Track rat

Hey Bowie, Catch 22.... Word?

o-man

read mine. Bowie and Karl scored a 2nd on Sat and a 1st on Sunday in the ECR. Catch /Xian chased problems all weekend. Massive oil leak, slipping clutch. Adam was going through wheel bearings like candy. Think he finished 4th in the sprint

RacerBowie

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Track rat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hey Bowie, Catch 22.... Word?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I got to go Integra and CRX hunting at one of MY tracks. It was quite entertaining.

Sarah said I had her laughing so hard with my comments over the radio that people in the pits thought something was wrong with her.

RacerBowie

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by o-man &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">read mine. Bowie and Karl scored a 2nd on Sat and a 1st on Sunday in the ECR. Catch /Xian chased problems all weekend. Massive oil leak, slipping clutch. Adam was going through wheel bearings like candy. Think he finished 4th in the sprint</TD></TR></TABLE>

Oh yeah, and Sarah was passed out by about 9:30 after playing with O-man's kid all day.

...and 4 of us drank over half that keg in 2 nights, as Scott and Christian were too busy to drink much. My poor liver.

o-man

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RacerBowie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Sarah said I had her laughing so hard with my comments over the radio that people in the pits thought something was wrong with her. </TD></TR></TABLE>

There is something wrong with her...she married YOU! Thanks again for the passes! Hope Sarah has recovered from Whit! Tell her thanks again

Knestis

I heard that the only reason you beat any of those guys was that they were having trouble with their cars, Bowie...

And someone - PLEASE - WTF's up with lowering the ITB lap record by a week or whatever it was??

K

RacerBowie

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Knestis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I heard that the only reason you beat any of those guys was that they were having trouble with their cars, Bowie...

K</TD></TR></TABLE>

Oh, absolutely. The trip backwards up the esses at 100+ helped too. Stupid Spec Miatas, with their beady little eyes and flapping heads so full of lies.

Catch 22

Excluding last year's ARRC, where we totalled the car, that was the most unfun I've ever had at the race track. We rolled the car off the trailer, started working on it, and never stopped all weekend. Out of two races we saw zero checkered flags.
At least it handles like baboon *** when its running. For much of the weekend I wasn't any faster than I used to be in my ITC car (and this is an ITA car).

Dr. K... Welcome to having Trever and Chuck in your class. They were leading ITA for a whole lot of the Sunday race in their ITB car. Good luck with that.
I think the final offical fast lap tally was a 2:23.4.

Scott, who had a 10.5 hour drive home to contemplate how completely awful his last two race weekends have been, and is considering taking the hint and retiring the Sparco for good.

Track rat

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Scott, who had a 10.5 hour drive home to contemplate how completely awful his last two race weekends have been, and is considering taking the hint and retiring the Sparco for good.</TD></TR></TABLE>

BS. It's in you too deep.

As I've gotten older I've found that just having an opportunity to drive my car fast on-track is enough to satisfy the need. Yes, I miss the real competitive door to door stuff, but I don't miss the ugly part (read Catch's post), and the time and money it takes to run in a super competitive arena.

Example: NASA SE had a pretty good race car turnout last weekend at Rd ATL, 60+ cars in both race groups. However, there were only 6-7 HC cars...and of course I was the only car in my class. BUT... I thoroughly enjoyed it. I got to run close with some other cars, My car ran quick and problem free and I hung out with my pals. It's just fun...without the pressure. Perfect for an old fart.

It's funny though...the 'eye of the tiger' lies just beneath the surface as I contemplate having maybe 10+ H2 cars to race with at Mid Ohio in Sept!

Stay cool Rat...it's just a hobby!

Xian

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Excluding last year's ARRC, where we totalled the car, that was the most unfun I've ever had at the race track. We rolled the car off the trailer, started working on it, and never stopped all weekend. Out of two races we saw zero checkered flags.
At least it handles like baboon *** when its running. For much of the weekend I wasn't any faster than I used to be in my ITC car (and this is an ITA car).

snip...

Scott, who had a 10.5 hour drive home to contemplate how completely awful his last two race weekends have been, and is considering taking the hint and retiring the Sparco for good.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep. The weekend was pretty much crap from the car perspective. The car had some issues that had probably been brewing for awhile (an incorrectly installed rear main seal, a mystery overheating problem that's probably the thermostat). The handling will get sorted... loads of fun... it'd go straight from push to oversteer without ever being neutral

Despite the car problems and spending WAY too much time working on the car and not nearly enough drinking beer, I had a great time on track. Took my first green and managed to work thru traffic and make passes. Didn't get tangled up with anyone else and managed to stay out of the way of the faster cars.

