46 replies to this topic

[MPR22]

Unfortunately not - will be brushing up my ice-driving skills and it was the only window I could get. Really bummed to miss the Sebring Majors as I really love that track, even after the shunt at NASA. Sebring offers some of the best racing in our season.

Danny and I have different views on how to sharpen our racing skills. He goes to frozen tundra for ice driving, I go to a tropical paradise and surf. There are lessons to be learned from both, my surroundings are more scenic, but he sees that all day long so ice driving is more appropriate for him.

[Danica Davison]

Danny and I have different views on how to sharpen our racing skills. He goes to frozen tundra for ice driving, I go to a tropical paradise and surf. There are lessons to be learned from both, my surroundings are more scenic, but he sees that all day long so ice driving is more appropriate for him.

 

Sad to see you aren't coming down with the rest of the Texans. I wanted redemption

[Jim Drago]

Sad to see you aren't coming down with the rest of the Texans. I wanted redemption

well thankfully the rest of the field has likely beaten you somewhere, maybe you can redeem yourself there

[Danica Davison]

well thankfully the rest of the field has likely beaten you somewhere, maybe you can redeem yourself there

 

Hey Jim ... you are only as good as your last race .. and I beat you in that one too biatch

[Danny Steyn]

Qually ONE in the books and all the usual suspects at the front. Congrats to Preston and Todd for the commitment to work together throughout Test Day and Practice Sessions. That dedication paid off handsomely in Q1. Cannot be done any other way at tracks like these.

 

Huge thanks to Tom Fowler, Ryan Downton, and the entire OPM Crew for putting together a new car for me in less than a month after the old car was totalled at Sebring NASA Champs. It rolled off the hauler looking identical to the previous car and was competitive  out of the box. Thanks guys, very much appreciated. Will try and keep it off the walls

 

And thanks to Mike Rossini for the awesome power and to Danny and Chris for the awesome stopping power of G-Loc Brakes. 

 

Fast Qually TWO at 8am this morning - Expect to see low 37's!

[Jim Drago]

Congrats and Happy 18th Birthday Michael carter! Pole and win. Congrats to preston , Todd and Chris as It looked like a four car battle at the end.
Congrats to Preston on new track record.

Good luck to all tomorrow

[Jim Creighton]

I'm sure someone will give all the details, but yesterday was great racing all through the field. Just about everyone on the track had to race with someone for their finish position. The front pack was just insanely close. Michael Carter has ice running through his veins while he races. What a wheel man (now that he is 18) He makes Toni & I proud because we pushed hard for  lowering the license age in SCCA and he was one of the first. Now, we want the age lowered to 13. You guys should see the skill of some of the 13 year olds who run with us in the short track series. We forced NASCAR to lower their age limits. We, SCCA, need to give them a place to road race.

[Dave D.]

I'm not sure I share your sentiment on that subject. I have also seen some young racers cause some issues on track when moving up to race with adults in real cars. The fact that kids that young can lack risk management and judgemental skills, but yet have cat like reflexes, absorb information like a sponge due to a young,growing brain, can be a risky situation. I have also seen where the parents push too hard and try to drive the cars for them by barking orders over the radio and sometimes putting the kids in uncomfortable situations . I am not saying this applies to all teenagers, but I don't think policy should be changed for a small number of the truly rare phenoms with youth,wisdom,and natural ability. Maybe evaluate on a case by case basis to ascertain whether or not if the young driver is ready to move up from quarter midgets,karts,etc to real cars, going faster with much more mass/energy to cause more damage when things go wrong. JMHO..............

[Jim Creighton]

Agree 100%. Only after evaluation and some observation. The ones we get in short track are generally great but family is another thing. Heck, NASCAR had to deal with Joey Lagano's father while we had no problem with him for the two years he ran with us. Never know.

[Jim Drago]

Seemed like a great weekend all around and sorry I missed it, but we had to move my daughter in this weekend into UT Chattanooga.  Watching these races on race monitor is pretty exciting.  Congratulations today to Preston Pardus on the win( his first majors win, as funny as that sounds after winning Indy, it is true) Todd Buras in P2 and Michael Carter in P3.  Preston has been on a real tear lately, not finishing outside the top three in any SCCA races since winning the Runoffs...
Jim

[Danica Davison]

Preston has been on a real tear lately, not finishing outside the top three in any SCCA races since winning the Runoffs...

