AMS Labor Day Race

So, how was the event at Atlanta Motor Speedway over Labor Day weekend?

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Doug "Lefty" Franklin
NutDriver Racing

Doug, I can only speak for the test day but the test day went well. Infield section is ummmm, interesting. I worked turn 7 which is a 90 degree left hander followed by a very short chute followed by another 90 degree left hander with little room for mistakes. At the first left hander you can go straight but many drivers wouldn't realize they were too hot until it was too late. Coming into 7 there was a severe bump where the old pavement transitioned to the new, didn't really bother the sedans and SRF's but all the C/DSR's were raising ride heights/stiffening shocks. For that group you really had to be in a straight line as you went over it, most cars were coasting.

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Lance Snyder
Atlanta Region F&C

No more the small one, the weak one, the frightened one.
Running from beatings, deflating.
I'm becoming more than a man. More than you ever were.
Driven and burning to rise beyond Jesus.

Cool, Lance, thanks for the update. I was kinda wondering if the event would come off at all when I heard they'd opened up the infield for Floriday refugees from the hurricane. Did you get many?

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Doug "Lefty" Franklin
NutDriver Racing

Not sure, but on Friday didn't see any. They were off in their own area without access to the infield. If I remember correctly they were all put at the east camp ground.

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Lance Snyder
Atlanta Region F&C

No more the small one, the weak one, the frightened one.
Running from beatings, deflating.
I'm becoming more than a man. More than you ever were.
Driven and burning to rise beyond Jesus.

There were maybe half a dozen RV's in the outside parking lots during the weekend. We had about 120 cars for the weekend with a lot of no shows. Fields were small, almost everyone behaved themselves.

Road Atlanta had such a big crowd for AMA that it looks like Labor Day will be a lock for motorcycles. Oh well, it was great while it lasted.

A couple of drivers told me that they went to AMS expecting it to be a dull track, but it ended up being a lot of fun.

Bob Hudson
Atlanta Region BOD/Asst Flag Chief

I have to admit that I won't be going back unless we're allowed to go above the apron line in the future. This situation basically made a large part of the course a 1 lane track and my race ended up being more frustrating than fun.
There were also alot of rocks on the deteriorating infield. Everyone paddocked around me (including me) got a cracked windshield before the end of the weekend.

But the Atlanta Region folks, as always, did a fine job dealing with adverse conditions, a new track, and schedule changes due to the approaching Hurricane. As drivers things got frustrating at times (like changing schedules and no PA in the paddock), but Atlanta region is the best and they did a great job given the circumstances.

But yeah, I'm hoping to either get Road Atlanta back or for some improvements at AMS. Maybe Barber...

Based on Bob's comments about the turnout, SCCA won't be getting the Labor Day dates at Road Atlanta back without a significant increase in entry fees. And after the scuttlebutt around here on different threads about the bills received after events at Barber, and the character of the track being more oriented to motorcycles, I'm not sure I want to go there as a driver, either.

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Doug "Lefty" Franklin
NutDriver Racing