12 at The Point

[IPRESS]

Great time was had by all amid the heat, rain, and darkness.
Clean racing for the most part as far as I could tell.
The usual suspects looked strong and did well. I didn'y get results so that will have to come from someone else.
Jake, I have new respect for you RX7 guys. For years I thought the whole lot was a bunch of wild drivers. With this being my first experience in a first gen RX7, all I can say is a racer doesn't have many chances to go back in time, but that is how the car felt. I was vintage racing while the rest of the field was in a real race. We basically tried to stay out of the way for 12 hours. Going from a miata to the RX7 was eye opening.
After one of our guys slapped the wall, out lighting was .......how would you say.....maybe, crap. I had the last stint so any time I was by myself I was 50 / 50 on missing the turn in....anywhere! Finally I hooked up with the York Racing Vwagon and followed him for the last hour. THANKS! I could see.
My one highpoint of the race was making a "non turn in" at the left (6) to keep from being a miata late break victim. I just stopped and let the miata slide straight off. The corner workers gave me a "gold star" according to our race control person. Other then that, just not hitting or getting hit was a big win.

[dickita15]

Jake, I have new respect for you RX7 guys. For years I thought the whole lot was a bunch of wild drivers. With this being my first experience in a first gen RX7, all I can say is a racer doesn't have many chances to go back in time, but that is how the car felt. I was vintage racing while the rest of the field was in a real race.

The local miatas I race against just don’t understand when we say to stop whining, we already are spotting them 20 years of suspension development.

[JeffYoung]

And brakes...and motor....and just all around goodness.....man I love/hate SMs.......

[IPRESS]

I started to ask if we should wear coveralls and leather crash helmets!
You guys are real men! I never new a miata was such a plush advanced cutting edge machine.......but I do now!

[mlytle]

Great time was had by all amid the heat, rain, and darkness.
Clean racing for the most part as far as I could tell.
The usual suspects looked strong and did well. I didn'y get results so that will have to come from someone else.
Jake, I have new respect for you RX7 guys. For years I thought the whole lot was a bunch of wild drivers. With this being my first experience in a first gen RX7, all I can say is a racer doesn't have many chances to go back in time, but that is how the car felt. I was vintage racing while the rest of the field was in a real race. We basically tried to stay out of the way for 12 hours. Going from a miata to the RX7 was eye opening.
After one of our guys slapped the wall, out lighting was .......how would you say.....maybe, crap. I had the last stint so any time I was by myself I was 50 / 50 on missing the turn in....anywhere! Finally I hooked up with the York Racing Vwagon and followed him for the last hour. THANKS! I could see.
My one highpoint of the race was making a "non turn in" at the left (6) to keep from being a miata late break victim. I just stopped and let the miata slide straight off. The corner workers gave me a "gold star" according to our race control person. Other then that, just not hitting or getting hit was a big win.

was that an IT7 or SRX7 you were in? you haven't really raced until you have piloted an SRX7 for a two hour enduro stint! a very different experience than a Miata or ITR BMW....

the left at the bottom of the chute is 5. nice more avoiding a late braker there...scary.

[IPRESS]

Yes, it was an SRX7, WHAT A SUSPENSION:eek:........:eek: Rock and Roll Hoocie Cool!!

BTW, I have to give it to the East Coasters, that blue VW was wheeling pretty fast.

It was good to see folks I only see every now and then. Gotta go just blew a trailer tire between Nashville and Memphis. Dang, God's Country is still a long way off!

[ddewhurst]

***Jake, I have new respect for you RX7 guys.***

Hold the phone here Mac. Jake has one of those there super duper advanced suspension ITA/7 RX-7's, not one of the suspensionless SRX7's. I have owned one of each & there is a hell of a difference. Now I have gone to the dark side were it's independent & all control arms which takes limited steering input to have the car do it's thing.

[WillM]

Well, I wish I had read this thread before heading to the event! I would have made an effort to meet more folks. As it was, I had a great time and met a bunch of new people.

I was in the # 54 ITA Miata.

Mac - which RX7 were you in? The white car?

[IPRESS]

It was the Tan #4, you probably went by so fast it looked white to you.

