WGI Fun One....who's in?

[StephF]

Can't wait for the next Fun One at the Glen, Sept. 18 & 19. There seems to be a fair number of New England people going.
So who is planning on going??? Should be a good turnout.

[Ed Funk]

Slow day at work, huh?

[Greg Amy]

I'll bow northward as I'm passing by on Saturday, westbound to Wisconsin...

[THawkbh]

I'll be there in the orange RX-7. I can't wait! I love WGI.

[StephF]

The Glen makes me :happy204::026::eclipsee_steering::023:

[THawkbh]

25 in group 2, 27 in group 3, 39 in group 7 so far. It's gonna be a fun weekend!

I'm in garage 19, anyone is welcome to come by and say hello

[benspeed]

I might have to hit this one....usually one of the best races all year and top $$ value

[Rabbit05]

Count me in..:023:

I especially love the long course at the Glen...it is so much fun. I should have all the bugs worked out on the Coupe by then.

Plus there are 13 ITB cars....sweet...another ITB fest..?:eclipsee_steering:

[gran racing]

I'm out - no money. :(

[lateapex911]

I'm out: No car. parts just arrived from japan though there is light att the end of the tunnel

[Ed Funk]

I'm out: No car. parts just arrived from japan though there is light att the end of the tunnel

...could be a train.

[Dano77]

WHAT, parts from Japan!!!!! Wanna Race

Dan-o
77IT7

[Rabbit05]

....as luck would have it I am out for this weekend.:( My truck finally died ..but the new "old" one is on the way. :)

Have fun all !

[RedMisted]

As of this writing, there are something like 70 cars in Group 7 (IT R/S/A, STU, IT7), and not nearly as many cars in the other IT groups. Say, how about if the stewards move things around so that we don't put each other in all those walls, esp. on Sunday when we run the short course and when it is expected to rain?

Now, I'll bang doors with the most psycho of drivers out there. But it would be nice to see the organizers show a little sense by reducing the congestion of a group featuring the very fastest IT cars, and making the risk more equitable for all.

[dj10]

As of this writing, there are something like 70 cars in Group 7 (IT R/S/A, STU, IT7), and not nearly as many cars in the other IT groups. Say, how about if the stewards move things around so that we don't put each other in all those walls, esp. on Sunday when we run the short course and when it is expected to rain?

Now, I'll bang doors with the most psycho of drivers out there. But it would be nice to see the organizers show a little sense by reducing the congestion of a group featuring the very fastest IT cars, and making the risk more equitable for all.

Chris, they may do a split start, besides that there's nothing much they can do besides changing or moving around different run groups. I think that would be alot of work.

[joeg]

Several years ago, I got to run the short course race in a group of about 80 cars. It was completely ridiculous.

The main problem was that the group sort of overwhelmed the corner workers and there were many passes under yellow not disciplined.

There was a big mix in speeds.

The fascinating thing was notwithstanding all the lapping going on, the clusters with whom you were racing stayed in tact after the passing.

[dtmracing]

I'm there! Bringing the little Mazda that could to represent Japanese HP in ITB since Dave isn't making it! Can't wait! See you all there!

[RacerBill]

I'm out: No car. parts just arrived from japan though there is light att the end of the tunnel

Jake: We've got an 8hr enduro at MO on Oct 16! Just the event to break in those new parts!!!!!!! :D

[gran racing]

Did I hear correctly that at least two ITB volvos rolled this weekend?

Any other updates? I heard Marty won the first race - congrats!

[StephF]

Did I hear correctly that at least two ITB volvos rolled this weekend?

Any other updates? I heard Marty won the first race - congrats!


Nat Wentworth rolled it right in front of me. T1, running the long course, a gaggle of IT and showstock cars, we had a split start with Miatas coming behind us. We had 48 registered, 41 who went out and got times.
Nat went really wide into T1, apparently keept his foot in it, crossed the track in front of me, got sideways in the dirt, tagged the tire wall with the rear end and instantly bounced up off the ground.
I knew when I saw the silver belly pan that it wasn't going to be good.
The group in front of me scattered, I dove out to the curb and got by, I was close enough when it began that I last saw him hanging upside down in the air. Other folks told me he landed on his wheels again.
We continued up the esses at speed. I kept thinking there would be a full course yellow, but there were no flags.
Then I remembered the split start, so I figured they were busy stopping them. As we reached the bus stop, they finally threw a red flag.

