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2011 ARRC by GRM Results Thread

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#61
Mike Collins

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I talked to ALL of the competitors around me at the start. We had a deal I would check out and not get in the way of the race. To do this we were going to get single file ASAP and then I would pass in 10.


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#62
Mike Collins

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I guess I'm the only one stupid enough not to hold my tongue. Like I said before, I think Danny should have lifted going into 10b (given the gap he and Blake had on P3, he could have given the position to Blake and tucked in to fight it out later) rather than turn Mike.

But way before that... As the cars come into view in that video, Collins is behind both SMs with plenty of room to tuck in line in front of the 3rd place SM and try another pass on the back straight on Lap 2. Why press the issue there and interfere with the lead cars? I know Mike to be a damn good racer and that move just doesn't seem to jive with the racecraft I've seen him display before.


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#63
Danny Steyn

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Congrats - the 2011 ARRC was a great success – great turnout, especially in SM with over 50 cars, and a very deep field. Registration and tech were great this year.

Qualifying
All our prior data showed that it was a toss-up with tires, Hoosiers were quicker T1-T7 and Toyos were quicker T10-T1. We ran both on the test days and in the cool conditions I was able to go 3/10ths faster on Hoosiers than Toyos when no draft was in play, so I went out on Hoosiers. It paid off and I got the pole.

Pro-IT
Great run by Cliffy Brown and Todd Buras. I had nothing for them, and if Todd’s clutch hadn’t quit I would have finished 3rd, but I got lucky and finished 2nd way behind Cliffy.

ECR
Fowler and I shared the car, I did the opening stint, and after a 2nd lap push by Topping, I managed to get past Ryan Pilla, and pulled away. We had a decent 14 second lead at around the 1hour mark when the sub-frame broke on the car and we retired. I got to watch the battle with Topping, Pila, Bender/Burdzy, and Pobst from the pit wall. Epic battle. Ryan’s pass down the grass on the left hand side of the main straight from T12 to T1 past a lapper was one of the craziest things I have seen in SM for a long time. I believe Topping won but was light, not sure about what happened with Pila.

It was really great to have Randy Pobst under the OPM tent sharing the car with Roger Burdette, and I can tell you Randy’s enthusiasm for motor racing is incredibly infectious. It was also great to get his track analysis as it relates to Spec Miata. He experimented with multiple lines throughout his stint and ended up with some unique perspectives.

ARRC
I know many you have seen the pictures, the Fleming video and the Ryan Pilla video, both of which look very damning, and while the view from my car is somewhat different it does not absolve me of any responsibility in the crash in T10 where Collins and I got together. I accept my full responsibility in the events as they unfolded and I apologize to the entire SM community for the way it played out. I cannot get a do-over, but if I could I would do it very differently.

If anyone cares, here is the back-story

The grid was Steyn, Clements, Collins, Pilla, etc.

On the grid, Blake, myself and Ryan had agreed that we would work together on lap 1, fall in line behind whoever had the nose ahead, and push so that we would not be two-wide on the track on that first lap ,and hopefully we could break the draft on the guys behind. At Road Atlanta it is critical to work together to break to draft in the early laps

Collins in the lone SM5 (with 165HP according to Collins) had passed word via Fowler to me that he would come by us on the back straight and drive away from us at a rate of 3-4 seconds per lap and would be out of our race, but truthfully we were a bit concerned that it might not be as simple as he stated.

We knew he should make huge time on us in the straights but we were not sure he would hold the gap through the infield. As Drago mentioned there were several that expressed concerns that he was even starting on the grid with us at all as his car had been classed in Group 7 and yet for some reason it was later moved to Group 5 to join our race. The ARRC SM race is a big deal and many felt that he should not interfere with the SM race at all, and with 54 Spec Miatas it was bound to be crazy anyway.

On the start, Collins easily pushed Blake ahead of me into T1 and I slid in behind Blake and ahead of Collins. Through the infield we opened a big gap on Collins. Blake and I came through T7 with a good lead on Collins and I proceeded to push Blake to T10. As Blake made the shift to 5th gear by the black flag stand, his car appeared to stop and I popped out to pass him and heard him go back to fourth. I did not know at the time that he had lost 5th gear.

