Subdriver 2004 SCCA Race Schedule

[Subdriver]

Race Fans,
As requested by numerous people (okay, maybe it's closer to four), here is my TENTATIVE 2004 SCCA race schedule. For the other 97% of you:
Happy New Year! Hope you feel better today than I do.
For the other four of you, read on.

MidWest Division Races:
March 20-21 Memphis Motorsports Park, Memphis TN
April 24-25 Mid-America Motorplex, Pacific Junction IA
May 1-2 Gateway International Raceway, St. Louis MO
May 15-16 Hallet Motor Racing Circuit, Tulsa OK
May 29-30 Memphis Motorsports Park, Memphis TN
June 5-6 Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka KS
July 3-4 Hallet Motor Racing Circuit, Tulsa OK
Jul 31- Aug 1 Gateway International Raceway, St. Louis MO
Aug 21-22 Mid-America Motorplex, Pacific Junction IA
Sept 4-5 Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka KS

2004 SCCA Valvoline Runoffs:
Sept 20-26 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington OH

Possible out of Division Races:
Aug 14-15 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington OH
Sept 11-12 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington OH

http://www.memphismotorsports.com/
http://www.midamericamotorplex.com/
http://www.gatewayraceway.com/
http://www.hallettracing.com/
http://www.hpt.com/
http://www.midohio.com/sportscarcourse/

I have set two main goals for 2004:
1) Win the MidWest Division SCCA T1 class championship (achievable)
2) Finish in the Top 5 at the 2004 SCCA Valvoline Runoffs (a tall order)

The above schedule is tentative for several reasons:
- My budget for 2004 will be more limiting than it was for 2003 ($25k vs. $32k - which didn't include startup costs) as an unwritten goal is to get through the year without going farther into debt. I will set aside enough money to participate in the 2004 SCCA Valvoline Runoffs on Sept 20-26th. Other than that, when the money runs out, I'm done.
- Work. Many of the above tracks are 600+ miles from Memphis, which means I need to get at least Friday off from work to get to the track (and maybe Monday). Getting time off isn't a done deal until its done.
- SCCA points structure. Only the best six finishes count towards the Divisional Championship. As there are 10 Divisional races, I may not need to run them all to win the Championship. If I clinch it early, I may not participate in the last few races to save money and to focus on preparing for the Runoffs.
- Duty assignment. Although I'm not scheduled to go back to sea duty until Jan 2005, who knows. I could get a phone call any day during the year that changes that.
- Car Reliability. I blew an engine in 2003 that cost me several races. If I wreck or blow an engine, the schedule is in doubt (repair cost, time to repair).

That said, if you are interested in seeing a race, and have to plan, I'd say the following applies:
- The 2004 SCCA Valvoline Runoffs is most likely
- Earlier season races are more likely to happen
- Closer to Memphis is more likely to happen (Memphis, St. Louis, Tulsa)

If you are interested in attending any of the above races, please contact me beforehand to confirm my attendance.
Have a great 2004!

[holedgr]

Very cool!!! but how many get televised, as that will be the only way I could watch.

[dirtrider]

Just the Runoffs are televised. Go to the SCCA nationals. Its the best racing you'll probally ever see. And you can walk through the pits and talk with the drivers and crew. Tons of different cars. You see some neat combinations.

[David Pintaric]

Brad:

It looks as though we will be going head-to-head three times this year: all at Mid Ohio. Remember to be nice to me.

[dirtrider]

Good luck to both of you next season. Keep safe.

[JOEZ06]

Hey Brad....

No Double National at Roebling Road this year? Are you avoiding that one based on LS6 superstition? I wouldn't blame you if you did. Would be great to see you run .... I may have to trek up North to do it.

Cheers. Good Luck !

[Zippy]

Originally posted by dirtrider
Good luck to both of you next season. Keep safe.

Ditto!

I hope to make it to Mid-Ohio at least once this year!

Zippy

[Subdriver]

No Double National at Roebling Road this year? Are you avoiding that one based on LS6 superstition? I wouldn't blame you if you did.

