177 replies to this topic

[Danny Steyn]

Just stunned that an event like this warrants a "Majors" title. Not even 100 cars entered across all the classes, most classes under 10 cars. 

[Bench Racer]

2016 SCCA Majors race, Motorsports Ranch Houston 4/30-5/1-2016 70 entries.

 

2015 SCCA Majors races:

 

Chuckwalla Valley Raceway 3/21-3/22 82 entries

 

Pacific Raceway  5/23-5/25 65 entries
  
Kansas Speedway 6/20-6/21 94 entries
  
High Plains Raceway 7/4-7/5 72 entries
 

Portland International Raceway 7/3-7/5 101 entries
  
Pueblo Motorsports Park 7/25-7/26 75 entries

[Bench Racer]

Sun. Race:

 

Jim Drago                     1:12.154  00              
28 Tom Scheifler          1:12.144  90 
27 Max Nufer                1:12.542  99  
77 Jesse Prather          1:12.383  92 
82 Steve Scheifler        1:12.335  90 
7 Justin Lautz               1:13.780  90 
184 Dan Harding          1:16.756  99 

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Well seems the 1.6 still needs the turbo, a guy that has raced very little of the last few years, can't seem to beat the 2 time national champ in his full out no excuses car???? Smac you guys really need to get the 1.6 some real help!!!!

Great job by Jim as well as the stifflers and co grats on the podium to max, and great article in the scca magazine!

[Steve Scheifler]

Well seems the 1.6 still needs the turbo, a guy that has raced very little of the last few years, can't seem to beat the 2 time national champ in his full out no excuses car???? Smac you guys really need to get the 1.6 some real help!!!!

Great job by Jim as well as the stifflers and co grats on the podium to max, and great article in the scca magazine!

Response to follow, but I wanted to be sure and capture this as-is.

Steve Stiffler

[Tom Scheifler]

First, congrats to Jim for another win and to Max for another podium. That was great fun. My first champagne finish . I'll try to post the race video in the next few days for anyone that's curious anout the 1.6.

Second, thanks to Steve for doing ALL the car work to make it possible.

Third, Kyle, why are you being a dick?

[Bench Racer]

Team Scheifler, great job, two good drivers, with one being an excellent wrench twister!!!

Jesse, good job, does the girl need a bit of a massage.

Jim and Max, congrats to both on a great weekend.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

First, congrats to Jim for another win and to Max for another podium. That was great fun. My first champagne finish . I'll try to post the race video in the next few days for anyone that's curious anout the 1.6.
Second, thanks to Steve for doing ALL the car work to make it possible.
Third, Kyle, why are you being a dick?

Not being dick... Sorry but after alot of years off from racing I personally don't think you guys should be able to finish on dragos bumper... It's not personal you might be great drivers... That will be shown over the next little while at the next few majors. You can prove me wrong, my thinking is that the smac may have gone to far on the 1.6, and just find it funny that you and your brother are now the measuring stick after several years if not racing, when buras who races alot was not a good measuring stick to begin with... Just my opinions!

[Caveman-kwebb99]

And either way no matter if I'm right or wrong still congrats on the podium... And getting the champagne splash.

[Steve Scheifler]

Not being dick... Sorry but after alot of years off from racing I personally don't think you guys should be able to finish on dragos bumper... It's not personal you might be great drivers... That will be shown over the next little while at the next few majors. You can prove me wrong, my thinking is that the smac may have gone to far on the 1.6, and just find it funny that you and your brother are now the measuring stick after several years if not racing, when buras who races alot was not a good measuring stick to begin with... Just my opinions!

No, you are definitely being a dick. Bad enough you spout off a bunch of sarcastic BS without knowing the first thing about what went on here this weekend, or about us apparently, or seeing any video. I could write a book about what you don't seem to know on the subject. Still, I could have let all that pass or just laid out a few actual facts, but then you threw in the "stiffler" thing. Maybe there's a joke in that we haven't caught wind of because I have no idea WTF that's even supposed to mean, but it was definitely dickish.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Apparently you haven't seen the movie!!! Yes joke but apparently your sensitive... IMO gateway is one of Jim's best 2-3 tracks and yes is great everywhere... So if you want to feel I'm being a dick your certainly entitled to your opinion... And again congrats to your bro on the champagne. The first majors champagne I ever got in SM is a memory I will have forever! Hard fought p3 for me...