I have sort of changed my story on this after seeing the results. I posted that we were a moving chicane over on the SM board, and this is my retraction:

Hey, wait a minute, after a day and a half of reflection, (and seeing the official results) I want to change my statement on being a moving chicane. The IPRESS RACING, senior laden team used cunning and guile to squeeze on to the podium. Faking as a car in distress most of the race, the old guys took advantage of the rain and and wet conditions to finally pass a few cars. Following a well played out script that team owner Mac Spikes found in his granddaughters favorite book, the old guys used Mr. Tortoise as their knight in shining armour! Even after their lights were impaired (by a wall test on the front straight, the plan was adhered to. The final stint was spent behind an ITB WABBIT with plenty of lights to show the way. So as a lesson to all you should be always be happy when a plan comes together.
Thanks to all that supported Team IPRESS RACING in their 3rd place ITA finish at 12HRS at THE POINT. (even though we really were a moving chicane!)
--------------------
Mac Spikes
IPRESS/TOPP Racing
Team MER / MAZDASPEED
East Street Auto / Carbotech / SAFERACER / Hoosier
Fort Worth, Texas

LOREN WALLACE IS MY HERO!

[Knestis]

And brakes...and motor....and just all around goodness.....man I love/hate SMs.......

I KNOW how I felt about the one that speared me 45 minutes in, after divebombing into the gap I left for one of the leaders while being lapped into T1.

It's a shame when someone perpetuates a stereotype. Farking amateur hour, that one was.

K

[Chris Humphrey]

Results are posted on mylaps

That was way fast last year it took weeks.

[type r rocket]

I was also thought ithe Miatas were an interesting bunch at the 12.As a Sm'er myself I understand the Miata mindset which is holy crap a hole I bet I can fit in it!Which in a national sm event you gotta fight for everything and if you don't fill the hole someone else will.
But we are talking 12 hours gents,the most interesting one was I just passed you going 125 mph into T1,I get caught up in some traffic of 4-5 other Miatas racing away a couple corners later and let them have there fun.I lay back a bit with the plan to pass all four coming out of the fast right hander before the bridge when Mr.Miata from who I just blew by is banging on my rear bumper or trying to pass ME going into that corner screwing it up not only for me,him but the other 4 Miatas,now we are 5 wide going into turn 10,nice.
The other great one is the few Miatas that would move over to block going into turn 1,do the math,me doing 120 something,him doing 90 something.

Mac,good to see you,glad you guys did well,we had a blast even giving up the overall lead because of a small malfunction.

[JeffYoung]

Yeah, that stinks. I saw the pictures of the damage, that is totally unecessary for that to happen.

Having driven SMs and IT cars, two things become readily apparent when you get behind the wheel of an SM:

1. First, you feel like superman. You THINK you can put the car anywhere.

2. Second, you are more afraid of lifting than hitting stuff, given the consequences of a lift.

I never hit another car in either of our SMs, but I did "feel" that type of thinking start to creep in, so I got out. Those cars breed that kind of driving style, which stinks especially for guys like you that have to run with them constantly.

Sorry man.

I KNOW how I felt about the one that speared me 45 minutes in, after divebombing into the gap I left for one of the leaders while being lapped into T1.

It's a shame when someone perpetuates a stereotype. Farking amateur hour, that one was.

K

[lateapex911]

Mac, I'd like to think my RX-7 has been asembled with the right parts to make it a far better car than the SRX-7 you drove, (Of course, all the cool parts require adjustment, which requires brains and engineering talent and seat of the pants feedback skill...you see where I'm going here, LOL)...but I have driven some Miatas, and I have to say, they are a dream to drive. Seems to me a half wit can get that car to 97%. It freaking reads your mind.

I always enjoy the "Can't lift" comments from Miata drivers racing in mixed marque situations. Like it's different for ITC cars? or certain ITB cars? OR ITA RX-7s?

[Chris Taylor]

Mac were you in one of Tony Lee's cars?

[eprodrx7]

you calling me a half wit?

[jjjanos]

I always enjoy the "Can't lift" comments from Miata drivers racing in mixed marque situations. Like it's different for ITC cars? or certain ITB cars? OR ITA RX-7s?

Well yeah, it is. We (IT) don't have spare body panels sitting on the donor cars we bring to every event.

[WillM]

It was the Tan #4, you probably went by so fast it looked white to you.

Ha! Very good, you definitely had your hands full!

[lateapex911]

you calling me a half wit?

Well, of course, John! but for different reasons...

Think about it....At Road Atlanta, or some other 1:40-ish lap time track, are you over 3 seconds off the pace?

Didn't think so....

[IPRESS]

Jake, I think you are giving me the benefit of the doubt on that "half wit" part, I only claim "1/4 wit"!!!!

But just the same, everything considered, the ITA Miata is a double dream to drive.

Chris, Yeah it was Tony's car. I had a good time after I learned the "old time" dynamics of the car. I see why SM drivers were looked at as weenies by you guys back in the WASMRRS days. I would build up some muscle if I drove an SRX7 all the time.
For three old guys we did ok just finishing, not to mention "rumblin, bumblin, stumblin into third"!