The group I was in did a good job stopping. Drivers were using the NASCAR waving in the windows thing to warn drivers behind us, and we pulled off to the sides and stopped. The group in front of us didn't stop until the boot, then from reports I heard, one Volvo just stopped dead in the middle of the track, just locked his brakes on, and got rear ended bad by another car that never saw the red flag and didn't try to brake until he was 10' away.
That put his car out and mangled the rear end of the Volvo. He tried to race Sunday, but was apparently puking fuel bad enough that he came in after 3 laps. I saw him on the pace laps, just billowing white smoke behind him, real bad.

I also heard a rumor that another car burst into flames during the red too, but I never verified that.

Now the theme of the weekend was the Gulf of Mexico...as in we had more oil on the track than BP left in the Gulf. Qualifying for Sat. was a joke. Oil everywhere, and I saw at least 2 cars puking in my group. We went out after Historics, so they did their own rendition of the Exxon Valdez. Kitty litter everywhere, it was a freaking house cat's paradise out there. We got two laps, then a black flag, sat in the pits and went out for another two laps. Never got a clean lap anyplace due to cars stacked up and debris.

That was somewhat cleaner for the Sat. race, Nat notwithstanding. Once we restarted, that race went relatively cleanly. At least there wasn't any oil on track.

Then came Sunday, foggy foggy Sunday. Good old upstate NY, we were in the clouds in the morning. Group 1 got out to qualify, then it socked in again. They held a meeting and decided to run one group each with two pace laps, and gridded by finishing position. I had won on Sat., so that put me on the pole. We did a split start with Miatas again (Thank God!). The track was clean, we went out and the race started cleanly enough. I saw the Volvo puking early on, then late in the race Mike Goldkuhl in the ITC Fiesta puked all his oil out the breather. I saw him in my mirrors disappearing in a cloud of white smoke as I headed down the main straight.

Well, unbeknownst to me and another Volvo, Goldkuhl had puked on the line through 11 and 12 (high speed left hander off the NASCAR straight and the last turn onto pit straight)
Next lap through, with no flag visible, I came through 11 like I had been and the car snapped around instantly. I could see the blue armco coming at me from my right, and an ITB car and an SM car coming through T11 behind me. For the first time, I made the decision to unlock the car (I had both feet in) and pulled both feet back out. It worked. :happy204:The car shot back across the track, away from the 9-mile tall blue armco and into the paved runoff area. I was able to slap it down a couple gears, and mat the throttle again, with no real loss of position other than that ITB and SM car going by.

The Volvo that came through a moment or so later wasn't as lucky. Apparently he spun out of 12, did a tank slapper, and started spinning and tagging the wall down the pit straight, finally coming to rest just before the start finish stand. They checkered it a bit early.

All in all it was a wild and wooly weekend. It was a fun one for us, but not so much for some other folks. I do love the Glen, but it can be a car eater.

[joeg]

THAT TRACK SIMPLY SHOWS NO MERCY.

The pig roast, however, was better than ever.

[gran racing]

So I assume Nat was okay physically? How is his car?

[tdw6974]

Congratulations To Dan on his win!!!! We had a great weekend after having not completed a raced since last October. We ran ever minute available incuding the test day.

[StephF]

Nate was OK, his car might be a throw away. The roof had a new peak to it, the front end was caved back in, and as of Sat. night he wasn't sure how damaged the frame was.

We offered to get a big hammer and tie it to a tree and straighten it with the truck, but I think he had enough for this weekend. He loaded and left Saturday night.

Steve Frederick (seabee here) also had a sucky time of it. Got tagged first lap on his first race going into the busstop, spun into the armco and may have tweaked the frame on his as well. Damaged some suspension stuff for sure. He's ok, but he loaded up and left Sat. night also. (we also offered the hammer/truck straightening to him, but he was itching for a happy ending...the sundae, you pervs!)

Let's see, in other NER news, Jon Leitner won both races in EP. Paul Dethier debuted his brand new FP Miata to two second place finishes, did really well both times. Bill Leitner was going to run in STU (I think) but opted not to due to some body aches he had going on. Mike Goldkuhl was third on Saturday and blew up on Sunday (ITC). The SSC silver and black Cobalt (name of driver is escaping me) was there, ran just ahead of me both days, stayed out of trouble, don't know where he finished.

I don't know of any other huge shunts this weekend, but then again we left before group 4 ran Sunday.
Our group was the naughty one apparently. :rolleyes:

[Eagle7]

Any other updates? I heard Marty won the first race - congrats!
Thanks, but I didn't know I even went. Hee hee!

[gran racing]

See how much faster you are when you stay home? :p

[THawkbh]

...
Well, unbeknownst to me and another Volvo, Goldkuhl had puked on the line through 11 and 12 (high speed left hander off the NASCAR straight and the last turn onto pit straight)
Next lap through, with no flag visible, I came through 11 like I had been...

