NASA-MA Region Virginia International Raceway February 20-21, 2010

After a long week of learning at Clemson University...what does a Biology student do for fun?  He drives his car of course!  Everyone does that right?  Sure....but do they really drive it?  I know one that does.  A sea of asphalt dotted by orange cones...hit one...no big deal...with it will cost you 2 seconds.  This is what David looks forward to.  We all know it as AutoCrossing.  

Our new kid on the block just wrapped up a podium finish of second place in F Class at the Clemson Sports Car Club Autocross and 19th overall fastest after hitting a cone on his fastest run.

Results can be found here

Great job David!

We spend so much time working on our own cars that sometimes we forget about what is fundamentally important.  New drivers.  New drivers play an important role for all of us.  New ideas, new skills and yes...another driver we have to figure out how to be faster then.  

TDMS with the help of Mama Debbies has put together a starter package plan for David Escobar to build his experience into what we feel is a smart choice for an Autocross driver to help build him into a road course racer one day.  How ever it goes...I am sure David will present good times for TMDS in Autocross as he works to develop his track skills for the future.

It has been a while since the last update....so...here is what's going on.  Picture a car in a trailer if you will with less then desirable temps and makeshift heat along with multiple projects being worked on.  Things have come a long way.

Most for the good and well..the rest I am told are for the good.  Just kidding.  Everything being done is working towards a goal but I have a long way to go yet.  New, new, new, almost new has been the general buzz inside the trailer along side of thoughts of I cant squeeze in there, I have to twist my body that way to work on things and hammering metal to make things fit, and of course...many moments of heavily cursing and wondering why I am doing this.  Why?  Because I love it.  I love the challenge of figuring things out and seeing the result...though without the help of so many people answering my questions....I would still be guessing.  

Lets get to the good stuff.  Complete suspension overhaul,  new control arms, new bushings, new ball joints....and a MazdaSpeed Spec Miata suspension.  But wait, that's not all.  After a years planning I have also upgraded the brake lines to Stainless Steel lines and replaced a stock line I didn't like the look of.  All new rotors and Hawk pads and a complete system flush with new ATE Super Blue brake fluid.  Was that enough?  No.  With the advice and help of my fellow drivers, a seat upgrade has also been done with a Sparco Pro ADV seat with head protection along with a pro 6 point camlock harness.

So what could I add to the long winter list of things done?  How about a complete redo of the trailer inside with an upgraded lighting system, layout and a new floor treatment.  Its been a long winter and I am ready for some track time instead of work time.

Once the setup is done...a picture gallery will be posted in the photo ablums area.  Keep an eye out for a new addition.  

I have a feeling about something...More to come....

From all of us here at Tannerdog Motorsports, we wish each and everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Thinking back on the past year we have been blessed with great friends and family on and off the track.  We wish to offer great thanks to so many that gave us support in 2009.  Mom of course is first.  She called me crazy for doing this.  But after she saw the first event..she was hooked and saw what I seen.  Now she spends her weekends clicking the stop watch and cheering me on.  She is my inspiration and drive to do the best I can.  Glaze Communications...You have been with us from the start....Thank you for the fourth year of dedication towards our dream.  We do what we do for you guys.  Murt and Dirtay...I would be lost without you guys helping me keep my car running.  OG Racing...thanks for looking out for our needs with superior advice and service.  I gotta give a shout for Liz....Liz is one of the workers that help us grid up to go out.  She is a good friend who spends many weekends keeping all of us drivers straight and in the right spot so we can go out in the right place.  She is one of the grid people that makes sure we are ready to go out.  She is a true asset to the sport.  Thanks Liz!!!

Much has changed in the last few days on so many platforms of what Tannerdog Motorsports strives to make user friendly and behind the scenes work on the Miata easier to understand and view.  With great thanks to Twin Visions Studio for allowing us to do a rework of the site they created for a couple of regions...we have been able to develop a site that is compatible for everyone.  Over the last several years we have built on a PHP platform.  Though after setup and ease of use...it limits plans for the future.

I have to give a massive thanks to Robert for hooking me up with Paint Shop Pro many years ago so that I can do all the graphic work with ease.  But I cant stop there...I have to give thanks to Tony Resha at Tailgating Trackside for being the start of this...or should I curse him...LOL.  I remember it all...Lucky for believing in me...Brett for help that's beyond words...Bob, Walt, Dwight, and so many others I spent so much time online with for great inspiration.  My two tech builders...Murt and Dirtay...where I am today would not be without them.  I could go on and on...

I will keep it short and sweet with this...We are living in the future...not in your past...that is our new moto.  It is time to make some changes for the good.  One of the biggest moves we have made is putting Mazda logo's where they need to be and offering a move for our 3 year sponsor Glaze Communications to the hood if they want it.  The other big thing for the Miata is the installation of a MazdaSpeed Spec Miata suspension kit to finally be able to set the car for the track and to allow it to handle...now we just need to get the nut behind the wheel to learn it and drive it.

I have to give special thanks to Mama Debbie's Seafood.  After 25 years of festival service we have provided communities with...Mom an I have hung up our aprons and can call it a quarter century of fond memories.  I will fly the Mama Debbies Seafood banner on the windshield until she asks me to take it off.  Mom and son will always stick together through thick and thin.