86 replies to this topic

[Dan Tiley]

So with 51 cars showing up to this event, it's pretty clear that COTA is going to be unreal. Congrats to both Todd and Danny on their wins! Live timing was fun to watch, but it must have been one heckuva show in person.

[Jim Drago]

Congratulations to Todd and Danny for their wins. Also to Chip who was in his first race since 2011 Runoffs. He never missed a beat and could have won either day.
My entire weekend was a bit of a struggle. While no one wants to be "that guy", unfortunately I was that guy on Saturday. I made a good start, underestimated how badly we would stack up in three and got into Bruce Anderson jr under braking. Not much of a tap at all, but with his rear unloaded, he spun and collected Corey. I apologized to both, unfortunately it doesn't get their race back and both guys qualified well. I have been on the other side of that many times and it just sucks, so again my apologies.
Hopefully all involved in the wreck at 17 were OK, it was a very nasty hit.
Jim.

[Danny Steyn]

Saturday’s Race 1 was the best ever. By comparison Sunday's Race 2 was the most disappointing race ever. We really only had around 5 laps at full speed; the rest was under caution, and I just got lucky.

Grid order was myself in P1, Todd P2, Patrick P3 and Selin Rollan P4 (times were from Q2 as Q4 was abandoned due to fog)

From the start Selin gave Todd a good push and he was able to go around me into T1, I was able to hold onto 2^nd Selin in 3^rd and Sandlin in 4^th heading through T3/T5. Todd and I got a gap and started to edge away. Drago, Selin and Pat were dicing.

Todd and I were running very similar times, just making them in different ways. He was killing me in the most important turns, T16 and T5, and I seemed to catch him in a couple. It just didn’t make sense to try and pass him, but continue to work together and try and gap the field and then fight it out in the last two laps.

By lap 3, Selin appeared to break away from Sandlin and Drago and initially appeared to be catching, but then for some reason, Todd and I seemed to open a big gap (not sure what happened there). Coming into T16 on lap 3 we had a good lead and then the dreaded FCY came out. (car in tires exit of T17). We had two laps under FCY and then went green. The restart order was Buras, Steyn Van Vurst, Drago (who started way back in 16^th)

We took the restart on lap seven and Todd and I were able to keep away. Chip went wide in T1 and that allowed Drago to get inside him for T3. Heading down to T7 I was pushing Todd trying to get away from the angry pack behind. I followed Todd’s bumper through T7 and he missed the 2-3 shift. He didn’t put it in 5^th, he just hit the gate for a millisecond and I instinctively took the pass and Todd dropped in behind me, and he pushed me down the back straight. Behind us Chip and Drago were charging. We kept a good lead through T17 and T1, and on lap 8 coming into T3 the FCY came out.

This time it stayed out. We ended the race under yellow and I got the win. One missed shift by Todd was all it took for me to win this one. That’s how close this racing is. One error!

In the trailer after the race I saw the 2^nd T17 incident from Jonathon Czarny’s in-car video. I don’t know who it was who hit the tire wall, but I doubt that I have ever seen a more violent hit in Spec Miata racing. He was under full power and just drifted too wide collected the rear end of his car in the wall and it threw him around so violently I am sure he is going to be out of sorts for at least a week. The tires that he misplaced were launched into the air and destroyed the window of the following car. Ugly.

Very happy to stand of the podium this week with Todd, Andrew and Jim. I have the utmost respect for them and their driving skills. And what can you say about Chip. Unbelievable. More than a year out of a car, dealing with the crap that he has had to endure and then being a contender in both races. Amazing.

My thanks to Tom, Jonathon, Chris, Ricky, and Tracy at OPM, to Mike Rossini at Rossini Racing Engines for an awesome engine, to Glenn and Ron at Traqmate, and especially to my wife Kim who despite reconstructive knee surgery less than a week ago, still made it to the track in a wheel chair to support me. You cannot do this stuff without a great team behind you and I am so grateful for their support.

[Mike Asselta]

Thanks for the race updates Danny...congrats on the wins to you and Todd

[DES4]

Would've liked to have had the time to look up from the scales and say "hey" as you guys crossed them, but they kept us pretty busy, as they wanted you guys up on the podium as soon as possible. I did manage a brief chat with Todd and Andrew as time allowed, but I'd like to pass along congrats to all and especially Todd and Danny for their wins, and Andrew and Jim for their podiums. Congrats also go to Andrew for his STL wins. They let me take a break from tech to watch as you guys were racing (had to be back for weigh-in); they know I'm a big fan of everyone who runs Spec Miata at the National level.

Great racing Saturday, really a bad deal on Sunday. From what I was told upon returning to tech at the end of Sunday's race, both drivers (#53, Andrew Hance III, who got into the wall and #131, Jim Farbman, who had the misfortune of the tire stack coming down on his car) were in good shape after being checked out by medics. I hope this is correct info. The worst Spec Miata injury seems to be the cut on the head Chip suffered from a BMW trunklid as it was closing... heard he'll need a staple.

