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Posted by: GregAmy Feb 28 2019, 08:02 AM

Wins the EP National championship in a 944, time to move to a new toy. KvS and his brother build strong cars. This one will impress.

http://prodracing.com/prodcar/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18982

My ex-ITS, ex-STL, ex-STU, now EP K20 Civic is gonna get wailed on.


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Posted by: stownsen914 Feb 28 2019, 11:27 AM

Sharp looking car. I'll look forward to seeing how he does with it.

Posted by: GregAmy Feb 28 2019, 01:42 PM

Sounds like it was Len Hoffman's old 1.8L FP car. @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=209 do you remember it?

Posted by: ChrisFoley Feb 28 2019, 02:03 PM

A guy I know in Texas bought Len's old car. Not sure if he passed it on by now.
Len had some interesting rear pickup point mods that would be a give-away if it was his.

Posted by: HAM Inc Feb 28 2019, 06:20 PM

Yep. That's my old car. The guy I sold it to in TX ran it once at Rd Atl and decided he liked vintage racing more. It changed hands a couple times after that before Kip got it but apparently none of the other owners ever raced it.

I sure like what Kip's done with it. I expect it will be hard to beat if he gets it dialed in to his liking. Kip's an outstanding wheel man.

Posted by: campbellcj Mar 2 2019, 07:53 AM

Beautiful car! I sure hope some action with it gets televised or streamed here on the leftie coast.

Posted by: ottox914 Mar 4 2019, 10:07 PM

The thing we all dream about. Nice. Need some event updates and video, plz.

Posted by: GregAmy Mar 5 2019, 09:24 AM

QUOTE(ottox914 @ Mar 4 2019, 11:07 PM)

Posted by: GregAmy Aug 30 2021, 11:34 AM

This car is now entered in the 2021 SCCA Runoffs at Indy, to be driven by John Hainesworth. John is a strong driver - P2 in the 2019 Runoffs - and this should be a potent combination.

Watch this space!

https://www.scca.com/runoffs

Posted by: jd74914 Aug 31 2021, 09:08 AM

Very cool!

Random, but the linked thread made me think about it, any idea where the Kirby car is these days? I saw Finch not too long ago and didn't think to ask him.

Posted by: HAM Inc Aug 31 2021, 06:43 PM

QUOTE(GregAmy @ Aug 30 2021, 10:34 AM)

Posted by: GregAmy Aug 31 2021, 09:05 PM

Len, did you sell it with the /6 or was that installed after you?

Just curious about more of its history.

Posted by: HAM Inc Sep 1 2021, 05:39 AM

Greg, I ran it with a 1.8 4 in FP. Kip switched it to a 6 to move up to EP.

He kept my suspension design, and pretty much all of the bespoke bits I made, right down to my homemade fitted seat. Hope John does well with it at Indy. I'll be watching!

Posted by: PaulFV8 Oct 8 2021, 03:08 PM

Any update from Indy? I don’t see it on the result list

Posted by: stownsen914 Oct 8 2021, 04:10 PM

I wondered as well. I noticed Hainsworth was driving an RX7 at the Runoffs, so I guess the 914 didn't make it this year.

Posted by: bam914 Oct 8 2021, 05:26 PM

It had an engine failure on test day.

Posted by: GregAmy Oct 9 2021, 07:12 AM

Yep. Sorry I didn't follow up.

John tested Sunday(?) and was constantly having some issues with the car. He got towed in during the day and I went over; Kip was playing with electrical stuff. His theory is that a bad ground may have caused COP failures; I thought of helping but they were in a rush so I just offered to gopher anything as needed and walked clear.

Was it Monday(?) they had it running and John again went out for test day and was flat-towed back in. Next time I saw him, John was at his own trailer, getting ready to roll out Old Faithful, his RX-7 convertible. Verdict: internal engine failure. John drove the RX-7 in all qually sessions and the race, finishing 3rd.

But I gotta say, when it was running that 914-6 sounded glorious along the front straight. We were paddocked right along the front straight at Turn 1, and we could tell it was him, without looking, easily. Fantastic car, too, well-built. John had tested the car at Sebring(?) and Moroso(?) prior and was convinced it was the right tool for Indy; I'm sure we'll see that car again soon, with or without John in the seat (Kip's 944 is in STU now).

As for my part, well, it was a tough week. Rest assured I really really know better, but we went there with a new drivetrain in the MR2, and both transaxle and engine failed in separate sessions. Lots of R&R time in the grass on jackstands. But we had plenty of beer and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtgBePg1o7g

I'm'a just thinkiung about digging out the 914/4 for the Majors and Runoffs in 2022, and have fun striving to make the 115% lap times cutoff against the F Production Miatas and Hondas...car is running good (thanks, Blake!) so why not?

Posted by: maf914 Oct 11 2021, 05:55 PM

I watched several 2021 SCCA Runoff races live on the SCCA website. In the E-production race I could not find the 914 listed in the entry list or on the race broadcast. After the race, during the interviews with the top three finishers, John Hainesworth stated that they had tested the 914-6, had problems, and brought out his trusty Mazda RX-7. I found it interesting that his RX-7 was a second generation RX-7 and a convertible, so it races with no windshield, sort of like 914's.

If you haven't done so, go to the SCCA website and watch some of the runoffs. They have years of racing available. I prefer the production classes, but I am dating myself. As a spectator I've been to the Runoffs at Road Atlanta (x3), Mid-Ohio and Daytona. If not for the crazy Covid situation I may have gone to INDY this year.

Posted by: HAM Inc Oct 12 2021, 06:30 AM

QUOTE(GregAmy @ Oct 9 2021, 06:12 AM)