Barber Race stories

#1

Got any?

The Taxi ran a clear race on Sunday with no cut out. Looks like it was either injectors or the wiring harness to the injectors.

For me it was fun racing on both days.

Regards, RP

#2

Great racing with Geiger and Robert on Saturday…Robert’s cra needs to be measured…I think it is 40 feet wide.

Unfortunate contact with Walsh early in the race on Sunday, but awesome racing trying to run down and get past Matt and Chuck. Got my career best finish (4th)!

The enduro sucked so I’m not going to talk about it.

#3

Looks like I missed another good race on Sunday. I am looking forward to the write-ups. Results are up on Mylaps.

Random observations:

  • field was 2 1/2 times as big as last year
  • the entire field was within 5 seconds on Sunday (fast lap, front to back)
  • McMennamy cranked out his fast lap on the last lap of the last race (taking 3 seconds off his best Saturday lap)

I hate that I missed it. Glad to see no major carnage - and glad to see both Levie and Haynie got to race on Sunday.

Steve D.

#4

My sad story from the weekend. Rookie mistake cost me and Jim Levie the chance to race on Saturday. I’m learning though. Nothing like another $1000 to make you learn. Luckily we both got back out on Sunday.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

#5

To say I had the best weekend of my spec e30 career would be putting it mildly! I hadn’t been on track since Road Atlanta last December so I was solely focused on not looking a fool out there! When Geiger asked me on Saturday what was up with my P2 qualifying effort I was as shocked as he was! I guess I should have done the rear bushings a long time ago! (My big upgrade over the “offseason” )

The race for me Saturday was pretty much down to the first lap. Not only was it my first time on the front row, it was also my first standing start. At least I didn’t stall, but I had a true NASA-SE Spec e30 start… very mediocre! I spun the wheels, slipped the clutch or something and Johan got me going into turn 1. R. Patton got around out of the hairpin after I got greedy trying to pass Johan. The Police car was down on power for Patton so I got a run the next lap and passed him going into the hairpin. That was pretty much it. I could see Damion and Johan the entire race, but never made up any ground on them. Just being able to keep them in site was an accomplishment in my book! My first podium to go with the front row and standing start!

While Saturday was great, Sunday was probably the best race I’ve been in! After starting 4th I passed Chuck Taylor in turn one and the battle was one. He and I were nose to tail pretty much the entire race. I led the first half of the race and then slid wide in the hairpin allowing Chuck to come through. He led the rest until 3 or 4 laps from the finish when he lost it coming through turn 3. I’ll let him tell the story, but his spin gave me my second podium finish!

The whole time that was going on M3Bill was slowly catching us. By the time Chuck spun, Bill was pretty much on my tail and I was just praying for the race to end. Luckily it did before Bill could get me. I was completely WIPED at the end of the race!

NOTE - The Sunday race was the 17th heat cycle on my R888s! While they weren’t what I would call sticky, they held up enough for a 3rd place finish! Time for some new tires.

Sunday video is up… http://www.vimeo.com/4943941

#6

Notes from the back of the pack…

Saturday was, well terrible! Wrecked on the green flag lap and barely made it off the track. At least I was able to avoid causing a double yellow (you guys owe me for that!). I chalk this one up as a racing incident. John didn’t do anything wrong, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

With a huge assist from Chuck Baader (thanks Chuck and I owe you big time!) a trailing arm and half shaft were located and picked up Saturday night. I spent Sunday from 730am until 110pm changing out the damaged parts. Jim Pantas graciously allowed me to take the car out for a couple of laps in the DE session prior to the race to make sure that the replacement parts were race worthy (Thanks Jim!). I’d thank everyone that helped or offered to help, but that whole day is something of a blur. You know who you are and you have my heartfelt thanks. I’ll have to drop the trailing arm again to change the RTABs. I figured I’d run out of time if I tried to swap in the poly bushings off the damaged arm and I seriously bent the sway link pickup points as they weren’t reinforced. But I have two weeks to get that done.

