http://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/tmk's carved out existence on the big net featuring a blog and other self centered contentCopyright (c) 2014 tmktmk-web@infeline.orgFri, 2 May 2014 04:35:24 GMTwebpooL 0.2 rev.2005.09.032bb232c0b13c774965ef8558f0fbd615http://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=523Having a really bad day. Day off from work to hit the tracks and half way through my second session I was following Kojima around 100R approx 140kmh or so when the car spun around and continued to spin inwards and I slammed into the inner barriers. There are no escape zones there. The accident resulted in the red flag being waves and the session stopped. Ambulance and clean up crew arrived and I...Wed, 30 Oct 2013 19:39:00 +0900ba2fd310dcaa8781a9a652a31baf3c68http://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=524Mon, 14 Oct 2013 21:58:00 +090069421f032498c97020180038fddb8e24http://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=525Got up super early today to make it for the 8:30(!) rendezvous at Shinjuku Station south exit for a trip to Fujigokon and Fuji Q Highland. We were 14 or so and somehow got squeezed into 3 cars, some Honda people carrier, a land cruiser, and my little Eight. The plan was to go to Fuji Q today, but the traffic was insane. It took 6 hours (one stop at Dangozaka SA included) to get there so the plan...Mon, 14 Oct 2013 05:59:00 +090038913e1d6a7b94cb0f55994f679f5956http://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=517Eight Day (8/8) again. That’s the day where RX-8s gather at various locations to celebrate (a bit more on this in Thu, 8 Aug 2013 23:56:00 +090063538fe6ef330c13a05a3ed7e599d5f7http://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=519One of my regular neighbourhood bars, The Bar Place, had its 10th anniversary party. It’s been awhile since Kyo (the owner) had one of these big anniversary parties. I think the last one was the Club Phase. So in some ways not a whole lot have changed in the last 6 years maybe. Some of the regulars are gone and some new ones have joined. The ones that are still around have gotten older (like...Mon, 5 Aug 2013 13:30:00 +0900ebd9629fc3ae5e9f6611e2ee05a31cefhttp://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=518Nakane Racing Design's annual go cart event went down at Quick Hanyu in Saitama. They had rented out the track for the day and had various qualification runs to put people in different groups followed by finals etc. Nakane had brought awesome prizes for everyone as well. Great fun, except that I managed to pull off all the skin of a large patch on my left hand. :/ Sun, 4 Aug 2013 19:01:00 +0900cf67355a3333e6e143439161adc2d82ehttp://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=520One of my humble new years resolutions this year was that I was going to get off my lazy ass and get a circuit license, so did exactly that at Fuji Speedway today. Went for a track session too while I was at it. Circuit runs in the summer clearly isn’t good for me nor for the car. Engine went hot and sprayed coolant all over. Some professional Super GT cars were practicing in the same session...Wed, 17 Jul 2013 17:38:00 +090007563a3fe3bbe7e3ba84431ad9d055afhttp://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=521To me wheel alignment has always been some sort of black arts. Sure, I know the basics like what toe/camber/caster are, but I'm not very confident in what to do to get the handling characteristics I want. My suspension has been replaced a couple of times and the latest has been on and off a few times to get the car through "shaken" (Japanese inspection thing) and I have no idea where my wheels...Thu, 11 Jul 2013 16:36:00 +0900f3f27a324736617f20abbf2ffd806f6dhttp://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=516Mazda Tuning Festa is probably the biggest annual event here in Japan for rotary nuts and, like last year, I took a day off from work to head out to Tsukuba Circuit and check it out. Unfortunately the weather was really crappy so there were less people this year, but the cars were still awesome even if it feels a bit nostalgic now that Mazda doesn't make any rotary sports cars anymore - though we...Fri, 5 Jul 2013 22:05:00 +090059b90e1005a220e2ebc542eb9d950b1ehttp://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=514My catalyser melted at Tsukuba Circuit last weekend so I needed a new catalyser or a straight pipe. Seeing that decat won't pass "shaken" (inspection) and apparently smells horror I settled for RE Amemiya's Sports Catalyser. It's certified for "shaken" and should be a lot more heat resistant than the stock one. While I was there I got them to drop in their Super Intake Box Set as well despite...Sun, 30 Jun 2013 19:00:00 +09003dc4876f3f08201c7c76cb71fa1da439http://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=513Melted my catalyser at Tsukuba Circuit today. It was really really hot and not a great day for lapping a circuit, neither for the cars nor for the drivers. After a few rounds the car suddenly lost nearly all its power and refused to rev beyond 4,000rpm and it got worse through out the day. Crawling home without any power was interesting and borderline scary on the highway. Good way to learn how...Sun, 23 Jun 2013 21:09:00 +09002b8a61594b1f4c4db0902a8a395ced93http://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=515One of the main reasons for changing my suspension to Tein's MONO FLEX earlier was to install EDFC Active, a control thingy that let's you change the damper settings electronically from within the cabin. It took awhile to get around to do this as I wanted to do it at the same time as the "shaken" (inspection). I did the shaken at Nakane Racing Design (as they could build the car down to make it...Sat, 15 Jun 2013 17:31:00 +090010a7cdd970fe135cf4f7bb55c0e3b59fhttp://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=512Went for another track day at Fuji Speedway with Kojima and Nakane & Co. Even if my 8 is way too under powered for this power circuit (especially on a track day organised by a GT-R club), it's always fun to flog it around the track. However, this time around it all got a bit hectic with limited time to prep things beforehand and it got quite stressful and the day turned into a day where most...Sat, 4 May 2013 22:51:00 +0900a760880003e7ddedfef56acb3b09697fhttp://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=511Golden Week this year has been a bit eventless so far. I opted to just take off days according to the calendar, meaning I didn't string the holidays together into one continuous holiday by adding some paid holidays in between. The result of this is of course that there really isn't enough time to do anything too involving (unlike last year's road trip). Went a short trip to Yamanashi though, a...Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:49:00 +0900389bc7bb1e1c2a5e7e147703232a88f6http://tmk.infeline.org/webpool/index.php?fuseaction=index.blog&id=508We have people in our team in the San Francisco office so while I'm here on this side of the planet it seemed like a good idea to drop by so worked at the office for a day and met up with people etc. Always nice to drop in here. Much more relaxed atmosphere than at the head quarters in Tokyo. In the evening I met up with the gang and the newly weds and we went out to Russian River Brewing...Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:08:00 +0900