Forum member robiferretti was kind enough to host my in car video from lap 1 of the 2003 SCCA Valvoline Runoffs. Thanks Rob!
Summary of LAP 1:
Jumping from 12th to 9th on the start, I fall back to 10th in the mess in the first two turns, then fall to 11th at the end of the lap when I bounce off the rev limiter in 3rd and am passed by Tom Lyons.
http://beyondthequarter.com/runoffs.wmv
(dialup beware: 4.8 MB file)
(aspect is a little off as this was filmed in 9:16 ratio for my widescreen TV and most computer viewers don't display that ratio yet)
Detailed writeup:
My 12th place qualifying position put me outside row six, not in the most preferred location for the start on the back straight leading to turn four. I started behind Joe Aquilante (forum member vettedriver32), the owner of Phoenix Performance who prepped my car and provided technical assistance all year and beside Reed Kryder, a IMSA GTU veteran driving David Pintaric’s car (forum member David Pintaric).
As we approached the starters stand on the back straight, the rear of the field edged forward quickly but didn't get green and bunched up big time. The starter held green until we lined up and then dropped flag. I got a great start, but on the outside row had to go outside vice inside where I would've preferred to be. I pulled Reed who was beside me easily and swept past Joe Aquilante and Lance Knupp and tucked in behind Chris Ingle who started 8th. As we headed into turn four under heavy braking, the field bunched up again. The row in front of me went into the turn three abreast, with Lance Knupp on the inside, Bob Schader in the middle, and Chris Ingle on the outside, with me two feet behind Chris’ bumper. Joe Aquilante tucked inside of me under braking. Bob and Lance touched, and Bob bounced to the outside into Chris – right in front of me. Chris got knocked off the track as I am two feet behind him, but caught it and came back on, hitting Bob again in the process, and then looped it to the outside of turn four. As I am stuck behind Chris wondering which way he will go and praying it is outside, Lance, Reed, Joe, Pete Looby and Bob Mayer sneak by me on the inside. As we come back to the left and up over the crest of turn five, Bob Schader gets sideways clipping Reed with his tail. Reed is knocked off track to the right. Bob spins on the track as a result of the contact. Pete Looby, stuck behind Bob, tries to tighten his turn and spins to the inside, but missing Bob. Lance, Bob Mayer, Joe and I somehow manage to sneak through the gap in the middle. Reed then comes back on the track only to spin off to the left. Cars are flying everywhere! A week later, and I was still dreaming about Vettes spinning in front of me.
As the dust settles and we head into turn seven, part of my submarine brain is thinking, got three at the start, all three of those got back by in the mess, two that started behind me got in front of me, three that started ahead of me spun off, one that started behind me spun off… that’s -3, +3, +2, -3, -1… adds up to 10th??? I am where I wanted to be after only two turns! The rest of my brain is thinking, ease towards full throttle into seven, tighten to the left for a late apex, keep the power down, straighten the wheel over the top of the hill, let the car settle, turn into eight, keep the power down, ease to the outside, straighten the car, brakes, brakes, brakes, ease onto the power into nine, straighten the wheel over the top at the apex, don’t look at the wall, power, power, power… am I really in 10th already… brakes, brakes, brakes…
I follow Bob Mayer and Joe for one lap, but am being held up by them as the leaders open distance. Pushing hard to position myself for a pass, I hold third gear too long going coming out of turn one and bounce off the rev limiter. It is enough for Tom Lyons, three time NE Division Champion to sneak by under braking for the Keyhole. Down to 11th. Not the direction I wanted to be going...
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