107 replies to this topic

[Craig Berry]

Congrats to the podium! Really fun first half of the race, but unfortunately my Road America luck kicked in, as the car started slowing for about 3 laps (Thanks Max for pushing and trying to help), gauges looked normal, but it finally completely exploded. Thanks to Rob, York, my teammates, and my family for all the hardwork, help and support.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Fun weekend with all my friends... new car was a touch off on handling but finally got that figured out just in time to run out if tallent.

Big props to Tyler brown for a great race this afternoon.

Sorry to see t. Craig go out with the engine failure. You were right there!

Voytek capitalized on the oass move at t14 by bender that slowed both bender and jim. Congrats to my little polish sausage!

[Steve Scheifler]

Another close one, congrats to those able to be there at the finish. Too bad it couldn't end as clean as it might. Sorry to hear Max lost his transmission after getting up to 4th, but good to see that he had the pace.

[Jim Drago]

A beautiful weekend here, weather was perfect.We could not have asked for more.
Congratulations to Voytek and Daniel on P1 and P2. I was 2 corners from winning my 5th Sprints
No hard feelings, It is the Sprints and sometimes we make moves and do things we would not elsewhere. Still very impressed by Daniels pace and his driving. Another very fast young man. I think if we had the last few corners to do over, we would. No malicious intent by anyone, both of us just trying to win the Sprints. I have been on both sides of these deals, just not fun for anyone. Very bummed that neither of the two fastest cars won and we gift wrapped the win to Voytek who really was not in contention. He was in trhe right place at the right time and that is all part of it, been a long time coming for him here anyway. This placed probably owed him one. 😄👍
One sour note... Pretty sad the turn out at both podium ceremonies IMO. I have never run a SM race that I did not personally walk up and congratulate the winner ( well one, you can guess which ) Pretty poor sportsmanship IMO by those that didnt bother to even make an effort before, during or after the podium ceremony. Character folks.. It is easy to be a nice guy when your winning, its what you do when you dont that shows who you are.
Thanks to all that helped this weekend, that wraps up my season less a tune up at Mid Ohio and perhaps Grattan Majors to hang out with some friends and return the favor for heading south to play with us at Hallet.

Jim

[Tom Scheifler]

Congrats Voytek, Daniel and Jim.

Good to meet Andrew Devoto and Senter Smith. After Saturdays misfortunes, it was nice to run a bunch of close-and-clean laps with Senter while swapping positions multiple times.

It's obvious Steve and I have more work to do before we can be competitive again at Road America. Seems talent is better and deeper than it was 8 years ago.

[NRE]

Congratulations to Jim, Voytek and Daniel on their podium finishes. It was an exciting race for many reasons. Michael Carter and I both got good starts and drafted our way up to the main pack and were running 4th and 5th when his car got stuck in fourth gear and he pulled off. I was able to catch up to Craig and tried to push him as much as I could but after a bit it seemed like he was down on power going into Turn 5 which is right when his motor blew. I was excited to be in third and it would have been a great battle for the podium. I thought we definitely had a chance of being on the podium. Voytek passed me going into Canada corner and on the next lap my car also got stuck in fourth gear. I was unable to use any other gear and just had to push on. I got passed by a pack of cars but was able to hang on to 9th place after 3.5 laps of revlimiter and being bogged down. All in all, it was a good learning experience and has helped me further develop my race craft. I'd like to thank the East Street team again for all of their setup help and Michael Carter for the push. Hope to have my video posted sometime soon.  -Max 

[Jim Creighton]

Jim, I take it by your comment about post race ceremonies that there was not an impound all post Sunday race? I see no reason why no impound all at Majors for Sunday races. IMO, this is a no brainer. It enables the stewards to immediately find any cars and drivers they may need, it gives everyone a chance to discuss on track deals face to face and maybe avoids paper be thrown plus it lets everyone acknowledge the winners. I can see Saturday not being an impound all with folks needing to work on car for Sunday.

 

 

[Steve Scheifler]

They used the new pro podium which is far from impound, and they shuttle the three drivers down, leaving team, family and all other drivers on their own. I guess it allows them to show the ceremony on the big screens but predictably limits personal attendance.

