Cheap Date

[Andy Bettencourt]

There IS a doctor in the house!!!!

[Ed Funk]

We haven't raced this year for a variety of reasons, foremost was our daughters wedding in June, which took about 2 years racing budget out of the coffers. We did manage to get to cheap date and are going to WGI next weekend for the fun one.

In Saturdays SSM?ITC race Fred and I were side by side near the back of the field, Fred had beat me in qual by .3, I had plenty of old age but not enough treachery! At the start traffic was kinder to me so I got by Fred, coming out of the south chicane on the second lap there was a sideways SSM in midtrack. Enough room to go around on the normal exit line. Unfortunately, Fred had late apexed to make a move to my inside and was at my left quarter. The hit was LOUD, I knew it was Fred and that we were going to be at FCY, sure enough at three were double yellows, I slowed and got passed by 3 SSM's between 3 and 5! I finally started pointing out the FCY condition to the boys and girls! The 3 didn't give back their position, but oh well, I was effectively OCIC at that point.

First time by the "incident" Fred was still in the car, 2nd time by he was out so I figured he was probably OK, he was! A little sore yesterday, he was wearing a HANS the hit was head on (did I mention HARD!?) and the HANS probably saved more serious soreness if not injury.

I as well as others were approached by Ray Blethen (AKA safety steward) about suggestions to improve that corners flagging recognition, the spin happened 13 seconds before Fred and I got there! Neither of us saw the waving yellow, tho on video it was there. Suggestions have been an out post flashing yellow at the wall in line of sight as you go for the apex, and having turn 1 station double up the flag condition. I'm sure the "powers" would listen to other suggestions.

More on Sunday later.

[ERIC THOMPSON]

just want to say that i had a blast at "cheap date"!!! flatout are a real class act!!!
rented for both days(00 sm miata). very tentative on track the first day especially
considering i was getting rubbed up near the wall on the first lap of quali on the first
day(red #23 i think). my goal was to finish both days and not ball the car. mission
accomplished. second day had much more confidence, and actually lapped a full second
faster in the wet on rains than on sat in the dry(??). can't thank flatout enough.
looking forward to next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

later dudes

[JLawton]

[attachmentid=1116]I appreciate everyone's words.

Some might think it was a cheap win cause Andy wasn't there.............See the picture above..........You think I care???


Props go to Geoff B in Saturday's race. He must have been very frustrated knowing he was faster and couldn't get around me yet he ran me very clean. No taps in the corner no crazy dive bomb moves. He was no more than a car length off my bumper from the second lap to the checkered and several times was up to my door but couldn't make it stick. Thanks Geoff!! (I may sound like a broken record, but this is an example of why I enjoy racing with the Northeast guys. They'll race you hard but keep the heads on straight!)

Sunday qualifying was interesting. The rain had stopped about a 1/2 hour before we went to grid and the line was almost dry. Even though we knew the rain was coming we gambled and went out on drys hoping to bang out a couple of fast laps early. I "think" almost everyone else was on rains. But as we sat on grid it started to sprinkle........... I was second on grid and came out hot. No scrubbing, no heating up the tires. My first flying lap was the fastest which was good for P3 on the starting grid. Chris "Rain Man" Milton-Hall was second and Will was first.

There was no doubt the rain was coming for the race so Jeremy and I had time to think about how to set the car up........And we hit it right on the nose!!!

By turn three I was by Chris and right on Will's bumper. I stayed patient and passed him coming out of T3. I was in the ZONE after that and just pulled away from Will (gotta love FWD in the rain). At about the half way point I put it in "Don't Be Stupid" gear and was all by my self for the rest of the time. I LOOOOOOVE the rain!!

Rob Bro also had a hell of a race!! Nice job Rob!!

Hard luck awards: Geoff B for not being able to make it out on Sunday due to the old "hood pin" nightmare. If Sunday was in the dry, it would have been his race!

Steve Miller: Had just gotten his engine back from being rebuilt, messed up his new truck getting loaded coming to the track, had some oil sending unit problems during the test day, lost a water pump in the first qualifying then lost first and third gear during the race and had to go home. On top of that, he more than willingly let me share his racing suit (ewwwww) when I went to get dressed for the first qualifying and realized mine was still in the basement drying out from the last race. Anybody who will loan someone their suit on a 90 degree plus day is a TRUE friend. Thanks Steve!! (although, it may have been your suit that was good luck so you're not getting it back!!


Can't wait until the NARRC Offs!!

[Jeremy Billiel]

Jeff's Quote of the Weekend came about half way through the race on Sunday with a 10 second lead on the radio to me.

"Damn it, my video camcorder stopped working!"

Funny moment of the weekend (Sorry Jeff I had to) - He gives his son, Jake, 50 cents to play a video game while we were at Walmart and I look over to see him riding one of those cheesy bull thingys. Man I wanted a picture for black mail 5 years from now. Jeff was mortified!!!



All in all an awesome weekend. Thanks Jeff for letting me come along!

On a side note, Jake is hilarious!!! It kinda fun to hang out with kids when you know you can go home and they are not yours!

[WillM]

Jeff,

Once again, congratulations! Two excellent wins well deserved. For anyone that wasn't there, you missed seeing an excited little boy running around the north garages. The little boy's son was pretty excited too.

As I mentioned on Saturday and Sunday, I was hoping for rain too. Love to drive/race in the rain! I had a great time running with C Wall and L Kogan on Saturday.

Was too bad that attendance was so light this weekend, especially on Sunday. Bummer to see Geoff come in with his hood wrapped around his windshield during qualifying. Just cracking the SCCA egg, I find myself more interested in the racing part than finishing position (at least that is what I keep telling myself), but I have to admit that taking P2 on Sunday and 2nd in the race was pretty cool.

That said, special thanks to GA, AB, TK, RH, JD, and the other ITA front runners for missing this event! You were missed, but not sorely!

Had a great time and am looking forward to running a few events with the NER ITA pack next season.

Thanks guys,

Will

[Andy Bettencourt]

[attachmentid=1116]I appreciate everyone's words.

Some might think it was a cheap win cause Andy wasn't there.............See the picture above..........You think I care???

[/b]

Don't even think it. You can only beat who was there - and you beat them all!!!!!!!

[gran racing]

You can only beat who was there [/b]

I've given thought to that before and began thinking that if this car showed up, or this driver did, but it would never end. The Runoffs champion gets an IT car, Andretti Green shows up with their car, then Penske. Andy is exactly right.

[RSTPerformance]

I've given thought to that before and began thinking that if this car showed up, or this driver did, but it would never end. The Runoffs champion gets an IT car, Andretti Green shows up with their car, then Penske. Andy is exactly right.
[/b]

And then their are those of us on the sidelines wishing we were in the race... If I was was only at this event I could have beaten my dad!!! lol

Raymond "Sorry Dad, had to!!! Can't wait to run with you next year!!!" Blethen