We need updates. Winners, losers and everyone in between.
Where are the VIR race reports!
Patton
#3
As I hear it, Al Taylor may need the shell car that was advertised last week.
Al, sorry to hear of your misfortune.
David Cullen has a roof-cut-off, take-out roll cage out of his car from last year. Call if you need it and I’ll see how much(?) David wants for it.
Good luck with the rebuild.
Regards, Robert Patton 800-755-1715
screwynewy
#4
All it was a great weekend at VIR. We managed to avoid rain for the whole weekend except for a couple of sprinkles that did not effect grip. Patton was correct about Al’s misfortune. During Saturdays race a new guy, Robert Allen?, spun exiting T3 two cars in front of me. Han dove right just barely grazing the side of Robert. I ducked left missing him altogether. Al wasn’t so lucky and caught him on the end (not sure which end) spinning Robert around and ending Al’s weekend. I had my standard mid-pack performance starting 16 out of 22 and finishing 12.
Sunday had its share of exitement too. Lots of spins and offs, a blown engine or two, but no serious contact (that I am aware of).
I started 14 out of 21 and finished 11 or 12 I think.
Top 5 Finishing positions for Saturday were:
- Jens Scott
- Skip Bennett
- Brandon Smith
- David Herrington
DISQ. Vic Hall - Mike Davidison
Did anyone stick around for the final results of Sundays race? If so please post them.
trentmw
#5
With all of the empty beer and alcohol containers in the MaltLiquorTech paddock I think Al’s weekend was just gettin going after the accident.
FARTBREF
#12
all I know is whoever was pouring the Jager-Bombs saturday night didn’t know what they were doing…
Al
screwynewy
#13
Igor wrote:
Might have had something to do with contact with Carter that caused him (Carter) to DNF. I think NASA made the official decision on the incident.
scottmc
#14
As promised… here’s a pic of the Malt Liquor Tech mascot "Wolfgang"
Poor guy had a much worse day than Al.
FARTBREF
#15
Yep, wolfgang had a rough one, I kinda look deranged in that shot.
My car is toast, unlucky shot to the right front corner making that the 3rd hit in the same spot…the first was on the street…I have a good donor and my cage is bolt in. My car did not even change direction when it hit, it just crumpled up and kept on going straight, the car absorbed all the shock even the roof is wrinkled. I thought the spinning car had cleared the track and when I got there I was in a bunch of cars and dont think there was anywhere to go…it was right between turns 3 and 4, I imagine with all the photogs there that some shots will show up.
Al
Carter
#16
From the Hunt Racing perspective…
Saturday’s qualifying was uneventful. I was two cars behind Skip Bennett and stayed with him throughout the session, and even made-up a little ground. I was surprised (considering the strong talent and cars this weekend) to be third on the grid of 22 cars. I know that the top qualifiers were stuck in traffic the whole session which certainly helped my effort.
On the second lap, Vic was charging hard from behind and got a good run out of hogpen, the last downhill right hander that leads onto the front straight. I didn’t block as we went to brake for turn one, a slow right hander, and planned to brake very late. Vic braked a little later, as I had predicted, sending him wide. I started a classic "pass-repass" and tucked-in to the right, behind Vic’s car. Vic washed out left, dropped his left rear wheel off the track, got sideways (aimed to the right and toward me) and tank-slapped my left rear fender lip. I had jogged right to try to avoid the hit but he got me.
The lip got pushed down into the tire, ruining it (second session on that tire) so I went to the pit. I could hear it rubbing and saw smoke in the rearview.
Phil (tire service guy) spun the wheel and it is still straight. He said that the Team Dynamics wheels can take a hit and he’s right!
Vic’s a good friend but I took the relationship out of it and told him that I felt as though I had been wronged (I had explained the process at the morning Spec E30 meeting) and we went to the Tech shed. After reviewing the forms we had completed and after looking at the video from Carlton’s car (just behind us) the NASA Race Director and the NASA Compliance Official ruled that it was a classic "punt" per the CCR and thus warranted a DQ. They mentioned that they have the option to suspend a racing license in this situation but that the contact was clearly unintentional. I agreed and Vic accepted the ruling. Also per the CCR, Vic received three contact points and I received one, for being involved but not being at fault.
Sunday qualifying was interesting. I went out a couple of cars behind Chris Cobetto and he never got away. I drove harder and quicker (I thought) compared to the Saturday qualifying and thought I would be in the top 5 for sure. Chris was 4th (I think) on the grid and I was surprised to be 9th.
During the race, I was able to follow Mike Davidson, who always gets a good start, and get up behind Carlton who had started 5th. Vic got loose in turn 5 and spun in front of the crowd. He slid left and the engine stalled, allowing many cars to get by.
After I got by Carlton on the third lap, he and I ran several clean laps behind Mike Davidson. Mike was driving well but was holding us up just slightly. Skip had gone off at hogpen and John A. shoved Chris off the track (but waited for Chris to get back on) putting them behind the three of us but they got back up to speed and caught and passed us. I certainly didn’t lay down and give them the positions but made racing room when it was obvious that they would get by.
Mike Davidson broke (rocker arm?), giving Carlton and me yet another position. Then, Brandon Smith tried to get by Chris in turn three but Chris shut the door, causing Brandon to spin on the white flag lap.
So, by driving hard, staying on the track, and not breaking, I finished 4th, with Carlton just three car lengths behind. He had always been a threat but wasn’t quite close enough during the race, to dive bomb for a pass. Interestingly, Jens (the winner) never got out of sight and Chris and John never got very far ahead.
I want to thank Steve Dubovsky for pulling/beating/yanking on my fender lip which allowed me to race on Sunday. The dent is about 85% fixed so a complete repair won’t be too expensive.
All-in-all, it was a fun weekend for me. The incident with Vic was unfortunate but the system worked as it should, giving me more confidence in NASA’s program. I had to consciously take our friendship (and any emotion) out and the process worked.
Having the second slowest car of the seven cars that dyno’d is a bit frustrating but I’ll build a good legal motor over the winter and will be ready for the '08 season.
Lastly, let’s get more drivers signed-up for the National Championship weekend. NASA has done a good job gathering sponsorship support and we should all support NASA whenever possible.
We’ll see all the Mid Atlantic racers at Summit Point next month.
Carter
nasaregistrar
#18
Carter wrote:
[quote]
Lastly, let’s get more drivers signed-up for the National Championship weekend. NASA has done a good job gathering sponsorship support and we should all support NASA whenever possible.
We’ll see all the Mid Atlantic racers at Summit Point next month.
Carter[/quote]There are currently 13 signed up fro Nationals:
Carlton Goldthwaite
Chris Cobetto
Victor Hall
Jonathan Allen
Michael Osborne
Simon Hunter
Walter Ford
Chris Cobetto
Carter Hunt
Chris Cobetto
Joe Woodward
Victor Hall
Michael Skeen
Make that 11 since Cobetto signed up thrice.
Elephant4
#19
Definitely sign up for Nationals if you are going it will help them give an idea of numbers. I’m a little worried our run group is going to be too big. They had 48 GTS cars last year and they are expecting way more than that this year from what I have heard on the GTS boards. If a bunch of you sign up at the last second it might be tougher to get us moved. I think we should get close to 20 spec e30 cars don’t you think?
DMoses
#20
I’ll be at the nationals as well. I’m pretty sure Foushee is going too. I’m still working on Patton.