A huge "thanks" goes out to everyone who helped over the weekend: Scott, Trevor, Bowie, Sarah, Karl, Adam, O-man, Tom and the whole OPM crew, and perhaps most importantly all the corner workers and volunteers who helped everything to run so smoothly!!!

Christian, who's gotta get the mechanical problems sorted b/c this sorta **** sucks.

Catch 22

All things considered, Christian did extremely well.

First race
90ish cars
Never been to the track before
Car was a raving POS all weekend

Thats a recipe for a mess, but he managed to stay out of trouble and actually made a few competitive passes (but gave them right back by going off... DOH!). He got some mad car control skills, we just have to get the car cooperating so he can learn how to race.

We did do enough laps in the 2nd race for him to get one race signed off in his novice book, so theres a success to hand our kitty litter covered hats upon.

Hracer

From the other thead: Mark Carpenter, also a regular poster on H-T, just destroyed the VIR ITA track record with a 2:17.18. That's right a 2:17.18. It happened on lap 9, as he got a great draft from Enrik Benazic on the backstraight, who also set his best lap of the race on lap 9. According to mylaps.com Mark also got a couple of 18s in there as well, so draft or no draft, his speed is no fluke - he was coming like a freight rain. If the race would have been 11 laps instead of 10, it would have been REAL interesting. If I didn't have to check up for a lap marker that got sideways in front of me in those tight esses on the last lap, it would have been our fastest of the race because of how fast Mark was coming. Fortunately with the steering rack issues from a day earlier fixed, the car had a little bit left in the reserve tank at the end with the front tires holding nicely. Bowie, although I still don't know about an entire 1.5 hour enduro, I do think that Teggy's a match for that pumpkin of yours in a sprint. You would have had a blast in the sprint.

Also to Adam for driving the wheels of that CRX in the sprint to keep up with the bigger HP cars. I drove that car for 35 mins in the enduro and even with some more track time for me to get braver behind the wheel I didn't think it could dip in the 19s, but Mr.Richman proved that it can. Fun weekend overall and after four years it was great to be back at this fabulous track again. I definitely can still learn a few more tricks from the local boys (Mark, Adam), but at least this time they were nice enough to let someone else win on their home track.

Racerboy03

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hracer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">From the other thead: Mark Carpenter, also a regular poster on H-T, just destroyed the VIR ITA track record with a 2:17.18. That's right a 2:17.18. It happened on lap 9, as he got a great draft from Enrik Benazic on the backstraight, who also set his best lap of the race on lap 9. According to mylaps.com Mark also got a couple of 18s in there as well, so draft or no draft, his speed is no fluke - he was coming like a freight rain. If the race would have been 11 laps instead of 10, it would have been REAL interesting. If I didn't have to check up for a lap marker that got sideways in front of me in those tight esses on the last lap, it would have been our fastest of the race because of how fast Mark was coming. Fortunately with the steering rack issues from a day earlier fixed, the car had a little bit left in the reserve tank at the end with the front tires holding nicely. Bowie, although I still don't know about an entire 1.5 hour enduro, I do think that Teggy's a match for that pumpkin of yours in a sprint. You would have had a blast in the sprint.

Also to Adam for driving the wheels of that CRX in the sprint to keep up with the bigger HP cars. I drove that car for 35 mins in the enduro and even with some more track time for me to get braver behind the wheel I didn't think it could dip in the 19s, but Mr.Richman proved that it can. Fun weekend overall and after four years it was great to be back at this fabulous track again. I definitely can still learn a few more tricks from the local boys (Mark, Adam), but at least this time they were nice enough to let someone else win on their home track. </TD></TR></TABLE>


Made a clip of the last 3 laps of the ITA sprint race if anyone is interested. The second lap of the clip is the 17.1 lap. Enjoy!

http://vids.myspace.com/index....6&n=2

Mark C.

Hracer

That was one heck of a wild right at the top of the esses. Did the back of your car get airborne, too? Nice!

Here are three more clips from our car. First one is from qualifying, second is the race start and the third is one and a half laps (that's all the space I had left) from earlier on in the race.

quali
raceStart
racelaps

Track rat

Nice vids Alex!

I love the guy in the white ITS RX7 (during qualifying vid).

Was that his first lap ever at VIR ?

Willard

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hracer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">That was one heck of a wild right at the top of the esses.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Nice vid Mark

Track rat

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Willard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Nice vid Mark </TD></TR></TABLE>

Hellava save!

Willard

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Track rat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hellava save!</TD></TR></TABLE>
No chit...

Nice save and transition back into the game at hand.

phat-S

Barkeep, a round of hubs for all my kind friends here!

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Track rat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nice vids Alex!

I love the guy in the white ITS RX7 (during qualifying vid).