[Steve Scheifler]

Had to look it up, idiot humor is not my thing. So if you mean Steve Stifler you spelled his name wrong too, and any comparison to that moron is doubly insulting.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

I spell wrong most the time what's new, but his mom was hot...

As was the exchange student...

[Tom Scheifler]

Yeah. I missed the movie reference too so it just seemed like a rude thing to say. Hence the question.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Yeah. I missed the movie reference too so it just seemed like a rude thing to say. Hence the question.

I guess I figured you guys had heard that before... Guess not they do have cable in mo. Don't they??? I grew up there but haven't been back inyears... Like I said my comment was not anything personal it was just my opinions about the 1.6 sorry if I hurt your feelings. Either way my congrats on the podium is genuine so enjoy that chamoagne, I could not bring myself to open my first bottle on the top step sitting in my fridge for the day to come to crack it open .

[Tom Scheifler]

I guess I figured you guys had heard that before... Guess not they do have cable in mo. Don't they???

Heheh. One of the neighbors even got an indoor bathroom earlier this year

[Tom Scheifler]

Just stunned that an event like this warrants a "Majors" title. Not even 100 cars entered across all the classes, most classes under 10 cars.

The turnout was very disappointing. It probably means we won't get a major next year. But are you saying they should downgrade a major to a regional based on total car count (on the day of the event)? That doesn't seem like a good idea.

Based on weather, everyone between STL and PIT should have come to STL. We were sunny and 66.

[Jim Drago]

To change the subject.. 

First off I want to congratulate All in the St Louis region in trying to bring this event back into prominence. Comments disparaging the event aren't much help and diminishes those trying very hard to resurrect this event.  The fact is this not the SE and while few cars, the competition was very good. 

My main reason for attending was to sort the T4 and to attend as I was called by our area director and asked to support the event. It is also always a good time and only 4.5 hour drive.  

 

As for the weekend.The track is steadily deteriorating making faster times and track records harder and harder to obtain. Thankfully for us, the weather cooperated and it was a little cooler than normal.  The last time I was there was in 2013 for the majors there. We ran virtually the same times, maybe a few tenths slower in 2013. I believe we were on SM6 then, but tires were at a premium. I figured worst i could qualify was p4-5 and had confidence in my race pace.. I went out with 2-3 session tires for qualifying while all others went on stickers. I had the pole by half a second early and pulled in as I started pressures very high as again( against the norm) I was getting my best laps around lap 4-6. Max stayed out and eventually nipped me for the pole. 

 

Race one:

It was a good start, tight. I jumped Max a little but was on the outside. He held the lead into one and Steve followed him through, I maintained my position by turn three. I pushed Max and we were able to check out. Max was getting wide in turn two and lap 8-10, I took advantage and went by. I felt that I had pace on Max and would check out. I couldn't. I drove 10/10 and to Max's credit, he went to school behind me and picked up where he was lacking and stayed on my bumper for the entire race. He missed the setup and was loose coming on to the banking, which enabled me to stay enough ahead to keep Max out of my draft. I pushed Max to the track record as well, unfortunately for me, the last bump comes about 5-6 feet before the S/f line. That last bump sent Max to 12.001 and me to 12.002  Max is an incredibly grounded 16 year old kid who is immensely talented. He does not drive like a 16 yr old, very mature and patient and not reckless and over aggressive like most young superstars . He is the future of our class, so I have been helping him as much as I can. Great kid, great family which makes helping them very easy to do. 