By now I was alongside Blake and Collins was coming. I felt it was too late for Collins to make the pass as he would slow us through T10A so I drove a defensive line into T10 to send the message to him to wait, since with 165 HP he could come by anytime he chose. When it became apparent that he was going for the pass anyway, I moved over to give him more room to make the pass.

At Road Atlanta I have been through T10A/T10B many times side by side with many drivers and we always give each other room.

As we entered T10B Collins caught me off-guard as he cut right across my nose and before I could react I had turned him sideways in front of me. In that split second realized I would be stuck with a car across my nose with nowhere to go as the field would pass us by, so I kept my foot in it to push Collins out of my way and hopefully I could resume. Unfortunately I gassed it so hard that not only did I push him out of my way but his car came all the way around and hit my rear spinning me out into the gravel trap.

Unfortunately Chris Haldeman had nowhere to go and drove into Mike.

My sincere apologies to Mike Collins. As I said to you after the race Mike, I did not want to ruin your race and did not want to put myself out of contention. My sincere apologies to Chris Haldeman and several others who were caught up in this incident. In retrospect it is so easy to see so many ways that this all could have been avoided. But I cannot undo what is done.

After the FCY which took way too long, I was able to work my way back from 12th to third behind Buras and Brown and we were checking out. I felt it would be a good three way dice to the finish. Todd went in too deep into T3 and slid out, and then in T6 Cliffy’s throttle cable came off and I was in the lead with a large gap.

Initially the field behind me raced amongst themselves allowing me to increase the gap, but then Kopp and Buras worked together and started closing the gap. It was only 1.5 seconds at the finish.

Winning the ARRC should be a wonderful moment for me to celebrate, but I take no joy in my victory at all. Mike thanks for usolicitedly withdrawing your protest, and for the gentlemanly way you interviewed me on GoRacingTV. I knew how upset you were and how much it was taking to contain yourself. Thank you.

Thanks to Mike at Rossini Racing Engines for his great engine program, Fowler and the entire team at OPM for the amazing trackside support, Tracy for what is now becoming the legendary catering (and in a good way) and to Traqmate for the great data system that has been so instrumental in my success.

To the entire SM and racing community, I apologize for my actions
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#64
Steve D

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... it does not absolve me of any responsibility in the crash in T10 where Collins and I got together. I accept my full responsibility in the events as they unfolded and I apologize to the entire SM community for the way it played out. I cannot get a do-over, but if I could I would do it very differently.
...

To the entire SM and racing community, I apologize for my actions

I have huge respect for you for making this post, Danny.

I, too, spun coming out of 10b during the ARRC race. Finally I can claim to have done something just like you on track!! :crazy:
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#65
Glenn

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O yah and after that happened one of our Texas guys got penalized 2 laps for being 2 seconds too quick on a pit stop. NO JOKE!


Ever lost an enduro by 2 seconds? He was either speeding on pit lane or he cut his stop short. We take these rules seriously in the ECR and Carolina Cup races, otherwise everybody will be short stopping.

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#66
James York

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Ever lost an enduro by 2 seconds? He was either speeding on pit lane or he cut his stop short. We take these rules seriously in the ECR and Carolina Cup races, otherwise everybody will be short stopping.


I think the point was, the officials were going to let the 4 to 9 lbs slide, but were going to be a hard nosed about 2 seconds. From what I saw, Topping was only DQ'd on weight after Philla went ballistic. If 2 seconds is non-compliant, then so is 4 lbs.

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#67
Glenn

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I think the point was, the officials were going to let the 4 to 9 lbs slide, but were going to be a hard nosed about 2 seconds. From what I saw, Topping was only DQ'd on weight after Philla went ballistic. If 2 seconds is non-compliant, then so is 4 lbs.

Yes 4 pounds is noncompliant, BUT 4# did not or will not EVER win a race. Cutting a pit stop by 2 seconds will surely benifit the offender! Ask how many drivers inteh SE have lost races because the pit crew misstimed a stop.

