Buck Muse reports?

[pballance]

Ok guys, I know you had rain all day so who did what? Did Steve E get in front of Jeff in a test of British vs. Japanese hp? Did Earp back up his win or keep the Datsun parked to avoid additional rust? Did Steve P decide to drive the Testerossa instead of CMP in the rain?

Ok, just wishing I was there and hoping someone could give us an update on the day. I talked to a buddy who ran with wings N things and he had 4 cars in his run group in the rain.

[JeffYoung]

Great weekend, great racing.

Saturday: WET. Wet qual, kink was crazy. Jeff McCandless got the pole, then Steve E, Steve P, Harold Corbin (E30) and Ron. Jeff got bit in the kink early and beached. Steve E. and P. had a great back and forth battle for first, passed each other several times. Hardest rain I've ever seen in a race. Finish was Steve E., Steve P., Harold, Ron.

Sunday: Damp qual, dry race. Track was slick though. I was in Ron's 260z. Qual was STeve E., Steve P., Harold, Me, McCandless. On the start I got around Harold, and Steve E., P. and me ran nose to tail for about 1/2 the race. I could get alongside Steve E. in second, but not past, great racing, great fun and the Steves were clean and fast. I spun in the kink trying to do a banzai move in 12, and Harold and Jeff got around me. E. and P. had ANOTHER great back and forth for 1st, this time Steve P. won. I got back to Harold's bumper but could not get around, finish order was P., E., McCandless (nice recovery!), Corbin, me.

BUT, the great news is the 260z ran with the leaders 1/2 the race until operator erro, and our best lap was only .3 off the fast lap of the race.

260zs can win!

[Ron Earp]

Stay away from the curbing in the kink at CMP when the track is damp....

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOjOxmsWYAo[/ame]

I think you'll find this fairly representative of what every racer saw on Sundays Group Three SARRC race:



Conditions in my car were horrible, almost zero visibility. But I did like driving in the rain and I think if I could get some visibility I could have a good time and maybe get a race on.

No sense in posting the video of Sat's race - the video looks just that that picture for the entire time. You more or less felt your way around the track and tried to remember at what point on the track caused the most amount of traction loss so that you might be able to avoid that area on the next lap. Unfortunately to pull that strategy off you'd just have to get off track.

[JeffYoung]

I don't know how those guys drove on Saturday. Ron drove a great clean race, first car not on Hoosier Wets (on 3-4 year old RA1s).

Plus, Dr. Earp can prep a 260Z! That car was awesome this weekend. All we did was change oil.....Miata like.....

[Ron Earp]

The group #3 SARRC race today was the best IT race I've seen in a long long time. Steve E, Steve P, Jeff Y., Jeff M., and Hal (ITS group) really did a nice job. The top three, E, Y, and P were very close for the first 2/3 of the race any of them could have pulled off a win.

Seeing the Steves go into 1 side by side and coming out of 14 side by side was good racing! Jeff Y's spin in the kink was unfortunate and took him out of the running for a top three but he did a great job of keeping it off the wall.

ITA had Ron Munnerlyn take a 1st place and set a new ITA lap record, nice job Ron!!

Nice job fellows and great racing! IT is indeed strong in the SE and I'm hoping we have a good turn out for Roebling in April. Somehow the 260Z broke itself on the ride home from CMP but we'll fix it.

R

[Marlboro Mafia]

It was really nice not to run into anyone or be run into. I guess I've come over from the dark side(Spec Miata).

[seckerich]

I can't remember the last time I had that much fun racing. Ol T-DUB (AKA Train Wreck) came through in the rain but was no match for a well prepped and driven Z car in the dry. Congratulations to Steve Parrish on the win. You have to trust your fellow driver to go 2 wide that many times and come out in one piece. I had a few good chances but Steve drove smart and used a BMW for a pick and I just could not get back to his bumper. Jeff Young in the Earp Z was a handfull until he decided to take out the 500 ft marker in the kink. I could not believe the torque you guys have off the corners. Have to actually work on this car now if I plan to keep it--only an A game will work in the Southeast. Good friends and good racing had by all.

[Bryan88]

That was some of the best ITS racing I've seen in a long while.

