Suprise at an SCCA PDX
5/20/11, 08:40 PM
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Suprise at an SCCA PDX
I signed up to attend a Performance Driving Experience (PDX) sponsored by Western Ohio Region of the SCCA at the Mid Ohio Race course. It’s an open track with Instructors available for Novice like me. When I got there I saw 2 11/12 mustangs. One was black with LS red wheels (No graphics) and a racing seat. The other was a Grabber Blue GT with Boss Front end and Boss wheels and a racing seat. Turns out it was a few members of the Boss development team, some of the same guys you see in all Boss videos. So I took it upon myself to go over and chat. They were really great Guys. They were excited to see a Production Boss. You could tell how proud they were of their work and excited to see owners taking their Boss to track events. I asked one of the individuals if he would drive a few and ride a few laps with me. After clearing it with the sponsoring organization, we hit the track in the First session after Lunch. WOW, it was very cool (and helpful) to see and feel what the Boss can really do. It would have taken me a long time to inch up to what I thought were the limits of the vehicle. Instead, he blew right through my expectations. He made the Boss corner like I couldn't believe. And he was probably 75% because in his car, it made our laps look slow. My instructor said my follow session was WAY faster than the morning. (No timers at open track).
I asked about the track Key. He immediately down-played any big HP gains but said the set-up was very conducive to quicker lap times because of engine management. He said it was on his vehicle but I did not ask if he was running it, I assumed he was. On the way out he stopped by to thank me for buying a Boss. He said it was the first production Boss he had drove.
Anyway, Mid Ohio is awesome, a total Blast! Three 20 min sessions in the Morning and 1-20 and 2-25 min sessions in the afternoon. I can't tell you how enjoyable it is to run the Boss full out with the quad exhaust baffles out on an awesome track, having Lunch on a picnic table, with Boss team members, shoot'en the S _ _ t about the Boss. It was a 3.5 hour drive home and I still can't get the grin off my face.
I asked about the track Key. He immediately down-played any big HP gains but said the set-up was very conducive to quicker lap times because of engine management. He said it was on his vehicle but I did not ask if he was running it, I assumed he was. On the way out he stopped by to thank me for buying a Boss. He said it was the first production Boss he had drove.
Anyway, Mid Ohio is awesome, a total Blast! Three 20 min sessions in the Morning and 1-20 and 2-25 min sessions in the afternoon. I can't tell you how enjoyable it is to run the Boss full out with the quad exhaust baffles out on an awesome track, having Lunch on a picnic table, with Boss team members, shoot'en the S _ _ t about the Boss. It was a 3.5 hour drive home and I still can't get the grin off my face.
Last edited by Bossdog; 5/20/11 at 08:43 PM.
5/20/11, 08:53 PM
#2
Hey Bossdog! Great to see you posting this up! This is the guy with the black Miata with the red hard top. 
I enjoyed talking to you today.
It was a GREAT day out at Mid Ohio today, and ^ he wasn't the only Mustang there either. Besides his Boss and the 2 factory reps, there were a few other Mustangs today too. I'll be taking mine out in July, at the ITSpec-Tacular hosted by the Cincy Region SCCA up at Mid Ohio. I'll just be out for fun that time, don't want to risk wrinkling the new car, and I don't have all the right equipment for it yet to push it too much (just enough. hehe)
As for me, I have new, adjustable shocks on the car, and worked with the shock settings and fine-tuned the tire pressures. I learned a LOT about vehicle handling and dynamics today. Pushed the Miata much farther than I have before and loved it!
I'm going to have to restrain myself when I get my GT out there!
I enjoyed talking to you today.It was a GREAT day out at Mid Ohio today, and ^ he wasn't the only Mustang there either. Besides his Boss and the 2 factory reps, there were a few other Mustangs today too. I'll be taking mine out in July, at the ITSpec-Tacular hosted by the Cincy Region SCCA up at Mid Ohio. I'll just be out for fun that time, don't want to risk wrinkling the new car, and I don't have all the right equipment for it yet to push it too much (just enough. hehe)
As for me, I have new, adjustable shocks on the car, and worked with the shock settings and fine-tuned the tire pressures. I learned a LOT about vehicle handling and dynamics today. Pushed the Miata much farther than I have before and loved it!
