RRR Labor Day Fun Race Recap

#1

For the most part, it was a great weekend. The one downer, and a major one at that, was that Gary Nilsen tore up his car along the front straight wall during Sunday qualifying. Gary is OK but the car is likely finished.

We elected to run the races as really straight-up (not by class) due to mix of 9 SpecE30s and 5 single-class cars, but I think most everyone had somebody to run with and had a good time.

Fred Switzer (the Pshrink) was a first-time racer winner in the Saturday afternoon pursuit race. His crafty sandbagging in morning quals assured him pole position for the race, but with all 14 of us having a theoretical equal chance to get to the finish line at the same time, Fred astounded the organizers by holding off the angry horde behind him to score the overall win. Congrats, Fred! After the execellent beer and BBQ dinner provided by VDCA Saturday night, a bunch of us retired to the local Mex joint for a round of margaritas, since Fred was buying. We couldn’t resist making him wear the birthday boy Sombrero just for the entertainment value of it.

Within the SpecE30 contingent, Saturday’s main race ended up:

Robert P
Chuck T
Laura P
Kelly C
… (sorry, I don’t seem to have the result sheet, so somebody else will need to fill in the rest)

The Saturday pursuit race ended up:
Fred
Robert P
ScottMC
Steve Lako
Scott Gress
Chuck T
Kelly C
Laura P
Gary Nilsen

Even though it was set up as a 12-lap race, they somehow let us run 14 before throwing the checker, and the results were backed down to the 12-lap mark…Something about the Thunder Roadster and his malfunctioning transponder causing confusion with the lap count.

Sunday’s 45-minute race was a long one to endure, but we picked up another first-time winner, Laura Patton.

She qualified a solid second behind the old man, and about halfway through, drafted him down the front straight and got him in T1. Steve Lako hounded me for many laps. He wasn’t quite close enough to make a move, but too close for me to relax…As my tires were going away and I was just hanging on, I finally waved him by to see if he could catch up to the Patton/Patton/Childress fight.

The finishing order for Sunday was:
Laura
Robert
Kelly
Steve
Chuck
Fred
Scott G
ScottMC

#2

ctbimmer wrote:

[quote]Within the SpecE30 contingent, Saturday’s main race ended up:

Robert P
Chuck T
Laura P
… [/quote]

From Ranger’s Road Atlanta oil thread…
Steve D wrote:

[quote]So y’all go ahead and fill up the podium with Pattons and a Taylor!
[/quote]

I need to head to Vegas!!! Congrats to the Pattons and Chuck.

Also, congrats to Pshrink on holding off the thundering herd. Way to go! And to Laura on her victory. Sounds like a lot of folks had a great weekend. Except Gary. Sorry to see the car torn up like that. That wall has claimed a lot of cars over the years.

Steve D.

#3

Saturday’s ‘main’ race: http://vimeo.com/6467021

#4

What a great weekend. Thanks to Chuck and VDCA for allowing the lightning group to join the fun. Close racing and good food. Hope we can do it again. Congrats to sandbagger Fred for his first win as well as Laura. I enjoyed many laps of racing with Gress, Chuck, Fred, Ranger and Gary. ( bummer in turn 9,glad you where ok, hope you can get another E30 together soon) Ill take my fouth place on Sunday as an improvement. Look forward to the next time.

#5

heres some out of car video

http://www.vimeo.com/6477273

and incar…sunday

http://www.vimeo.com/6461165

had a great time,thanks again

#6

Sounds like a great weekend guys…except of course for Gary’s car. Congrats to the first time winners :slight_smile: Will have to find some time tomorrow to watch the video…
John and I really wish we could have been there! (Although as far as excuses go, being out of the country is a pretty good one!)
Looking forward to catching up with some of you guys at RA for O’fest!

#7

It was really a great time. I had so much fun I never got around to being mean to Shane.

