TheRedBaron wrote:
[quote]IFU3 trophy to finish off the thread… Man, what an awesome race. Someone else start another thread about the weekend’s nonsense and fun.
[/quote]
Craig -
Your wish is my command. To avoid polluting the IFU thread, here’s one for the sprint race reports.
Since Craig says I can’t blame it on the skates, I’ll start by saying that I didn’t drive well this weekend. I was fighting the car all weekend starting with the enduro. Highlights:
- 20+ heat cycle R888s are not the hot ticket
- Everyone seemed to suffer from low grip at CMP
- 3/16 rear toe out is driveable, but difficult when it is a combined 3/16 comprised of 1/8 toe IN on the right and 5/16 OUT on the left. Right hand turns get a little loose.
- “Loose is fast” has its limits
- Maximum camber in the right rear is NOT the way to put down the power at a clockwise track
- Spring rubbers in the left rear help the car turn right. Big spring rubbers help it turn right too well.
About the only thing I accomplished was getting a finish to salvage some points for our enduro “team.”
Through practice and qualifying on Saturday I had the car working better and put on some good tires for the race. I was gridded behind Jones for the start and got a great start right at the drop of the green. Jones didn’t get as good a jump and I got inside him. He eased me over toward the wall to defend but by then I was alongside and still making the pass. What happened next is subject to a lot of interpretation and Brian and I had a civil conversation and I apologized for my part in it. From my view, although I was squeezed over to the grass I was under control when we started braking. At that point, I believe something cause Brian’s car to move left just enough to make contact with my wheel to his front fender, which turned me into Rick Mariani’s door.
It was a very aggressive move on my part and I have apologized for the contact. But I maintain that I was under control until hit in the right rear. Even with that hit and the subsequent side-to-side hit to Rick, I was able to slow the car and make the apex of Turn 1, which tells me I was not making some Hail Mary, never-gonna-get-it-whoa’ed-down move.
Like most on-track incidents, there are varying views of this one and I know some will disagree. I don’t think I have a reputation for being recklessly agressive. I hope this doesn’t change that.
“Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?”
After the turn 1 kerfuffle, we made it around a few more turns to find a Miata making love to the side of a Legends car, which is quite scary given that a Legends car makes a Miata look big, roomy and safe. As I understand it, both drivers were fine but the red flag is never fun to see.
After we got restarted, the race only went a few more laps, which were fun but it would have been a real bummer if we hadn’t had the IFU to look forward to.
I made the decision based on my poor driving and poor handling car to pack it in Saturday afternoon. I drove back to Atlanta Saturday night to spend some time with the family. I understand there was more excitement at the start of Sunday’s race. Sorry to hear that. 
I think I am done for the year but I will probably come watch the December races. See you then!