Shameless plug number 1: This car is now 4/4 in the wins/races column. Did I mention it is for sale in classifieds

 

Race Two:

It was set to be 31 laps, which in that bullring gets tiring! I was content with 22 the day before.. I did not go out for qualifying as I didn't feel like swapping tires to older ones and as I said above, I knew tires would be at a premium. I started race two on second session tires, Max on third. Looked like Steve and Tom learned from me not wasting my stickers in qualifying and went with scrubs which was a good call.  Race two was a little more chaotic than I hoped. Again I got a good start, then Steve pushed Max and I had to try and slot in. Steve followed Max through and I had to slot in behind Steve. Max got wide on the exit of 7 on lap one and Steve moved to the lead followed by Max and then me. The next lap going into turn one, Steve went 4-1 on the downshift, started to get sideways and then Max and Steve had slight contact, as Steve was spinning and I chose the outside, Jesse chose the inside. Jesse made a better choice. That put me back in a semi distant third.  I was able to draft past Jesse, tracked Max down and was planning a repeat of Day one.  I was getting warm, so I couldn't stay in line and push as long as I would have normally. I also noticed Tom getting closer and closer in my mirror. Max made a bobble on to the straight around lap 10-11 and I had to go. Again, I fully expected to check out as we finished well ahead the day before and I could tell Max didn't have the same pace. To my surprise and Tom's credit, Tom stayed with me the entire race. Tom drove really well, he may correct  me, but probably his best drive in SM IMO.  My best guess is the scrubs/stickers at Gateway are worth .25 or so a lap over 1 session, 1 session is .25 a lap faster than 2 session and so on. Probably the biggest premium on fresh rubber of any track I go to.  No hard data, but I feel pretty confident in that drop. I was able to turn consistent laps, but I had to really drive the shit out of the car and slightly slower than the day before.  We had a good race and the weight of the 99 and the extra session on the tires seemed to make a difference and/ or Tom was able to drive his car as well on degrading tires. In any event, we had a good race, glad to take home another win.

 

In today's podium ceremonies, they brought up a few wounded warriors to celebrate with us. In our SM podium, the young man was paralyzed in the gulf war and had been a dirt car racer before he was injured. I gave him my first place trophy and thanked him for his service as did everyone else. He was really touched and appreciative, which made me feel good as I don't do much with the trophies anyway. 

 

Shameless plug #2: Did I mention this car is 5 for 5 now, has run under the track record at both tracks it raced.. see the classifieds... Don't make me run this car at the Sprints please.. It is supposed to be for sale

 

The T4 " the couch" was a lot of fun, but VERY different. You can drive that car all day and not get tired, 30 laps at Gateway in an SM, you are tired.  I almost pulled out my phone and started texting in T4  That power steering while VERY numb is very easy on the driver. ABS is very good on those cars as well. I think we have a good start and the goal is obviously Mid Ohio. We have some work to do as I lapped another competitor in an Integra and when I caught him on banking, he pulled me by 20-25 cars easily.  I need to cut that to 5-10 max. 

 

As far as parity and all of this goes. It is shame that after every race weekend where everyone seemingly has a good time, great racing.. it all ALWAYS goes back to this. We all have our opinions.. We ALL can build whatever car we think is best and it is clear we will all never agree. I suggest we all pick one as I don't think anything is changing anytime soon and deal with it. The unintended consequences in this stuff is that when a guy like Tom has a good weekend, leaves the track on a high.. You come back and feel the need to defend yourself. On probably one of your best weekends, you shouldn't have to deal with BS comments about not being a real major or parity. I have been on the other end when winning with a 99 years ago. It is not fun and there is simply no winning that argument. So lets take the parity stuff to the parity thread. 

 

Congrats on very good weekends to Max and Tom. Jesse is driving the shit out of an under powered 1.6 learning the class and the car, he is going to surprise MANY at the Runoffs when he shows up with a very sorted, well driven and powerful 1.6. He is doing it right, except I my only suggestion is to get that engine in sooner and start mixing it up with the guys at the front for the experience, if the first time is at the Runoffs.. It will be harder as he has never had to race 10 guys that are equally as good and equally as fast.. Just my opinion.

Thanks again to the Burketts and others who worked so hard trying to get this event going again.

Jim 

[Danny Steyn]

Jim - thanks for the great race report, really helps us drivers that weren't there for the event get some perspective. And I hope someone buys your car before the June Sprints 

[Bench Racer]

Wholly crap Jim, did Danny ghost write post #58. Great write up and great weekend by all. Knowing some of the finer details is good. Can't see the finer details thru live timing.

 

Another comment on the  area BoD Peter Zekert, he offered up a car to past H production National Champion Dan Meller (Milwaukee, WI)   in an effort to increase the car count.