Speed SF Challenge 2023 RECAP
Close fields, dark horses, and lots of new talent made this year’s Challenge one for the record books.
Speed SF’s committed clan of drivers kept the Challenge season full of excitement this year. The competition was fierce throughout most of the classes, the fields were full, and the number of new course records — nearly a dozen — proved the rapid rate of evolution, both from car and driver.
In S1 and SX, Steve Melson was our standout. His more-is-better approach to track days; running his McLaren 765LT, his Audi R8, and his Mercedes GT S simultaneously, proved he knows how to make the most of his (seat) time.
Unfortunately, his busy schedule prevented him from attending the required number of events to qualify for a podium place, but his occasional appearances were filled with laps thanks to the triple-session approach he’s made his own. Still, even with relatively few appearances this year, Steven was able to set a new S1 record at Laguna as well as a new S2 record at Thunderhill West. We look forward to seeing him next year.
Steven’s McLaren is, without a doubt, the fastest stock car currently in our ranks.
In S2, George Brooks, a newcomer to our series, established himself as a front runner from the start. His potential was clear after winning the second event, and the combination of consistency and his C7 Corvette’s acceleration kept S2000-driving Champion Gary Yeung on his toes. George's early-season pace wasn’t a fluke, either – he proved himself quick at numerous circuits with front-running positions all throughout the season. In fact, George did not miss a single event this year.
His commitment paid off; culminating in a double-points victory at the season finale at Laguna. Though George’s effort could not beat Gary’s outright pace in 2023, we have no doubt George will give Gary and the rest of the S2 contenders hell this year.
A simple Corvette and good support helped Thomas find his potential quickly.
Newcomer Thomas DiGioacchino rounded out the podium. His C5 Corvette and his driving improved considerably over the course of the season, and his five podiums stand as testament to the fact that, even with relatively little experience, putting yourself in good hands can help you hone your craft quickly.
On top of the regulars, there were four reclusive geniuses making up the ranks this year — each of their one-off wins kept everyone guessing. Seigo Ma (S2000), Steve Melson (Mercedes GT S), Kai Anderson (Camaro ZL1), and Tailai Lihe (Supra) might not’ve been in attendance every weekend, but they didn’t need to be to stand at the top of the podium.
In S3, we saw the closest title battle among any of our classes. It was Spencer Kimball and his well developed E92 M3 who eventually took the crown, but Legend Brandenburg in his modestly tuned Supra kept most of us guessing. The title wasn’t decided until the season finale — where the difference between these two was a mere eight points. Legend took the win that day, but it wasn’t enough to offset Spencer’s dominant performance from February to December.
Spencer’s M3 has had all its issues addressed and now puts in remarkable times consistently.
Tailing closely behind, mainstay Joe McGuigan in his recently sorted IS-F made the last step of the podium, and, it should be said, kept Legend and Spencer honest throughout the season. Also worth a tip of the hat was Ken Cemo, who attended every event and drove his Camaro exceptionally well. His upbeat attitude and commitment slate him as a future podium finisher.
Sean’s tidy driving made him the dominant driver in S4.
The S4 field was by far the largest, with thirty-three competitors and a close battle between S2000s at the top three steps. Sean Win-Yepez followed the wise words of Aki at Blacktrax and kept his S2000 simple and the changes minimal. Additionally, Sean started running double sessions to maximize seat time. This allowed him to run most of his best laps in the Gold Open Passing group, which reduced the pressure and made it easier to set a hot lap. With seven wins and eight new lap records at the end of the season, Sean’s holistic approach had clearly paid off.
While Sean set the S4 standard this season, it was wildman Nate Hackman in his milder S2000 sliding close behind and providing the entertainment. His flamboyant driving style was not merely exhilarating to watch, it was seriously fast; his bests often just marginally behind Sean. Maybe Nate will max out his allotted points in 2024 and give Sean an even tougher time.
David Haro snuck in a solitary win — another gold for the S2000 clan. We anticipate the other S4 contenders — Scott Smith (987 Cayman) and Patrick Chio (E46 M3), winner of the S3 season finale — nipping at Sean and Nate’s heels throughout the coming season.
Patrick (M3) added a passenger seat in order to run in S4 for the final event and showed most of the class his heels.
In S5, the two heavy hitters in the lightest cars traded positions all season. In addition to setting a slew of records at Thunderhill, Tyler Packard took his RX-8 to the title, but that was not certain until the final few rounds. S5 is anyone’s game as long as they show up frequently, as Patryck Sworonski (NA Miata) proved with an equally impressive series of wins and seconds. In the end, Tyler attended one more event than Patryck, and that made all the difference.