I was able to bring Sarah and the 3 boys to meet everyone. They also showed up for the Sat fun race. Thankfully they did not see me go off the track. Many thanks to Laura for making chow, the leftovers of which are in my beerfridge.

My times were just awful tho. Saturday I was running some full tread Toyos on bottlecaps that I’d bought off of someone cheap. Except for a flat spot, they were in ok shape. But then I was shocked at how little traction they had. I’d never run full tread RA1’s in the dry at RR before. Folks say that they will cost you 2-3secs. They are right.

I managed to go off in the last lap in both Sat races, lol. They weren’t using the white flag so I both times I didn’t realize what I’d done until I got back on track, completed the lap and got the checker.

Sadly, my mounted tire reserves consisted only of 3 Ebay shaved RA1’s. So I put 2 on the left side and left the full tread tires on the right. That made me less awful in left hand turns, but everyone else was doing better too. But at least I didn’t go off.

Sadly, my video hosed up. I thought I had that fixed. Nope.

#8

Congratulations to new race winners Fred Switzer and Laura Patton!

Fred got the win in Saturday’s fun race.

Laura made an earily pass on me in Sunday’s race and drove the rest of the 45 minute race without any mistakes to win the long enduro-type race.I tried to pass going into turn 1 but she made the car real wide. I tried to pass on the outside of turn 1.Ever try that move? It doesn’t work. Darned good race.

I had my hands full with a rearview mirror of Kelly Childress for the whole event. Kelly was relentless in his pursuit. When he gets some straightaway talent (perhaps even without the HP, but with this fast crowd of racers it would take some luck,too) he will be in the winners position. Laura and I could gap him with a good draft from 9 to 1, only to have Kelly close the gap from 1 to 8. Repeat for the next lap. Repeat. It was a long race.I’m sure Kelly was frustrated. But, an overlooked component of this racing thing is preparation…so don’t show up for a gun fight with a dull knife. A bit of exageration, but you get the point. And don’t over inflate your tires or you can’t stay with the lead pack. Too many lesson to learn.

Come to think of it, I had the same straightaway talent luck in Saturday’s race as Chuck, Laura and Kelly were all nose to tail behind me. I think we put on a good show…was anyone watching?

It matters not. A great weekend for me as I watched (literally)Laura earn that important win.

Thank you, Chuck Taylor for putting the event together

Regards, Robert Patton

PS there was good racing throughout the pack, but we scrambled so fast to leave at the 1:31 gate opening that I can’t say what happened.

Gary, get that car fixed and continue to grow the Florida regions participation.

#9

Patton wrote:

The apple doesn’t fall from the tree, does it? :slight_smile:

Steve D.

#10

I don’t suppose I could claim the sombrero picture was Photoshopped? :blush:

#11

Fred42 wrote:

That would be pshifty, you psandbagger. :wink:

#12

I have to say last weekend was a lot of fun. Through some sort of an error on the grid, I was put outside Chuck at the start of the race (I swear I did not bribe anyone). At the start of Saturday’s race Chuck and I stayed side by side for the first four corners before I tried to settle in behind him when Robert snuck by (sneaky bastard). After thank, Chuck, Robert and I got up to speed a little quicker and opened up a gap for a couple of laps on Laura. Once she settled in and the three of us started plotting against each other, Laura caught up and Robert had the lead. The rest of the race was all four cars nose to tail. Robert driving defensive (making his car wide) and the rest of us trying to execute a pass without getting passed. Unfortunately, in an effort to get Chuck to make a mistake, I slowed him up exiting the carrousel and I ended up having to lift going through 9 letting Laura sail by like I was standing still. We finished the race with almost no gap between the cars.

I do remember all four of us going through 9 and thinking to myself "I sure hope Robert has his S**t together because one little bobble will end up with four wadded up E30’s. Should have been fun to watch.

