22 replies to this topic

[Dayle Frame]

Come on out for the "Last Chance" Majors at Grattan Raceway. It's last Major in the GLDiv and NorCon.  

 

WMR strives to put on the best event we can and this race weekend is no exception. Last week we threw a virgin into a volcano in Hawaii under a full moon so we'd have good weather. We have the usual GREAT Saturday night dinner party with Q-It-Up doing the catering.  Grattan is a treacherous, technical and exciting track and if you haven't raced on it before, give it a try and you will not be disappointed.

 

Enter on or before 7/16 and the fee is $400 for a check, $425 for a credit card. Add $75 for an entry after 7/16. This is the same entry fee schedule as last year.

 

Contact the track (616.691.7221) if you want to run the track sponsored test day, rent a garage or a paved space on the upper paddock.

 

Go to wmr-scca.motorsportreg.com for details and to register. As always, if you have any questions about the event, please do not hesitate to contact me offline (hdf3.wtr80@gmail.com) and I'll do what I can to help you out.

 

Dayle

[Dayle Frame]

Bump.....

 

The window for the "Early Bird" discounted entry fee is closing on 7/16 (this Monday).  If you want to save $75 on your entry, please go to wmr-scca.motorsportreg.com and enter.  GingerMan is in the books....if you know you'd like to race at Grattan, then enter this week to save the $75.  You can always withdraw later without penalty.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Dayle

[speedengineer]

I registered today.  Look forward to this event every year!

 

Group 7 is unfortunate.   But mostly because we're always spoiled by getting group 2 or 3. 

[EMatoy]

Thanks for the reminder about the discount. Registered this morning after I saw it.

Group 7 means only one thing——>more fireball

[screaming monkey]

Entries a little thin. Where is everyone? Great place to tune your setup for Sonoma. 

[Dayle Frame]

Good news to the attendees of this race.  We scrunched two race groups together.  Prod (9 cars) and DOT (11 cars).  This freed up some time on the schedule. As a result, we're adding 5 minutes to each race on Saturday.  We might as well reward those who showed up.  No change for Sunday so everyone will be able to get on the road a bit earlier than expected.  See you there.

 

Dayle

[tylerbrown]

Entries a little thin. Where is everyone? Great place to tune your setup for Sonoma. 

Wish we could go, just not in the plans.

[BNaumann]

Entries a little thin. Where is everyone? Great place to tune your setup for Sonoma.

Chumpcar disease has infected half of the Michigan SM community and they are headed to VIR.

[Bench Racer]

Is DumpCar more and more having an impact on SCCA road race entries. I never have and never will be part of it, but it's serious driving time for the $$$. 

[Michael Novak]

Is DumpCar more and more having an impact on SCCA road race entries. I never have and never will be part of it, but it's serious driving time for the $$$. 

1. We are having fun running both.

2. We took a lot of our extra parts and built up our car. Any SM NA could just come and race as is. 

3. As Jim and I discussed--cheap it is not. VIR this weekend $5200.00

4. Champcar and Lemons are completely different. I went with friends to a lemons race and havent been back. 

5. 40 hours of racing on the car and not a scratch. 125 cars started the Daytona race.

6. SM guys are racing SM guys--Miatas are quite popular. Race in Florida and you will race the same SM drivers.

7. 2019 Mazda is offering contigency money.

[Bench Racer]

3. As Jim and I discussed--cheap it is not. VIR this weekend $5200.00

$5,200.00/???drivers = $?/driver/time driving car = $/hour   

[Michael Novak]

$5,200.00/???drivers = $?/driver/time driving car = $/hour   

4 Drivers this weekend. Kristen and I, Dan Tiley, Justin Hille---Chuck Master Wrench. 

 

Similar Cost to a SCCA weekend between tow, entry of two cars, tires and consumables, test day---so we add some friends in. 

 

This weekend: 24 VIR

 

Glazed and Confused(Todd Buras, Tom Fowler,Dave Bowles,Jason Connole) and us in Glazed and Confused 2. Plus Wiskey Tango Foxtrot---Ralph,Mike(V2) Nat and Jen S., Jon and Emily Y,Alex P,Jordan Smart 

 

1/2 of the michigan group, plus Florida and practice for the runoffs next year...  Try it before you pick on it.

[tburas56]

What Mike Said..

We have lots of Fun. Can't wait for Jimmy D to get his car done so he can join in.

It is the next big thing with Mazda contingency. The thing about champcar, the fastest car does not win, the car with no issues wins.

So $5200 with 4 guys is $1300 per driver. Most cars go 1.5 hours, 4 stints per driver so.... "at 3am it all makes sense".

[chris haldeman]

Wish I could have made it to vir and race with Todd and the boys. Family comes first sometimes :-)

[luckymiata76]

What if SCCA offered a Team style weekend? Would anybody come? How much track time would you need to make it different enough from a typical SCCA race? 

 

Jeff

#76 SM

[Erik Hardy]

I've done more champcar races than I have SCCA events and they are loads of fun. Champcar is the opposite of lemons where they actually encourage racing and are fair about the racing on the track.

 

Don't be fooled by how some of the cars look either. The team I help with is full aero, making 160hp, that is 2-4 seconds faster per lap than SM on 200 tread tires. The race of consistency through traffic while stretching fuel is good fun. The top cars these days really are good enough to go 9.5/10 every lap provided the car stays on track. Sure the door to door battling isn't as good as Spec, but its loads of race time. Door to door race time, is the key for me. 

 

I'm probably on a lonely island, but I would love to see SCCA move towards less practicing and qualifying in exchange for 2 shorter races per day. 1 very short warm up each day, 1st Race grid is random order, 2nd grid is based on finishing position. I value the racing time, 5 times more than I do qualifying, but I believe that goes against most of the car racing culture. 

 

E

[Bench Racer]

So $5200 with 4 guys is $1300 per driver. Most cars go 1.5 hours, 4 stints per driver so.... "at 3am it all makes sense".

Thank you Todd. The math is elementary, lots of driving for the $. 

 

Michael, Different Strokes For Different Folks. "I went with friends to a lemons race and havent been back."   I didn't say I didn't like it. 

[EMatoy]

My chumpcar should be at PITT

[Ron Alan]

I've done more champcar races than I have SCCA events and they are loads of fun. Champcar is the opposite of lemons where they actually encourage racing and are fair about the racing on the track.

 

Don't be fooled by how some of the cars look either. The team I help with is full aero, making 160hp, that is 2-4 seconds faster per lap than SM on 200 tread tires. The race of consistency through traffic while stretching fuel is good fun. The top cars these days really are good enough to go 9.5/10 every lap provided the car stays on track. Sure the door to door battling isn't as good as Spec, but its loads of race time. Door to door race time, is the key for me. 

 

I'm probably on a lonely island, but I would love to see SCCA move towards less practicing and qualifying in exchange for 2 shorter races per day. 1 very short warm up each day, 1st Race grid is random order, 2nd grid is based on finishing position. I value the racing time, 5 times more than I do qualifying, but I believe that goes against most of the car racing culture. 

 

E

NASA NORCAL has gone to 3-30 minute races per weekend...seems to be very popular! We are also having our first enduro that doesnt require a race license next month...10 hrs of lower cost entry level for the HPDE3+ crowd!

Champ and Lucky Dog have become very popular on the West Coast!

[EMatoy]

Congrats to Kyle, Jason and Brian today and Christian, Voytek and Chris yesterday.