I'm going to have to restrain myself when I get my GT out there!
5/20/11, 09:08 PM
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Great story Bossdog thanks for sharing. As I started to read your post and read there were Ford engineers there the first thing I thought was did he ask about TracKey? Good job.
Were you running your Boss completely stock? If not what did you change/modify?
Were you running your Boss completely stock? If not what did you change/modify?
5/20/11, 09:20 PM
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That is really cool!
What an unexpected chance meeting. As someone who derives immeasureable pleasure from seeing someone else enjoying a building or space that I created, I'm sure that they were far more excited than you at the circumstance of the day.
Also delighted to hear that Mid-Ohio was fun. I'm planning a visit there for August 18th. Too bad my Boss won't be here yet. I'll have to do with the ol' GT500 for one more season.
What an unexpected chance meeting. As someone who derives immeasureable pleasure from seeing someone else enjoying a building or space that I created, I'm sure that they were far more excited than you at the circumstance of the day.
Also delighted to hear that Mid-Ohio was fun. I'm planning a visit there for August 18th. Too bad my Boss won't be here yet. I'll have to do with the ol' GT500 for one more season.
5/21/11, 01:11 AM
#7
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Wow, that sounded like quite the experience. I enjoyd reading your post and felt like I was at the track. Nice to know we have enthusiast like those racers who design and build our Mustangs.
5/21/11, 03:35 AM
#8
Wow, sounds like a blast, I would have done the same with my car no doubt. You must have felt like a kid meeting some kind rock stars.
Heading out for my first track day in an hour, I am sure they are proud about how they are turning on so many first timers to the Boss track experience.
Did they say anything about Trackey timing? Still mid-July
Heading out for my first track day in an hour, I am sure they are proud about how they are turning on so many first timers to the Boss track experience.
Did they say anything about Trackey timing? Still mid-July
5/21/11, 07:35 AM
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) said he has a slight preference for the street boss over the LS, he felt it was more balanced. I asked about adding the LS back-seat brace. He said the rear seat adds about 4-5% rigidity and the Brace less the seats nets a + 3 or 4%. But felt the chassis compliance without the brace benifited most avg drivers. He felt any additional rigidity may cause inside rear wheel lift with exceptionally aggressive driving. We talked about brakes, He commented on my use of brakes (not super aggressive as a novice) and said the stock set up would be perfect for my current use. Of course he woud be be bit biased on all the Boss stock choices as he was involved in most. They went on about how good (robust and heavy duty under high temps) the design was on the Torsen and how much it adds to the performance. Apparently the engineers wanted to make it Std equip. Oh, and, they highly recommended both accessories for ALL trackers of any level, the Trans scoop and the Brake ducts. I have neither yet. I did not ask about the SS brake lines but I'll add them too.They just shrugged their shoulders on timing
Last edited by Bossdog; 5/21/11 at 08:04 AM.
5/21/11, 08:05 AM
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Yes, I am running completely stock, The One engineer who stated he has as much time behind the wheel of a Boss as anyone, (and rode with ME ) said he has a slight preference for the street boss over the LS, he felt it was more balanced. I asked about adding the LS back-seat brace. He said the rear seat adds about 4-5% rigidity and the Brace less the seats nets a + 3 or 4%. But felt the chassis compliance without the brace benifited most avg drivers. He felt any additional rigidity may cause inside rear wheel lift with exceptionally aggressive driving. We talked about brakes, He commented on my use of brakes (not super aggressive as a novice) and said the stock set up would be perfect for my current use. Of course he woud be be bit biased on all the Boss stock choices as he was involved in most. They went on about how good (robust and heavy duty under high temps) the design was on the Torsen and how much it adds to the performance. Apparently the engineers wanted to make it Std equip. Oh, and, they highly recommended both accessories for ALL trackers of any level, the Trans scoop and the Brake ducts. I have neither yet. I did not ask about the SS brake lines but I'll add them too.