Was that his first lap ever at VIR ? </TD></TR></TABLE>

I think it was either his first time at VIR or his first time racing. He was going out every session with Kent Thomspon (looked like to learn the line) during practice day (Friday) IIRC and I think that even in Quali they went out together. Not sure how he ended up but he really did pick it up over the course of the weekend. Now as for the ITA BMW ...

Mark, fun ride at the top of the esses there. I was trying to picture that in the CRX and all the scenarios I came up w/ look like those inbound tracking scenarios on a nuclear missle strike (w/ none of the targets being pavement) LOL Congrats again on the fast lap - I am quite envious.

I am going to have to make some tee-shirts for the rest of the non-Integra field that say "I love the smell of rear tire in the morning." -- except unlike Robert Duval's character, I wouldn't be able to say "smells like victory"

We'll return to VIR, hopefully with a a little more power or a trunk monkey or something.

Hracer

Allan, not sure about who was driving that RX7, but I was sure that he did not see me when we were along side each other coming out of the last turn. The reason why he slowed down on the straight is because this time he did not miss the blue flag station. Can't see it in the vid, but the guys in the starter stand were almost going to throw it at him. But then again, it’s qualifying and he has every right to run his own lap.

I've heard it said all weekend and now I'm actually seeing it again - the tegs definitely love locking up the rear wheels. For us that was the biggest weakness all weekend. Most of VIR's braking points are not done in a straight line and with the pad combo we run - which works great in hard and straight braking zones, like at road atlanta - it was hard to go deep anywhere when the car is not balanced perfectly straight. The inside rear locking is not good, but still "ok", but during the test day I've had both rears lock up a couple of times going into roller coaster swinging the back end around, as if someone pulled the hand brake. From then on I was just afraid to go in deep, but with less rear brake bias the car definitely can. There is a brief moment when both rears lock up (you can hear it) in the quali vid going inside the white RX7. It was also a close call passing that BMW at the start and I'm glad that worked out nice and easy.

Looks like the red Integra had similar brake issues. How was yours Mark?

Hracer

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phat-S &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am going to have to make some tee-shirts for the rest of the non-Integra field that say "I love the smell of rear tire in the morning." </TD></TR></TABLE>

The funny part is we don't have one single tire with any kind of visible flat spot. I guess there's never really that much load on the inside tire when it's dragging, but it sure looks painful. See, I bet your little rear drums can't put on that kind of a show!

phat-S

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hracer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The funny part is we don't have one single tire with any kind of visible flat spot. I guess there's never really that much load on the inside tire when it's dragging, but it sure looks painful. See, I bet your little rear drums can't put on that kind of a show!</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, its quite painful looking. From far enough back from you guys (which I unfortunately had more that my share of laps of) T1 looks like all three had just taken each other out. Entering Oak Tree was also where you guys really smoked them up -- cannot (now) recall Roller Coaster. And drums or not, extra weight or not, the brakes felt really good that weekend (except your experience which was obviously not "brake" related per se - more like break related) but yes, no great show like the Teggies.

And yes, IIRC, Mark's rear lockup were as bad as Rick's and yours.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hracer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">passing that BMW (at the start or any time)... </TD></TR></TABLE>
again, talk about envy ...

o-man

The "guy" in the white RX-7 was actually a "girl." Saw them at the Italian Restaurant Sat on my way home. She was the one who caught the grass on fire. TWICE!

phat-S

Oh just looked it up on mylaps, we're talking about two different cars. She (the #90 car) is the one from Friday and the one I thought was progressing through the weekend (probably because I never saw THAT car again) and was the one that you (Oscar) must be talking about burnin the grass. Its the one that Thompson built in 2002/3 that they autocrossed around here a few times (all white car, pretty plain Jane).

The one in the quali video (#83) was the one that wasn't too far back from our group in the SARRC race, actually started the row behind me (and I now recall that was the car I saw on the last lap in my mirrors going into Roller Coaster and thought I had backed off too much and he would catch me). Looking at the lapchart for Quali on MLaps (if I am comparing these right), I think he must have tucked in behind Alex after that lap in the vid?? and cracked off his fast lap soon after (from a 2:28 something to a 2:21).

Sooo, White #90, she/her/girl, burnt grass, dnr in SARRC, apparently eats Italian food w/ the Thompsons, ran test day, picked up time as the weekend went on, was doing lead-follow w/ Kent on Friday. Ran in the 29s on Sunday ECR.

White #83/85, he/him/guy, ran the SARRC, is who is in Alex's quali vid, dnr the ECR, finished 4th in the SARRC, ran a 20.3 on Sunday.

Whew, way too much work LOL

Honda318dx

Mark, awesome video to the AWESOME lap!

Your car has got great handling and a hell of motor/tranny combo (built or not, its a good motor)

That save was pretty sweet! What happened at T1 on the beginning of the 3rd lap?