Labor Day: "SouthEast Lightning Fun Race" at RRR


#1

Group, we have a fantastic opportunity to fill in the hole in the SE schedule at Roebling Road over Labor Day weekend.

Here’s the skinny: VDCA, a respected vintage racing outfit, normally partners with another organization (in this case SCCA) to “sublet” if you will, a race group. Win/win all around. Many of us who also do CCA club races with Tar Heel have attended VDCA events in the past, at VIR, Roebling, and CMP. A real class organization. Their partner backed out of this event, so they have a hole in the schedule fill within their overall vintage weekend.

Anyway, this would be constructed as a “fun” race, not affiliated with NASA, but for purposes of marketing, let’s say the desired types of race cars would fit those who normally race in the Lightning group in a SE race weekend: i.e. SpecE30, SM, 944, HC, PT, and GTS1/2. We will leave the ground-pounding American and big-motor German stuff on the sidelines this time.

I’m in the process of contacting some of the other series guys (i.e. 944, SM, etc.) but in the meantime, it’d be great to get a nice field of SpecE30 cars, especially from multiple regions (which is why I’m posting here).

Details are still shaking out, but here’s what I know so far:

o First off, it is NOT a NASA event. We would market it to NASA racers but no real connection.
o Cost: $250, payable to VDCA.
o At-track registration Friday night, racing Saturday/Sunday
o After-race party on Saturday. Beer and Food provided by VDCA
o Track time: No less than 3 sessions/day, of at least 20/30/30 minutes prac/qual/race. I’m talking to them about trading some qualify time for longer races.
o Eligibility would be for racers holding 2009 licenses from recognized authority (aka NASA, BMW CCA, etc.)
o Cars must have a current 2009 annual tech
o Racers would register and pay directly with VDCA
o We would select a small group of racers to be ‘tech’ and ‘race’ stewards, to make sure cars are up to snuff safety-wise and deal with any ontrack incidents.
o Would be a total fun race, not for points, just for bragging rights.
o There would be no legality protests, etc. as it’s just a fun race.
o The VDCA guys will potentially help us do split starts by group, etc. if we have the numbers but that’s not really important right now.
o We would use VDCA tech forms
o At least 10 racers min to make this viable. VDCA will need to see the $ and registration form to lock in a slot,and if for some reason we don’t get 10, they will refund all payments made.
o I’m approaching this as a motivated individual racer, not in any other capacity
o I will be the the ‘sub-event’ steward’ for this race group. (I already have a relationship with him because Peachtree Chapter is talking about doing a BMW CCA club race with them next winter)
o We would be “guest” members of VDCA for the weekend, and covered under their racer insurance policy.
o Although we would be in our own race group, we are guests with a vintage organization who utilizes a 13/13 no-contact philosophy, and we would be expected to meet their level of friendly but not damaging competition.

o Sample schedules and registration forms will be available by this weekend.
o The event is only 4 weeks away, so people will need to commit and pay quickly to make this happen.


#2

Chuck needs FIRM committments.Beats driving to Utah.
R Patton and L Patton are in.

Where do I pay?

Regards, RP

Who else? This will be great fun…Florida guys?
MA guys?

Let’s see a show of hands (oops, dollars). We can’t leave Chuck out to dry on this one.


#3

By the way, even though it’s a fun race, lets all show up legal. This means the correct tires and plan to make weight. There is no official protest mechanism, but nobody wants to be ‘shamed’ on the forum for showing up with an M3 motor or a chip!


#4

A few questions came up in the other thread. Clarifications repeated here.

First, don’t use the generic entry form on the VDCA site. They are putting up a separate form specific to the Lightning race, which will make a bit more sense. Should be up today. I’ll post a link to it on SpecE30.com and nasaforum.com when available.

Cost is $250, which includes temporary VDCA membership. No need to spend the extra $50.

Entry includes one crew member (friend, SO) at no cost; additional crew is $25/ea. Crew members under 12 years are free. Crew members should be listed on the entry form.

I assume the crew cost has more to to do with the Sat nite food thing than anything else.

Class: SpecE30 of course!


#5

The ‘flyer’ and entry forms are up.

Flyer: http://www.vintagedrive.com/NASAFlyer.htm

Entry form PDF: http://www.vintagedrive.com/LightningSeptEntry09.pdf

Please get those checks in the mail to VDCA to confirm the event.


#6

Forms printed and monies submitted for Robert and Laura Patton.

