Hoosier SCCA Super Tour (Atlanta Region)

I want to say thanks to Planet Miata and Marc Cefalo for the loan of a hardtop!!!

The weekend from my perspective, had not been in a race car in 4 months, had new shocks which actually took a bit of getting used to for me, so test day was a mixed bag but I got progressively faster through the race weekend. Saturdays race had me fighting with Kicera fior 4 laps after his big off at t3, it also had me moving up on grid as I went .5 faster in the race than i had gone in the qualifier. Tyler and I raced hard for 3 laps before he finally got by, I supposed I could have raced him harder and put him in the dirt and he would never have gotten by but we were racing for like 12th at that point and I was having a blast side to side every lap through t10a-b with him.

Sunday I started in 11th i think and got a decent start, but everyone around me was so capable of turning laps within a couple .10ths on consecutive laps it was hard passing.  We had quite the group racing for p9, with Myself, Jarrett Jones, Tyler Gonzalez, Alan Cross, and Mactutus in the 1.6!  We all led that group and one time or another. Myself leading for 3-4 laps with Jarrett pushing me through or out of every corner and sticking with me, but we caught a lapper and everyone got back on the train and it was a battle going into the final lap with Gonzalez leading me on his bumper, then Cross, Jones, Mactutus.  Gonzalez ran wide in t5 slowing me up and allowing cross to get the run to pass me into t7, where I over and undered him to get the run down the back straight with Jones pulling out to follow me by but Jones couldnt get to my bumper to assist and I had Cross pinned track left. coming over the crest of t9 I glanced left to see where Cross was (Big Mistake) as m7y hands slightly followed my eyes and my left rear tire made contact with his front right tire and into the cement wall for both of at 115mph.  Jones went through without trouble to take p9.  I really thought at that point we were all probably fighting for p5 with what seemed like cars off all over the course.

I fell in love with Racing Spec Miata all over again this weekend.  But traveling home sore to find a corrupted camera file so I did not really know what had happened at t9.  I called Alan Cross to check to see how he was doing as his ribs were hurting pretty good in the medic room at the track, I asked him to send me his vid if it was working and he sent me a link.  Now mind you Alan never said Kyle it was all your fault or anything, he just said he was so glad I called to check on him and I had made him an offer to send him a rolling chassis to help him as i knew I had aleast some responsibility for racing him so hard.  Well when i saw his vid, it was 1000% clear whose fault it was.  ME I was the one who caused the whole thing, with my car wandering a bit left as I checked for me.  I immediatly let him know it was all me and again appologized to him and told him if there was anything I could do to help him oput to just let me know.  Alan said back to me we are all good Kyle, I know there was nothing intentional and we all take a responsibility and a risk when we put those helmets on and get int he car.

Alan Cross is a one of the classiest guys I have ever had the privilege to race with and against.  So I would also like to make this public appology to him, I am so very sorry Alan for MY mistake out there that caused you harm and ruined what was a very beautiful race car.  

Steve, I think all of us at the front, with the exception of Tyler, felt our cars were very equal. I felt I had what Preston, Jim and Chris had, and a little more than Jared and Tyler. 

 

Not sure how they will be now after the tear down. Taking our engine home in a box every weekend is wearing us out. 

I would agree with that, so much so I sent a email with some feelings and suggestions.  I am almost to the point to where I will refuse to tear down and take my penalty if I am hit with more multiple car teardowns at events other than the runoffs. I am a proponent of tech, random tech and keeping all of us honest. Not counting the runoffs and the one event on West coast where they pulled heads. The last two events were the Sprints and Atlanta.. 7 heads were pulled in total.. 5 were mine( Preston and myself twice), the other two were Danny. Asking us to do this after a race ending around 2 pm IMO is unreasonable when we all have 8 plus hour drives and flights. 

