8 replies to this topic

[Dayle Frame]

Hi folks,
Registration is now open for the 2011 Cheap Points Double National to be hosted by WMR & FWR and held at Grattan Raceway on 5/28 - 5/30 (Saturday through Monday). As usual, there will be an open test day on Friday.

Once again, we're calling it the Cheap Points Double National and we're going to live up to the name. Its only $450 for both races and $300 if you enter only one of the races (same price as last year). We're trying to keep costs down so try and pay by check either by snail mail to the registrar or bring it to the track with you (no late fee). The schedule is a bit more open around our event this year (no events the weekend before or after like last year) so the car count should be higher. Add in that the economy is starting to come out of the doldrums and we could have a descent number of entries. Also, with the way out schedule is set up, if you break during Race 1, you can withdraw from Race 2 since you haven't hit the track for Race 2. Most regions don't do that but I think it’s the right thing to do.

If you haven't raced at Grattan before, please come on out and give it a try. It’s a great track with everything you could want in a road course. Its got some very technical bits, a long straight, lots of elevation changes and a wide variety of corners. It's been completely repaved in the last two off seasons and is smoooooth. Lap records will fall. WMR is known for treating its drivers very well and this event will be no exception. We'll have driver, crew, worker parties on both Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Register online at www.wmr-scca.motorsportreg.com. Please contact me if you have any questions about the event, need help getting registered, etc. I can be reached at frameh at msu dot edu and 517.575.9450 (before 9pm ET please).

Thanks for your time,
Dayle

[Jerry Cabe]

I'm not planning on running any National events this year, but I will be there playing on a corner. I believe others from Cincy will be there flagging also. This is always a good-time event; the regions work hard to make everyone feel welcome, and they treat you right. My only complaint is that the track tends to lock the infield gate at midnight. Don't they know that some of have late night activities going on? Being resourceful, we were able to manage around the issue.

This is the first of two Double National weekends in the Great Lakes Division. The other three Nationals are all single events.

Here's to hoping I only see you guys at the evening socials, and not on my corner.

[KachMiata]

I will be there. Last time I was at Grattan was in the 2009 season with NASA. Looking forward to the new racing surface.

JK

[Jerry Cabe]

I wonder if the track got rid of the "dip" in the right hander at the top of the hill before going onto the front stretch. That has been my guage as to if I'm hitting that apex - by how far I go down the front stretch before my eyes stop vibrating.

[Dayle Frame]

I wonder if the track got rid of the "dip" in the right hander at the top of the hill before going onto the front stretch. That has been my guage as to if I'm hitting that apex - by how far I go down the front stretch before my eyes stop vibrating.

I have not been out there to inspect it this year so far. I do know the rest of the track has all been repaved. If the 2010 repaving was like the 2009 repaving, then it'll be billiard table smooth. There were several dips, bumps, etc. that were removed in the 2009 repaving. I'll be over there in a couple of weeks and will let you know.

Dayle
HP #80

[dbednarz]

Saturday Results:
1. Shawn Slattery
2. Bruce Andersen II
3. Voytek Burdzy
4. David Bednarz
5. Harry Manning
6. Adam Stopka

It was one of the most intense / best races, with continuous changes for position for the entire race. The new pavement took all my turn in points and had to re learn several corners. There is also loose dirt inside the corners which gets scattered on the track if anyone puts a wheel off. The esses were a surprise every lap, sometimes clean, sometimes treacherous. There were several laps we slid through those corners, not sure how we got through.

The 2nd -5th battle was non stop, whoever could get into 2nd couldnt break the draft, and 3, 4, 5, would be back on your tail. I want to compliment the front 5 for running so close, yet so clean with a lot of side by side racing with no incident.

The group was mixed T2, which played a factor, a Bmw chose to race with the 4 car battle for 2nd, with no other same class cars in sight. He could have found a gap and worked on his lap times without the risk of an overtaking incident. Another T2 was even further off the pace, running with its brake lights on the entire race, of course the SM pack catches it in the high speed turns entering the front straight, and several positions get shuffled. Why didnt he pull in at half distance?

Top 5 for Monday's race

1. Slattery
2. Voytek
3. Manning
4. Bruce Andersen II
5. Bednarz


Tight battle for 3rd through 5th again. No battle for first or second that I could see. The esses were again occassionally treacherous, sometimes it was clean, sometimes covered with dirt. I did at least two big slides that cost me positions due to the dirt. There were several cars off in this section. All in all, it was a great weekend, thanks WMR! The schedule had to be adjusted due to strong storms in the area on Sunday. Monday seemed to work.

[Bruce Andersen]

It was a good weekend, with some good racing. Fun track with a ton of track time during the track day. The only downside of the weekend was the non-split start which equated to a couple of laps of mayhem. Most did well and there were no major incidents.

Thanks to everyone in the 2nd to 6th place range for some good racing.

-Bruce
SM #17

[Jerry Cabe]

Hey David,

The event was put on by WMR and Ft. Wayne Region - just want to give proper credit to all involved. I thought the regions and the Stewards did a good job of handling the Sunday afternoon rainout. And the evening food was great.

I hope I stayed out of most peoples way - I tried to give points and racing room as the freight trains roared past. But then the crafty ones would sometimes try to use me as a rolling pick. But I was able to drop my lap times fairly well over last year (and it wasn't the track surface).

[pat slattery]

Thanks to all for what I saw was a very clean race, a few unintentional exceptions but for the most part clean racing all weekend.

Shawn had an awesome weekend, 2 Poles, 2 Wins and a new Track record, (sorry Bennett).

Would like to thank Race Engineering for an awesome motor, and Performance alignment for a great setup that was spot on all weekend. Little adjustments but that was it.

Would like to request that SM should atleast get a split start, if not our own run group. We had 16-17 cars, SRF had 9 and got there own run group. The starts were terrible, not the SM guys fault, just way to many slow cars in the rear with big straight advantages that made it hectic and dangerous going into turn 1 on the start.

If you have the number one starting position, you shouldn't have to start on the outside either.

All in all a great weekend for Shawn and myself.

Thanks

Pat