2011 National Championship Race (final race)

#21

Nice write up Denny! I think it’s awesome that you offered your car to Anthony. If you need any help, call me.

#22

A few comments about the weekend…

Many thanks to DriveGear (Andrew and Jon) for hosting the cookout Thursday for lunch. At the grocery store that morning, I was thinking we’d get about 30 people. And with the rain, and the on/off/on status of lunch, I didn’t think we’d get 10. Thankfully, Rick Mariani had some spare chicken and dogs because we almost ran out of food! I appreciate everyone’s patience while Andrew and Jon put more on the grill.

I also want to thank Spec E30 Great Lakes Regional Director Michael Osborne for providing lunch for so many of us, Friday and Saturday. The food was excellent and I learned some good tips for next year’s Spec E30 cookout.

On to the racing…

Thursday; My car was not right - corner weight-wise so I spent the weekend getting the car better. After qualifying 8th in Thursday’s rain, I got a good start for the dry race. And due to some serious luck, and a bit of experience and race craft, I ended-up third by the checker. And my fast lap time was 1:48:7! Terrible.

Friday; I think Thursday’s rain helped hide some of the handling problems because I qualified 16th in the dry. I finished 11th but was moved to 9th because of two DQ’s in the group.

Saturday Championship; After several hours of work over the past two days, the car was much better for the dry warm-up. Brandon Hey slowly caught me and with it being the warm-up (and I wanted to save my tires for the Championship race) I pointed him by. Being able to stay with him until the checker was an indicator of how much better the car was handling. I had cut 3.8 seconds off my lap time.

At around noon, the clouds started rolling in. The earlier Miata race was wet but the track seemed to be drying some. Every smartphone in the Spec E30 paddock was tuned to a weather app and no one knew what to do, tire-wise. The race start was scheduled for 3:05 so I told myself that my final decision had to be made at 2:40. At about 2:30 the rain started and that was it. I quickly disconnected the rear bar, slapped-on the rains, and drove to the grid.

Due to the DQ’s, I was third on the grid, and directly behind Robert Grace. He chose the right side because of the better grip in the wet, and when the last starting light went out, I concentrated on nothing but sticking to his rear bumper. Rob G was second but on the sealer. How he kept it on the track is amazing.

Robert got a small lead on the opening lap but went into the carousel a bit too hot and drifted into the grass. I was in the lead…

After such poor lap times earlier in the weekend, this was a big surprise. “Ok…drive smart and don’t go off” kept rolling through my mind.

I consciously thought, "I’m pretty good in the wet but the guys who are VERY good in the wet will catch me before the end. I’m actually pleased with how I was driving but driving in the wet, alone, is always interesting. It’s difficult to find the limit because there’s not a good reference of having other cars around. And with the conditions and grip levels changing a bit during the race, it’s not easy to establish good braking points, etc. The car was actually very good so any mistake would be my fault…although the 944 knocking me sideways in the carousel on the fourth or fifth lap - I almost stopped - didn’t help.

I planned to step it up a bit when they caught me and as those who saw the video know, I half-spun just as Loren was passing on the right. He got a good run and was clearly faster at the exit. Several cars spun there and just after the race, I immediately apologized to Loren, for the spin.

I hate that I spun (this is not my style) but it was the National Championship and I wasn’t going to lay-down when they caught me. I enjoyed leading several laps and I wanted to be in the mix.

The right front is whacked a bit but the initial inspection indicates that the lower control arm and fender are the only casualties.

All-in-all, it was a great weekend and I hope the guys who pulled-out at the last minute will consider going next year. We had many smiles, and good racing, throughout the field.

Carter

Carter Hunt
Spec E30 National Series Director

#23

Interesting week but great racing all around. Congrats to Grace on the win.

Here are the videos from the championship race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvKzOaRu5Io

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=iv&v=LseCR4l2q_4&src_vid=qvKzOaRu5Io&annotation_id=annotation_465348#t=8s

Funny Story: Two hours before the race Dad and I were debating whether it would rain or not. Dad looked at me and asked which would I prefer. I responded with ‘rain’ and Dad immediately said to put the rain tires and all the tools away. The way our week was going if we had everything laid out for rain it probably would have stayed dry. Sure enough the skies opened up 30 min prior, as I wanted, and we were scrambling to change everything.

#24

Damn Robert hit you pretty hard pushing his way back to the front!

#25

Eric nice videos on HD thanks. I am hoping the guy in the orange car didn’t have to pay for all the body damage he caused on your car and the black convert but that’s what happen when you over drive the car or the weather. Nice drive to a 2ND place finish.

#26

Eric - amazing driving, good quick hands. A well deserved 2nd place. Way to go Ace! I look forward to racing against you at RA.

#27

Thanks guys!

Depending on when I get my car back I might be able to make it up to VIR in October. Still up in the air but definitely going to give it a shot. Had a lot of fun close racing the MA guys and everyone else and look forward to racing with you all again.

#28

Photographer Andy Welter posted his photos from the race. You can see them here:

http://www.the-welters.com/racing/nasa/2011/spec944-e30/spec944-e30.html

If anyone wants any high-res versions, you can email Andy at a1@the-welters.com

#29

Nice Drive! Thanks for sharing the video. Congrats on your podium.

#30

My full write-up, including pictures / videos / links, has been posted on my website here: http://anthonymagagnoliracing.blogspot.com/2011/09/nasa-national-championship.html

#31

Now that is a write up, thanks for sharing.

#32

Good write up Anthony, was fun to read. Coolant temp doesn’t necessarily warn you about coolant loss because the first thing that happens in the even of coolant loss is the coolant drops away from the sensor. That cost me engine #5 and resulted in a cracked head. The solution is a coolant pressure switch. There’s some threads on that in the engine forum.

#33

And because of Ranger, I have added a coolant pressure switch and warning light to my ITA car. CB

#34

This is the 2nd time a coolant pressure warning light would have helped/saved me. It will be installed in the off-season.
Thanks.

#35

I bought a Longacre coolant pressure switch and at high RPM the light flickers and /or comes on then off at mid RPM or lower. I think the switch is supposed to come on at 3-7 psi not quite sure. Haven’t spent any time figuring it out, any suggestions.

#36

Use the switch in this thread. Took me a couple tries too.
http://www.spece30.com/forum/3-getting-started/52109-high-end-gauges?limit=10&start=10#54861

#37

A 4 psi switch works well. Does your light flicker on track? The light will stay on and flicker until the car warms up and the thermostat opens.

Great write up Anthony!

#38

Thanks guys, it was an exciting weekend, for sure!

#39

A 4 psi switch works well. Does your light flicker on track? The light will stay on and flicker until the car warms up and the thermostat opens.

Great write up Anthony![/quote]

I don’t want to steal the thread, but. Yes the light flickers and then comes on solid on the track at high RPM then goes out on deceleration or up shift. This all happens after the car is up to operating temp and the light is out.

#40

Where to you have your switch? On the input or output side of the pump? If on the input side I could see the light flickering if the switch’s setting is close to normal cooling system pressure. As RPM increases the pump is tring to move more coolant and the input side pressure will drop slightly. As the engine slows down this pressure differential will decreasee.

I like for the pressure switch to be in the thermostat housing. One of the original housings can be drilled and tapped The current production housing has four tapped holes, two of which get plugs on an M20B25, and you can use one of the extra ports.