25 replies to this topic

[Caveman-kwebb99]

with all the runnoffs going on oout west, there was a very good weekend of racing held by the ovr region at Mid ohio.

 

I debued the new car running #17 in honor of Nova Brown with the blessing of his father and person friend of mine James Brown aka Jamz14.  I raced that car to p2-p3 in each race before eventually falling back before the race end of each race.  It was an honor to race the #17 and I would like to thank Brian Murdick for being so gracious in allowing me run what is his usual number in the region.

 

I was so deeply saddened by the sudden death of Nova, that I have shed many tears and am presently doing so as I type here at my keyboard.  I wanted to do something special in his memory. Just as Joey was doing on the very same weekend at laguna.

 

We all drank beer and had a cook out together in the paddock, Johhny D came out from Freemont California to drive my #99SM for the weekend and had the time of his life finishing p2 in the hour long enduro and then p1 overall in the sm-IT shootout late sunday where he had a 3 way battle with Stewart Lovdall and James Suhr, they ran 13 laps nose to tail without so much as a scratch on any of the cars with johnny comming out on top!

 

My long time team mate Frank Todaro had an incredible weekend taking P2 on saturday along with a new club course track record.  and after a push from yours truly on the sunday start took home the win and nearly missed a new track record on the pro course by.040 to the new track record holder and p2 finisher Tommy Sager in his antique red racing suit and his if the car is Gold the driver is OLD SM...

 

Wanted to say huge congrats to those guys on those accomplishments!  as well as big thank you to Murdick.

 

And in closing a shout out to John Guthrie who drove his little 1.6 like and absolute beast both days, and I had so much fgun racing with all those guys hard as hell with zero scratches on any of the top 5 cars from any kind of contact!

[FTodaro]

I have to thank Kyle for the Push on Sunday as it was Key in me getting past Murdick for the win. I chased Brian all day Saturday and could not touch him. For those who are constantly talking about parity, Brian Murdick runs a 1.6 that he has raced since 2002, likely the longest continuously ran SM in the country, with the original tin on it i might add.  The car is fast because the driver can drive, with all the hub bub from the Runoffs, it still comes down to the driver.

 

Tom Sager had some bad Mechanical luck starting out, but thanks to guys like Ralph at V2 for pitching in and helping guys out at the track to make Tom's weekend productive. Tom Drove a hell of a race and put down some fantastic laps and left the weekend with a new track record on the pro course.

 

It was nice meeting Johnny D. i think he enjoyed himself.

[LarryKing]

 

Brian Murdick runs a 1.6 that he has raced since 2002

... and the car spent winter 2013 in the comfy confines of the Speedwell Institute - don't let the rich patina of racing fool you.

 

No doubt Brian has more laps at MO then anyone in SM.

[bvondran]

Was a really great weekend and a well run event. Saturday's race was eventful, with a car off on the pace lap (really cold), as well as cars off in 1, 4 (myself and the 39), and madness on lap one. Glad everyone came out ok and I didn't screw up the race for the leaders when you guys lapped me on the last lap.

I still have no idea how folks were turning :44's on Saturday morning when it was 45 degrees. Amazing. (To be honest, I wouldn't know how to turn :44's at 80 degrees either. I have a LOT of learning to do, but it was only my second trip to mid Ohio.)

Thanks for a great season,
Brian
#57

[Tom Sager]

Yeah, I've got a lot of thankyou's to hand out.  To Ralph Provitz for your amazingly timely and meticulous repair of my sheared crank pully bolts Friday night after just a few practice laps.  Your workmanship was only outdone by your counseling which kept me from putting the car on the trailer.  Not that I wanted to go home with it, but more like I wanted to put it on the trailer and leave the tie-downs really loose and hope that when I looked in the truck rear view mirror that the car would no longer be there.  Those close to me know that the car called "diaper poo" has been a real source of frustration for a few years.   To Kyle Webb for offering me a good alternator after mine decided to come apart in Q1.  To Ralph again for confirming that it was the main fuse that was blown after grounding out the alternator during troubleshooting.  To Jason Knuteson who had the 80 amp fuse just in time.  Would not have made it to the grid for Saturday's race without it.  To Jeff Luckritz for several assists during the weekend and also for talking me in off the ledge.  By late Sunday morning the car was really good.  

 

It's hard to believe that after the mishaps of Friday and Saturday that the car left there a lap record holder.  

 

Mr. Webb, Murdick, Guthrie and Todaro, you are all living proof that nice guys do not finish anywhere near last.  We never had any time to hang out with you but it was fun on the track.  

 

Really enjoyed the format of the weekend with races determining starting positions in succession and the workers were all very friendly and relaxed.  Great event.     

[Johnny D]

I had a blast !!! Ive never been. Did the pdx on Friday. Big Thanks to Kyle for the car, data, camera, trailer and coaching to get me up to speed. Great track and SCCA folks.
Congrats to Frank and Tom on the new track records. Great meeting everyone.
Nice fire to keep us warm. Little cold coming from CA where it was 90.
I'll post that video when I get chance.
J~

[luckymiata76]

Fun weekend overall. With a sub 40 degree Sunday qualifiying race at 8:00 am, the Chief Steward did the right think and let us have 2 pace laps in order to let our tires get up to temperature...wise move.

