103 replies to this topic

[Johnny D]

Go get em' Drennan!!

 

Already making them locals look bad. 

 

Anyway, I'm out, gone racing.

 

Event results.

http://www.scca.com/...ts.cfm?eid=6714

 

J~

[Keith Andrews]

Wow, super fast times!  Track Record looks like a possibility.  Can't wait to see how the race works out.  Good luck to all.  Have fun go fast.

[Danny Steyn]

To Jim Drago, SCCA, SMAC, the founders, the teams, the mechanics, the engine builders, the drivers, and everyone involved in helping build this amazing class of Spec Miata into what it is today, pat yourself on your backs.

 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME - 12 drivers withing 0.5 seconds in Q1. That is about as densely populated grid as you will find in any class of racing anywhere in the world. This is as good as it gets. Seriously, pat yourself on your backs, you have built something pretty awesome.

 

Q1 was in cool weather with a track with grip and the times showed it. Running a 1:42??? in qualifying is something that very few had ever done before today, but here we had 12 drivers in the 42's - that is just pretty amazing. Track position with a working friend was absolutely critical to a good lap. For my laps, only good enough for 12th, I have to thank Selin Rollan for 1 and Dillon McHavern for the other. Huge congrats to Blake Clements for pulling out the pole right at the end of the session! HUGE LAP

 

Q2 was much warmer and looked like the Q1 times would be safe, but we gave it a shot. In Q2 I got to within 0.3 of my morning time, third in the session, which bodes well for the race to be held in similar conditions. Setup seems to be good. But tomorrows early morning qualifier might just have some surprises, you never know.

 

Very proud to be running in amongst so many really talented drivers. 

[Ron Alan]

Looks like a few people moved a little this morning...but nothing in the top 10 I think . Yiannis and Gorilla made it into the teens I think.

Can someone post up a final grid sheet for the first race?

[Bench Racer]

Live timing or this, except they are sometines a little late to the party.  http://www.scca.com/...ts.cfm?eid=6714

[Ron Alan]

OMG...announcers are clueless!

[Ron Alan]

Wow...sounded like one heck of a race! Congrats to Alex. Nice drive by Lamb to be in 5th...only .6 off the win!

[Ralph Dommes]

Wonder what happended to Blake?   

[Terry Whitlock]

A big shout out to Panic Motorsports, Dillon Machavern and Dan Tiley.  Great prep, great driving and a super motor.  Hard to beat that combination.  Dillon put on quiet a drive coming from 11th to 2nd, set the fast lap of the race and finished ahead of at least three previous National Champions.  I'd say this young man has a future in the sport.  Way to go young gun.  Congratulations to the entire Panic gang.

[suck fumes]

Wonder what happended to Blake?

Flat tire

[Race Engineering]

Congrats everyone! Wish I could have been there this weekend.

[True North]

Can someone post the results for today...?

 

Thanks Rusty...found them on your post.

[DylanMurcott]

A big shout out to Panic Motorsports, Dillon Machavern and Dan Tiley.  Great prep, great driving and a super motor.  Hard to beat that combination.  Dillon put on quiet a drive coming from 11th to 2nd, set the fast lap of the race and finished ahead of at least three previous National Champions.  I'd say this young man has a future in the sport.  Way to go young gun.  Congratulations to the entire Panic gang.

yeah Dillon's a great driver. I'm glad to have him as a co-driver this year in the IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.
Good luck to everyone in tomorrows race!

[Jim Drago]

Congrats to Alex, Dilllon and Andrew.