) said he has a slight preference for the street boss over the LS, he felt it was more balanced. I asked about adding the LS back-seat brace. He said the rear seat adds about 4-5% rigidity and the Brace less the seats nets a + 3 or 4%. But felt the chassis compliance without the brace benifited most avg drivers. He felt any additional rigidity may cause inside rear wheel lift with exceptionally aggressive driving. We talked about brakes, He commented on my use of brakes (not super aggressive as a novice) and said the stock set up would be perfect for my current use. Of course he woud be be bit biased on all the Boss stock choices as he was involved in most. They went on about how good (robust and heavy duty under high temps) the design was on the Torsen and how much it adds to the performance. Apparently the engineers wanted to make it Std equip. Oh, and, they highly recommended both accessories for ALL trackers of any level, the Trans scoop and the Brake ducts. I have neither yet. I did not ask about the SS brake lines but I'll add them too.
5/21/11, 08:30 AM
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Great story Bossdog! I agree, that's very very cool. I guess I was a bit coy about my trip to MPH in Hastings, but it was a VERY similar experience. I know that 
feeling you are talking about. To get the chance to meet the guys that brought this car to life really complements the entire experience. For those of you that want to experience this in spades, make sure to pencil in the Who's The Boss Experience on 9/24-9/25
Oh and as cool as it is for us to learn from them, I think Bossdog's right that it's validation for them that all their hard work paid off when they see us out enjoying them at the track.
I know that feeling you are talking about. To get the chance to meet the guys that brought this car to life really complements the entire experience. For those of you that want to experience this in spades, make sure to pencil in the Who's The Boss Experience on 9/24-9/25 Oh and as cool as it is for us to learn from them, I think Bossdog's right that it's validation for them that all their hard work paid off when they see us out enjoying them at the track.
Last edited by cloud9; 5/21/11 at 08:41 AM.
5/21/11, 12:08 PM
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Wow, sounds like a blast, I would have done the same with my car no doubt. You must have felt like a kid meeting some kind rock stars.
Heading out for my first track day in an hour, I am sure they are proud about how they are turning on so many first timers to the Boss track experience.
Did they say anything about Trackey timing? Still mid-July
Heading out for my first track day in an hour, I am sure they are proud about how they are turning on so many first timers to the Boss track experience.
Did they say anything about Trackey timing? Still mid-July
5/21/11, 05:50 PM
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Good info all around. None of the media went ape **** over the LS either and the engineers explanation of the brace makes sense. I need the back seats so an LS was never a consideration for me but if I didn't have kids an LS would have been a priority. I was planning on adding SS brake lines and the brake ducts but not the trans cooler. I'll see how hard I drive before adding the trans cooler but will probably add that to my list. I didn't want to add it because mine will be mostly driven on the street and it does appear to hang down a bit. Did you discuss the gauge pack or front splitter with them?
Great story Bossdog! I agree, that's very very cool. I guess I was a bit coy about my trip to MPH in Hastings, but it was a VERY similar experience. I know that feeling you are talking about. To get the chance to meet the guys that brought this car to life really complements the entire experience. For those of you that want to experience this in spades, make sure to pencil in the Who's The Boss Experience on 9/24-9/25
Oh and as cool as it is for us to learn from them, I think Bossdog's right that it's validation for them that all their hard work paid off when they see us out enjoying them at the track.
I know that feeling you are talking about. To get the chance to meet the guys that brought this car to life really complements the entire experience. For those of you that want to experience this in spades, make sure to pencil in the Who's The Boss Experience on 9/24-9/25 Oh and as cool as it is for us to learn from them, I think Bossdog's right that it's validation for them that all their hard work paid off when they see us out enjoying them at the track.
