Barber Reports!?

#1

Alrighty guys and Laura… you’ve been back for almost a whole day.

Where are the reports?
Who won what and when?

Details, details…

:slight_smile:

#2

Yeah, who won the NASA-SE SpecE30 series title, and just as importantly, who won the Genos Garage Cup?

#3

Skeen won the Saturday race…I finished 10th. That’s all I know, other than the fact that Laura, Steve and I had some great racing.

The Great Pumpkin Run was a blast. I was very happy with my performance until I spun off going into the tunnel turn with Skeen right behind me. And then I did the exact same thing a few laps later and lost all the positions I had gained.

:unsure:

#4

Sat. was disappointing, I qualified for sh!t. Car was sideways through the turns didn’t feel like I could get the power down and traffic didn’t help. Started 2nd to last. Race start didn’t see me gain anything traffic began almost immediately. Then a leading 944 that got co-mingled with us spun in turn 1 (t-bone style), unlike RRR no place to dive to go around and I was locked onto his driver side door. Hard brakes and a first or second gear stop and go penalty put me firmly in last place.

Got around Steve after the same 944 made contact with him. Started getting down to the business of making up ground. Put the spare tire in even though that probably put me close to 100lbs over (some of it in the driver seat haha) and adjusted the tire pressures. Car felt much more solid and I think I dropped 3+ seconds off qualifying. Caught and passed Kelly. And then they throw a flag. Which I thought was checkered. News flash, they throw a white before checkered. I lifted to celebrate my cool down lap only to have about 4 cars, including Kelly pass me by. I realized this around the hairpin and got back down to business but too late. Lesson as always - I’m a moron.

Sunday went better, 70+ cars on a short track is chaos. Swapped my random qualifying spot 27 with Skeen’s 76 out of self preservation. Gridded at 71 (3 from last?) finished at position 40.

So I felt pretty good about that. But there is one white 944 turbo that is a total toolbox, he has a very talented right foot…

#5

Jim Robinson wrote:

[quote] And then they throw a flag. Which I thought was checkered. News flash, they throw a white before checkered. I lifted to celebrate my cool down lap only to have about 4 cars, including Kelly pass me by. I realized this around the hairpin and got back down to business but too late. Lesson as always - I’m a moron.

[/quote]

Don’t feel bad, at least your not the only moron to do this. I did the exact same thing at VIR last March and started my cool down lap as 3 SE30 cars whizzed by me like I was standing still. By the time I figured it out I went from 9th to 12th.

Sorry to hear about your sprint race problems but it sounds like the Sunday race was much better almost improving by 30 spots.

#6

Jimbo, I thought I told you not to tell the flag story again. What are you a glutton for punishment? :wink:

This was my worst race of the season. I was very pleased with my qualifying position (10th) given the talent in attendance for the weekend. During the 4-5th lap, a 944 got into the side of me getting setup for the tunnel turn. I had a sport racer overtaking me on the right and a 944 overtaking me on the left. I clearly had the line and held the line. The 944 got into my LF fender and almost pushed me into the sport racer. Bill Zarworthy must have crapped himself as he was directly behind me and had a good view. After the contact, I wasn’t sure if the fender was making contact with the tire so I backed off just enough to find out. I tried to mentally recover but could never really get my rhythm back or the contact out of my head. Bill and I had some really good racing. He is a good driver and has earned my complete confidence on the track. With three laps to go, I looped the car coming through the last turn before the flag stand and watched the entire field go by.

The 944 driver went looking for me thinking the accident was my fault and I went looking for him thinking it was his fault. We found each other in the tower and Tom decided he would let me decide if he should be DQed or relegated to last. I let Tom make the decision. I thought Tom DQed him initially but it turns out he moved him to last place. I hate it for him, cause he finished the race in first place and was apparently in contention for the points lead.

#7

Stephen Foushee wrote:

Zawrotny :stuck_out_tongue:

I actually came closer to crapping myself when you spun as I was right behind you at that point, too! :cheer:

I was worried that you were going to spin into the two wrecked Miatas sitting on the side of the track or, alternatively, slide backwards in the direction I decided to go to miss you. Neither happened, thank goodness.

#8

Finishing order?

#9

Sat. Was the worst I have driven all year! Awful! I qualified 4th an went into the grass at turn 1. Only lost one position but never made it back it up. The traffic was terrible as there were a lot people who did not belong in DE4 group let alone a race group.

