Whew, what a rush. I was on my way back to the office, and this Silver Camaro Z28 (new model maybe 99-00)was with me all the way. We were both speeding to pass traffic (weaving our way in&out of traffic). We finally pass everyone, and I figure no way am I gonna kill a Z28, so I lay low. I'm behind the guy and I start to pull over and am creeping up to 70 (trying not to look obvious or start anything). Well the guy keeps up w/ me and looks over smiling (like he's the big dog), there is a set of twisting turns coming up in about a mile so I figure I may be able to take him. So I punch it... I took off, and while passing, I hear his engine kick in and rev high (musta been an auto) I'm passing (as I got a headstart on him). We are neck to neck and he is creeping up (not as fast as I thought) we then hit the tunnels to this mountain overpass (see pic of highway 'cause I wasn't gonna describe the drop). I see 2 cars up front 1 in each lane (on the 2 lane highway), I was thinking maybe I could squeeze in between and cut over to the right in front of the car in the right lane and behind the car in the left (lane I am in), but the car in front gave me about 15-20 ft to inch into going about 100mph, so I figure to slow down, the camaro is now behind me as the slower car cuts him off. I slow to about 80 thinking it was over, when the car in front of me cuts over to the right. So I punch it again and there is a very severe couple of S turns up front and a huge drop off of the mountain if I screw up. Well I must of hit the turn going over 90-100. My car pulled right and felt like it couldn't give any more, I then jerk it to the left and feel the car settle nicely. (This was the fastest I've ever taken this turn (80 was the fastest), I was feeling to make sure the car didn't come out from under me so I let off the gas and got ready to slow if I had to .... Nope, everything fine, I then punch it again down the other set of S turns (looking back to see the camaro and he's way back as I hit the other S' (see pic far left next to mountain). Then I take this huge horseshoe turn 1/2 way down and look ...No Camaro. As I get down the mountain, No camaro anywhere (and there is no place to turn off obviously).
Boy that probably was the stupidest thing I've done as my arms felt like bricks after I took the first turn. I guess the camaro either knew he was beat or was smarter than me.
Just had to share.

See the drop off -- One wrong move and it's over 1000 feet down. On the right of the pic. is the 1st S turns, you can't see it. We were in the lane w/o traffic in this pic
http://members.aol.com/PKrogh1158/portfolio/honalulu.jpg


_________
My car 93 325i
Jim C chip
ECIS Intake (K&N)
Brake snorkel

wow lopaka!

that's a crazy story... and i like the pic, nice kill! damn cameros.... that mountain looks like one hell of a place to drive, looks fun. jus' be careful. :D

congrats.

hmm kinda reminds me of our highway 1 richard. Nutty story- i loved it, but i'd hate to hear about an ///M3 that dropped 1000 feet while doing 100 on an s-curve. Just make sure you stick around a while, i want to hear some more good stories. ;)

hella of a story...nice pic...cant believe you were taking turns like that at 100:cool:

Hey guys, yeah I hear ya. When I took that turn I let off the throttle because I felt the car start to drift. I've drifted before, but not on such a narrow road. Best thing was I didn't use both lanes (I stayed in the lines hehe) Nutz, no. I think that's why my arms were feeling so numb, it was compensating for my brain. lol But my tires are Z rated and I think the extra compound helped me stick the road as well as a smooth fast switch back (I described it as a "jerk", but it really was smooth).

I never try to push my car, but I know the limits of it and my driving. I also make sure I have a safe car, I don't care about killing myself, but I don't want to kill anyone else as some of these ricer's do by taking undue risk and driving an unsafe car. I took off early from work so that I could do a quick inspection, change the oil, and check the front brakes, and all tires. I'm checking the rear brakes this weekend.

The pic was all I could find while posting, but it is a tourist spot so I did a search and low and behold there was a pic w/ the highway in it. You don't usually see pics w/ an ugly highway in it, but I think it was a pic from the DOT re: traffic on the town bound traffic.

I'm still stoked about that race
Take care
~Lopaka

ya know... taking those turns on the mountain side kinda reminds me of the music video "cosmic girl" by Jamiroquai... where they race those exotic cars at high speeds around the mountain.... anyone else know what im talkin' about? http://www.gsxgirl.com/smilies/biglaugh.gif

Great story Lopaka, next time just be a little careful, u dont wanna end up in a crash just for that 10 mins of adrenaline rush !

if I were familiar with the road I probably would do it too:)

i'm glad you didn't throttle snap oversteer when you lifted off the throttle while drifting in the turn,,,
that's a major no, no be careful dude

Originally posted by tampaturbom3
i'm glad you didn't throttle snap oversteer when you lifted off the throttle while drifting in the turn,,,
that's a major no, no be careful dude

ah ha! I was wondering when someone would say something. I took the turn fast, I had to bleed speed.
It was either brake and conduce over steer (which I did not want to do) or lift the throttle. I chose to lift the throttle. As I did, I felt the car want to lift a little, I corrected and hit the straight and eased the throttled to the floor so that weight was favoring understeer again and my center of grav. was on line. It was a hairy situation for a sec.