Since the wheel that took the hit was bent, I had no choice but to race on stickers from the end of the grid (couldn’t make qual). I told Switzer that he could have the first three laps, but once I scrubbed off the tires I was coming through, so make a hole. I was completely surprised to be able to get around both Fred and John in the first lap and them I passed Lako shortly after. Things were going great and the back of the mid-pack folks were within sight until I started loosing brake boost as soon as the engine rpm dropped below 5000, somewhere around lap 6. After a while I had to let Lako back by, because I just could not out brake him even with both feet on the brake pedal.

I kept Fred behind me until a few laps before the finish. At that point my right leg was so worn out that it was shaking. I figured it was better to give up a position and finish the race than to wreck the car and not finish. So I allowed Fred past and finished the race with no more car damage.

Sunday’s race was my best race ever! We had a doozy of a race at the back of the pack. it was a whole lot of fun and I wanna do it again.

I figure that I’m loosing vacuum and it could be a hose, check valve or booster. All of those are easy fixes and will be done before RA.

#7

jlevie wrote:

[quote] So I allowed Fred past and finished the race with no more car damage.

[/quote]

“Allowed”? :ohmy:

P.S. Ask Jim about the start on Saturday…

#8

Saturday I finished about where I started – midpack, but Sunday, I had some mojo going. Made some setup and driving changes and picked up 1.7 seconds from Sat quals to Sunday. Was feeling really good about being only 0.2 behind Damion.

Started 3rd, but knew I had that pesky b*stard Matt Thornton beside me. He and I had some good races last year at Barber so I knew he’d be tough.

He got a little jump at the start and I let him go at T1. Walsh was coming up hard and I wanted to get in line. We had a great go for most of the race. We kept Damion and Johan pretty close for a few laps too, which felt good. Matt was better in spots, and I in others, and on lap 8 I finally got by. Hot dang, in 3rd place. How cool is that? However, I couldn’t get away from him (the hairpin was killing me; I couldn’t get it slowed or turned) and Zawrotny gradually reeled us in. Eventually traffic became an issue, and I was worried I’d get jumped by Matt before I could get past this pesky Miata #116 that wanted to race the 3 of us.

Shortly after getting clear of the Miata, was wishing this race would be about over, and the car just would not turn in the carousel. Ran a little wide, and didn’t catch it quick enough. Went into a tank-slapper and had to watch 6 SpecE30s get by in just a few seconds. That was enough to kill what would have been my best-ever finish. Not sure I could have held off Matt/Bill if I’d kept it on the track but would have liked to try. Dang dang dang!

Video is still in post-processing, but here’s the link of the entire race.

http://vimeo.com/4954787

#9

Barber was another great weekend at the track… even though a bad day at the track is better than a god day at work. I hate that I’ve waited this long to go. All the horror stories I’ve heard about track management and this and that were completely debunked.

I’ll work on a full weekend report and post it to the BTR blog. But till then… Here’s what video I was able to get before my camera died. Just a word of advice, when you charge your camera battery, it’s good to have all the cords plugged in. It turns out that’s the only way for the charger to get power to the battery :S

http://vimeo.com/4954598

Video is of me following Jones and the Panther around the track… I wish I had the whole race.

Enjoy

I also want to just say thanks to Steven Lako for the rear brake caliper.

#10

Fred42 wrote:

[quote]jlevie wrote:

[quote] So I allowed Fred past and finished the race with no more car damage.

[/quote]

“Allowed”? :ohmy:

P.S. Ask Jim about the start on Saturday…[/quote]
“Allowed” is exactly the right word.

And yeah, you did blow by me on the start of Saturday’s race (you got a great start). But you got the video of the wreck from behind me…

#11

I hate you all!! I have not driven since Feb:(

Starting the RA samck talk thread in 3…2…1

#12

So where is the video and what did actually happen?

