ARRC - ITA Race

[Joe Moser]

I just wanted to thank everyone in ITA for a great race on Saturday! That was one hell of a race, and I'm just thankful for finishing the race with a car that resembles what I started it with

Congratulations to Alex for the win, he never gave up! Also, congrats to Kevin Ruck for his 3rd place, I know how hard he has worked all year for that one. Where did that Nissan come from? Great job Greg, you were not easy to get around!

We had a rough weekend, our #36 car (Robert Moser) went through more this weekend than we expected... The car nearly burned to the ground on Thursday's test day. The steel-braided oil cooler lines were rested against the positive starter terminal (The conduit moved aside), creating an arc that burned a hole clear through the lines. The oil spouted out and caused a fire that melted the engine harness, TPS, MAP sensor, battery...etc We had some parts flown out overnight from King Motorsports and got the car back together just before the 2nd Qualifying session on Friday. He got on the track, still jittery from barely getting the car ready on time, and immediately lost both 3rd and 4th gear synchros. He ended up qualifying 12th and I qualified 3rd behind Colin Both (1:42.45) and Alex (1:42.6?).

The race start was hectic to say the least... Alex was fortunate to get out and run away from the melay behind him. We all swapped positions repeatedly for the first several laps... I know I had to pass Kevin Ruck, Greg Amy, and Colin Botha numerous times to get back to second. A double-yellow came out around lap 7 or 8, which did wonders for me I got a second chance at making a run on Alex. The car was beginning to handle very poorly (after some race bumping), but I figured I'd make a run at it. I ended up making a pass on Alex in braking at 10a. I built up a 3/4 of the Front Straight lead on him before the car got very bad. I started loosing about 2 seconds a lap, and got a little nervous. I ended up driving off at 7 two laps in a row, letting him by on the backstraight

Before it was all over though, I got my consolation prize (new ITA record, 1:42.045), but no win! During post-race tech, we realized the handling problem... The right rear lower suspension mounting points had all broken free from the car, and were allowing the wheel to flop all over the place (Thankfully it was the inside wheel on most corners, otherwise it wouldn't have even completed a lap!).

My dad managed to work his way up to 5th place in a car with no gear synchros! Congrats to him, and everybody in ITA for another great ARRC weekend!

Joe Moser

[Greg Amy]

Mornin' folks! I'm just getting settled in after being away for a week, so I don't have time to "chat", however I want to first thank everyone for the kind words.

We shattered our goals for the week, and even Matt is pleased! I think Joe said it best: "Where did that Nissan come from?" It was a hoot to hear 'The Buzz' about that little red egg again. Looks like I may have partially violated Kevin's "Honda Parking Only" grid rule...

Our race - for the most part - was a blast. It was tough keeping up with the boys; I had to drive that thing like I stole it. The lion's share of my fellow competitors are good clean-drivin' folk, with the notable exception of someone who decided to give me the opportunity to experience the grass outside Turn Three. And Turn Five. And Turn Seven. In the end, though, everyone got their due.

Congrats to Alex, Joe, and Kevin, Robert, Ray, all the guys, you all had a hell of a race and deserve your success. Next time I hope to be there worrying you... - Greg

On edit: the other party in the T3 incident has contacted me via private PM; it was apparently not the same guy as the T5 and T7 hits, and there is a reasonable non-malicious-intent explanation for T3...mea culpa. - GA

[philstireservice]

A Very big congratulations Greg !!!

Glad you got to use those Hoosiers !!!!

[R2 Racing]

I agree, what an awesome race! I started 6th, fell back to 7th, and was able to get back up to 3rd. I was even in 2nd for a little bit before Joey caught me and promptly blew my doors off. A very big congrats to Alex for driving an absolutely flawless race! From what I could see at least, he drove a consistently fast time and never put a wheel wrong.

Greg, that little red car was giving us fits! You had a whole gang of CenDiv cars all over as we went two by two down the backstraight! Luckily horsepower prevailed is you and I were able to bumpdraft our way past the two CRX's. Then I was very thankful for my Integra's great brakes at the end of that straight - haha. An awesome weekend for you though and you seriously shocked the hell out of all of us. Great job!

Is it too early to start talking about next year yet? :P

[gsbaker]

Originally posted by R2 Racing@Nov 14 2005, 04:22 PM
...Is it too early to start talking about next year yet? :P

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Nope! And I was just spectating.

[Greg Amy]

Originally posted by R2 Racing@Nov 14 2005, 04:22 PM
Greg, that little red car was giving us fits!...Luckily horsepower prevailed is you and I were able to bumpdraft our way past the two CRX's....you seriously shocked the hell out of all of us.

