John Williams, ITS, wins the Jim Fitzgerald Award!

[Toni]

Jim Fitzgerald Award


John Williams, ITS, wins the Jim Fitzgerald Award!

The Jim Fitzgerald Award is presented each year to the driver at the South Atlantic Road Racing Championships finale event, the SARRC Invitational Challenge (SIC), who gives the most competitive winning drive. The recipient is chosen by the Chief Steward and the Operating Stewards of the event.

Jim Fitzgerald is remembered as a highly competitive SCCA racer and a champion in both Club and Professional series. He was a long time member of the Southeast Division SCCA. The permanent Fitzgerald Award is mounted at Roebling Road, the location of the SIC. The formal presentation of the Fitzgerald Award will be made at the SCCA Southeast Division Awards Presentation, January 20, 2007, at the Buccaneer Beach Resort, Jekyll Island, Georgia.

John, Congratulations!! You had an outstanding race and because of your achievements you are the 2007 recipient of the Jim Fitzgerald Award. The Award will be presented to you in January and your name will be added to the permanent Fitzgerald Award at Roebling Road.

Mark January 19, 2008, your calendar now. You will be sent a registration form for the Awards Presentation in a few weeks.

If you have any questions you may call Jim Creighton, Convention Coordinator and SARRC Administrator, at 404-875-4174.

[tbtapper]

Sadly, I did not get to make the SIC but have watched John with awe and respect on many an occasion as he "blew by".

He seems to be a clean, tenancious racer who has taken an "outdated"?? car and made it one of the fastest IT cars in the US.

Congrats, to someone worthy.

Travers
ITS 19

[JeffYoung]

Double congratulations. I wasn't close enough to see but apparently it was a great three way race at the front with John winning by a tenth of a second over Kent Thompson.

ITS is a great class right now and John beat a FAST field.

[Mazmarc63]

Wow, congratulations John. When I saw your quallifying time, I quickly went back to a SARRC race in the late 90's when you did the same thing to us. I took a hard fought second in that race but you were long gone. You always owned that track in that car.

You are very deserving of this award. A great driver on the track, and a great person off.

Congratulations again.

[Ron Earp]

Congratulations on the win, fantastic job! The front running race was good to see, albeit from the flag station! :(

Nice job!

Ron

[x-ring]

You didn't blow up, did you Ron?

Watching the race from the bunker sucks. BTDT...

[JeffYoung]

The Z ran great Ty -- I drove it during the test day and it had good power; handled great. The new higher rate springs really helped it at Roebling.

The Z ran a full test day, qual and then 10 laps of the race without a hitch, adn then threw the drive belt on lap 10. Bummer. Got hot, but we've changed the head gasket and everything appears cool. So to speak.

[x-ring]

Ahh, that's good to hear, I think? I went through a half a season or so a few years back where about every third session or so the Black Cow would throw the belt. I never really figured out why, but I ended up changing the fan pulley, the alternator and the crank damper and the problem went away.

By then I had installed a bright red LED in my idiot light panel which used the stock &#39;charge&#39; warning light leads from the factory amp meter. When the light came on, I knew I&#39;d lost the belt. It seemed to serve as a better warning system than waiting until coolant splashed up on the windshield when the radiator overflow bottle was full. <_<

I finally got finished replacing my blown up engine / gearbox yesterday. We put in an old, but still tight, street engine to make the last event of the season. All I need is a third place finish one day of the other to wrap up the divisional championship.

Did I send you or Ron photos of the destruction? It&#39;s truly impressive. If I didn&#39;t, PM me your address again and I&#39;ll get them out.

[Ron Earp]

Ahh, that&#39;s good to hear, I think? I went through a half a season or so a few years back where about every third session or so the Black Cow would throw the belt. I never really figured out why, but I ended up changing the fan pulley, the alternator and the crank damper and the problem went away.

By then I had installed a bright red LED in my idiot light panel which used the stock &#39;charge&#39; warning light leads from the factory amp meter. When the light came on, I knew I&#39;d lost the belt. It seemed to serve as a better warning system than waiting until coolant splashed up on the windshield when the radiator overflow bottle was full. <_<

I finally got finished replacing my blown up engine / gearbox yesterday. We put in an old, but still tight, street engine to make the last event of the season. All I need is a third place finish one day of the other to wrap up the divisional championship.

Did I send you or Ron photos of the destruction? It&#39;s truly impressive. If I didn&#39;t, PM me your address again and I&#39;ll get them out.
[/b]

Hey,

Send me some pictures at [email protected], I like destruction pictures, makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I think using a 15 series belt will help, instead of the 17 I had. The 17 rode a tiny bit out of the crank pulley while the 15 is down in there. Did you check that?

I just ordered a 215F temp switch from Pegasus that I will wire to a huge red light on the dash. This will serve as a warning. I did see the temp go up to 210, but it went from there to 270 in no time. I should have watched more carefully.

Good luck with your race!

Ron

[JeffYoung]

[email protected]. I love pictures of destruction. Thanks Ty.

[x-ring]

Hey,

Send me some pictures at [email protected], I like destruction pictures, makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I think using a 15 series belt will help, instead of the 17 I had. The 17 rode a tiny bit out of the crank pulley while the 15 is down in there. Did you check that?

I just ordered a 215F temp switch from Pegasus that I will wire to a huge red light on the dash. This will serve as a warning. I did see the temp go up to 210, but it went from there to 270 in no time. I should have watched more carefully.

Good luck with your race!

Ron
[/b]

Pics sent.

As for the lights, I have a 1" x 3" panel mounted on the LH side cage down tube right below eye level, that has a large (3/4" dia) red oil pressure light, a large yellow coolant temperature light, and the charge LED (~3/8"). I found the LED more useful when I was loosing belts, because it would come on as soon as the belt departed, no waiting for the temp to climb (not that it would be a long wait).

I don&#39;t remember, right now, what series belt I&#39;m using, but it hasn&#39;t been a problem since I replaced the pulleys several years ago (maybe 2003?).

OK, I&#39;m off to Flatland Park. If anybody is going, I&#39;ll probably be in the tech shed all week. Just look for the guy taking apart a Miata...

[kthomas]

Congrats ole buddy.

[it7rx739]

Congrats John good job :happy204:

[Tom Donnelly]

Congratulations John!