#13

Well guys I hate I missed such a good weekend and at my home track as well. Put a used motor in Friday that was supposed to be good and when it was cranked up Friday afternoon you could hear the rod knocking from a block away. Does anyone know a good BMW mechanic in Alabama/Georgia area? All the ones that my father and I have used are either to unreliable or just don’t know that much about race cars I guess. I am on now my 4th motor going into the car in as many months. All I want the damn thing to do is run so that I can race. Is that asking to much?

#14

It was a good weekend for me. After the whole CMP episode I was just glad to be back on track. With a lot a help from Billy Gropp we were able to get my car ready for this race.

First session on Sat. has just a shake down run to see what wa going to be wrong with a freshly repaired race car. As expected I had a sticking rear caliper that was causing some funky handling characteristics. Thanks to Robert for supplying a rebuild kit and John, Robert and Kelly for helping with the actual rebuild as I had never done it before.

The fix worked and I was on the pole for race one. I got a great start and was able to go flag to flag.

Sunday I qualified 2nd but was okay with that as I knew a 45 minute race would give me enough time to try and pull off something. Johan got a good start and led for the first 6 or 7 laps. He had a slight bobble coming up the hill out of the carousel and I got by. I opened a pretty good lead after that and just tried to drive smart from that part on. It worked out.

Fun weekend but man it was hot! Just glad to be back out there again.

#15

The AV department fell apart at the seams Saturday and that was really the fun race to watch. First three laps or so the field never sorted itself out at least at midpack which made it nice and dicey… The way I like it.

Sunday got a terrible qualifying position, terrible start, but decided to use some tire management strategy since I was already behind the eightball. Long race, very hot. Let those in front of me fight the tires away and I’ll just come charging under double yelllow or the last few laps, whichever comes first …Which worked well, but as that same Miata [as Chuck metioned] giveth to Kelly Childress and Robert Patton, it also taketh away from me (see video @ 33:20 ish).

Here’s my video:

http://vimeo.com/4962539

It’s boring as sh!t past the 1:10 mark (about 1:00 into it is where M3Bill and Walsh can’t get along) and then the end where the Miata races Kelly and Patton and then spins in the museum turn. Other than that, it’s horrendous viewing with missed apexes, not carrying enough speed and early turn ins…

16 heat cycles (and some of those really bare minimum) and my raised letter R888’s are COOKED. They have a few laps and then they fall off really, really fast… Like I have a flat tire fast.

Honestly, that was some of the best racing this year in my opinion. I am disappointed we are not going back to Barber. That was a good time, despite the heat.

See you at Lowes. I may stop by at Road Atlanta to watch a race, but won’t be participating. To most of you like DeVinney, you’re welcome (oh, sorry, that’s the other thread).

#16

jlevie wrote:

[quote]Fred42 wrote:

[quote]jlevie wrote:

[quote] So I allowed Fred past and finished the race with no more car damage.

[/quote]

“Allowed”? :ohmy:

P.S. Ask Jim about the start on Saturday…[/quote]
“Allowed” is exactly the right word.

And yeah, you did blow by me on the start of Saturday’s race (you got a great start). But you got the video of the wreck from behind me…[/quote]

Just remember, on those standing starts it’s LEFT foot up, RIGHT foot down…

#17

congrats on the wins Damion!

#18

TheRedBaron wrote:

[quote] but as that same Miata [as Chuck metioned] giveth to Kelly Childress and Robert Patton, it also taketh away from me (see video @ 33:20 ish).
[/quote]

Who was that guy racing against anyway?

#19

TheRedBaron wrote:

Don’t you mean the JV department? :stuck_out_tongue: Bam.

Brilliant move, Craig. By turning on your wipers in the braking zone, he obviously thought it was raining, panic set in and he spun out of your way. I’ll have to remember that one.

:laugh:

Steve D.

PS - Maybe you and I can walk around the paddock at Road Atlanta and talk about how good the racing was back when we were regulars in the series.

#20

You guys should see if Skeen and JP are available to walk around too. Maybe pull a wagon blasting “Glory Days” talk about all your ‘win’.