Thank you Chuck and VDCA.

Others?

Sign up now and sign up often.

Regards, Robert Patton


#7

And the first paid SpecE30 entrant is…RangerGress. Check mailed. Who’s next?


#8

I love the idea but unfortunately after summit at the end of the month, it’s going to be almost impossible for me to fit extra events in since I’ll be hundreds of miles away at school. If it were scheduled a month earlier, I’d be in :(.


#9

Ranger wrote:

My check is in the mail, so getting a list going of paid entries:

  1. Gress
  2. Laura P
  3. Robert P
  4. Chuck T
    Who else? Gotta have 10, should be fun
    Low country boil on Friday and beer/eats on Saturday. Maybe we can even snooker Toyo into paying bux for the top finishers (nice thought, but probably not)

#10

Check’s in the mail…

ctbimmer wrote:

[quote]Ranger wrote:

My check is in the mail, so getting a list going of paid entries:

  1. Gress
  2. Laura P
  3. Robert P
  4. Chuck T
  5. Kelly C
    Who else? Gotta have 10, should be fun
    Low country boil on Friday and beer/eats on Saturday. Maybe we can even snooker Toyo into paying bux for the top finishers (nice thought, but probably not)[/quote]

#11

Putting my check in the mail this pm.


#12

I’m planning on making the trip up from Florida. Since no one is going to PBIR the following weekend, I need someplace to quench my need for speed! :woohoo:

If anyone has a good RRR traqmate file I’d love to get a copy, especially since I’ve never been to RR


#13

Gary, that’s great. This is the tally I think I know so far:

People who told me they have put checks in the mail:

  1. Robert Patton
  2. Laura Patton
  3. Scott Gress
  4. Kelly Childress
  5. me
    People who said they are going
  6. Eric Nissen (GTS2 guy, black/red # 013 E30)
  7. Jim Robinson (has to fix his car first!)
  8. Fred Switzer
  9. Gary Nilsen
    ?) Damion was a maybe, IIRC
  • I handed out a few (a very few) forms at the track this weekend. The info is also up on a few web sites so there may be some entries I’m not aware of.
    Some went to non-BMW people so we could have a few miscellaneous-classed cars.

So I think we may make 10 but not the 20 I was hoping for.


#14

With a little luck I might be introducing my patient and understanding wife Sarah to my SpecE30 buddies at RR.

I explained the requirement for Italian heels and a skirt. She thought I was kidding so I got off easy.


#15

Good setup work Ranger, but Sarah? Cute name, but not Italian enough. Maybe Saralissima?

I’m still PO’d that I completely missed the Jones girlfriend thing. Who was she, where was she, how come nobody brought her around to the other side of the tracks (er, RV), and most important, was she cute?

And, what was Brian thinking letting her near a bunch of pigs like us w/o a chaperone?


#16

ctbimmer wrote:

[quote]Good setup work Ranger, but Sarah? Cute name, but not Italian enough. Maybe Saralissima?

I’m still PO’d that I completely missed the Jones girlfriend thing. Who was she, where was she, how come nobody brought her around to the other side of the tracks (er, RV), and most important, was she cute?

And, what was Brian thinking letting her near a bunch of pigs like us w/o a chaperone?[/quote]

Haha, I knew with a group like us, it was a make or break deal. I thought, if she could handle you guys without me there, we might have a chance. Besides, I needed to send a representative to spread the smack talk in my absence. I did send her with Warren Turnipseed and his girlfriend Lauren as chaperones. Send her alone? As I’ve said before, I may not be the sharpest knife in the shed but I know better than that! You will be happy to know she plans to make as many events as she can thanks to everyone’s hospitality.

Trying reeeeeally hard to talk her into a Labor Day race “vacation” but I’m not sure its the best idea. Ill let you know but I am concerned they may not let me enter with my “unique” livery. Seriously though, whats the deal with that? Will they freak out?


#17

Seriously? Al has run in vintage groups before with his POS…

I’m pretty sure your car ‘still’ looks like a cadillac against and Scuderia Gonzo Alonzo creations.


#18

As long as your check clears, I can’t imagine they would care one bit. It’s not like my car is any thing of beauty either.


#19

damn

my white car and the green biodiesel iC look better than your wreck, Jim…hell even my Alfa LeMons car looks better than Jones’s car.

Al


#20

I’ll sign up soon. I never write checks or use snail mail… I just have to do it.