Heartland Park July 7th/8th Double Regional

[tnord]

Online Registration is now open for the Two For The Road Double Regional hosted by Kansas City/Kansas Regions at Heartland Park Topeka July 7th/8th at http://www.dlbracing.com.

We're running different configurations than the full runoffs course. Saturday will be the old configuration of going down alpha, turn left, then right down into the valley for T6. Sunday will be what i've heard referred to as the NASCAR Truck config, where you go down alpha, turn left, then left again at the top of the hill and into T8/9 kink. Big fast, lots of fun.

Also, I've heard rumors of a special deal on the test day friday, i'll update as i find out more. EDIT; Confirmed last night, $100 for a full day of testing friday.

Also available is a PDX group where you can take your street cars out with liscensed SCCA drivers. So bring your wife/kids/buddies and have them try out this whole racing thing.

I'm sure it'll be hot, but it can't be as bad as last year. We had big ITA group and great racing last time. seeya there.

PS - track records are there for the taking. I don't believe we've run either of these configs since the repave, so bring your A-game and they shouldn't have a problem falling.

[buldogge]

I need some ITS cars to race...anyone gonna show???

[BudMan]

I'll be there, but I'm in ITR.

Honestly, I like the big course. We don't get enough events there as it is, let alone skip us out of that too. Is this our club's choice or the tracks?

.02

[tnord]

I need some ITS cars to race...anyone gonna show???
[/b]

YES.

i work with a guy who will be there for his first race in an ITS 944.
EDIT; David Leivian just registered in a 1990 BMW 325.

I'll be there, but I'm in ITR.

Honestly, I like the big course. We don't get enough events there as it is, let alone skip us out of that too. Is this our club's choice or the tracks?

.02
[/b]

i like the big course too, but i think T1 going left is the most fun corner at that track. we don't really have the option of running the full course, as we won't have enough workers to man all the stations.

as far as the "don't get enough events there as it is" issue, i actually think we have too many. attendance at the school/regional was extremely low and the region lost thousands. this event being sandwiched in between two nationals i'm not expecting a huge turnout from anybody except the IT crowd, and we'll probably lose money on this one as well.

[tnord]

should be a good one this weekend. forecast is for 'only' 90 degrees, which isn't too bad.

a few of the 'big dogs' in ITA are registered, including Mac Spikes from Texas, last years MiDiv champion, and the current MiDiv ITA points leader.

3 registered for ITR is good to see.
5 or 6 ITBs
and a couple ITS cars that we aren't used to seeing at HPT. (where are you Mark!?)

come on out.

[buldogge]

I am gonna try to make it...but...my car was a little more banged up from an incident I had at Memphis than I originally thought. I'm gonna try to patch it together for the weekend though.

If not, then I will be at MAM end of the month (invariably alone no doubt )

???

should be a good one this weekend. forecast is for 'only' 90 degrees, which isn't too bad.

a few of the 'big dogs' in ITA are registered, including Mac Spikes from Texas, last years MiDiv champion, and the current MiDiv ITA points leader.

3 registered for ITR is good to see.
5 or 6 ITBs
and a couple ITS cars that we aren't used to seeing at HPT. (where are you Mark!?)

come on out.
[/b]

[tnord]

i know you can make it happen mark. if i can rebuild a transmission, install it in my car, modify my cage, fit my new seat, corner weight, align, and do overall race prep on it tonight/tomorrow...i'm sure you can get done whatever it is you need to.

i'm not even 100% anymore...too many things going wrong.

[Turkflyer]

I don't want to rain on Mac's parade, but I think Mr. Seelig is leading the ITA class in the MidAm, even after Hallett. I expect Mac to shoot ahead of everyone in the points after HPT, since there are two races that count. He can do it, but he's not quite there yet. (unless I'm missing something)

[IPRESS]

Travis just doesn't type clearly. What he meant was Mac Spikes is a big dog not Bg Dog. One means he sorta sucks and the other means he sorta sucks but he may not know it! The other part was Last years MidAM winner will be there and this years MidAM points leader wil also be there. Neither one of them is the dog he was talking about. It was three different racers.
Since I am rooming with ol Trav, I think this dog will go over and raise a leg while he is sleeping.......

[Turkflyer]

Have fun up there. Wish I could join you, but too much going on here. I've learned a lot watching you suck me into your draft as you fly by!

[Turkflyer]

Don't teach Travis too much.....he thumped me last year at MAM....will probably be faster now with the new tranny.

[IPRESS]

Plenty fast.... Congrats to Travis on his first checkered flag victory lap.
He drove a good race contrary to the dog you were talking about.
I drove so bad the Steward asked me if I was feeling OK!

1st T. Norwald / SM
2nd J. Boettcher / CRX
3rd J. Seelig / Neon
4th G. Watney / MR2
5th M. Pearson / NX2000
6th M. Spikes / Miata
7th T. Pistora / SM
8th S. Eberman / SM
9th S. Bachenberg / BMW325

Mac (spinning my way around Topeka) Spikes
Asistant Stunt Driver In Training

[Turkflyer]

Congrats Travis....sounds like you did well!

[tnord]

What a great weekend. It was hot, but not really "Kansas in mid-July" hot, as we stayed in the mid 90s all weekend, so not too bad.