Did anyone else feel the corner work was a bit lacking? Over the entire weekend, I saw ONE oil flag, which was in the heel. Group 7 was pretty lucky and didn't see much oil though. They must have done a great job cleaning it up between sessions. I also didn't recieve any help getting back into traffic after either spin going into the boot. Is this normal for WGI? I never seem to get any help when I've spun on a blind turn.
Group 7 had 76 cars. I didn't get a single clean qualifying lap. I was worried about not getting run over and not running over someone else. Oh well. I still had fun and came home in 1 piece.

All in all, I had a great time. I was extremely slow because I'm in a new car and I've only been to WGI twice now. I got some really clean laps in during the first and second races when I let everyone go by me. I had a ball!! Thanks to everybody who didn't run me over when yall were lapping me. I tried to stay out of everybody's way as best I could. (I was in the orange RX-7, by the way)

[StephF]

:shrug:
I thought the flagging was generally OK. I just didn't see one prior to catching the oil. So maybe they didn't know it was that far up?
They had one at 12 that I saw...after I spun back around to race direction and continued...
I don't know the Volvo's story, whether he was losing it prior to 12 or after.

[benspeed]

Great update Stephanie - THANKS!

I hated missing this race :-( One of the best all season

[dj10]

My hats of to the corner workers at least for group 7 and the drivers too! I saw plenty of blue flags waving and standing yellows where they needed to be. 99% of the people that I passed were watching their mirrors and very alert to what was happening on track. It was a good event other than not enought track time for the money. The races were too damn short, I was just getting warmed up.

[THawkbh]

My hats of to the corner workers at least for group 7 and the drivers too! I saw plenty of blue flags waving and standing yellows where they needed to be. 99% of the people that I passed were watching their mirrors and very alert to what was happening on track. It was a good event other than not enought track time for the money. The races were too damn short, I was just getting warmed up.

I agree with not enough track time. I was just getting warmed up as well in all 3 sessions when they were over.

Yes, there were plenty of blue flags. Everyone was coming up on me faster than the corner workers could wave flags at me!!

Dan, I assume you were in the red bmw in your avatar? Thanks for putting your lights on. Since you were leading, you would have surprised me if you had them off.

[Jack Hall]

I agree. It appeared that the pit workers were more than appreciative of the way group 7 ran (70 cars or so?) on Saturday. When I came in, they were out on pit lane applauding. I suspect that with the number of black flags in qualifying, double yellows, and 2 (?) red flags during the day, we may have been the 1st group to run with only local yellows. We did not go out until almost 5pm. When we finished, they still had one group to run, the BBQ was getting cold and the sun was getting ready to set.

John Grzech and Darrel Stein put on a heck of a show up front in ITS. I thought almost everyone showed respect for each other where I was. It was a hectic 6 laps.

Had to get back to CT on Saturday night and I have to admit I am glad I did not have to deal with fog, etc on Sunday.

[dj10]

I agree with not enough track time. I was just getting warmed up as well in all 3 sessions when they were over.

Yes, there were plenty of blue flags. Everyone was coming up on me faster than the corner workers could wave flags at me!!

Dan, I assume you were in the red bmw in your avatar? Thanks for putting your lights on. Since you were leading, you would have surprised me if you had them off.

You assumed correctly and you're welcome. I've been lapped a few times myself by faster cars and the speed differences can be quite high between classes, so the brighter I am I hopefully the more I'm seen. The thanks goes out to the people that are watching their mirrors because it's harder to watch the mirrors and identify that someone is closing on you than it is to turn on your headlights.:023:

[THawkbh]

:shrug:
I thought the flagging was generally OK. I just didn't see one prior to catching the oil. So maybe they didn't know it was that far up?
They had one at 12 that I saw...after I spun back around to race direction and continued...
I don't know the Volvo's story, whether he was losing it prior to 12 or after.

John was my instructor at the last chance school last year. He found me by chance in the garage afterwords and told me what happened, but I forgot exactly what he said. I'm going to guess he slipped in some oil though. He seemed to know the track very well when he was my instructor.


You assumed correctly and you're welcome. I've been lapped a few times myself by faster cars and the speed differences can be quite high between classes, so the brighter I am I hopefully the more I'm seen. The thanks goes out to the people that are watching their mirrors because it's harder to watch the mirrors and identify that someone is closing on you than it is to turn on your headlights.:023:

You're right. I can't even describe how much of a difference it made. With your dark colored car at that time of night, you would have scared the sh- out of me going past as fast as you did. I saw you an entire straight away behind me. I think you caught me in the bus stop and I let you by at the exit. It was a good warning for more cars to come.
By the way, how much did you win by? Must have been a huge margin.

