NASA-SE: Pot-O-Gold Rush, March 11-13, Road Atlant

#21

Unless work gets in the way I will be there early Friday to torture the comp schoolers (and hopefully not get hit by any of them) so I will put out some crime tape near the pedestrian bridge.

#22

I’ll be there Thursday night to get ready to be tortured by Chuck (and hopefully not hit him) so I’ll see what I can do to claim as much space as possible.

Matt

#23

I’ll be there. I had some serious clutch issues and it was looking like I was going to have to drop the tranny, but I think I’ll be able to limp it thru RA and fix the problem afterwards.

Re. protecting our parking area Friday. I won’t be there early enough Friday to play parking police. And I don’t think that anyone else of those attending is sufficiently Germanic to muster the moral outrage to execute the role in my absence. But if I’m underestimating someone out there, have at it. Put a parking map in your pocket and politely but firmly ask the transgressors to go somewhere else.

Am looking forward to seeing everyone. I’ll probably get there around 2200. That’s 10PM if you’re missing a Y chromosome.

#24

is that local time or zulu time ranger? :slight_smile:

#25

0300Z

#26

0300Z[/quote]
Or 0200z on Sunday morning :wink:

#27

Paybacks a bitch… I can’t wait to ruin that shiny new car you’ve got. :slight_smile:

The “Raleigh NC” crew will be arriving around 6-7 on Friday… I assume we’ll pretty much be assured not to get parking?

#28

Paybacks a bitch… I can’t wait to ruin that shiny new car you’ve got. :slight_smile:

The “Raleigh NC” crew will be arriving around 6-7 on Friday… I assume we’ll pretty much be assured not to get parking?[/quote]

You can count on not getting parking. Ill see to it personally! :wink:

Re: “Shiny” “new” car…uhh, yeah, just dont get too close to it. It looks great from about 50ft away. Just like it used to except now its not 50ft and 100mph. :laugh:

#29

Racers, plan to have your 2011 race license card in hand to present after the Saturday all-hands meeting, per the new NASA tech/wristband procedure. Robert and I will need to see your license in order to get your race wristband.

#30

I had a great weekend. I want to thank Ranger for the well used RA1s. They definitely brought up my confidence level, and I sure felt they were gripping great for my DE3 sessions. Unfortunately my video camera decided to cut off in most of my sessions so I didn’t get any of the great action I had with Greg Moberb in the first session today. I also got to run with Damaganez in a few sessions. I did get to record the final DE3/4 combined session and after watching the video it looks like I ran a couple 01:50s and a couple 01:49s so I was definitely pleased. I know I had some better faster laps in earlier sessions, but I am just happy to finally know I won’t embarrass myself when I finally get out on track with you guys.

As for the racing it was another great weekend watching you guys. Congrats to DeVinney on his double win. I really enjoyed watching the battle for the third spot on the podium in the Sunday race between R Patton, Fish, and Harness. I was watching T10 for the Sunday race so I got to see them go three wide under the bridge.

#31

Chris, quite a show wasn’t it?

Glad someone was watching other than the three participants. Didn’t think tha Matt would be able to stop, but it slowed up when he pitched it sideways.

RP

#32

Well… I think this can be summed up as my most frustrating weekend yet in racing. Losing a headgasket on Saturday was less than ideal, but it seems I was a little off pace regardless. Running Jay’s car on Sunday was better but still a frustrating race.

Lessons learned, in order of importance:

  1. Road Atlanta = Buy a motor

  2. Thunder Roadsters shouldn’t be on the track, any track

  3. Spec E30 2011 = Buy a motor

  4. Not being able to hit people when they force inappropriate incomplete passes because you’re driving someone else’s car sucks.

  5. No one else slows down to avoid an accident if the yellow flag isn’t out yet

  6. Honda traffic is worse than Miata traffic

#33

Is it the same Thunder Roadster that has either caused FCY or ended up stalled astride the track in the last 4 races?

#34

Scott, no it was a different roadster.

Evan, inappropriate pass…stuff happens and I’ve seen my share of those. Patience, do they teach that in the race school?

Patience, easy to say, not so easy to do.

RP

#35

Hmm, I sure hope the inappropriate pass wasn’t me, but I greatly apologize if it was. :dry:

Patience wasn’t really mentioned in race school, but I don’t know if it would have helped me if it was. I think that was one of my failings for the weekend. I’ll be sure to work on that in the future.

Overall, it was an amazing weekend. I knew racing would be more fun than anything else at the track, but I had no idea just how big of a rush it would really be. That was a blast.

Especially thanks to Jones, Fish and Patton for some great, super close racing.

Matt

#36

Matt, you’re reading too much “inappropriate.” Although the fine line that differentiates inappropriate from “that’s racing” is usually defined by sheet metal damage. Then again, it is only club racing. Then again, it is racing.

Conclusion: know who you’re racing.

Is that clear? I don’t think so. Time for a beer summit.

RP

#37

did someone say “inappropriate incomplete pass”? http://vimeo.com/21005144

#38

Got to see that from my seat in T10 as well. I was amazed that there was no carnage. Can I ask what went wrong? I figured you had a brake failure of some kind.

#39

i’m not 100% sure, the pedal was firm but it just wasn’t biting, i think the abs came on and i couldn’t get it to “release”. my airborne excursion in 5 at the start may have bent something that affected the corner balance. i replaced all four calipers with rebuilt ones last week. i got a flat tire on sat so i was running an old but full tread 888 on the LR corner, along with fairly worn ra1s on the other three. so who knows.

#40

I had a great weekend at Road Atlanta. As always, it was great to see everyone, wish we could have hung out a little more but we had our 4 month old baby and we were staying with Clarissa’a brother in Marietta…Note to self, 1:20 minute drive from RA one way does not make for “convenient” lodging. We will not be doing that again.

Both days of racing for me were awesome. The official results arent up on Mylaps but I think this is correct:
Saturday, Q10th, finished 4th (If Johan is DQ’d for passing under yellow?)
Sunday Q12th, finished 5th…Or 4th?

I think I drove fairly well and definitely got “lucky” with traffic conditions.

Big thanks to Harness, Tower, Evan, Fishman, Lako and several others for some very close racing. It was an absolute blast and we all kept it clean. Tower tried to kill me and Harness but screwed that up too in T10! (see above video) :wink:

Matt Harness- Seems you are still running the Stock exhaust or is that aftermarket? Either way, nice driving to a fast rookie!

Big thanks to Steve D for the “Lovefest.” I didnt know your family was there as well, would have liked to meet them. Maybe we can try the lovefest again at CMP?

Cant wait to do it again.