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Thanks, man. Yeah, I figure you owe me a beer for that one, too bad I got caught up in other business and couldn't stay with you. Joe and Alex need to thank their lucky stars; you and I were going to go blastin' right by both of 'em and then we'd settle it up at the end between us!

It was fun driving with you guys, can't wait to do it again. You know, it's been 'bout 13 years since I hit Mid-Ohio last (me and the red egg used to have the SSB track record there)...maybe it's time for a...ROAD TRIP!!!! - GA

[Hracer]

What an absolutely intense past few days. Congratulations to everyone who came and made it a great race weekend. I believe we had a very good field of 28 A cars run the sprint. I was very impressed with the pace ITA set last year, but this year it was just unreal. A perfect atmosphere to say the least in which to extract every last bit of everything and put it all on the line.

It was very nice to see everyone again and to also finally meet Greg - that second qualifying session was a lot of fun, and you are definitely getting some serious speed out of that Nissan. Congrats to Joe, you + that car are extremely fast. I got lucky at the beginning, but it ran out a few laps later when the yellow was thrown. But I suppose the full course was only fitting. Once you got in front, I was either going to bring a broken car back to the paddock, or catch up. As it turns out, I'm really glad the car stayed in one piece after all that abuse and also that the race was 20 laps, and not 18. Sunday we had another good day and all I had to do was drive a one hour and ten minute stint with my co-driver Walt Puckett starting and finishing a flawless race, ending up first in class and 3rd overall. I felt terrible watching Colin loose the left rear wheel on the front straight and hitting the wall. It could have been even worse, but with it happening at the end of a 3 hour race with 2 laps to go is just terrible luck. Hope you are doing ok.

Good job everyone and good luck with all of your racing next year!

[zracre]

A great time had by all!! The weather was even better than last year (hard to imagine) I didnt do so well as my motor wasnt complete and my final drive is still stock but im happy with the good competition and being able to turn my fastest lap yet there in 3 visits to the track (1:44:1??). I was also dealing with relationship issues and my head wasnt there...thats the best excuse i can come up with!! I did not start the enduro as I did not have crew for it and i was REALLY hung over from the turn 5 party sat nite...what a blast! I hope to see all the faces from this year there next year and maybe some new ones...A was a deep fast field and I cant imagine it not being even better next year. Congrats to Alex with a well deserved win and Mr moser with a new track record in the CRX...I hope that quells any weight being added to the Integra and to Greg Amy... WTF was that red thing flying by??? wow good job!! a great drive and a nice car...I hope I can keep up next year!!

[moto62]

Just a brief summary. I'm glad we went down this year. It was a lot of fun. Excellent racing but I think the Jambalaya on Thursday nite at the ITC camp was top notch, A+++, slammin. My compliments to the chef. Sorry we didn't get back there on Fri for gumbo. I heard it was good but we had some thrashing to do and Rich hunter talked me into doing some Jamaican jerk pork that night.
It's always great when you can put a face onto a screen name and this go round, we did get the pleasure of meeting quite a few more folks from this forum and also seeing some of the people we met the previous year. I also have to say thanks to Mike Reese who kindly helped with the minor thrash on Fri. His help made an easy job a lot easier.
Congrats to Alex on a great win. Great pass on Joe in T7 That was an excellent drive. Looks like Joe got loose coming out and you were able to fit your seven foot wide car through a six foot hole between Joe's car and the inside wall without touching anything. Nice job.
We hope to see you all again next year.

[dazzlesa]

I have to start with congrats to all. it was a great race to run. you expect people to be fast but , they were blindingly fast!
Atlanta is a wild track, busy and fast. Tv does not show how severe the elavation changes are.
I am thrilled by the transformation i had. I showed up to the test day as a moving chicane. session by session i got faster.i ran the pro IT race and was havig a blast until i tweaked my trailing arm over a curb. i have to thank my fellow competetors who helped me in my pursuit of a replacement. a special thanks go to the Muresan's for bringing one to the track. with time running out and that it had a stock bushing i decided to adjust the toe as best that i could.
CAN you say nerves! the start went well and the race was on. I ran as hard as i could. the leaders were dicing hard which helped me get to there bumpers as they were trying to wreck.i got up to 6th. Buy the 15th lap i was spent. my times dropped and i fell back to 8th. in the end that 6th turned into 5th place. CRAP! If i make the return trip i will have to improve my game.
Thanks to anthony and all his guys at the Mechanic shop who prepared such a fast car.
On a different note Greg Amy has to be the story of the year. If i hear correctly that car made it to 3 races. the first 2 ended in blown motors. i think his enduro ride rolled 2 weeks before the race. So this come back is simply amazing. You should have something to smile about all winter.
To all the IT competitors that are out there, if you and you car are fast , then this is the place to see how fast you are. SO make your plans, prep your cars and bring it to atlanta for the ARRC. Rick ITA #76

