67 replies to this topic

[Brian Ghidinelli]

You asked for a West Coast Championship!! Well, this isn't it. Yet.

But! As a starting point, San Francisco Region is planning a Double Rational at Infineon Raceway July 6-8 in conjunction with the Spec Miata Festival. This is the most inclusive format to allow the best Regional or National drivers from anywhere to come out and try to conquer one of the best tracks on the west coast and will include the typical paddock party, on track photo and bonus SM race.

This weekend is back to back with Oregon Region's Double National BFG Super Tour event July 14-15 at Portland International Raceway for those looking to make a tour and collect their points. Combined with our traditional Double National at Thunderhill in March, this event also means that drivers in SFR can collect the four necessary National finishes to qualify for the Runoffs.

We are discussing a number of things in SFR this year to make racing and competing more exciting and this event will feature many of them. We're still in the planning stages but I'm super excited about this event and look very forward to bringing out the #12. Word on east street is we might even have a couple of special out of town guests... who knows what will happen?!



I can't wait to get back to Infineon with 50# less weight and a 100# spread across the model years! Game on!

[Charlie Hayes]

I will be there for sure. Sounds freaking awesome! Real question is should I enter on hoo hoo's or drive the known????

[Ron Alan]

I will be there for sure. Sounds freaking awesome! Real question is should I enter on hoo hoo's or drive the known????

Blindsided!! Very cool...I don't see the 2012 schedule on the SFR website..is it out?? Kyle said he got an email but I only see 2011 there?

So with the different tires, as Charlie referred to above, how is this going to work? Same race? Separate races? If your a regional guy running for points but want to give the Hoosiers a shot and to run with a new crowd...how will this be accomplished and still get points(regional if same race)? Could be an expensive weekend if they are separate races!
For you out of towners...Sonoma this time of year is very moderate temps with slight breezes

[James York]

Blindsided!! Very cool...I don't see the 2012 schedule on the SFR website..is it out?? Kyle said he got an email but I only see 2011 there?

So with the different tires, as Charlie referred to above, how is this going to work? Same race? Separate races? If your a regional guy running for points but want to give the Hoosiers a shot and to run with a new crowd...how will this be accomplished and still get points(regional if same race)? Could be an expensive weekend if they are separate races!
For you out of towners...Sonoma this time of year is very moderate temps with slight breezes

If you guys do it the same way we did last year in our division, you declare if you are running for regional or national points upon entry. Not both. The cars run the same time. So you couild be 10th (or whatever) on track but still win the regional.

The tires used followed either the regional sups for SM or the national ruleset based on your elected entry. (Our regional sups for the most part just say SM must use the nationally approved tire. Every once in a while they forget to put this in though).

I can see though for you guys where regional racing is more popular, this being a potential problem. In our area, anyone who can (has the races logged) runs national in SM.

[Charlie Hayes]

I will see what the crowd looks like down the road for the decision on what to enter. To bad there is a conflict with my schedule and the March National....

[Ron Alan]

I will see what the crowd looks like down the road for the decision on what to enter. To bad there is a conflict with my schedule and the March National....

Oregon or Buttonwillow??

Depending on who enters I guess will determine running Hoosiers or not. My guess is Hoosiers will be fast at Infineon given top end speed and long straits aren't a factor. I see lap records!!

[Bruce Wilson]

<friggen sweet />

bring those East coast wanna be's this is the real deal boys. A real track with a really big pointy end of the field

So that means you're bringing the #12 to PDX Bri? gotta set a good example!

-bw

[Charlie Hayes]

Oregon or Buttonwillow??

Depending on who enters I guess will determine running Hoosiers or not. My guess is Hoosiers will be fast at Infineon given top end speed and long straits aren't a factor. I see lap records!!

The 2nd NASA weekend at Infineon overlaps the March Thill National!

Lap records will be in store for the National part.

SM record is a 55.6
SMT (toyo) is a 54.4 I don't see that one going anywhere soon....

New records could be set at Thunderhill also depending on rain or not...Who knows with this goofy west coast weather lately.

[Ron Alan]

The 2nd NASA weekend at Infineon overlaps the March Thill National!

Lap records will be in store for the National part.

SM record is a 55.6
SMT (toyo) is a 54.4 I don't see that one going anywhere soon....

New records could be set at Thunderhill also depending on rain or not...Who knows with this goofy west coast weather lately.

1:54.4?? In a Miata?? I think last years field was as good as it gets driving skill wise. Maybe RA1's used to be stickier? But my guess this is HP...and it takes a few extra to get 2 seconds at Infineon!
My guess is Bruce that Brian will be doing the March TH to get in his 4 races.

[Brian Ghidinelli]

1:54.4?? In a Miata?? I think last years field was as good as it gets driving skill wise. Maybe RA1's used to be stickier? But my guess this is HP...and it

Thank you James for knowing about the r-u-l-e-s; whatever you enter as will dictate which tires you run. Our regional class requires the use of Toyos. As to how the groups will run on track will depend a bit on entry counts, nothing in stone yet around that.