Someone mentioned the announcer. Other than not knowing that only race laps count towards track records, he was as good as any I've heard for an all-purpose race announcer. He even did a good job mixing in the commercials without them getting too tiresome. i sometimes feel I'd have no announcer than a bad one, but he was very professional IMO.

[Danny Steyn]

Congrats to Jim, Danny B and Voytek for the podium on Saturday and and again on Sunday, just in a slightly different order. Sorry to see so much carnage in both races, and to see Berry's engine come apart in front of us.

 

Sunday's race start was the most intense start that I have ever been in. First 10 rows were locked bumper to bumper all the way to turn 1, where several went 3 wide, with no incidents at all. The talent level at the front of Spec Miata is pretty amazing. Also ran STL in Group 6 this weekend, in amongst the T2 cars and it's pretty scary how unpredictable they are.

 

Very surprised by the lack of invasive tech, they didn't even have a dedicated garage space like they always do. At the June Sprints we have become accustomed to taking home our engines in a bucket. 

[Steve Scheifler]

Just enjoy the fact that once in awhile the expectation alone ensures a high level of compliance. I thought it was a great move on their part, allowing you guys and your teams to enjoy more of the event or do whatever was needed for the next session. Except maybe for Jim having to pull the tranny on Saturday, as if there wasn't enough of that happening already!

[Danny Steyn]

Had some time last night to edit and upload the first lap of Sunday's June Sprints Feature Race. As I said, THE MOST INTENSE START I HAVE EVER BEEN IN.

 

Shows the first lap with both cameras, and at 3:24 switches to the rear camera only on Full Screen. It is really worth watching, trust me!

 

[Steve Scheifler]

Apparently Danny hasn't spent a lot of time beyond about row 3.

[Jim Drago]

On tech.. I like Ty Till a lot and I think he will do an excellent job as he has done in the past.  A few suggestions, observations and complaints..

 

First, My car has been stall tested umpteen times now.. Saturday and Sunday again..    We need to start keeping track of this stuff and perform other checks IMO.  

 

My restrictor was sealed at Hallett.. I have since run Mid Ohio and the June Sprints and the restrictor has not been pulled again. This is not a good practice AT ALL! I am not going to say how or where, but the sealant they use is EASILY accessable and very inexpensive.. I like the idea of sealing overnight, but plates should be at least checked every weekend.. Many may be unaware but this sealing of plates and not reinspecting has proven to be a VERY efffective way of cheating in the past. Once it was realized that sealed plates   BTW, we would pass the stall test. and no when we did the stall test, the did not open the butterfly to look at teh plate.

 

I had a flywheel inspected on Saturday and a ball joint on Sunday and fuel after qualifying. That was it. I too expected more, but was pleasantly surprised that I was able to bring my car home mechanically intact.  

 

Now that we are paying for tech, we had bought a ton of tools the last time we had a compliance fee, basically paid for all the other classes and much of those tools are now unaccounted for btw   I have to say it is almost offensive to me that I am asked to spend all the time and energy required to pull a flywheel out only to have it weighed by a hand held digital fish scale.  something like this..

 

 http://www.eachbuyer...SQsHxoCe13w_wcB

 

 

We are paying for this. The compliance fee at this race alone generated close to $1000.00. If the plan was to pull flywheels, than there should have atleast been a postal scale or something more acurate to weigh them.  Not intentionally trying to shed a negative light here, as for the most part I am very pleased with tech, just pointing out that it is a lot of work to pull a flywheel at the track. If asked to do something like that, I would trust that since we are now paying for this priveldge, the part being inspected would be inspected by a somewhat accurate tool for the amount of effort we are putting in to provide tech with this part. I really dont think that is too much to ask. 

 

On Sunday, they checked a lower ball joint, I imagine looking for the extended version. 

 

Ty is good for our class, he is by the book, personable and fair. All you can ask for.  I just hope we can give him the tools and leadway he needs to be able to do his job.