[RedMisted]

My major complaint was going into the event. Did anybody notice that the organizers lopped considerable track time off the '09 Fun One schedules?

[JLawton]

ITA results???

Damn for Nat. That's the second car he's rolled in like 5 years.......

[StephenB]

I really feel bad for Nat. He is a great Guy and someone I would race side by side with anywhere. I hope he rebuilds it and brings it back. I would bet we lost one of if not the fastest Volvos out their. He really is one of the best guys I have met racing.

Stephen

PS: he sold the Saab and someone else rolled that.

[StephF]

Geeze Stephen, are we going to have to rename Nat to Rolly now? Dang...
I'm guessing he'll be back. He seemed like he was already pondering what he was going to have to do to the car.

ETA - I forgot to add that Paul Curran won ITB at least one day if not both. They were still holding results on Sunday when we left.

[THawkbh]

My major complaint was going into the event. Did anybody notice that the organizers lopped considerable track time off the '09 Fun One schedules?

I didn't run '09, but yes, the sessions did seem very short.

[joeg]

There wasn't much of a schedule difference between '09 and '10.

Obviously track conditions (oil, fog) played a huge role as did...well "rolls"..in determining track time.

[JohnRW]

One more race group in 2010 (8, vs. 7 in 2009). The hope was to thin out the traffic and avoid carnage. Of course, when nearly 400 cars showed up, group size was about the same as last year.

To make it all fit, the sessions had to be shortened. Preliminary estimate was "Saturday last checker at 5:15", but it was at 6:00. Overtime bill (OT beyond 4pm, since we started at 8am) will be huge.

What to do ? Limit race group size (somewhere well below the SCCA max allowable of "25 cars / mile") ? Drop classes ? Abolish crashes and engine explosions ?

I can't wait to see the speedy-dry bill from last weekend...

[anthony1k]

It was a great event, carnage and fog not withstanding. Many thanks to all the volunteers who made it possible. However I do have a couple of pet peeves that apply to this, as well as, many other events.

1. Two days later and we still do not have final results from Sunday. WDC usually has theirs posted on the NESCCA web site the same night. Why is this so difficult for other regions? Please someone educate me.

2. Trophies generally are.. well, rather pathetic. This time they'll come in the mail "within 30 days". Good idea with the picture framed but 30 day later???

I understand that this is all volunteer work but..come on, in the large scheme of things, none of these is a huge added burden. But they go a long way in generating excitement, especially with family and friends.

[joeg]

Results were on mylaps yesterday. Commendable!!

If you are going to late out pet peeves about that track, it has got to be their PA system.

I think it probably only can be heard near the garage.

[dj10]

[QUOTE=THawkbh;312052You're right. I can't even describe how much of a difference it made. With your dark colored car at that time of night, you would have scared the sh- out of me going past as fast as you did. I saw you an entire straight away behind me. I think you caught me in the bus stop and I let you by at the exit. It was a good warning for more cars to come.
By the way, how much did you win by? Must have been a huge margin.[/QUOTE]

My main concern this weekend was tire testing, don't get me wrong if there was a dog to fight....any way I finally got the data I needed in the race Sunday. It was fun meeting a lot of new people and seeing the people I have known for awhile. I hope I'm able to make the 4 hour in Oct. I won't be driving my car, but I believe it will be a BMW.

[gran racing]

2. Trophies generally are.. well, rather pathetic.

After my last Glen event, I was giving this some thought. During the event I received some "items that were useful." People had great intentions with the ideas, and it might because I haven't won or placed in enough races yet? It was explained that the cost of trophies has increased quite a bit during the past few years. Okay, that's fine. I'd be fine with a print-out of my place, my name, and a $5 frame. Heck, don't even give the $5 frame. lol 30 days later, things we could use (I spend a stupid amount of money on this racing addiction versus a $10 bottle of car wash), eh. Stick with emotional rewards. Then again I still have my 2005 pimp chalice and crappy bottle of champaign in the garage entry way. I love that!!!

[dj10]

One more race group in 2010 (8, vs. 7 in 2009). The hope was to thin out the traffic and avoid carnage. Of course, when nearly 400 cars showed up, group size was about the same as last year.

To make it all fit, the sessions had to be shortened. Preliminary estimate was "Saturday last checker at 5:15", but it was at 6:00. Overtime bill (OT beyond 4pm, since we started at 8am) will be huge.