 

Everybody seemed to race hard and clean. Plenty of smiles all around the paddock.

 

This is what SM racing in SCCA should be all about.

 

Jeff Luckritz

#76

[Den]

Yes, enjoyed the racing very much!

 

Dennis Sirois

#37

[38bfast]

Yeah, I've got a lot of thankyou's to hand out.  To Ralph Provitz for your amazingly timely and meticulous repair of my sheared crank pully bolts Friday night after just a few practice laps.  Your workmanship was only outdone by your counseling which kept me from putting the car on the trailer.  Not that I wanted to go home with it, but more like I wanted to put it on the trailer and leave the tie-downs really loose and hope that when I looked in the truck rear view mirror that the car would no longer be there.  Those close to me know that the car called "diaper poo" has been a real source of frustration for a few years.   To Kyle Webb for offering me a good alternator after mine decided to come apart in Q1.  To Ralph again for confirming that it was the main fuse that was blown after grounding out the alternator during troubleshooting.  To Jason Knuteson who had the 80 amp fuse just in time.  Would not have made it to the grid for Saturday's race without it.  To Jeff Luckritz for several assists during the weekend and also for talking me in off the ledge.  By late Sunday morning the car was really good.  
 
It's hard to believe that after the mishaps of Friday and Saturday that the car left there a lap record holder.  
 
Mr. Webb, Murdick, Guthrie and Todaro, you are all living proof that nice guys do not finish anywhere near last.  We never had any time to hang out with you but it was fun on the track.  
 
Really enjoyed the format of the weekend with races determining starting positions in succession and the workers were all very friendly and relaxed.  Great event.

It was great to see you come out. I alway enjoy your company. Sure am glad we could get you back on track so you could have some fun in that 99

[Chris Ashcraft]

Does anyone have some video from the weekend, i had relative work to do this weekend and couldnt make it. See you all in the sping!!

[LarryKing]

By the way, Murdick has raced the same Miata since 2001 when he ran it in ITA. SM was not a class in CenDiv Area 4 until 2002.

[jguthrie]

I totally agree with Kyle ,great weekend of racing at Mido this weekend . This year has been a good clean battle with 3-5 drivers all year with no contact . Congrats to Murdick on his win Saturday ,man can he wheel that 1.6 . .To Todaro for Sunday Win and club course record Saturday ,Frank has work hard on his program ,good to see it paying off . . Greet meeting and racing Tom sager ,congrats for his Pro course record Sunday . 7 drivers Sunday broke that record with Tom being the fastest .Kyle thanks for the push on Sunday,,you took a non competitive backup car and drove your A** off and made it competitive   . OVR has been a greet partner this year at Mido . Every race weekend I dread getting packed up to go because you got so much going on ,but everytime I head home from the track  ,I got this big smile on face . Regional racing isn't the big time ,but it sure is a blast .

[FTodaro]

John look at our weekend vs the Runnoffs. 30 cars took the field good clean racing ,with some but minor contact mid pack. After the fact, food, beer video, and campfire talk. Great friends, great weekend.
AND NO DRAMA.

[jguthrie]

Was like that all year, nicely done,

Great to see Tommy back in a ride

did miss him as pit bitch ,he was great at that ..LOL

[AJ Roderick]

Hopefully next year I will be able to make more of these races.. this year was tough with doing the Trans Am series and growing up by getting my own place... i just want to beat caveman again

[Johnny D]

We all drank beer and had a cook out together in the paddock, Johhny D came out from Freemont California to drive my #99SM for the weekend and had the time of his life finishing p2 in the hour long enduro and then p1 overall in the sm-IT shootout late sunday where he had a 3 way battle with Stewart Lovdall and James Suhr, they ran 13 laps nose to tail without so much as a scratch on any of the cars with johnny comming out on top!

 

 

https://www.youtube....eature=youtu.be

 

J~

[Tom Sager]

Does anyone agree that the pro course at Mid-Ohio (no bus stop) makes for better racing there?  It's a tough track on which to pass and the extra straight and braking zone adds another opportunity.  Seems to me that the Majors race there ought to be run on the pro course rather than the club course.  

[Charles Boehly]

I agree!! Just wanted to let you know that I sold my car. Regional racing with you guys at Mid-Ohio is the best there is for fun and competition. I consider it my home track even though it is 6 hours away and the Glen is 1.5 hours. Maybe I will be back in SM, maybe in another class. Hope to see you soon either way. Cheers!!  BTW. Awesome times that weekend guys!!

[J. Mizer]

Does anyone agree that the pro course at Mid-Ohio (no bus stop) makes for better racing there?  It's a tough track on which to pass and the extra straight and braking zone adds another opportunity.  Seems to me that the Majors race there ought to be run on the pro course rather than the club course.  

 

I agree fully!

[FTodaro]

Not only is it offer another good passing zone, it is safer in many respects. when it rains one of the last spots to dry is the but stop, also on the first hot lap its difficult getting cars sorted by then and its always two wide.

 

However, from a club standpoint if its a big race they can get more cars on the track due to the additional length of the track. Not much but a car or two.

 

Sadly when it rains and the bus stop is a danger, its hard to get SCCA to change the configuration, once printed in the supps.

 

we have been able to convince NASA to change for safety reasons.