. Having Bob Bondurant School Graduate and automotive testing guru Licata drive each car assured that the best times would be posted on the slalom course. Check out how close he came to this cone in the jet black Factory Five Racing GTM.  Knowing some racers would...  Knowing some racers would be locking up those brakes, we saved the 60-0 braking runs for last.  Editorial Director Brian Brennan...  Editorial Director Brian Brennan most enjoyed the new Editorial Driving Impression component of the day's performance testing, as evidenced by his time behind the wheel of the FFR roadster.  On the rare occasions when...  On the rare occasions when former KC Editor Eric Geisert wasn't snapping a fabulous photo, he enjoyed riding one of Publisher Tim Foss' dirt bikes.  From the 3/4 rear view going...  From the 3/4 rear view going clockwise on the skidpad, one can really appreciate how dirty the track was. FFR Engineer and expert racer Jim Schenck piloted the Factory Five Racing Type 65 coupe on all four tests with consummate skill.  Advertising Executive Brenda...  Advertising Executive Brenda Frias recorded Jason Scudellari's driving impressions as they raced around in the BDR roadster.  Group Publisher Assistant,...  Group Publisher Assistant, Event Coordinator-both of these titles apply to Yasmin Fajatin. Without her tireless efforts, KIT CAR Performance Day 2008 would have been impossible.  The Superformance GT40 Mk...  The Superformance GT40 Mk II is so fast, Associate Publisher Angela Schoof and I sported tangled hairstyles. We did have the air conditioning set on full-blast! By the smiles on our faces, you have a strong clue of what we thought of the SPFGT.
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