I don't think last years cars had anywhere near the same level of prep (or the fuel...) as the 05/06 cars that set those times. Plus, were they working together? Two together are faster than one alone. Rampelberg seems to have the all-time fastest at a 1:54.19 in 06. That would have been in his Runoffs car with gas I think and (obviously) Brad can wheel. In 2010 I ran a :56.1 and Darin had a :55.9 although my car was still "regional"; last year's event the fastest time of the weekend was Bruce with a :56.3.

Hoosiers should be worth good time there with constant cornering... I'm sure some ITA guys have run them or the Hankook and can testify.

[Charlie Hayes]

The youngsters in the NBs where in the higher 55s in October. No race laps that fast.

I can imagine seeing 54s on Toyos with everything Brian mentioned.


What ever about times this event should be great!!!

[dtfastbear]

Infineon lap time potential is incredibly variable with weather, ambient temperature, track temp and even what other cars are running or have run recently on the track (i.e. what other rubber is down). I've been going back with the same car for years and one weekend will only see high 56's and others mid 55's. One magical weekend at the end of 2009 (November, I think?) I did a mid 1:54 (in a race but without a draft) but haven't equaled that since, even with comparable dyno sheets.

Cheers,

Dean

[Ron Alan]

Going to resurrect this as we are getting close to July!! Anymore info Brian on how this is going to work? What is the chance the National and Regional SM races can be in separate groups...this way those who want a shot a running both can double dip????

No doubt there will be top drivers from SFR, Oregon, Socal(I here)and possible outside CA that will be running the National. Many of the best local drivers who aren't running regular in the region will be running the National for sure. But it would be great if the top drivers who are watching the regional points race have the chance to run with some of the best the west coast has to offer! Maybe a split start of SM's in group 1 or 5? Plus if the out of towners could double dip in group 7...my guess is this would be very popular. This could be a true SM festival

On another note...are you Northern boys invading the next Laguna in June? This could be another great weekend if so as several absentees of late will be showing up!

[Rob Burgoon]

Yay a 3 day event.

[dp35]

The more I think about this race the less I like it. I talked to a couple of the Oregon racers last weekend, and they said that they'll all be there, but all racing the national class. I was really disappointed to hear that. Why did the SCCA have to mess with the best race of the year? I'm renaming this the "irrational".

Perhaps if the national SM class doesn't race in Group 7, it won't be too bad. But I don't know if that's possible, especially if all the other classes have the same problem.

The Oregonians also told me that they're coming to the LS regional next month. This proves that it's not the national that attracts them, and that they are still willing to come down & run with us on Toyos.

Unless you know something I don't Ron, other than maybe Brian, I can't think of any local racers that are planning to race the national class at Infineon. My #1 motivation to enter a race like this one is to compete against the deepest Spec Miata field on the West Coast.

[Ron Alan]

Just speculating on entries based on who came last year and rumors(maybe a couple NASA guys)...like you(DP), many want to race the best. But many top drivers on 2 different tires in the same group is going to suck...irrational...thats funny. Maybe the best in the west will just have to wait...until SFR and National run the same tire. Maybe Laguna next month will be the unofficial west coast shootout??

[dtfastbear]

It'd be nice to get some clarification on how the event will be run. I have zero desire to run on a tire I don't know (HooHoo) but if there will be a competitive race with everyone on Toyos, I'll be there. For the WHOLE weekend this time, not just the last two sessions. ;-)

Cheers,

Dean

[Ron Alan]

It'd be nice to get some clarification on how the event will be run. I have zero desire to run on a tire I don't know (HooHoo) but if there will be a competitive race with everyone on Toyos, I'll be there. For the WHOLE weekend this time, not just the last two sessions. ;-)

Cheers,

Dean

There you go...if all agree to run toyos it wont matter whether your running for National or Regional points...a real race weekend will break out I see the top 15-20 qualifiers being previous podium finishers if this occurs.

[dp35]

^^^ Totally agree Ron.

Too bad our friends from Oregon all plan to race the national class. So they'll be having their own little race at the same time that the rest of us are racing a typical regional. Irrational.

[Brian Ghidinelli]

Haters gonna hate. Recognize that we can't go from nothing to a June Sprints event overnight.

I'm running Toyos and Regionals. The bonus Spec Miata Festival race is a regional race and will *require* Toyos.

We are in a new situation right now that SFR's tire is not the same as National AND we are trying a Rational, so yes, people can run Hoosiers if they elect. I would hope the Oregon guys will run Toyos too since none of them are actually trying to qualify for the Runoffs. However, they have probably invested in Hoosiers this year (like we've invested in Toyos...) and may not want to spring for an extra set. Up to them. If they want to run for 1st out of 5, that's their prerogative and no hard feelings from me.

The only way that SMT/SM will be split across two groups is if the regional SM turnout is huge. We do not want to exclude regional drivers. A huge regional turnout would *potentially* force the National cars into another group. I have to say that's unlikely.... it's possible but not likely. Split start is possible... and in fact that might be a good motivator to keep everyone on Toyos?

That... and the Toyo Girls... who don't take photos with Hoosier-shod drivers.