Here it is from the top...

Friday (Competition School/Observation)-

Arrive at the track fairly early, as always. The butterflies are already going. In the classroom, Dan Unkefer along with a driver panel of 5 well-respected/well-accomplished drivers introduce themselves, then listen to us (the students) introduce ourselves. After completing the half-track, leapfrog, rolling start (dnf), and standing start races, I'm feeling pretty good. The butterflies had subsided. Up walks Mr. Cobetto. Here come the butterflies again. He goes into this long explanation about "race-driver" criteria, and has a grimm look on his face. I'm thinking; "Well, I thought I did good, but I guess I'm still doing something wrong". After two or three minutes of what I thought was me being told I had failed, he puts me in a death grip headlock and says; "Congratulations, you'll be racing this weekend! I had to scare ya a little!" What a great start to the weekend!

Saturday-

After the all-hands meeting, the "rookies" debrief with Scott and Karl. I'm thinking, "please God don't let me screw anything up". I obtain my logbook, apply my rookie stripes, and get the car ready in preparation for our upcoming practice. Once out on the track for practice and qualifying, I raalized that THIS was where it's at! Passing signals suck. (Yes, I know they're necessary for schools! ) I qualified 10th, which I was very happy with, mainly because I stayed on track and didn't hit anything. Finally, we grid up for the race. At this point, I realized that I knew absolutely nothing about what butterflies felt like. Seriously, someone hand me a barf bag! After a good 8-10 minute delay, the orange comes up (slowly). I rev as best I know how, and then the green drops! There's no turning back now! People mentioned to me that I gained 3 positions at the start. My reply was, Really? Again, my first priority was completing my first race without an off or contact. I finished the race 6th overall, 4th in class. I was very happy

Sunday-

Spin twice in practice, and afterwards sit for a good hour trying to figure out what I did wrong. Knowing that I've only had two spins in my entire HPDE "lifetime", this was disturbing. I take others' advice, and brush it off. It was good advice. In the qualifying, I still managed to repeat Saturday's performance and qualify 10th, though backing off considerably to 7/10ths or so. During the race, Alex spun coming out of the "kink". I noticed this, and was glad to see he was okay. I also thought that "hey, I might have a shot at placing in this one". Somewhere near halfway through the race, I notice that Robert was really picking up the pace, and he was gaining ground on me quick. I started pushing harder, when out of nowhere, Alex is on my bumper through 12, 13, and 14. I said to myself, "what the hell"?! We jump onto the front straight, and have a f&f drag race to turn one. Not having evolved into a racer-minded driver yet, I gave up the inside after pulling on him down the straight. He got me! Awesome pass, to say the least. During the last lap, I catch up to Warren and somehow ended up passing him on the inside of the carousel. On the same lap, I see Corey sitting behind the worker station at 8. I think to myself; "Damn, it better not be another axle!" I pass the checker thinking three things; "My first racing weekend is a success, Warren's car must have a problem, and Corey's axles better have held together!"

Overall, I had one of the best weekends of my life with a truly GREAT bunch of people. My utmost thanks to NASA (Chris, Dan, Jim, Elyse, Alicia, Tony, etc), the workers (big thanks for helping us do what we love safely), my fiancee/pit crew/camerawoman Tammy, and to all the ECHC competitors who graciously accepted me as part of the group. I'm honored to have the ability to race with such a classy and sportsmanlike group

Sorry about any misspellings or ramblings, I'm tired

Pics (taken by Tammy)-

http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4291527313

 

jason, like i told you at the track you were looking good out there.

tammy great pics.

 

stunna skillz in full effect

 

Jason~ great write up! Sounds like you're already a bonafide thread to all those already competing in H2. Congrats.

 

congratulations

 

Here are some shots taken by http://www.euroimage.us

http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4291526945

 

[quote]This is where our hearts were in our mouths. Alex had done an excellent job trying to steer, even visibly <u>countersteeirng</u> <u>backwards</u>, but at this point we weren't sure he was gonna make it!
[quote]
That is really scary, I'm glad Alex's wheels didn't catch. Can anyone explain to me how that went down?





[Modified by Mclaren_F1_Fan, 3:14 PM 8/6/2002]

 

My heart stopped watching Alex, then Whittaker, do what looked from the pit wall to be what happened to Keith. One car a weekend is MORE than enough.

 

Jason it was great seeing you do so well out there. I had a blast (while it lasted) running with you in the Comp school. You are a really good driver and I glad you had soo much fun last weekend.

 

Alex can obviously explain it the best.... This is what I know, he was on my *** coming out of T8, I pulled a couple feet on him before the kink.. He told me he just felt he was to close to be safe, and did lift the slightest bit, but didn't realize the turn in was right there as well, and was still off throttle on turn in.. He did the best he could to save it, and actually stayed on the track for several seconds countersteering, but that slowed him down A LOT, so he didn't hit the dirt at to high of a speed..

 

Thanks Corey. I can picture exactally what you are talking about.

 

i was right behind you guys....i thought he just got sucked up and pulled off in coreys draft....once he went 2 wheels off the car just seemed to drift out on him and just went around....i prepared to make evasive moves when his passenger side was parallel to the track...didn't know what his car was going to do.....i passed him just as he went off track right....so i wasn't able to see where he went....i was concered about slowing down for the next turn...but going down the front straight i saw it was all good!! sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwww....he was alight....

 

just post the dam video tank man, or i'll do it when i gets the copy in the mail

 

He didn't get 2 off Chad.. Trust me, I got it on video

 

Nice Pics! Thanks!

 

Well no-one is happier than me that I didnt roll. I began to think Summit point all over again. but as Corey said I was right on his bumper (thats English for rear end) on the back straight, as as we came to the kink I lifted ever so slightly just to put a few molecules of air between us. I was planning to deep brake him into the next corner. Just Like I did with Chad the lap before (thanks for the extra room Chad!).....but next thing I know Im looking at the tires/trees dust etc.

the worst thing was it took a couple of laps for the dust to settly down in the car

King RAT!

 

Where is the point by?? Stop holding up traffic jk

Great job Jason

 

i saw you coming and thought well he is going to go deep so i try and keep more exit speed and get you on drivers side then dive in passenger side on next corner....but i remembered what happened to me on saturday trying to catch the leaders on the first lap so i decided it wasn't a good move to make so early in the race....and you are faster than me at the start so.....i gave ya the room reluctantly