Hoover

Grapeman Noble Race Car

Rating: 2 votes, 5.00 average.
11 Comments
by
Hoover
, 12-11-11 at 08:48 PM (80703 Views)
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It's obvious that the Grapeman needs no introduction. We all know him as Robert. A humble man that spends all day battling in courts, but dreams of driving during his breaks.

Robert is the kinda guy that does what he says and says what he does, it's that simple.
Going back a few years, he simply enjoyed his car, life was good. He got bit by the race bug and decided that the Noble was built for racing, so racing he must go.

A plan came to order and after an entire year of ups and downs, Robert went through 2011 crushing the competiion and winning the overall SoPac Championship, 2011. What a way to represent our little group. Is it all car? The car doesn't drive itself, it just had to run consistantly and the rest was up to Robert to pilot it to a win.

Robert asked us the other day, "what's next?" It's obvious that he accomplished what he wanted to, so he'll take it easy and run SP (Super Production) for 2012. Ok, that's easy????? It's the fastest darn group in SCCA for all cars with a roof!!!!!

We wish him the best for this season and can't wait for all the videos and stories to tell.
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  1. Grapeman's Avatar
    Thanks, Hoover! I appreciate the kind words. I have to correct one thing, though. SP is not the fastest class, we just run with the fastest cars. SP cars are definitely fast, and my days of "Occupy Podium" from ITE are gone. There are some super fast guys in SP who beat the tar out of me last season. But even they are not the fastest of the fast. That's obviously GT-1. Indeed, I just noted that Michael Lewis is signed up to race Fontana in our first event of the season (January 25-26). He drives a Jaguar of all cars, and he won the SCCA Nationals this past year (2011). I understand that his lead at the end of the race was just under 30 seconds! 30 seconds ahead of the second fastest SCCA GT-1 driver in the country. Rather impressive, I'd say.

    Anyway, we're in the same run group with GT-1 (and GT-2, for that matter). So my plan is to be within 30 yards of him when the green flag drops just so I can say that I was there, and then try like heck not to be lapped....twice.
  2. Hoover's Avatar
    that's all driver.
    the HP/Weight Ratio are still not as good as a Noble.
    Now that you got 500whp, slicks, it's going to be about the driver more than the car.

    On the flip side, glad we're not in Gt-1. Lewis is a Pro driver!!!
  3. Hoover's Avatar


    the power range is 440whp to 505whp, depending on where boost control is set.
  4. Hoover's Avatar
    Grapeman is going to try and shake it out this weekend. Last minute details and a quick drive today. The new bushings are stiff....REALLY STIFF!!!!!!!!! No doubt, the suspension needs tuning to get rid of some of the bump steer.
  5. Grapeman's Avatar
    I'm ready! Hoover is on his way down here to deliver the car. Then, it's off to Buttonwillow for two days of shake out and getting reaquainted. Hoover tells me that the car will be much stiffer, we upped the hp a bit (around 50 rwhp), and I'm now running full slicks (Yokohamas) instead of DOTs. So, it should be fun as heck!!! I'll keep you posted.
  6. Grapeman's Avatar
    OK, so Hoover just left my house. The car looks fantastic, and the engine bay is, well, as state of the art as state of the art comes! I can't wait to drive it!!!!
  7. Hoover's Avatar






    We snapped these before we washed the windows and car....
  8. Hoover's Avatar



  9. Hoover's Avatar
    yesterday, Jimbo and I flew to Burbank to change some of the tune, in preparation for the first race of the year.


    the shop's dyno had an rpm pick-up problem, so we worked around it.
  10. Hoover's Avatar
    [IMG][/IMG]
    [IMG][/IMG]

    [IMG][/IMG]
  11. Hoover's Avatar


    we made 515 hp at 16psi. that's 3-4 psi. less than most set ups that make over 500hp.