Watkins Glen Report

[Ed Funk]

ITA DiMinno by about 2 seconds over Cefalo, first few laps very hard fought. Third, Perry.

ITB Curran over Benazic by about a foot, third Zaslow, fourth Subtelny. Multiple position changes, a blanket would have covered them all for most of the race.

ITC Funk over McAllister and Ernst. Funk had the pole, fast lap and the win, but was third car in a close 3 car train for the first half of the race, until she pulled a third to first pass by out braking them both into the bus stop and went on to lead by about 6 sec at the finish. Yes, I said "she"! Steph's first sprint win!! in a five car ITC field!

I'm a little proud!!

Sorry, I don't know what happened in ITR and ITS

WooHoo!!

[dickita15]

You go girl.

[dominojd]

Holy crap what a fun race! Marc and Forrest made it a very very exciting and fun race. I have the video up it does the race no justice you just had to be there. [ame]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7505166482175566531&hl=en[/ame]

It gets a little choppy half way through I think my video camera was telling me to slow down.

Congrats to Steph for her win in C and Paul in B. It seems it may have been just as fun to watch this race group as it was to be in it. All three classes were barn burners through out.

Side note: Andy throw that splitter in the freakin garbage.

[dazzlesa]

what a thrill ride. these are the races you dream about. the weather was perfect. i do not know why but the b boys qualified slower then they should have. but it was greg s in his volvo, me in my civic, paul in his volvo and dave in his golf. i tried to pass greg but he made it tough. i lost momentum and got passed by a ita 240 sx. that caused me to be passed by paul then dave. as dave passed me i almost lost it going into the boot. 7 car lenths behind dave, i was forth and anoyed. i had a clean track and i was able to run quick laps. i was able to get to dave and pass him. we set out after the volvos. luckily greg gave paul the same hard time he gave me. while they were paying attention to each other i was ableto pass both of them. ok clear track put my head down and try to run from them. well paul and dave pass greg and they want me. from turn one to the boot i was dead meat. all i see is this red and white train pulling past me on the outside. i hold dave off but paul gets through. i can out run paul through the corners but the volvo is quick down the straights. i hang with him to the bus stop thanks to his tank like aero. we are exiting the boot with lappers ahead. forgot about pavement, paul and i blast to the left across the grass and we pull hard right under a 2nd car entering the carosel, what were we thinking? there was some side by side going through corners for some extra excitement. paul holds me and dave off for a great win. well done paul! i run the fastest lap of the race, 124.121 two tenths off of daves lap record. the four of us had a blast. no rubs, no bumps. only some white paint on pauls bumper from dave pushing him. wow can i bottle this and sell it!

[Jeremy Billiel]

If Forrest was driving where was Andy? I am the worst waffler around and heck I even made it out to WGI this year. Now my partner destroyed the car, but I out qualified him at least.

[Dave Zaslow]

Hey Rick, didn't you tell me your car can't go that fast anymore?

If I wouldn't have been driving the car I wouldn't believe that you could have this much fun racing. It was an honor to run with Paul, Rick, and (even) Greg. Very fast, very clean, maximum effort, no bullshit, go to hyperspace racing. My leg hurts from pressing the gas pedal so hard and my jaw hurts from smiling so much afterwards.

Between the slowest 'fast lap' (Paul), and the fastest (Rick), there was just .027 seconds.

Paul and Rick decided to go side-by-side on the back straight sucking me straight to them. It was more than a little inadvisable for me to make it three wide into the bus stop but I realized I could 'assist' one of them into the lead. Paul just had a more appealing rear end......

I really need to give tremendous thanks a few folks. In qualifying I came in early because my brakes went away. Charlie Gerundo started helping me change front pads when Gene Georgini came up and said "where's the wheel nut? He instantly saw that the problem was not the brakes, the cv stub axle had broken. Gene and Mark Heinzelman and Charlie thrashed the spindle off, assembled the spares I had with a CV that Mark had using a tool that Joel High lent them, and then put it all back together. I cannot thank them enough for making it possible for me to get into the race.