We hope to see both new and familiar faces ready at Laguna Seca on February 18th, where this year’s Challenge will officially begin.
On a technical note, our Competition Director Scott Smith has made a few modifications to both base and modification points to further converge on competition parity.
To view our class calculator for the 2024 season, please follow this link.
Brian's BRZ: Painful Lessons in Lubrication
Few BRZ owners have been as methodical when it comes to monitoring their engine's oil pressure as Brian Armstrong, who hopes to develop new components to make this popular new platform more dependable.
He’d spent years dreaming of driving on a track. Brian Armstrong had grown up hearing racing tales from his late uncle, a former professional stock car racer; and grandfather, a racer, mechanic, and performance engine builder. Even coming from good stock, Brian hadn’t really found a door into the world of motorsport himself. The opportunity finally arose when he relocated from New York City back to his native California in 2021.
Now in a more car-friendly environment, he decided to get a more track-oriented car and explore performance driving. It didn’t take long to choose a vehicle. He wanted a front-engine, rear wheel-drive platform and relatively low cost of operation. It was either the newly released BRZ/GR86 or the latest MX-5. The stars aligned when he found a 2022 BRZ in World Rally Blue in transit to a local dealer for MSRP. He put down a reservation site unseen and picked it up about a week later, in early December 2021.
In Good Company
He started with autocross, attending 4-5 events before graduating to track days. After a couple events, he found 86 Challenge, a local time attack series dedicated to the 86 platform and sponsored by SpeedSF and GT Radial. He started participating in the Stock Class, which allows only minimal modifications to the car, with the intention of setting a level playing field with a low cost of entry to be competitive. “The stock class appealed to me because all the cars are set up the same, more or less. That means your pace is primarily dictated by driver skill.”
The few modifications allowed in street class help showcase the BRZ’s brilliance out of the box; there are no drawbacks to having such a short list of legal upgrades. His car has the following modifications:
Pedders Offset strut mounts and top camber bolts for -2.5° of front camber
17x8” 949 Racing 6UL wheels wrapped in 225/45R17 GT Radial Champiro SX2 tires
AP Racing Endurance front BBK with Ferodo DS1.11 pads and Carbotech XP10 pads in the rear
7mm Perrin front spacers
ARP extended studs
GR Performance Exhaust
And he’s added a couple ergonomic tweaks: a shift knob from Ansix and, for a little added support, he inserted a section of half-inch yoga mat into the factory seat bolsters. It’s surprisingly effective!
In addition to competition, he also found community in 86 Challenge. Having faster drivers as benchmarks is helpful, but the participants also freely share information to help each other improve as drivers.“We record our telemetry data on AiM Solo 2 or RaceChrono data loggers, then share the data on Google Drive, so we can compare. It’s all voluntary, but we all want to help each other get faster.”
They were also interested in diagnosing some of the BRZ’s from-factory flaws. “We’ve also been collaborators in trying to understand and improve the reliability of the oiling system in the 2nd generation BRZ/GR86,” Brian continued. Two 86 Challenge participants had added oil pressure sensors to their cars and started documenting oil pressure drops on right hand corners as early as November 2022. After several drivers in the broader 86 community suffered engine failures on unmodified engines, including a couple who Brian knows personally, this became a bigger focus..
Brian’s analytical strengths helped him delve into the data and contribute to this effort. He instrumented his own car, with help from 86 Challenge drivers @nostreetracing86 and Miles Kodama, and published a video on YouTube explaining the issue with evidence from his car and two others. He also volunteered to test a prototype baffle from Killer B Motorsport and later Verus Engineering in hopes of finding a simple way to mitigate oil starvation.
Ironically, his engine blew the day one in-depth article he’d contributed to was published.
That expensive afternoon at Thunderhill East went smoothly until it didn’t. Initially, when Brian saw a pressure drop to 0 PSI, he first thought a sensor had failed. When he heard that terrible telltale shuddering sound emanating from his engine bay — the one he’d heard so many times in the big-hit failure videos on YouTube — he knew it was catastrophic.
Thankfully, fellow 86 Challenge driver Kevin Schweigert offered Brian space in his garage to suss out the cause of his FA24’s failure. With the pan on Kevin’s garage floor, Brian took a peek. It took two seconds to determine what had happened.
A small piece of metal had broken off the baffle and blocked the oil pickup. “It was a one-of-one prototype build, so these types of things can happen. Verus immediately accepted responsibility and said they would help with the rebuild.” They covered the cost of a new FA24 long block and, through generous donations from the community, Brian was able to cover the cost of labor and additional parts needed for the rebuild.
Second Stab
During this rebuild, Brian took advantage of the opportunity to make some improvements to his oiling system to try and increase durability and decrease flow restrictions, which can decrease pressure to the crankshaft.