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#68
Jim Drago

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I think the point was, the officials were going to let the 4 to 9 lbs slide, but were going to be a hard nosed about 2 seconds. From what I saw, Topping was only DQ'd on weight after Philla went ballistic. If 2 seconds is non-compliant, then so is 4 lbs.


Both are unfortunate IMO..

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#69
James York

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Yes 4 pounds is noncompliant, BUT 4# did not or will not EVER win a race. Cutting a pit stop by 2 seconds will surely benifit the offender! Ask how many drivers inteh SE have lost races because the pit crew misstimed a stop.


The point is rules are rules. Non-compliant is non-compliant. Or is 4 lbs ok, but 5 lbs isn't? or is it 6, 7.

We were the offenders on time, I have no problem with the penalty (we were just funnin anyway). The point by Aaron (suck fumes) was that rules are to be applied evenly and without prejudice.

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#70
Glenn

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The point is rules are rules. Non-compliant is non-compliant. Or is 4 lbs ok, but 5 lbs isn't? or is it 6, 7.

We were the offenders on time, I have no problem with the penalty (we were just funnin anyway). The point by Aaron (suck fumes) was that rules are to be applied evenly and without prejudice.


Agreed

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#71
Waterboy

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Yes 4 pounds is noncompliant, BUT 4# did not or will not EVER win a race. Cutting a pit stop by 2 seconds will surely benifit the offender! Ask how many drivers inteh SE have lost races because the pit crew misstimed a stop.


I have to side with James here. Are you saying being 4 lbs or 9lbs whatever he was could not have made that same 2 second difference over the course of 3 hours. Bet it could have.
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#72
Jim Drago

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I have to side with James here. Are you saying being 4 lbs or 9lbs whatever he was could not have made that same 2 second difference over the course of 3 hours. Bet it could have.



Sort of related to this issue... It is kind of baffling that a t a track as prominent as Road Atlanta we are still being weighed on grain scales, 2 wheels at a time. I know weight is per the scales at the event, but those scales, and all like them do not inspire confidence.

Jim
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#73
Glenn

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I have to side with James here. Are you saying being 4 lbs or 9lbs whatever he was could not have made that same 2 second difference over the course of 3 hours. Bet it could have.


Next race I ill short you 1 gallon of gas and see how much the 7#s makes :whistling:

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#74
Jim Drago

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Next race I ill short you 1 gallon of gas and see how much the 7#s makes :whistling:

leave little Timmy alone :)

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#75
Waterboy

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Next race I ill short you 1 gallon of gas and see how much the 7#s makes :whistling:


Wait a minute, I think you already did that once. Yeah that's right it was at the ARRC a couple years ago.
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#76
Weekend Warrior

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Next race I ill short you 1 gallon of gas and see how much the 7#s makes :whistling:


Didn't you do that to another driver in your camp earlier this year? :nonono:
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#77
Glenn

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Didn't you do that to another driver in your camp earlier this year? :nonono:

:butthead:

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#78
Danny Steyn

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Regarding the post-ARRC tech question – when they say “if you win the ARRC, you better bring a box”, they are not kidding!

On my car they checked restrictor, exhaust and intake manifold, throttle body, head, valves, plunge cuts, bore, and a few other things. Most exhaustive tech apart from the runoffs. We need more of this IMO.

Thanks to Mike Rossini for building a great legal engine and for the OPM team that tore it down.


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#79
steve

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Regarding the post-ARRC tech question – when they say “if you win the ARRC, you better bring a box”, they are not kidding!

On my car they checked restrictor, exhaust and intake manifold, throttle body, head, valves, plunge cuts, bore, and a few other things. Most exhaustive tech apart from the runoffs. We need more of this IMO.


That's why I finished where I did. I got to avoid impound and was on the road by 4.
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#80
LarryKing

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Most exhaustive tech apart from the runoffs. We need more of this IMO.



How much prize money/contingency is on the line at ARRC?
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