Lopaka,
Good kill....but are you nuts. That portion of the Pali has crappy roads that are usually damp. And you never know where a stray tourist or two will pop up. Plus, many cars have flipped at the slightly off-camber left turn at the end. You're a very lucky person. If you really want some fun, you should attend the BMWCCA Aloha 500 "car control clinic next year." It's a blast and you run w/ cars and drivers more to your ability. BMWs of course (3's, Z's and M3's mostly) and a whole bunch of 911's, even some prepped just for track use. Instructors are actual racers from the mainland.

Originally posted by bmwmnut
Lopaka,
Good kill....but are you nuts. That portion of the Pali has crappy roads that are usually damp. And you never know where a stray tourist or two will pop up. Plus, many cars have flipped at the slightly off-camber left turn at the end. You're a very lucky person. If you really want some fun, you should attend the BMWCCA Aloha 500 "car control clinic next year." It's a blast and you run w/ cars and drivers more to your ability. BMWs of course (3's, Z's and M3's mostly) and a whole bunch of 911's, even some prepped just for track use. Instructors are actual racers from the mainland.

BMWMNUT, do I know U? Hawaii chapter BMWCCA? Turned down the Aloha 500 (wasn't it this weekend?), too wimpy for me. Boring all day of driving schools and if you get to wyld they burn you for it. I rather do the monthly auto-x. More freedom, more people into modified/racing and competition is fierce (those guys are really nutz, and they are a lot younger and livlier to be around). Although havn't been there in a long time.
know there will be guys from the scca and porsche clubs there (couple guys I don't like also I know will be instructors, argh). To B honest, hawaii bmwcca too many old folks... If you tell a kill story they look at U like a young punk, and cringe. There version of race ready is an M or Z car stock with maybe springs and rims. As far as the Pali goes, it was nice and cool, but very little percipitation. And very few cars (only 2 we ran into through the 1st tunnel).

Kill stories are fine with us younger ones in the CCA. There are actually quite a few of us younger ones nowdays and we love to tell kill stories. In fact, on the way back from last weekends Aloha 500 some idiot in a Conquest turbo was acting stupid and I had to walk all over him on Kal Hwy. Regardless of what organization you're with, I guess you will always get chastised when you run a little wild. I kinda got soured on the SCCA experience in the early 80's when I was racing in High School. The powers that be didn't like teenagers racing. At that time I ran Solo II while my bro ran Solo I and II. They talked all kinda sh*t about age requirements and parental waivers...so I said forget it and walked away. I guess a lot has changed in those years and now SCCA Nat'l encourages teen racers. I figure I'll give it another try and do some racing this season.

i was thinking you were from and your story was from california,,, i didn't realize it was Pali mtn. my dad lived in Hawaii for about 8 years. he was the president of the Corvette club. one saturday on the way to a "fun run" we were in his 54 vette coming down Pali and he blew the motor.... i heard this loud "POW" and looked behind to see a piece of metal smoking and rolling down the road. we coasted to a stop and some other corvette folks picked me up to take me to the event. he and the VP pulled his car back home and he grabbed his stock 72 vette and "hurried" (if you know what i mean) to make the event. i rode in a 67 big block coupe, as a teenager, that was a joy in itself!!
so Pali has a distinct memory that is etched into my memory for ever.
Aloha man,

Originally posted by tampaturbom3
so Pali has a distinct memory that is etched into my memory for ever.
Aloha man,

That's a great story. Nothing like bondin' w/ the old man. Corvette lover, eh. My dad fixes big blocks. We let "Chucks corvette" do most of the corvette conversions, but we do a lot of the cooling systems for the bigger bad boyz. I used to have an '85 vette... loved it until it got broken into and the comp. brain melted into mush... $8000 for the repair job... glad to have insurance.

So you know how hairy the pali can get. Would U do it too? =)

unfortunately i can't resist the urge to push it to the limits. i know i shouldn't, but it's something inherent inside of me. it's a good thing there aren't any mountains around here. i enjoy making the back end get a little loose around some corners,, and when i make 90 degree turns and know that there aren't any cars on the road i'm turning onto,, i try to slide into the turn... it drives my daughter crazy,, but my son loves it!!! they are used to it now. i'm a little nuts.
be safe