Sunday was fun with us drawing for positions. I started 24th I think with Carlton and Skeen nearby. Carlton and I raced hard for a lap or two until he got into me slightly. The tap was enough for Skeen to get a run on both us. He continued on as he was above and beyond everyone this weekend. After clearing Carlton I battled traffic until Carter showed up. He and I went at it the second half of the race. It was a lot of fun and I held him off til the end.

See you chumps next year!

#10

All I have are the Sun. results.

1 Edward Hessel Sports Racer 1.40
2 Rob Leopard Corvette 1.41
3 John Haas 911 1.43

14 Skeen 1.49
18 Cullen
19 Damion
20 Carter
21 R. Patton
30 David Walsh
40 J. Robinson
46 L. Patton
48 B. Zawrotny
52 R. Summers / Pink Pantas
58 Carlton
68 S. Foushee

Here is my video, for 42 min. of racing it is compressed beyond belief but you can kind of tell there are cars on the track.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-224625789428596525

It was pretty much sheer chaos most of the time.

#11

Results from Sat. are up:

http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.jsp?id=685908

Jim - I just watched your video, I seriously think I might have punted that 944 :angry:

He should be ashamed for being THAT slow in the corners. Talk about a rolling chicane.

JP

#12

Well the car and I aren’t currently talking (I’m too mad at it). Starting on the first practice as if the power loss I hadn’t been able to find wasn’t bad enough, the car decided to lose all oil pressure. I pulled off and on the bright side found out my front tow strap works like a charm. It miraculously fixed itself after an oil & filter change so I ended up making qualifying. Still unable to find the lost ponies, I qualified and started a little farther back in the pack on Saturday.

It was still fun as the "split" start really just meant the E30’s were separated out at the front of the group which meant faster cars were starting right behind us. This meant traffic started playing a role by turn 3 of the first lap. I did my best to try to mix it up with Laura, Bill, and Jim through the race. Got by Jim when a 944 spun and picked him, almost got by Laura when Bill got squirly through turn one, and passed Steve after his spin. Jim got by me when I tried the four wheels off on the inside of the museum corner line (Don’t bother trying it, it doesn’t work) but I got it back when he started cooling down on the white flat lap (You’ll never live it down). I’ll try to post video this evening.

The transmission was getting harder and harder to work throughout the race the and ultimately I decided not to run Sunday because of it. I don’t have the transmission pulled yet, but when I dropped the access panel on the bottom of the bell housing some metal parts came falling out (not a good sign). On the bright side I have all off season (plus a spare motor) to get things sorted out.

#13

Kelly - I think given that you found metal shavings you had a spring in the clutch let go. A buddy had almost the same symptoms as that. The good news is you get the change the clutch again. Which everyone enjoys.

#14

JP Coates wrote:

[quote]Results from Sat. are up:

http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.jsp?id=685908

Jim - I just watched your video, I seriously think I might have punted that 944 :angry:

He should be ashamed for being THAT slow in the corners. Talk about a rolling chicane.

JP[/quote]

Man, you are not lying. I think you can see my frustration at some points throughout. Thankfully the engine / wind noise covers the language. I made good runs on him a few times but that d@mn turbo kept saving him. These guys with 2 people in their class are horrible about ‘racing’ anyone that comes around them. That sports racer dude wasn’t much better. Next year I’m giving some of those dudes the chrome horn.

Looking at mylaps if your competition is nearly 14 seconds quicker then your faster lap, you may not be pushing it.

#15

Jim Robinson wrote:
[quote Next year I’m giving some of those dudes the chrome horn.

[/quote]

What is the general opinion about using the horn during a race. I still have mine and have been very tempted on numerous occasions. I had a 72 year old racing veteran tell me with out a doubt us the horn and people will move out of the way.

#16

Ken, I’m going to go ahead and assume you know the difference between the horn and the chrome horn. . .

If it works, use it. Throw the highbeams on for added flair!

#17

I know Al doesn’t like the horn…

I remember someone honking at me when having a look inside at the VIR uphill esses in February. Didn’t get them very far.

#18

JP Coates wrote:

[quote]Ken, I’m going to go ahead and assume you know the difference between the horn and the chrome horn. . .

If it works, use it. Throw the highbeams on for added flair![/quote]

I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but I’ll take it to be a bumper used to move someone out of the way!?!

#19

For the record I would rather have the bumper than th horn honking…as a matter of fact, honk at me and I will pull up the handbrake…

heh

Al

#20

Rev. Alonzo Graham Taylor III Esq.etc… wrote:

[quote]For the record I would rather have the bumper than th horn honking…as a matter of fact, honk at me and I will pull up the handbrake…

heh

Al[/quote]

Note to self: honk at Al whenever possible.