[Racerboy03]

What a blast! WOW, thats all I have to say. My first ARRC, my first time at RA. This was def. the most challenging track I have been to, still was learning during the race on saturday. My only issue all weekend was my tranny kept popping out of 4th gear randomly, mostly when I would put the power on on turn in. This slowed me down big time, during the race I had to hold it in gear when I got back into the power. This meant one handing it half way through turn 1, at the bottom of the esses and turn 6. I felt good the first half of the race, was just tagging along the big train from about 3rd to 10th. Then it popped out of gear in turn 3 at apex, the rear end stepped out and I lost the train. The rest of the race I kind of cruised by myself. I was very happy to come in 9th, exceeded my expectations. We had a great time off the track too, I met some cool people, and the jambalaya was awesome! I like the keg in the back of the olds 442 convertible too! Id like to thanks the guys who helped me last weekend, esp. Greg Amy who helped me big time with learning the track (walking the track helped out tons), Ray and Kim for their hospitality, Tim for giving me a place to stay on sat. night, Anthony and Jason from Meccanic Shop North, and all the NE people for helping me out since I was a one man army last weekend. Can't wait for next year already!


PS-Congrats on the win Alex!

-Mark, officially no longer a rookie.

[DavidM]

I finished, I didn't wreck (though I did spin after pounding the curb too hard in 3), and I only got lapped once. I think I managed to stay out of the way of the fast guys. That's an ok weekend at this point. I was hoping to be faster, but I guess that's how it goes sometimes.

The gumbo was awesome Friday night. I know where to request my paddock spot next year. I only got to meet a few of the forum people in person, but I got to see a lot of their cars as they lapped me. That NX was flying.

All in all it was a fun race and weekend. Congrats to the winners. Thanks to Evan for the advice and encouragement - sorry I got to witness your missed shift. Hopefully next year I'll be a little more up to speed and won't be such a back marker.

See you guys next season.

David

PS: Bob was driving the gray 240SX if you didn't know.

[Hotshoe]

Originally posted by moto62@Nov 16 2005, 05:37 AM

It's always great when you can put a face onto a screen name and this go round, we did get the pleasure of meeting quite a few more folks from this forum and also seeing some of the people we met the previous year.

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Ray,

...It was a pleasure meeting you and Anthony Serra this past weekend. Like you said, it is good to put a face with a name. I also got to meet the guys from Andy's neck of the woods from Flat Out Motorsports. They are a serious bunch. Not much time for talk so I didn't bother them to many times.

....Hope to see you again sometime

...Rick Thompson #99 IT7

[Joe Moser]

Well, I figured out the reason for my slow times and multiple "off-track excursions" on the last 2-3 laps of the ITA race... My lower control arm mounting point and RR crossmember broke off of the sub-frame of the car. You kind of need those to be welded together, nice and solid, to be able to race the damn thing!



I noticed that Alex was beginning to catch back up and the handling was terrible... After seeing the root cause, I'm amazed that good ole' #63 even finished the race! I guess I'll have to wait until next year to try and get the win

We're quite sure that the crack initiated sometime during the Thursday practice session. The corner weights were continually changing throughout the weekend. We'd set them, and the next time we checked, they were at a 55-45 cross-weight. The body actually twisted in the RR quarter panel from the sagging rear. I think the crossmember finally gave way and completely seperated sometime during the ITA sprint race... Probably on the 16th or 17th lap.

-----------------------------------
Joe Moser
ITA #63 Honda CRX Si
2005 - 2nd Place ARRC - ITA
1999 - 1st Place ARRC - ITA

[rsmoser]

I am Joe Moser's dad and driver of #36 at last week's ARRC.

Two items I would like to contribute to the history of this year's ARRC ITA race;

The first is how impressed I was with the drivers and driving this year. I mixed it up with a bunch of guys this year, and I have to say that everyone of the guys I was around were the type of guys I love racing with. No one gave any quarter, but no one cost me paint or metal. You guys had great car control and the true spirit of racing.

For example, I don't know how many times Evan and I traded positions, but every exchange was clean and the passer had to work hard for what they got. I neither saw nor experienced any "gimmies" nor cheap shots. I got forced off the road at 10b by another driver, but it was not intentional and I appreciated the wave to acknowledge the slip, as well as the clean pass by the next lap. At least around where I was driving, everyone drove the way they would want someone else to drive around themselves. Great job! I've been in this game for a long, long time and I was truly impressed!

To come away from the race with as many side-by-side minutes as I did (especially through the 10's and 12) and to have all the paint that I started the weekend with (and no extra) is a testament to the exceptional group of drivers currently in ITA. It makes me want to do some extra traveling next year to see some of you guys in your own backyards! You are real racers!