My suggestions were simple..(They were receptive) Only tech one head per engine builder.. Move them around and spread the love. If builder A  sweeps the top five spots.. he should only have to pull one head IMO, not 3 or 5.   If builder A wins, dont pull two of his cars as randoms ( happened to me at Sprints)

Also if you want to do this type of tear down, please make sure we are group 1 or group 2

Also please remember we have a protest system, if you aren't happy with them only pulling one per engine builder, use the protest system, that's what it is there for. 

I think with some small tweaks tech can still be effective but a lot less painful. 

Jim and all. The compliance team sent tech the cars to be pulled with about 4 laps to go. I don't have my notes, but I believe it was 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th and 10th place. But, I agree with you that getting torn down every weekend because you finish well sucks. I'd be for marking a head that has been inspected and once marked, it gets a bye until the Runoffs. And I would make more random picks outside the top 4.

Good points Jim. By the way when was the last time they found a non complaint head, motor, trans or diff? I still think more can be done with a bore scope and up north in the northern conference we have access to a mobile dyno. they could use some of the compliance dollars on just doing to dyno testing, if its not showing up on a dyno then what difference is it?

I remember back when everyone was screaming that we must have evasive tech. I said be carful what you ask for, you might get it. I have had the trailer all loaded but the car and had to unload all the tools again and rip apart a trans. Left way later than we wanted to. But I knew that’s what we signed up for.

Unfortunatly top teams have been found non-compliant in the past. So there in lies the desire for more tech.

Well if that is the criteria, " have been found non-compliant in the past"  let's pull every class down to the ground as so has EVERY OTHER CLASS an they are never checked other than top 3 at the runoffs and often that tech is less than we get at a super tour.      

This is not a top team issue either, that's just all that is checked.  One head in last four years found non compliant really sounds far from a "problem" 

BTW, I'm not asking to do away with tech.. Just to take a more orderly and common sense approach where we can get the same or more enforcement with less pain and suffering on the competitors. 

Good points Jim. By the way when was the last time they found a non complaint head, motor, trans or diff? I still think more can be done with a bore scope and up north in the northern conference we have access to a mobile dyno. they could use some of the compliance dollars on just doing to dyno testing, if its not showing up on a dyno then what difference is it?

best I can remember we had a 1.6 not pass last year and before that I dont think we had any other than early 15 and one hole off at the Runoffs in 15. 

So Jim what you are saying is we had noncompliance issues and we then got lots of tech and now we don't find any issues. looking at the numbers that would say what we are doing now has curtailed the non compliance. The last non compliance that I know of was found this year with a car that did not have a plate. 

Here is video from both of the races this past weekend...

Race two had to easily be one of the most intense races I've been apart of... Countless lead changes throughout the race, even throughout a single lap. Wheel-to-wheel racing with very minimal contact, for how extremely close the racing was.

So Jim what you are saying is we had noncompliance issues and we then got lots of tech and now we don't find any issues. looking at the numbers that would say what we are doing now has curtailed the non compliance. The last non compliance that I know of was found this year with a car that did not have a plate. 

Don't hurt yourself patting yourself on the back     That is a part of it..  IMO a small part. 

 Again, no issues with tech.. bring it on. My car is 22-1 in tear downs

Better implementation of tech is all I am asking for..  Don't forget we are paying for this. It seems like a reasonable expectation for tech to be organized and accomplish their goals and doing so in a manner that is as painless as reasonably possible.  FWIW, I dont think tech disagrees

I remember back when everyone was screaming that we must have evasive tech...

 

Alan Cross is a one of the classiest guys I have ever had the privilege to race with and against.  So I would also like to make this public appology to him, I am so very sorry Alan for MY mistake out there that caused you harm and ruined what was a very beautiful race car.  

Thanks for the kind words Kyle. I look forward to racing you again soon.

it was 1000% clear whose fault it was.  ME I was the one who caused the whole thing, with my car wandering a bit left as I checked for me.  I immediatly let him know it was all me and again appologized to him and told him if there was anything I could do to help him oput to just let me know.  Alan said back to me we are all good Kyle, I know there was nothing intentional and we all take a responsibility and a risk when we put those helmets on and get int he car.