His old oil cooler lines had been rubbing on a sheetmetal seam near the driver’s side headlight and there was insufficient protection from abrasion. It could have been a serious issue if not addressed.
Following advice from other 86 Challenge members, he decided to replace the lines with custom built Goodridge 910 AN hoses—as used in the GR86 Cup Car. These kevlar-braided lines are more abrasion resistant, but also feature a larger internal diameter, for less flow restriction. He also increased the size of the oil cooler core with the hope of reducing temps and reducing flow restriction.
His shakedown of the new engine, oil cooler, and a new generation of oil pressure instrumentation hardware at a recent SpeedSF event was auspicious. Everything worked well, Brian was at ease, so he pushed a little harder than normal set a new PB.
Brian’s committed to the cause. His continuing work with Verus aims to solve this starvation issue and the pair is planning to test a new prototype in January. They now believe the primary issue may be related to the oil returning too slowly from the heads to the oil pan, which the prototype attempts to fix.
The community support and innovation from the major aftermarket players have encouraged Brian to continue chancing his baby in an attempt to solve the problem which worries most BRZ owners. Undaunted by the big bang this year, he’s planning on returning to Stock class in the 86 Challenge in 2024. Consider it a testament to a lovely atmosphere among cooperative drivers and an exhilarating platform worth taking a few risks for.
Buttonwillow: Where to Eat, Where to Stay, What to Avoid
Driving Buttonwillow is an experience that shouldn’t be missed, but it requires you prepare for the heat, pick a decent hotel, and endure the long drive.
“Just don’t think too much on the drive down,” says Elite Performance’s Gary Yeung.
It’s a long, dull drive to Buttonwillow, and the timing of the drive determines whether the drive is endurable or if it’s agonizing. Plan for construction on I5 if traveling after 8 PM in either direction.
Still, even though it’s the furthest track from San Francisco we visit, Buttonwillow still draws big crowds. Many are willing to make the trip south because Buttonwillow’s flow is unique and always challenging. Fast in places, technical in others, with all sorts of minor nuances that take some time to learn, driving there is never dull. Plus, it’s where most of Southern California’s track drivers benchmark their cars—on the 13CW configuration, anyways. A good time at Buttonwillow carries some weight in the track day community.
Before you can think about setting a quick lap, you have to prepare for difficult weather. The ambient temperature varies wildly, and from March to October, it’s not uncommon to deal with temperatures in excess of 100°F. Do what you can to stay in the shade; the elements will start to slow you down before you notice any decline in performance.
And as the giant tumbleweeds in the vicinity will tell you, it’s not only the stagnant heat you have to worry about. There is usually one good daily gust that can send everything flying, so always tie down your easy-ups.
Most of those who’ve contributed to this article insist that you drive a little further to nearby Bakersfield if you’re insistent on staying the night. Some would rather wake up early and make the long drive south than deal with Buttonwillow’s fleabag hotels. However, you can enjoy a more casual morning if you’re willing to drive to nearby Bakersfield, which boasts better food and a Costco, among other things, to make finding those odds and ends easier.
If you can spend a little more, the garage spots are usually worth the price.
Forty-five to thirty minutes outside of the track, you’ll find some respite from the weather and the iffy lodging outside the track.
Lodging
Motel 6 North
5241 Olive Tree Ct, Bakersfield, CA 93308
Motel 6 Central
350 Oak St, Bakersfield, CA 93304
Bakersfield Marriott
801 Truxtun Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301
Harris Ranch Resort
24505 W Dorris Ave, Coalinga, CA 93210
Food
Aside from the decent cafe at the track, there are several decent options for a bite.
Taste of India
20687 Tracy Ave, Buttonwillow, CA 93206
Frugatti's (661) 836-2000
600 Coffee Rd, Bakersfield, CA 93309
Hungry Hunter Steakhouse
3580 Rosedale Hwy, Bakersfield, CA 93308
Willow Ranch
27770 Lagoon Dr, Buttonwillow, CA 93206
*Note that this is a good place to fill-up because it’s the last stop before the Lerdo Highway exit for Buttonwillow.
Tita's Pupusería Lonchera (taco truck located near Motel 6 Central)
20645 Tracy Ave, Buttonwillow, CA 93206
The worries of the weather are justifiable, but not something that should keep you from visiting the track. Buttonwillow is not the most accommodating place for a weekend away—hence the reason some choose to drive down the morning of the event, but it is worth the slog. Its flow, complexity, and challenge aren’t rivaled by any other Northern Californian track. If you prepare carefully and stay hydrated, the day spent in the blazing desert sun is well worth it.