The other is to clarify what happened to our other car, #63 that Joe was driving.

I had been chasing some stress cracks on #63 for the last year. In accordance with IT rules the repairs were just that; repairs, rather than strengthening. I thought we were okay with 63 but I was wrong. In impound we found wrinkling in the right rear quarter panel. Underneath we found the cause; the rear crossmember's entire flange surface had separated from the longitudinal frame member. Camber on both rear wheels would arc +/- 5 degrees, with untold toe effect. The whole right rear quarter collapsed causing the exterior sheetmetal of the right rear to try unsuccessfully to support the corner. In Alex's video you can see Joe's RR camber changes as the car rear steers unpredictably. Once the crossmember sheared there was no way Joe could maintain his lap record pace.

Obviously we had to withdraw from the Enduro. Time to go fishing.

The car let Joe down; not the other way around. 63 has been my ride for the last 7 years and the accumulated stress cost Joe in the last two laps. In the attached photo you can see about a half inch separation of the crossmember from the frame rail. That's how it is sitting in the trailer right now. In impound I was able to fit my whole hand between the crossmember and the frame rail. The whole rear body geometry is moving around like silly putty.

There's a new crossmember waiting for me when I get back home from this week's fishing and lobstering, and #63 will be good as new for next season. Next year the car will be ready for 20 laps instead of 18.

Let the bench racing begin! I love ITA!!!

[R2 Racing]

Geez Joe, when I tell you to drive the wheels off of the thing, don't take me so seriously!

Personally, I think you guys should just leave it like that. Maybe then I can actually beat that freaking car for once.

[Joe Moser]

Originally posted by R2 Racing@Nov 17 2005, 10:56 PM
Geez Joe, when I tell you to drive the wheels off of the thing, don't take me so seriously!

Personally, I think you guys should just leave it like that. Maybe then I can actually beat that freaking car for once.

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Kevin, the way you raced at the ARRC this year, I'm not sure you will need me to have a busted sub-frame next year!! I'm sure we'll have quite a battle at Mid-Ohio... We just have to make sure my Dad and Beyersdorf are involved this year (especially now that we have 2 cars once again, assuming the General Lee doesn't burn to the ground again)! I'm kind of upset Dave didn't make it, he's one of the top ITA guys in the country and he's always been in all of our races... maybe next year? I'm thinking with you, my dad, me, Botha, and Beyersdorf, plus Scott Fruth in ITC and Rob Huffmaster in ITS, the CenDIV could have quite a showing at next years ARRC... We'll see... The North East may be the current hotspot of IT, but I'm not sure the CENDiv is ready to concede just yet!!!!

[zracre]

the racing there last weekend was about the best racing if had this year. the field was deep and the drivers were good. now i really cant wait for next year!!! question for Mosers, where are your home tracks? I am planning a Mid O race next season and would like to know the best time to race there. I should finally have my car done and the stock final drive replaced (i was getting killed at the hills!) I kept trying new lines at 10 to maintain speed as the car bogged bad in 3rd going over the hill to 12...i would get a good run on the crx's then id hear them run through the good part of the power curve and pull me grrrrr. we dynoed my car and came up with mid 130's the morning of test day (nice and cool) power wise i didnt seem too far off so between the gear and the new motor im hoping i'm on par with the big guns. suspension wise i need to stiffen the car as I have the original learn the car soft setup ... fine for rough tracks but the car squirmed alot at RA. Many thanks to everyone for a great weekend!!

[R2 Racing]

Evan - all of the CenDiv guys that were at the ARRC are pretty much at all of the Mid Ohio races all year (I only live 45 minutes from there). Races there are pretty much a given for everyone and then sprinkle in some other tracks when you can. Good luck with the new running gear - going from the 4.26 in the '92 box to a 4.73 last winter really woke my car up. I was hitting 5th gear 4 times per lap at Road Atlanta.

Joe - I would've loved to have seen Dave come this year too. I've occasionally got to run with Bob when he lets me but Dave just solidly whoops my ass every race. Well see what happens though since he's had the car up for sale for almost a year now.

[zenracer]

Originally posted by R2 Racing@Nov 18 2005, 01:56 AM
Geez Joe, when I tell you to drive the wheels off of the thing, don't take me so seriously!

Personally, I think you guys should just leave it like that. Maybe then I can actually beat that freaking car for once.

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Kevin congrate on your 3rd place. You have come a long way. Keep it up.

From what I have read and heard it was a great race. I wish I was there!

I was getting race reports from Tracy, Colin and Scott. Speaking of driving the wheels off. I think Colin did that.

Clift