We just returned from NCM Motorsport Park and the 2024 SCCA Time Trials Nationals. The recent announcement that the event would be moving to PittRace in 2025 put a bit of a period on this year’s event. So this could be the last time to lay down records at NCM for this event, at least for the forseeable future.
With the recent divestment of the Probe, I took the Buick to the event, running in Max 1. In the TTN rules hierarchy, Max 1 is the fastest class that’s limited to a 200 treadwear street tire. The Grand National is hopelessly outclassed in this environment, but you run with the car you have.
Arrival
We got to the track early Thursday morning, unloaded the car, got it through tech, and unloaded our stuff. We then set forth on a very successful practice session. Matching my best time from the last event we ran at NCM last May. By the end of Friday, we’d put down a 2:33.2, essentially matching the fastest we ever ran, which was with the Optima Search for the Ultimate Street Car several years ago.
Needless to say, I was very optimistic I could set an even faster lap on Sunday. The data showed I had a 2:32.8 continuous (from one spot back to the same spot, but not the start finish line) lap in the first session, and adding up my fastest sectors showed a 2:28 theoretical. More speed was out there.
Falling apart
But the car didn’t cooperate. I lost a charge coupler clamp in every session beginning Saturday afternoon until my last session on Sunday, when after completing a 2:33.102, a new personal best by a few hundredths, I had an exhaust manifold gasket fail.
The coolest race of the weekend, to us, wasn’t the many track records that were set, but the race for last place in M1. It was literally Mustang vs. Grand National.
Mark Bowling’s Fox body was a stout build. Gutted, caged, hot 302, fat tires, and updated suspension. We traded spots all weekend, it was awesome. A vintage time trial inside the main event.
Mark did manage a 2:32.7 on Sunday in the last session after we pulled off with the blown manifold gasket, but I’d put enough distance between us on Friday that I held onto the overall spot at the end of the event. Buick Won the battle of the 80s this time.
The KY Region SCCA paddock compound once again provided the venue for a great bit of late-night partying. Once competition was done on Saturday we streamed the F1 qualifying from Mexico City and shared bourbon with all our friends from out of state.
All in all, the event was a huge success. While disappointed I couldn’t get the car down to the kinds of times I know it can do, I did back up previous performances and the car did just fine as long as the clamps all stayed in place.
Moving on, I’ll be getting rid of the stock location intercooler in favor of a front mount. The SLIC was being contacted by the steering gear and I think that’s what was shoving it around enough it was pulling itself out of the turbo outlet coupler. While I have the turbo off, I’ll be pulling the passenger side exhaust so I can fix the header leak. The passenger side rear axle seal is also leaking a small amount and I’ll need to pull that axle and remedy that.
But that’s the extent of the post-event maintenance, which is impressive. We did 130 miles at speed this weekend. Burned ~40 gallons of fuel doing it, too.
This event concludes our 2024 season. Looking ahead to 2025, the aim is to get the Corvette finished, but if it doesn’t get there, the Buick will be ready.
Here’s a full album of photos and videos from the weekend: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fSs8177DesMWh65m6
Here’s a link to the Buick’s build sheet: https://www.andrewdscott.com/?page_id=490