Charlotte 2012 Aftermath

#1

All in all a frustrating day, but at least it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been.

The car felt horribly slow during Qualifying and Race #1, I thought something was going wrong with the motor. Qualified 8th and finished 7th. I hate to admit this, but after Race #1, good old JP Coates noticed that my relay cover had jumped off the car and into the inlet for the airbox! Last I checked we weren’t required to run restrictor plates.

Car ran much better for Race #2 (Video below). Lots of action, had a great time with Johan, Eric, and Baby Pantas before a minor incident with Fishman knocked me back to 5th and then the red flag came out. Started 7th, worked my way up to 3rd, finished 5th.

A stupid mechanical error and minor on-track incident are frustrating, but compared to thinking I lost my motor and potentially a wreck, I suppose I shouldn’t complain a bit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27UpNf_xwaA

#2

With 3, count 'em, 3 totalled-out cars,it was a bad weekend.

Video from DeVinney will be posted showing how two were crumpled.

RP

#3

All things considered, I think the SMs & SE30s played pretty well together (or no worse than the in-class shenanigans) while each class’ leaders were battling it out.

Sorry you have to wade through a bunch of mediocre Spec Miata driving by yours truly before you get to the part of the video Robert referred to (17:30 mark). I hate seeing that kind of incident among my Spec E30 friends!!

https://vimeo.com/45414943

PS - If you are a contrarian, I have several sets of used DForce wheels for sale cheap. Dan Tiley (1st place SM) was sitting on a broken spoke when the red flag came out. That bit of luck probably saved his car.

#4

I had some great racing with Dan while I was 3rd in SE30 and he was 1st in SM. That’s one fast miata. Very considerate driver, I’ll race with him anytime.

#5

Good to see my old SM running. Is Alex’s wife driving? :whistle:

#6

I was looking at the track records on the spec E30 page and we broke some track records in the top 10 slots this weekend.

#7

Kyle -

Deb wasn’t in the car this weekend but came to the track to hang out.

#8

who’s cars were totaled?:frowning:

guess i should have read Steve’s caption on the video. Sorry to see that. Everybody involved okay?

#9

[quote=“Steve D” post=67124]Kyle -

Deb wasn’t in the car this weekend but came to the track to hang out.[/quote]

I knew Alex really wanted the car for himself!!!

#10

What a crazy day. Sad to see the carnage. Not the cleanest two races I have ever seen. I have good video of race 2, but I am trying to figure out how to edit and post. First time with a camera in the race car.

I was slow all weekend, but after looking at pictures/video, it is fairly obvious to me where I am losing time. I will figure it out next time. But I spent a day racing with my friends and the car came home in one piece, so I can’t ask for much more.

#11

race 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7cUjk_SOyg

race 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7Ot7OJs9Ek

#12

Thanks for holding me back in race 1… Jk that was good help for me on passing techniques and it was good clean racing that i love.

#13

In the discussion about the Charlotte race it is always fitting to congratulate the race winners:

Eric Palacio for the first race.
Brandon Pantas for the second race.

As we all know, a top 5 finish is hard to do in this region. Looks like there were several folks that had good finishes at the two races.

In race two, the first car across the finish line, #7, was DQed for a punt of the 191 car. The 191 is effectively totalled-out due to front end damage.

RP

#14

Race 1: https://vimeo.com/45521287

Race 2: https://vimeo.com/45533769

#15

I would just like to mention that I would not like to see FishMan DQ’d for the punt on me towards the end. Having watched both videos, I don’t think it was a dangerous or optimistic move, it looks like he just got in there a little too hot. I made the same mistake with Walsh in that turn last year, it’s a tricky place to pass. In hindsight I wish Fish had waited and passed me up the hill instead, but shit happens.

Additionally, it didn’t affect race outcome. Due to the red flag the race actually ended when we crossed start-finish at the beginning of that lap.

#16

Thanks for all the videos posted. I have only gotten to watch DeVinney’s so far, but it was very enjoyable.

#17

[quote=“evanlevine3233” post=67194]I would just like to mention that I would not like to see FishMan DQ’d for the punt on me towards the end. Having watched both videos, I don’t think it was a dangerous or optimistic move, it looks like he just got in there a little too hot. I made the same mistake with Walsh in that turn last year, it’s a tricky place to pass. In hindsight I wish Fish had waited and passed me up the hill instead, but shit happens.

Additionally, it didn’t affect race outcome. Due to the red flag the race actually ended when we crossed start-finish at the beginning of that lap.[/quote]

Evan, when body contact (BC) is noted by the cornerworkers, the BC paperwork has to be filled out after the race. Failure to do so makes it that much easier to do a disqualification. I think that’s how the CCRs look at a situation.

Do not take my word on the above, let’s look it up in the CCRs.

RP

#18

We filled out the paperwork…

Again, my apologies to Evan for the bump! My inexperience is at fault…

#19

Actually the paperwork part doesn’t have as much of a sayso as the written rule. I’m thinking that NASA National assumes the paperwork is a given.

27.10 Punt
27.11.5 and 27.11.6
Should be at about page 122 or so in the CCRs (my printed copy is 2011).

RP

#20

Just a couple of video highlights…still figuring this video stuff out. First time running a camera.

https://vimeo.com/45735712