 

Thanks

Jim

[Bench Racer]

Maybe if we asked tech or write a letter they would get a 10Kg certification weight to hang on the fish scale showing the competitor the accuracy of their fish scale.

 

The accuracy of indicated scale at 10Kg/22.0462 pounds is 5G/.0110 pounds.

[Jim Drago]

Maybe if we asked tech or write a letter they would get a 10Kg certification weight to hang on the fish scale showing the competitor the accuracy of their fish scale.

 

The accuracy of indicated scale at 10Kg/22.0462 pounds is 5G/.0110 pounds.

How accurate is it held by hand bouncing up and down moving from 16.5-17.5 ounces? Hung by one of the pressure plate holes swinging like a pendulum?  I think we agree we can do better and should do better if we are paying for the priveldge.. that was my only point.

 

I will give Bench a little wiggle room.. He actually said something nice to me this weekend. But we are back at it today , party is over

[Bench Racer]

But we are back at it today , party is over

Respect shown when due, but as you suggested, parties over.

 

If I see one of these $8.00 fish scales local for sale, will procure and swing test.

 

Water level.  

 

A couple veteran racers whom used a laser toe alignment in the past now use toe strings/fish line, hate that twisted string.

 

Keep in mind Jim, "different strokes for different folks".

[Caveman-kwebb99]

I would like to reiterate the good things Jim had to say about the tech czar. Ty has been more then fair after having him at 3 of the last majors I have attended. Also he has been very nice to everyone I have seen him approach.

Yes we need tech and yes we should have it but like Jim said it should be proper tech, I pwrsonally have no doubt that Ty will over time hone all if his processes to be the most accurate possible...

As for laser vs. strings, I would have to say the laser has been proven to be equally as effective as well as those pesky long dewalt levels. U have to pick what works for you.

[Tom Sager]

A beautiful weekend here, weather was perfect.We could not have asked for more.
Congratulations to Voytek and Daniel on P1 and P2. I was 2 corners from winning my 5th Sprints
No hard feelings, It is the Sprints and sometimes we make moves and do things we would not elsewhere. Still very impressed by Daniels pace and his driving. Another very fast young man. I think if we had the last few corners to do over, we would. No malicious intent by anyone, both of us just trying to win the Sprints. I have been on both sides of these deals, just not fun for anyone. Very bummed that neither of the two fastest cars won and we gift wrapped the win to Voytek who really was not in contention. He was in trhe right place at the right time and that is all part of it, been a long time coming for him here anyway. This placed probably owed him one.
One sour note... Pretty sad the turn out at both podium ceremonies IMO. I have never run a SM race that I did not personally walk up and congratulate the winner ( well one, you can guess which ) Pretty poor sportsmanship IMO by those that didnt bother to even make an effort before, during or after the podium ceremony. Character folks.. It is easy to be a nice guy when your winning, its what you do when you dont that shows who you are.
Thanks to all that helped this weekend, that wraps up my season less a tune up at Mid Ohio and perhaps Grattan Majors to hang out with some friends and return the favor for heading south to play with us at Hallet.

Jim

 

Technically Jim, you did win a Sprints race.  Not the Sunday race but a race this weekend that was contested as intensely as Sunday so congrats on that.  Congratulations also to Voytek for the win Sunday and to Dan Bender who has certainly become a great driver.  His T4 Championship of a couple years ago looks even better now when you look at what he did this weekend in a tough SM field. 

 

The start Sunday was crazy for sure.  I was surprised we got the green but as I've said before I don't think the starter can tell that we are full throttle coming up the hill in our under powered cars and to him we looked like a nice tightly packed group perfectly lined up.  So much for the early acceleration helping to space us out a bit for turn 1, but to the credit of the field I think we all got through the first couple turns without much drama.  It was dicey though in spots. 

[Bench Racer]

She waived off two races minimum that I heard per the announcer. One of the races was a split field.

[Jim Drago]

She waived off two races minimum that I heard per the announcer. One of the races was a split field.

I thought Saturdays start was picture perfect and text book.. Sunday I was afraid to do the same thing as people may have tried timing it, so I left a little earlier.