 

Alan Cross is a one of the classiest guys I have ever had the privilege to race with and against.  So I would also like to make this public appology to him, I am so very sorry Alan for MY mistake out there that caused you harm and ruined what was a very beautiful race car.  

Kyle - dude it takes one hell of a man to say its all my fault, and you have my utmost respect for saying this publicly. I looked at Alan's video multiple times watching his hands until I was totally convinced it wasn't him, so kudos to you for taking it on the chin. Look forward to seeing you at the next race and I will shake you hand there for being a true gentleman (well as true a gentleman as a caveman can ever be!!!!!!!)

Here is video from both of the races this past weekend...

Race two had to easily be one of the most intense races I've been apart of... Countless lead changes throughout the race, even throughout a single lap. Wheel-to-wheel racing with very minimal contact, for how extremely close the racing was.

 

 Thanks for posting both the videos Preston. So much to be learned from watching them both. Really appreciate what you do for this class of ours, you are truly a great ambassador 

Kyle - dude it takes one hell of a man to say its all my fault, and you have my utmost respect for saying this publicly. I looked at Alan's video multiple times watching his hands until I was totally convinced it wasn't him, so kudos to you for taking it on the chin. Look forward to seeing you at the next race and I will shake you hand there for being a true gentleman (well as true a gentleman as a caveman can ever be!!!!!!!)

Danny, when you're  at fault, your just at fault period.  Try as most of us do to never be at fault, still mistakes happen and normally even our mistakes don't have bad consequences.  Well this time a very small mistake had horrible consequences!  I am very lucky to not have broken bones, my hand is sprained, my right shoulder is completely bruised and sore and my right foot is black although there is no pain in my foot luckily.  I can only imagine how Alan's ribs feel.

I have always felt this class is so great because there is a general level of high respect and regard given to each other on track even when there is sometimes major animosity on this board and in the paddock.  I have been racing this class for years won my fair share of races, made my fair share of mistakes.  Never before have my mistakes cost someone else a whole car, and there is no denying the fact that it did this time.  You can call me alot of things, but liar, thief, pussy, a hider from problems, are not ever gonna be among them. Anyone who has raced with me over the years knows i own up to my mistakes even if they are still mad as hell.  Normally respect of a true appology wins out in the long term.

But thanks for the comments above, please wait till my hand heals up before shaking it I think Jim might have made it worse before i left the track giving me a hand shake.

And the Atlanta region put on another terrific even.

Here is video from both of the races this past weekend...

Race two had to easily be one of the most intense races I've been apart of... Countless lead changes throughout the race, even throughout a single lap. Wheel-to-wheel racing with very minimal contact, for how extremely close the racing was.

 

Pmoney is nasty! The car even shut off during the race and still managed to keep his calm!

I learned a valuable lesson this year in Homestead and I noticed twice in the back straight you dropped down and gave Drago your draft vs Danny...

I made the mistake and gave Drago my draft versus giving it to my teammate Anthony and Drago past both of us at the line....live and learn! 

Pmoney is nasty! The car even shut off during the race and still managed to keep his calm!

 

I learned a valuable lesson this year in Homestead and I noticed twice in the back straight you dropped down and gave Drago your draft vs Danny...

 

I made the mistake and gave Drago my draft versus giving it to my teammate Anthony and Drago past both of us at the line....live and learn! 

to both 

 

I learned a valuable lesson this year in Homestead and I noticed twice in the back straight you dropped down and gave Drago your draft vs Danny...

 

Team radios do help! 

You can call me alot of things, . . . pussy, 

OK, you are. 

Kyle,

Always good to see you at any track. I am glad you and Alan discussed things and sorted them out, as competitors should. I hope you heal quickly and can get back to racing soon!

Tom