Congrats to Steve Eckerich on the Saturday win and to Steve Parrish
on the Sunday win.

One thing I really took notice of this weekend was the team of Ron Earp
and Jeff Young in the 260Z.......You guys have really gotten fast.........

WOW I've got to get my car built and finished.......

[JeffYoung]

Yes you do Bryan! We need a 300 in the mix. S is great racing right now.

Steve E. had a blast trying to hang on to your bumper and that one trip through the carousel two wide was fun. Ultimately ran out of talent trying to keep up and knocked down your brake marker....

Still a ton of fun. My days in the Z are over, Ron needs the seat time, so hopefully we will have a TR8 at Roebling.

[RexRacer19]

It was good to see some of you guys this weekend. I really enjoyed watching the ITS race yesterday. Top 5 stayed pretty close and it was a hard fought battle for 1st all the way to the end. Nice work!

[Parrish57]

Thanks to all for the acknowlegments. It has taken me a long time to claw my way to the pointy end of the grid and the respect of my fellow racers is very important to me. Much appreciated!

Wow! What a great weekend. Even a flood worthy of building an arc couldn't dampen the excitment of some great racing. Steve E may have nicknamed his car "train wreck" but it is still fast and well driven. Eckerich deserved the win in the wet. Like he said, it boiled down to whoever made the last mistake. I drove out through the grass like a rally driver. It's funny, as bad as the track was there was even less grip 40 feet left of the track!

Sunday was another story. I knew I couldn't win a braking duel with an RX7 so I just tried to get off of the corners hard enough to pull out a few car lenghts before the next braking zone. Steve saw what I was doing and found a weakness that allowed him to get along side. Had it not been for a lapped car he might have completed the pass under braking. Neither of us were near our personal best lap times but a race is not qualifying. I've melted my brakes too many times trying to run qual laps in the race. Maybe I finally learned something!

I was very impressed by the 260Z as well. Jeff Young was right there for a while, then a little slip gave Steve E and I some breathing room. I look for that car and Ron to be a contender. (And Jeffs driving skill is unquestionable. Lets see that TR8 on track!).

Great race by Ron Munnerlyn in ITA. Track record, huh? Welcome back from the dark side!

Paul... Testerossa was reading over my shoulder and got a kick out of your post. She says hello! When will we see you at the track?

[pballance]

Ha, ha, Steve P, I thought you both would get a kick out of that.

Wish I had been there but with a second kid entering college this fall I need to watch my budget a little closer. I will be at Barber for sure and maybe CMP in May. Of course you can come and show Randy and I how to drive Nashville.....

As usual, good, clean, fast competition in Sediv ITS. Glad everybody made it through safely. Sounds like a good time even if it was rather wet.

[JeffYoung]

THat was a fun weekend, we have a great group in ITS in the SEDiv. Steve P. and E. were fun to watch, from the sidelines Saturday and from right behind them Sunday. Great, great racing both of those guys are clean and fast.

ITS SEDiv is where it is at.

[dasleck]

I had one of the best races of my life Saturday. Started 19th. ended up 8th overall. I love the rain. ITB 76 BMW 2002 group 6
Thank You.

[seckerich]

I think the comment Jeff McCandless made to me summed up why I love racing ITS. He came up to me after impound and told me he liked racing my old car, but it was worth all the money just to hang with such a great bunch of friends and have fun. I did not realize how bad I missed ITS and racing with all of you. Vicki wants me to keep T-DuB. 13 hour motor is coming out this week and you will see a new beast by Memorial Day so bring the A game!!

[Andy Bettencourt]

What I love about this thread is that the level of everyones game continues to rise as the competition intensifies. What was once seen by some as impossible - through hard work and dedication - is now in sight! And the top guys also have to step up their game. Love it!

E. - I need one set of wheels!!!!

[JeffYoung]

I don't mean to gush too much, but damn, SEDiv ITS racing right now is just spot on. Great group of guys, great racing.

Steve E., while I know you miss the Black Beauty, bringing Jeff M. into the fold was a good thing for all of us. Great guy, lots of enthusiasm and fast out of the box.

Looking forward to Roebling, should have a TR8 there....