42 replies to this topic

[dtfastbear]

Hey gang,

I hope to see the NASA NorCal regulars in a couple weeks at Thunderhill along with some new drivers for the 2011 season. In an effort to always keep things interesting, we're going to try a new race format on Sunday. Saturday will be the normal warm-up, qual and race sessions as you're accustomed to with NASA.

On Sunday, you'll have the normal warm-up session. Then, in place of the qual and race sessions, the Spec Miatas and Spec e30's will have a ONE HOUR RACE with a mandatory pit-stop. Don't worry, you don't need a crew. The only thing you have to do during the pit-stop is exit the car and get back in the car. For those of you who compete as a team, you CAN switch drivers if you want. For those who want to drive the entire race themselves, you just have to get out and get back in to make it fair. We'll go through all the specific logistics at the driver's meeting on Sunday morning. We'll also make sure to have a few people on-hand in the hot pits to help you with your belts, window net, etc. when you make your pit-stop.

We thought this would be a good way for folks who don't normally run enduros to get a sense for what it is like to drive longer than a sprint race and get some of the excitement of a green-flag pit-stop.

Cheers,

Dean

[Charlie Hayes]

Im in for the NASA weekend and also the Trackmasters day on the Friday!


The petite enduro sounds exciting also!!!!!

[Johnny D]

Now how am I suppose to complain about NASA and the 99 when you guys do great stuff like this.
J~

[dtfastbear]

You're just going to have to show up and complain in person, Johnny. Our strategy is that it's harder for you to whine with a helmet on, so we try to keep everyone driving...

Cheers,

Dean

[Johnny D]

Makes for a busy month but I think I will.
Just got back from NCRC on Friday.
SCCA this weekend.
Do yours
I have a 8hr karting enduro at Cal Speedway the 23rd.
J~

[Ron Alan]

If you use fuel for ballast I guess extra weights will be in order for this race! Or can you ad fuel?

Grid order determined on practice lap times?

[dtfastbear]

You won't have to change your car for this race. We'll figure out how to address the weight issue. Watch here for details.

Grid order probably based on the results from the race on Saturday.

Still working out the wrinkles...

Cheers,

Dean

[BPigpen]

Dean,
What a cool idea. This is why I love racing with NASA.
I can't wait. I wish my skinny son was going to be there to race with me.
He would rather go to his Senior Ball. He sure needs to get his Priorities in order.
Bruce

[Johnny D]

You won't have to change your car for this race. We'll figure out how to address the weight issue. Watch here for details.

Grid order probably based on the results from the race on Saturday.

Still working out the wrinkles...

Cheers,

Dean

Dean, got any details/wrinkles to look at yet?
(no bad wrinkle jokes please)
J~

[dtfastbear]

Not concrete, yet, but you could safely plan on the ability to add about 35lbs to your "as weighed post race" weight to make minimum weight. That is, as long as you come in within 35lbs of the required minimum weight for your car/class, you will pass tech after the race. This should account for the difference between what you would burn in a one hour race and what you could reasonably end up with in the tank after a 30 minute sprint race.

So, those who run fuel for ballast shouldn't have to make any change. Just fill your car before the race and you'll be OK. This *could* give a small, somewhat unfair advantage to those who don't run fuel for ballast, but I think it is a small, manageable difference.

I'll post the final number (it might be anywhere between 30-40lbs) here prior to the weekend.

Cheers,

Dean

[Johnny D]

Min, time needed spent from pit in to out?
Or we get to see if you really can get out of the car in 10 sec.

I'll probably be running 60lbs over because someone thought it would be easy for SCCA to crossover.
Jab Jab.
J~

[dtfastbear]

Same minimum time in the pit that F1 and NASCAR use...

We're considering how to measure the driver being "out" of the car to make it fair for those changing drivers. You'll probably have to complete some sort of "task" out of the car, like place a sticker on the windshield. Or, maybe I'll take a queue from the 24 Hours of LeMons handbook and make you sing a song, tell a story or answer trivia questions about the history of the Pinto or AMC Pacer.

While you don't NEED crew, you might want to get a helper who can be in the hotpit to help you get back in the car quickly, as that's all on the clock, presumably under green flag. You might want to practice your out/in of the car prior to the race.

Another wrinkle we'll have to work out is whether the pits are closed during FCY. Depending on the answer to that question, you'll need to think about your pit strategy!

And Johnny, for the sake of saving everyone time, I'm going to start ignoring your NASA-99-Rules jabs...

Cheers,

Dean

[Johnny D]

"If" I have a 5 gal jug over the wall, will there be someone there to fill me up?
Or that's part of the task?

If there is an area for fueling and it's full, can we get a flag on 14 to tell us?

Oh ya, strategy baby, love it.
J~

[Johnny D]

Not sure how this goes now but...

If you supersize for the weeknd it normal on Sat and Enduro on Sun?
So if you paid for 2 races on Sat/Sunday which is now one big one.

Works well for one guy.
If it's a 2 man team, each guy is going to get half the time now.
Or the Enduro is it own event?

J~

[dtfastbear]

You won't need to fuel for a 1 hour race unless your motor is, uhhhhh, particularly *robust* and consumes about 50% more fuel than any other spec miata out there.

But, to answer your question, the only way there will be someone there to fuel you is if you arrange for someone to be there waiting to fuel you. That's not a service NASA provides.

Cheers,

Dean

[dtfastbear]

Johnny,

The Petite Enduro only affects Group A, not Group C which SM can supersize to.

So, the second driver is going to have a normal schedule on Saturday AND Sunday. The Spec Miata driver has a normal schedule on Saturday and a one hour race instead of separate qual/race sessions.

One of the driver gets a little extra time (10 minutes?) while the other gets the normal amount of time.

Does that make sense?

Cheers,

Dean

[Jeff Lyon]

Hey Dean, I want to race but I am renting out my car for HPDE2 on Sat. It would be great if the schedule were posted so I could make sure there wasn't going to be a problem. Could you get on that?

[dtfastbear]

I have access to a preliminary schedule which is SUBJECT TO CHANGE. As of right now, the Group A Petite Enduro is scheduled from 11:05 to 12:05 and Group 1&2 HPDE is immediately following that at 12:05.

Sorry

FWIW, I'll ask about a change, but please understand that there are 100 different factors that go in to creating the schedule, so I give it a 5% chance that it will change.

Give your renter $50 off to miss a few minutes while you refuel the car after the race!

Cheers,

Dean

[Johnny D]

Johnny,

Does that make sense?

Cheers,

Dean

I'm good.
Thanks Dean,
J~

[Johnny D]

I have access to a preliminary schedule which is SUBJECT TO CHANGE. As of right now, the Group A Petite Enduro is scheduled from 11:05 to 12:05 and Group 1&2 HPDE is immediately following that at 12:05.

Sorry

FWIW, I'll ask about a change, but please understand that there are 100 different factors that go in to creating the schedule, so I give it a 5% chance that it will change.

Give your renter $50 off to miss a few minutes while you refuel the car after the race!

Cheers,

Dean

The workers don't take lunch then?