It was a very good race. very boring for the most part. First time on the Sm7's for me other than 2-3 scrub laps. I was told by many after the race they experienced the same feelings and issues as I did. My car was really good, but the tires felt like they were going off from about lap 3-5 on. They never went completely away, but they were not good either. My shoulders are very sore like I ran an 8 hour stint. The steering inputs were extremely heavy in one and five, like I dialed in 10 degrees of caster. Alex was struggling with the same issues, maybe a little worse. Debated lap after lap if I should just go by, gave it a lot of thought following him and decided my best shot was to push us away and make it a 1-2 lap race with one other guy. Had I passed Alex, he would have just used my draft to stay there and I wouldn't be able to get away,neither car was that planted. I had a little power on Alex, so I think we were faster with me pushing, almost worked. But when Dillon started pushing Carbonell we couldn't get away. Slight bobble in five for me, allowed Andrew to get ahead of me. A lap or so later I followed Carbonell to the point going into Turn 1. I picked with Andrew where I left off with Alex and was where I wanted to be with two to go. Andrew bobbled 7, I breathed it a hair not to tap his light quarter and turn him and had to pop out with a less than stellar run out of 7. Alex came through seven at speed with Dillon pushing they picked up Andrew and went first to forth just that fast. Lamb got to the party about this time as well, but we were not close enough to help each other. We went into 10 as a pack of 4 cars, not really side by side, I would say a mob of cars really. I thought I would have a run out of 10 for second, but Andrew closed the door as he should and I had to lift. I have to say, none of the cars had a ding on them, all were super clean and super respectful. Similar to what Danny said last week, I have replayed my decisions in this race a few times and sometimes you just get beat. Car was spot on and very fast, feel I drove very well and made good decisions, just lost the chess match.

The the reality of the dangers we face as racers hit us all square in the face yesterday. I have to say I did not like looking it in the face. In the STL race, a Porsche lost a trans going into five. rather than using his momentum and rolling over the hill and parking up against the wall, he parked it at the exit of five. Insanity! two cars came up, the first moved left, the second a 370z had no way to see the car, popped to outside and his r/f hit the Porsche lr and rolled the Z car a few times landing on its wheels. Mark gibbons and Amy mills come up and the same scenario ensues, this time Amy hits the LR of Z car hard and spins 180 degrees on track. Then Joey G comes up in his 1.5 day old car that used to belong to Dan Tiley and he and Amy hit head on. All the cars involved were DESTROYED. Very scary stuff. Amy is ok, sore knee and sore belts. They took Joey G top the hospital for observation, but I think he is "ok" , someone else can comment there. The Z car driver and Porsche driver were unhurt. Very scary stuff.

Today looks like rain, Blake, Todd lamb, Danny, Steve and a few others should come to the front.
Jim

[Keith Andrews]

Jim thanks for the recap.  Really sorry to hear about the accident in the STL race.  Best wishes to all and hope everyone (Mark , Amy and Joey G) are ok.

 

Was there any tech other than weight?

 

Good luck and hope everyone has a safe race today.

[Michael Novak]

Tech--I was not, but they did a random grouping of cars. I saw plates and maybe weight.  Look over by all.  

[jrmiata777]

Good info Jim, I been texting Joey G and looks like he is ok and should be out of the hospital today , be safe everyone !!!

[Caveman-kwebb99]

My feelings on tires are opposite of Jim. I have been looking at data from session to session all on same tires and looking for corner speed dropoffs due to tires... I raced on tires that had 2 prior sessions a scuff and a qual the tires felt consistent throughout the race for me. Love be one one set of tires for a weekend! This last race will be their 7hc, just ran stl which was a cluster fu ck on the 6th cycle went through t1 at 90mph without issues. Hope the 7th cycle will be the same.

[Bench Racer]

Clement Flat tire

Sterns 10 L ?

Ferrara 7 L???

Burdzy 6 L???

Sandlin DNS????

[Dan Tiley]

Tech--I was not, but they did a random grouping of cars. I saw plates and maybe weight.  Look over by all.  

 

Great Race yesterday.... 3 wide finish with top 5 separated by roughly 0.5s???  Awesome.  As for tech, I believe Danny and Dillon were whistled in qualifying, and Alex was whistled (along with standard weight and plate checks) after the race.  Everyone was clean.  Wish I was there!