I hope someone has a photo of this photo finish. I don't think any of us had a camera in the car.

what a thrill ride. these are the races you dream about. the weather was perfect. i do not know why but the b boys qualified slower then they should have. but it was greg s in his volvo, me in my civic, paul in his volvo and dave in his golf. i tried to pass greg but he made it tough. i lost momentum and got passed by a ita 240 sx. that caused me to be passed by paul then dave. as dave passed me i almost lost it going into the boot. 7 car lenths behind dave. i was forth and anoyed. i had a clean track and i was able to run quick laps. i was able to get to dave and pass him. we set out after the volvos. luckily greg gave paul the same hard time he gave me. while they were paying attention to each other i get both of them. ok clear track put my head down and try to run from them. well dave paul and dave pass greg and they want me. from turn one to the boot i was dead meat. all i see is this red and white train pulling past me on the outside. i hold dave off but paul gets through. i can out run paul through the corners but the volvo is quick down the straights. i hang with him to the bus stop thanks to his tank like aero. we are exiting the boot with lappers ahead. forgot about pavement, paul and i blast to the left across the grass and we pull hard right under a 2nd car entering the carosel, what were we thinking? there was some side by side going through corners for some extra excitement. paul holds me and dave off for a great win. well done paul! i run the fasted lap of the race, 124.121 two tenths off of daves lap record. the four of us had a blast. no rubs, no bumps. only some white paint on pauls bumper from dave pushing him. wow can i bottle this and sell it!

[Robert Zecca]

Hey guys

Are you coming this week to NJMP We now have over 40 cars and I want this to be a story for sponsors for next year. PLEASE register.

Thanks
Bob Zecca

[rsx858]

pro IT + regional = 5 races totalling 8 sessions! for bargain prices. Couldent imagine a better way to end the season, you know im there.

Joe, Forrest, and Marc had an increadible race! Awesome watching them trade the lead back and forth. Joe, awesome win, certainly kept your head with forrest nipping at your heels. BTW what happed to Forrest in the closing laps? didnt see him come around :eek:? gravel trap?

[Andy Bettencourt]

I bagged the weekend and let Forrest wheel the 09. Kinda funny that the top 3 (Diminno, Cefalo and Forrest) are all running stock heads and bottom ends! Great job guys!

Yes Joe, we need to figure out something that, WHEN it get taken off, it doesn't force a DNF. Might go back to V.2007.

Love the video.

[dazzlesa]

i sure did not think it would go that fast

[RSTPerformance]

Congrats Steph on the first sprint race win..... now we will never see you move into "B" Are you coming to NJ this weekend? If not PM me with your address so we can get your straps mailed off to you!

Raymond

[dazzlesa]

andy they ran very quick times fo stock motors!

[Andy Bettencourt]

Yes...they did. Not totally stock mind you! All the go-fast bolt-ons and the programmable EFI...Joe's was probably the same...

[dominojd]

Yes...they did. Not totally stock mind you! All the go-fast bolt-ons and the programmable EFI...Joe's was probably the same...

You are absolutely correct Mr Bettencourt. The yellow marker junkyard #'s are still on the valve cover. It was a perfect weekend to go fast, dry air, warm track, lots O grip. Oh how I wish I didn't grenade the built engine. It just seems this is usually the best time of year to go fast at the Glen.

[wepsbee]

Great Race!!!! I was able to watch the last lap ITA action from the best seat in the house, on the track, right behind the leaders!!! I almost made it to the finish on the lead lap, only 1 to go, I WILL do it next year. Congrats to Joe!!

[dominojd]

BTW what happed to Forrest in the closing laps? didnt see him come around :eek:? gravel trap?

No gravel trap. He went four off in the heal of the boot and ripped that damn splitter off ending his race. Thus me telling Andy to chuck that thing.

[gran racing]

Joe, are you finally going to have Kessler Engineering build you an engine this winter?

[dominojd]

Joe, are you finally going to have Kessler Engineering build you an engine this winter?

Damn if I went and did that they might put the car back in ITS.

[dtanthon]

Joe - Is that a B&B Automitive build? Bob has quite the talent to make speed.

[dominojd]

Joe - Is that a B&B Automitive build? Bob has quite the talent to make speed.

Yes it was. The engine we built finally blew up after 3 seasons at the Fun One last month.