What to do ? Limit race group size (somewhere well below the SCCA max allowable of "25 cars / mile") ? Drop classes ? Abolish crashes and engine explosions ?

I can't wait to see the speedy-dry bill from last weekend...

To make it all fit?? The event from my view is like trying to stuff 10 pounds of shit in a 5 pound bag. I say this only to make the point that I know the costs are high for the Glen but the lack of track time just doesn't justify the costs. John from somewher in upper NY state, ;~) I don't relish your job. You're torn between 10 different things and I thank you for doing this hard job. But from a business aspect IMO you need to go for quality, give the people something for their money and reduce the 8 groups just fill how many groups you do end up having. You have to know by now that with all these cars your going to have problems and with 8 groups, everyone's going to come out with the short end of the stick. I love the event I just can't justify the costs.
Respectfully

[THawkbh]

Anyone else going to the enduro/regional in 2 weeks?

[tdw6974]

Regional

[dj10]

Anyone else going to the enduro/regional in 2 weeks?

Me, I'm doing the enduro. :D

[joeg]

Without any "October at Nelson", I have no choice but to go for the Regional.

[JohnRW]

But from a business aspect IMO you need to go for quality, give the people something for their money and reduce the 8 groups just fill how many groups you do end up having. You have to know by now that with all these cars your going to have problems and with 8 groups, everyone's going to come out with the short end of the stick.

Dan -

It's a balancing act.

Too few groups, and everyone bitches about too much traffic, requests their own splits ("Sorry, can't do 4 split starts in a single race group, buddy") and, if everthing goes perfectly, you could finish the day at 3:30pm and get accused of not using all the "track hours" that are paid for.

Too many groups, and you risk overtime costs and shortened sessions.

What's a region to do ? For years, the Fun One ran 8 race groups...even wedged in a 1-hour handicap enduro on Saturday a couple of years.

For example - the Glen Region's July Sprints regional Saturday schedule...nearly identical to the Fun One schedule (8 groups, 15 min Q, 7 lap races vs. 8 groups, 12 min Q, 8 lap races), PLUS it had a 30 minute qualifying session for Pro-IT. All went well...everyone loved it. What was the difference ?

Well...Saturday at the Fun One, group 1 Q had a major track oiler and several tow-ins, as did group 2 and group 5, 6 & 8 (and probably a few more). Group 2 race (split start) had a flipper Volvo in T1 PLUS a multi-car wreck at the Bus Stop IN THE FIRST LAP, BEFORE the 2nd split had even taken the green. Major clean-up, plus a re-grid for the restart. Later race group had another flipper (Miata this time). Oh...and a Formula Ford upside down someplace in their race. And another on fire. And more oilers in several more groups. And tow-ins.

Lessons ? Don't crash ? Don't blow up ? How does anyone enforce that ?

Serious question - If we limit groups and limit car counts in those groups, entry costs will go up. Significantly, maybe. What are racers willing to tolerate re: entry fees ?

[Weaver7]

I agree with John...there are way to many variables that played a part this past weekend that we can't control. I had a blast and love running the short course...:eclipsee_steering:

[dj10]

Gheez, what would have happened if you had a Pro IT race this weekend? All I know is that Group 7 had a 5 lap race on Sat. That didn't give me a chance to warm my tires. :) and Sunday 12 laps in less than 18 minutes. I didn't get to break a sweat. At least in the 4 hr I'll get about a good 2 hrs (if all goes well) for about the same price I got 30 mins at the Fun One. I'd like to see the races up to 12 laps on the long and 15 to 18 laps on the short. If I come up with any good ideas on how to make the races longer within the alotted time and with out your region going broke, I'll let you know. hehe

[RedMisted]

I ran the Fun One in '09 and '10, prefer the '10 schedule. I double-dipped ITR/ITE on Sunday, made sure I got my track time in...

[dj10]

I ran the Fun One in '09 and '10, prefer the '10 schedule. I double-dipped ITR/ITE on Sunday, made sure I got my track time in...

How much more did you have to pay to get enough seat time?

[RedMisted]

How much more did you have to pay to get enough seat time?

$100 was the cost of a second weekend entry. Funny thing is, I felt very safe out there with the groundpounders. The track is so wide and fast that it was hard to interfere with them.

[RSTPerformance]

$100 was the cost of a second weekend entry. Funny thing is, I felt very safe out there with the groundpounders. The track is so wide and fast that it was hard to interfere with them.


$100.... now that is a good deal!!!

Raymond

[tdw6974]

Test Day was $250.00 for 3 30 minute sessions . Plus you could register and get in for the event Friday AM.:)