I didn’t qualify as well on Sunday ending up 5th behind Robert, Laura, Chuck, and Steve. Once again due to a grid error (I swear I was not bribing anyone), they jumped me two ahead of Chuck and Steve. Since it was a longer race, I decided to slot in and see how much we could pull away from the rest of the pack and after about five laps, Robert, Laura and I were well ahead of everyone. So I decided to make a move and slipped next to Laura going into Turn 1. After a little wheel to wheel I pulled ahead and set my sights on Robert. All the meanwhile the car was getting worst and worst to drive and began to not want to turn left in any way shape or form. I was able to get up next to Robert through the 1/2 complex once but that was as close to the lead as I got. That lap I goofed in 5, went wide, and Laura slid by. I think I have a lot to learn about picking my battles… The rest of the (long) race was just trying to keep up with Robert and Laura. The difference along the front straight from when I was able to stay in their draft v/s not was astounding.

More congrats to Laura and Fred for their wins, and thanks again to Chuck for putting it together.

Can’t wait for CMP and IFU3

#13

Steve D wrote:

[quote]Patton wrote:

The apple doesn’t fall from the tree, does it? :slight_smile:

Steve D.[/quote]

Yes, she was good at being WIDE. Not “cut you off/slam it, I’m outta control and can barely hang on wide” but, rather, slow predictable archs that would start from mid-track, whereby if you can get into that space you deserve the pass. Or, at least that’s what I want to believe.

The cool thing is is that the racer ran the 30 minute segment mistake-free, cause, even though she is kinfolk, I would have passed the racer if there was a bobble.She didn’t bobble,she worked hard for the win and there is always the next race.

Regards, RP

#14

Steve D wrote:

[quote]Fred42 wrote:

That would be pshifty, you psandbagger. ;)[/quote]

That’s SENOR sandbagger to you… :woohoo:

#15

Hey gang

Other than what happened to my car, it was a nice weekend. The weather was perfect and the company was wonderful. I like spending time with our Northern neighbors!

I’ve got a couple of videos up on my web sight BMW-Victory.com
One is of my spin in turn 3 and the other is of the crash. I like the music on the crash video. The crash video also has pictures of what my car now looks like.

I’m broke, so I’ve got to sell my 1987 BMW M6 in order to repair my race car. Hopefully I can sell it at Octoberfest next month. So if anyone want’s an M6 with 104,000 miles let me know. I’m asking $14,999 to move it quickly.

Hopefully I’ll be back sooner rather than later.

#16

Rally or Road Racing?

#17

Awesome shot.

you need to give me their contact info. I want to get some digital files.

#18

I can’t believe my dad is being this nice. He doesn’t usually like it when I beat him.

It was a good weekend. I wish I could have done a little better in Saturday’s fun run, but such is life. Saturday’s first race was great. I thought I had lost all hope of catching up to Dad, Chuck, and Kelly because I couldn’t keep my foot planted in Turn 9, but I just focused and became a litte gutsier and was able to close the gap as those three continued to try to pass each other. Kelly had a slight slow down going into turn 9 after losing some momentum trying to make a pass on Chuck in turn 8 which left me a nice opportunity to pass on the front straight. I ended up third, which made me very happy.

Sunday was awesome. I couldn’t believe I could make the pass around Dad. He’s supposed to have more straight away talent, but I got a good run coming out of turn 9 and was able to pull it off going into turn 1. The hardest part was holding him off for the next 40 minutes, especially when my cool shirt stopped working 20 minutes in. That was probably one of the longest races I’ve raced in a while and every lap I was hoping she would throw the checker. I couldn’t believe dad didn’t make a pass going into turn 1, but I’ll take it!

I absolutely love that track! I wish more of y’all could have been there. We definently have to do this again.

Laura

#19

Here’s video from the first race on Saturday:

http://vimeo.com/6511784

Warning: somewhere in the middle I drop an f-bomb or 2 :blush: I kept wanting to down shift going into 7 and did a time or 2 and wasn’t too happy with myself. I’m just glad teh camera can’t pick up everything I say while I’m driving.

Love Roebling. Thanks for setting this up, Chuck

#20

scott, mrclaycars@aol.com