Mac and I had a FANTASTIC race today, one of the most fun races i've ever had. Big to Mac for taking the win, i gave him just about all i had without taking a silly risk. He even walked away with two track records this weekend.

I snuck ahead of Mac for ITA pole today to pay him back for taking pole on saturday, but he got me at the start, drove well, stayed clear of the riff raff, and whenever I started to show the nose and think about attempting a pass, he stepped up his game and ran away from me.

There was some 'less than stellar' displays of awareness and understanding of how to drive a race...video to be posted later. Luckily, both Mac and i stayed clean, even though we rubbed twice, and i had contact with who knows how many BMWs who knows how many times. The worst of it is i have some of Mac's Hoosiers on one of my wheels, and he's got some of my red paint on his fender.

Saturday Results;

1. Andy Wolverton ITR 1.39.8
2. Jeff Goodnow ITR 1.40.3
3. Ralph Woodard ITR 1.42.4
4. Travis Nordwald ITA 1.44.3
5. Brian Patnode SM 1.44.6
6. Prestin Read T2 1.43.4
7. Jarold Boettcher 1.46.0
8. Stuart Lehr SM 1.46.4
9. Oren Tucker SM 1.45.8
10. Chris Albin ITB 1.46.6
11. Jeff Seelig ITA 1.48.0
17. Mac Spikes ITA 1.42.7 (track record)

Sunday Results;

1. Andy Wolverton ITR 1.44.3
2. Jeff Goodnow ITR 1.45.0
3. Ralph Woodard ITR 1.43.9
4. Mac Spikes ITA 1.47.5 (track record)
5. Travis Nordwald ITA 1.47.7
6. Steve Bachenberg ITA 1.48.0
7. Chris Albin ITB 1.49.9
8. Charles Casteel IT7 1.49.8
9. David Leivian ITS 1.50.5
10. Jarold Boettcher ITA 1.50.3
11. Jeff Seelig ITA 1.51.4

I'll race with you side by side, drink with you beer for beer, and point out any 'talent' we see in the paddock any weekend Mac.

was anyone taking pictures this weekend?

[IPRESS]

Fun weekend with ups and downs every day.
Ren Tucker (SM) & his crew (Rick & Max) setup shop in the Paddock with Travis and myself Friday. The practice day was over last years Runoffs course. I can see where some of the boys got their proverbial "teats in a ringer"! Several spots that are shall we say close contact areas. All in all it ain't a bad course. I think it is much better then all the "Whiney - Moaning" comments that I heard in the past. It is not the classic Brat track, or the classic Pulled Pork track, or the classic Wine & Cheese track, but it is not a bad track.
The biggest knock Ren and I had was that the races were held on two (2) different layouts from the practice day. Not super different, but some, and changing each day was a tough learning experience. We were lucky that Travis N. helped us get a good idea of what the different turns would be like before we went out each day. And BTW, the kid (Travis) can turn a wheel. Drives in a sliding style, but can really turn on a tight corner. Our races (in ITA) both days were pretty intense. He did a great job wheeling an SM to a 1st & 2nd place finish in ITA. Ren was hanging with the lead group on Saturday until "a dog or something must have run out on the track" and he decided to spin and race backwards. (He couldn't have done that all on his own!) I was leading Travis and a BMW (Steve B.) at the time and put my first of three spins into play. Rick called it dueling spins when we got back to the paddock. Ren at the top of the hill and myself around the corner at the bottom.
Sunday was much better as Travis the BMW and I went toe to toe for the first part of the race. Luckily we were able to draft away from the BMW and have a bunch of laps with two miatas hooked up like one car. As the race got closer to the finish Travis put some pressure on that really pushed me deeper in turns and less overall breaking ending up with my fastest lap at the end. A very intense race marred only by Ren's big shunt. I don't know what happened (I need two cameras as it started right behind us) but three SMs got together on the first lap right before the top of the hill and Ren got KNOCKED into the rightside wall really hard. He was OK, but Rick is correct, the car is crusher food. Sort of a rotten ending to a really fun weekend.
Also let me say the Heartland facility and workers were great.

Mac

[Turkflyer]

You guys had way too much fun! Congrats to you and Travis!!

[77ITA]

Despite some serious set-up mistakes of my own fault (snap oversteer anyone?), it turned out to be a great weekend. I enjoyed having some very tough competition as it keeps me motivated on building a new and more competitive ITA car. Travis... Mac.... you two are fast! It was fun meeting most of you (sans an ITS guy with an attitude problem) and even more fun having my butt handed to me on my last lap of Sunday's race. Live and learn I guess.

[IPRESS]

Jeff, keep working on that Mopar power. There is a guy down here in Texas that makes his Neon fly. The only reason I was that fast was trying to keep up with Travis. His "throwing the car" style reminded me of the real fast SSB drivers. Trying to hang with him pushed me to mash the pedal.
You got another good finish Saturday so I think you are still in great shape for the Series. I like running with you as you seem to make good decisions on the track. Some folks I try to stay away from, but the green Neon is not one of those cars. I hope to see you at St. Louis in the fall. Neons are always tough on rovals.

Mac

[tnord]

i'm with Mac....keep working on making power and don't try to get too fancy with the setup (says the guy who had his car on scales for 2hrs fri night). you're in a good position to take the series with the bonus race being on a roval.

even without a restrictor, my little 115hp monster isn't well suited to long periods of full throttle.