 
False: He finished next to last like you at NASA Champs.

[Bench Racer]

Lurking T. Brown, how's school?

[Jim Drago]

False: He finished next to last like you at NASA Champs.

You better stop posting before your morning coffee... It clearly says SCCA and not his fault my car broke

[Danica Davison]

You better stop posting before your morning coffee... It clearly says SCCA and not his fault my car broke

 

You cant just go editing your posts Jimmy!  And I don't drink coffee. Only Monster Zero and Amphetamine for me!

[Jim Drago]

You cant just go editing your posts Jimmy!  And I don't drink coffee. Only Monster Zero and Amphetamine for me!

You better get on the ball, if you are only this sharp next weekend we are going to beat you like a drum

[Danica Davison]

You better get on the ball, if you are only this sharp next weekend we are going to beat you like a drum

 

I am just excited to hangout with all of my friends on and off the track. I can't wait to race the best of the best this weekend and hopefully be able to hold my own against the best drivers in the country and drink beer with all of them after the racing is over for the day.

[tylerbrown]

Lurking T. Brown, how's school?

 

Not as fun as the track!!

[Danny Steyn]

Seemed like a great weekend all around and sorry I missed it, but we had to move my daughter in this weekend into UT Chattanooga.  Watching these races on race monitor is pretty exciting.  Congratulations today to Preston Pardus on the win( his first majors win, as funny as that sounds after winning Indy, it is true) Todd Buras in P2 and Michael Carter in P3.  Preston has been on a real tear lately, not finishing outside the top three in any SCCA races since winning the Runoffs...
Jim

Had absolutely no idea that this was his first Majors win, makes his win even more special.

 

In Race 1 I was smiling as Michael Carter was desperately trying to push Todd away from Preston, because they had shown throughout test day that if they stayed together they were unbeatable. After Michael got the win in Race 1 I said they would never let it happen again.

 

So it was even more amusing as I found myself behind Todd in Race 2 and while I was pushing him, he kept on pulling off to the right and pointing me by and I kept on shaking my head (while smiling). At one point he even almost stopped on the track with me behind him, but no matter how we tried, the Buras / Pardus team was JUST TOO COMMITTED, and thus just too strong. Congrats to both Pardus and Buras for showing just how team mates need to make this work on drafting tracks.

 

And I have to really give my Rossini teammate Michael Carter a shout out. Not because he turned 18 this weekend. Not because he whupped everyone in Race 1, but because, in Race 2 with two laps to go with him pushing me running 3rd and 4th, he missed  shift out of T6 and I ended up gapping him, and Chris Haldeman got to his bumper, so coming out of T8 I was frantically dragging my brake, and the Carter/Haldeman duo were closing rapidly and I could read Michael's mind....... "Do I dump Steyn and go by with Chris, and suffer the consequences all year long, or do I do the right thing and pick Steyn up?"........ Well at the last moment after pulling too the right, he dropped back in, dragged his brake, and picked me up. Great job Michael. Of course now I have both  Haldeman and Carter pushing and the 3 car train was running awfully fast into T1 and my geriatric brain forgot to process that I was going in way faster than I ever had, and I promptly overshot T2, fortunately coming back on in time to defend for T5. 

 

Great shout out to all the guys who ran this weekend. Was drama free, high intensity racing, the stuff that makes Spec Miata so much fun.

 

Thanks to Tom Fowler and the entire OPM crew for the brand new build that was ultra competitive right out the box. Wish I was going to Sebring to show just how great this new car really is. Y'All have fun in Sebring!

[Richard Astacio]

 Congrats to both Preston and Pardus for showing just how team mates need to make this work on drafting tracks.

 

 

 

I guess Preston is twice the man that we are.

[Danny Steyn]

I guess Preston is twice the man that we are.

Thanks for the catch, and fixed! And you, like me get up way too early!!!!