Joined
·
2,170 Posts
SCCA T1 Diary: 4/3/2005
My second SCCA race of 2005 at beautiful but cold Summit Point, WV. The temperature was 45 degrees but with the wind blowing at 25-30 MPH it felt like 20!
I was gridded 3rd behind Andrew Aquilante and Chip Ott, and ahead of Bob Kahn and six other T1 drivers.
The first lap went smoothly as we all raced down the front straight to the tight right hander called Turn One. I maintained my inside line and as we exited the turn I was now in second place behind young Mr. Aquilante.
AJ “checked out” immediately, I could see he was significantly faster than I was and wanted to be on a cold track. I wanted to bring the car home in one piece, so I wasn’t trying to set fastest time in the first lap. Hence the first place car was all but out of reach by the 3rd lap, although I did convince myself that that was to be expected and was “OK” as traffic would offset such a development. It was not the case; I never saw AJ again.
My hands were full with maintaining second place for the next 17 laps. I fought off charges by Pete Kulka, then Chip Ott, then finally Bob Kahn. Bob actually passed me on Lap 17 going down the front straight, but I out-braked him going into Turn One and regained second place.
At the end of the 18th lap I entered Turn Ten and the car had no “go power.” The clutch pedal went straight to the floor. Everyone passed me as I coasted the length of the front straight and parked the car out of harm’s way.
I don’t know the extent of the mechanical ills, but I suspect, and am crossing my fingers, that it is the proverbial “$7.00” part that ruined my race weekend.
After the flat bed ride back to my paddock, I ran over to the impound area to congratulate the top three finishers: Andrew, Bob Kahn and Pete Kulka. Much to my surprise I was greeted with some coolness as I was taken to task by one driver who was accusing me of “blocking.”
Being a relative new comer to this, I asked another racer who had more experience. This “older” gentlemen (older than I) said what I was doing was “OK,” but only if it was during the last five laps.
Hmmm, this is odd. I understand the unwritten rules for blocking: you are allowed one move. After reviewing each lap on my in-car camera, I clearly only made “one” move per pass zone. I don’t think there are rules for the first part of a race, and another set of rules for the last part of it.
I spoke with some other experienced SCCA people about this, most who watched the race. None of them said I was “blocking.”
I admit I did run a conservative race. I knew my car was faster over a certain part of the course, the part where most of the passing was possible. I purposely drove slower in the Carousel for a number of reasons: #1: it is very hard to pass a like-classed car in that section, #2: there is not a lot of lap time to be gained by pushing the car through it, #3: I wanted to conserve my tires for later in the race, and #4 there was water in many key spots making traction difficult to find.
The racers who were complaining could not pass me down the front straight; I think my car makes more horsepower than their cars.
A disappointing weekend; the mechanical woes are one thing, but the issues with my fellow T1 drivers really bother me. I intend to contact the two involved to clarify my position on things. I am not out there to make enemies.
My second SCCA race of 2005 at beautiful but cold Summit Point, WV. The temperature was 45 degrees but with the wind blowing at 25-30 MPH it felt like 20!
I was gridded 3rd behind Andrew Aquilante and Chip Ott, and ahead of Bob Kahn and six other T1 drivers.
The first lap went smoothly as we all raced down the front straight to the tight right hander called Turn One. I maintained my inside line and as we exited the turn I was now in second place behind young Mr. Aquilante.
AJ “checked out” immediately, I could see he was significantly faster than I was and wanted to be on a cold track. I wanted to bring the car home in one piece, so I wasn’t trying to set fastest time in the first lap. Hence the first place car was all but out of reach by the 3rd lap, although I did convince myself that that was to be expected and was “OK” as traffic would offset such a development. It was not the case; I never saw AJ again.
My hands were full with maintaining second place for the next 17 laps. I fought off charges by Pete Kulka, then Chip Ott, then finally Bob Kahn. Bob actually passed me on Lap 17 going down the front straight, but I out-braked him going into Turn One and regained second place.
At the end of the 18th lap I entered Turn Ten and the car had no “go power.” The clutch pedal went straight to the floor. Everyone passed me as I coasted the length of the front straight and parked the car out of harm’s way.
I don’t know the extent of the mechanical ills, but I suspect, and am crossing my fingers, that it is the proverbial “$7.00” part that ruined my race weekend.
After the flat bed ride back to my paddock, I ran over to the impound area to congratulate the top three finishers: Andrew, Bob Kahn and Pete Kulka. Much to my surprise I was greeted with some coolness as I was taken to task by one driver who was accusing me of “blocking.”
Being a relative new comer to this, I asked another racer who had more experience. This “older” gentlemen (older than I) said what I was doing was “OK,” but only if it was during the last five laps.
Hmmm, this is odd. I understand the unwritten rules for blocking: you are allowed one move. After reviewing each lap on my in-car camera, I clearly only made “one” move per pass zone. I don’t think there are rules for the first part of a race, and another set of rules for the last part of it.
I spoke with some other experienced SCCA people about this, most who watched the race. None of them said I was “blocking.”
I admit I did run a conservative race. I knew my car was faster over a certain part of the course, the part where most of the passing was possible. I purposely drove slower in the Carousel for a number of reasons: #1: it is very hard to pass a like-classed car in that section, #2: there is not a lot of lap time to be gained by pushing the car through it, #3: I wanted to conserve my tires for later in the race, and #4 there was water in many key spots making traction difficult to find.
The racers who were complaining could not pass me down the front straight; I think my car makes more horsepower than their cars.
A disappointing weekend; the mechanical woes are one thing, but the issues with my fellow T1 drivers really bother me. I intend to contact the two involved to clarify my position on things. I am not out there to make enemies.