Joe,
No, nothing to do with superstition. It is only a cost/benefit evaluation.
My primary goal for 2004 is to win the MidWest Division T1 title so I can claim I was an SCCA Divisional Champion before rolling back onto sea duty next year. As there is a divisional race that weekend at Hallet, I really need to go there to get Divisional points.
Last year, Roebling made sense for me because of different factors. I didn't have a license at that start of the season so had to race at least four Regionals to get my National license. Then I had to hustle to get in enough Nationals to qualify for the Runoffs. Running the double in Roebling would've resulted in two races for the price of one (more or less) and if I had finished, would've qualified me for the Runoffs in July. As it turned out, I blew the motor in the first session there (as you know), and then really had to scramble to qualify for the Runoffs.

I had to put some serious miles in to make the Runoffs at that point. I towed the car from Roebling to Norfolk that weekend, then drove home. After my brother-in-law so graciously installed a new crate motor for me, I left Memphis on a Wednesday evening driving all night to Norfolk, finished engine install and PCM reprogram on Thursday, drove to St. Louis on Friday, drove circles around St. Louis for 10 hrs on Saturday (not fun in July with no AC and no Radio and no mufflers), raced on Sunday (losing to Reed Kryder in David Pintaric's car), then towed the car to Michigan a few weeks later for an out of division race at Grattan and qualified for the Runoffs.

I wish I had the time and money for a few SE Division races this year. I am dying watching the chatter about the winter races at Sebring and Moroso this month.

March can't come to soon!

[David Pintaric]

raced on Sunday (losing to Reed Kryder in David Pintaric's car),

Ya know Brad, maybe you should have taken me up on that initial offer when you lost your motor. That would have been 3 more points (12 vs 9) that you would have been able to bag!

DMP

[Subdriver]

That would have been 3 more points (12 vs 9) that you would have been able to bag!

I still appreciate that extremely gracious offer David!


However, I learned a lot with the engine swap and think in the end I was better off repairing my car and running the two out of Division races (Grattan and Mid-Ohio). If I had your car I would've chased the MidWest Division points and might have won, but at the cost of seat time at some tracks that made me a better driver. Who knows. I can't complain with how the season turned out!

[David Pintaric]

I can't complain with how the season turned out!

Ya know, Brad, I don't think I have ever properly congratulated you on such a great run at the Run-Offs. When I watch the video of the race, the performance you and Chris put of was very impressive. There was/is alot of very committed teams in that field, and you and Chris were very fast.

to ya.

[FRC Tom]

Sticking to the top for a couple of weeks.

[proexpert]

Do you really pilot a submarine? Which class? Way cool!

[Stan2002]

Best of luck to you and many thumbs up from the Navy personel here at China Lake.

Stan

[Subdriver]

Sticking to the top for a couple of weeks.

Tom,
Very nice, thanks!

Ya know, Brad, I don't think I have ever properly congratulated you on such a great run at the Run-Offs. When I watch the video of the race, the performance you and Chris put of was very impressive. There was/is alot of very committed teams in that field, and you and Chris were very fast.

David,
Thanks. I take pride in demonstrating that a "regular" guy with a "regular" job can perform well in this class, especially in light of the talent at the top of the field (Heinricy, White, Gilhart, Oates, Roush, etc).

Do you really pilot a submarine? Which class? Way cool!

Junior Officer on LA class fast attack out of Norfolk VA, Department Head on LA class fast attack out of Norfolk VA/Pearl Harbor HI, Executive Officer on Ohio class ballistic missile sub out of Kings Bay GA/Bangor WA. Currently on shore duty in Millington TN.

During my career I have done three six month deployments, two ballistic missile patrols, and four special operations. I have lived in:
Pensacola FL
Corpus Christi TX
Lemoore CA
Orlando FL
Charleston SC
Groton CT (x2)
Norfolk VA (x2)
Honolulu HI
St. Marys GA
Bangor WA
Memphis TN
And I have conducted port calls in 7 continental U.S. cities, and 19 overseas ports (many more than once), visiting five continents and circumnavigating the globe!

Best of luck to you and many thumbs up from the Navy personel here at China Lake.

Thanks Stan! China Lake... haven't been there yet.