We had one driver in Group 2 Medivaced to Tampa, but reports were he should be fine; again, at this early stage, I hope this, too, is correct. That open-wheel stuff can be dangerous.

Hoping Danny posts his in-car from Saturday!

[Danny Steyn]

OMG!!!!

here's the video from Cory Collum's induced spin in Turn 3 in Saturday's Race 1 - cannot believe there was not more carnage!!!

[cory23]

I want to start off by saying it feels good to be able to run with the best sm dtivers and start p6 in that race. Also i would like to thank everyone for not hiting me as i spun back onto the track. Special thanks to all of the auto technik camp for all the help this weekend.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Way to go Cory congrats on a nice qual run. It is no surprise to me in the slightest. You are talented driver, it was great racing with you at the arrc. Hope to see you in the car more often going forward.

[Czarny]

Wow, that's one heck of a video clip! Glad I got through that mess too, and you're right Cory, it's amazing no one hit you as you came back on track. It was fantastic to run with some of the best this past weekend. Looking forward to the rest of the season!

I have some of the best carnage video to post up soon, a friend of mine is editing all of it and will get a highlights reel up. It was bonkers when Trace Hance hit the exit of 17 at full speed right behind me!! I spoke to him afterwards and he seemed to be shooken up, but ok.

[cory23]

Ya forward is a lot better than sideways in front of everyone .

[DES4]

... i would like to thank everyone for not hiting me as i spun back onto the track...

The gods were smiling, for sure. Toss an extra virgin in the volcano.

[Craig Berry]

Congratulations Todd and Danny, you guys were the class of the field both days (Todd, thanks for the notes!). Always nice to share the OPM tent with you guys as well. Thank you Tom, Tracy and all the OPM guys for all the hard work, great food, and a great atmosphere. This weekend was the best group of drivers at one event I have ever seen.
Random thoughts.... Jim, I am always amazed how time and time again how you can take a car with real issues and pull off a nice finish; you also have a much better attitude about a car with issues than myself. Alex, thanks for showing me a couple of Sebring moves I will remember next year... that was a fun battle. Pat, you are nothing but FAST. Andrew, I witnessed a couple of great passes... Unfortunately one on myself. Chip, I don't think anyone can overcome more on the track (or off) than you.... You were incredible all weekend.
Racing SM at events like this is a real experience. I can not over emphasize the level of driving talent that 15 to 20 guys across the country have. The cars and drivers have gotten so close... It comes down to who has gets setup right, who has no mechanical issues, no bad luck traffic in qualifying, no missed shifts, no 4 tires off at track out... Basically alot of guys who are all fast and the winner never has a misstep from qualifying to the checkered flag. That's what it takes now.
I think this season, like Saturdays race, is going to be the most competitive we have ever seen in SM. Looking very forward to it!

[Keith Andrews]

Great view of the Saturday mess. You can see me at the 5 second mark in the silver Miata sandwich. When I left the track Saturday night I was f k n pissed off. The doors I had just had repaired were both banged up and I now had some really nice dents in my left rear quarter panel. I know many had it much worse than I, but that is no consolation.

Now that I see what happened I feel better knowing there really wasn't much I could do or those around me could have done. I'll put together some video from the angry swarm. I had a great time racing with the guys a little further back.

Congrats to all the guys on the podium.

Does anyone else think there should be a change to the turn 17 track out? I've only been to this event the past two years and both years have had huge crashes tracking out of 17. My .02 would be move the wall back and put some gators along the wall like they did to the front straight at Watkins Glen. Get rid of the tire barriers that grab the cars.

[DES4]

It really isn't that common to have big issues at the 17 track out. Don't know why it's been a big problem for the Spec Miata guys in the last two Nationals; typically, it's a low-incident section of the track. Due to the location of the bridge and realizing that the concrete goes no further out, I imagine not much could be done to correct it. The fact that it necks down as it passes under the bridge helps create the illusion that it pulls cars in once the lefts are in the loose debris off-line. Those points, and keeping in mind that the Airport Authority is reluctant to allow changes to the complex, means that any changes would likely be very slow in coming.

[Keith Andrews]

Agreed, I don't know why we have had the same issue two years in a row. It just seems like the tires along the front straight create an issue. It would not be difficult to remove them and replace them with gators and leave the wall where it is. If you track out into the wall it is a scrape vs. what is happening now.

[Jim Drago]

I think part of the issue is that corner is so big, most almost laugh at you when you tell them you can hit that wall there. It doesn't even look like a possibility from the outside looking in. But as we know it is very fast and bumpy. Pretty easy to lose control there if not careful. Also, many spin and you come around blind and find a stopped car directly in your path.

[Danny Steyn]

posted the race 1 video in the video section. Last 7 laps. Enjoy

[Chris Fulton]

Awesome.

[Keith Andrews]

Wow, great racing! What a pass Todd and respect for the pass Danny.

[David L]

Great drive!