I *think* I've recovered

On Saturday I was having a bit of a hard time locating my nads. Ran a 1:33 and got down to the high 1:30s racing. I was slowly getting more comfortable with passing and strategizing and planning ahead...all the racer stuff that's new to so many of us. Of course I was still a bit timid, plus Brinson and "that guy in the CRX" rolled Scott and I so bad it hardly mattered. Had we not done a few laps under a full course yellow I would have run out of gas. Trust me, fuel starvation in the middle of T9 (85-90mph) is not a lot of fun. I will now always go out with just over a half a tank.

Sunday was a different story for me, qualifying 2nd in H3 and 7th overall. More importantly, there were 0.5 seconds separating me, Lyonel Kent (H4), Brinson and Giles. Should make for some quality entertainment, right?

Not so much. Green flag drops...hey, why is the car in front of me not moving? I hear that I might have tapped him (Delfino/Depew's H1 car with the big wing) coming to a stop. So I was stuck for what felt like an hour, watching damn near the entire field go around me. I don't know how many positions I lost but let's just say most of H5 made it by me by T1.

Time to go to work. I managed to get back (I think) all the positions I'd lost. I could see Scott up there and he was getting closer...then farther...then closer...I pedaled as hard as I could and couldn't get it done in those last few laps. He'd put a car between us and I had to dispatch it as quickly as possible. Great fun! Sunday was honestly about as well as I've ever driven the car in my 4+ years in it. I'm still stoked and probably will be for weeks.

I came home with a busted windshield and a brake duct pickup (turn signal lens) that is jheld on with a zip tie. The car ran like a scalded dog all weekend. The Carbotech Panther XPs were simply amazing, the ability to rotate good tires in and out will save me money in the long run...good stuff.

The only real big issue we had during the weekend was the 50 car. Honestly if thats the biggest problem a fledgling race series has in a double race weekend we've done pretty damn well. I'm working to come up with the best solution for how to handle this, so in the meantime, let's try to not string the guy up in a public forum so much. I remind all of you that this is difficult stuff to work out, and I will do so to the best of my ability. Enough said on that.

Also want to thank Diane, Pete and Renee (among others) for helping me out on Saturday, and Chris and Gray for coming up on Sunday. I guess when I've got people around to help it's a forgone conclusion that the car won't break

I guess that's it. Maybe I'll go out and unload the truck now.

 

i'm still high too!!!! oh it was soooo much fun....and i didn't go off during the races!!

did go off in 5 two times in practise cause i was trying different lines and different breaking techniques!! locked up the rears and just spun out on me.....thanks warren for not killing me!!! i guess he went sideways down the shoot when he saw the yellow flag WAVING!! but after trying those different techniques i was able to reel cars in during the races.....deep deep braking into 5.....got brinson there and 2 crx's.....it was so much fun!! have i said that already in previous posts~~

 

You're making me drool...

 

Karl, you were just rocking on Sunday! I think my comment inspired you All I want to say is thanks for everything you and Scott are doing.. You don't realize how much EVERYONE in the series loves and respects you guys..

 

And those of us looking on from afar wish we could be there with you.

Scott, who can't write proper while drooling.....

 

Nice job on not totally destroying the 00 car. Yours too

p.s. Like my new location?

Warren

 

thank you guys for posting all of this information. i almost feel like i was there just by reading your posts. thank you for showing people that hondas have a real purpose and ability. looks like a lot of fun, maybe in five or six years i can watch you guys from a better view

 

Yeah, Shultz, Senna, Kleinubing, Cunningham, Prost, Foo, Harvey and so on - in no particular order of-course

 

That's just too damn funny.

 

Well, the races were a success again, my personal weekend wasn't

First, I discovered that I hate Summit Point. It is the poorest permanent race surface I've ever had the displeasure of driving on and it is bumpy as hell. I don't enjoy getting pummeled in the car and having to concentrate just to keep my feet from bouncing off the pedals. In the unlikely event I return to the track, I'll run much softer spring rates.
Hey, at least the bathrooms are nice and clean .

I also think I bent a few valves and ripped a few teeth off of 3rd gear in the process of learning the track Saturday. See... it's not good for a motor when your feet bounce off the clutch and the brake... in the middle of a downshift.
GGGRRRRRRRIIINNNNNNNDDDDDDD.....WAAAAHAHAHHAHHHHHH HHH!!!!!!!
After that the car had very little power and started smoking like crazy. Oh well, that's racing I guess.

Sprinkle in a locked up brake caliper, oil leak, a 22 hour round trip, and an irate visitor from SCCA yelling at me 20 minutes before the gridding of Sunday's race and you have the recipe for a really nasty pot of soup.
Oh well... On to round 3. Hopefully I can get my damned points lead back from that bastard Brinson.

Shultz and I did have a blast late in Sunday's race. He really pushed me hard. Kind of redeemed the whole weekend. Kind of.

 

Heh, you should hold an event at Nelson Ledges in Ohio...then we'd see who had all their bolts torqued down enough! Sorry you had a downer weekend, add me to the list of people who had a blast watching you guys mix it up. My article will be coming soon, I'm in prep mode for writing it, going over notes etc....should have a burst of creativity this evening

 

That was probably the best 10 minutes of my life, seriously. I've never had so much fun doing anything. Nice driving

 

Hope you enjoyed it. That's as close as you'll ever get.

Damn... it's starting again already .