Pro IT race results (NHMS)

[73itb]

Any results? Thanks in advance...Matt

[StephenB]

From Stephens view for ITB...

I had a great start and squeezed Tim Mullen out so he couldn't get up beside me (Sorry Tim, I had to or else you would have had me into 3!) My biggest goal of the race was to get ahead of my Dad in the white ITS porche on the start but all I was able to do was get up to his back bumper But I was still in the lead for the ITB crowd On the start I passed several faster cars but they all picked me back each lap. As each lap passed I also watched my water temps increase lap after lap. It was as high as 270 by the 4th lap so I started to take it a bit easy coasting and lifting and trying not to stay directly or close behind the cars in front of me. At the time I was still in first and had hopes to maintain 1st however, this wasn't for long. The other ITB cars did catch me and eventually pass me. I kept the tempature around 250 or so which is still very high but I still had hopes of finishing in 4th. The temps actually got spiratic changeing by 20+ degrees. Then shortly after I ended up blowing a radiator hose and coming in. Tim and Raymond (my awesome crew guys!) made some modifications to get me back on track. At that point our goal was to make 50% race completion to gain the valuable points needed for the Championship. Tim and Raymond did awesome making some repairs and I did get back on track to complete more than 50% of the race distance! While that was happening Julie Melbin had a bad wheel bearing ruin her debut in her new car and she had to pull off. (She did get fast time for all ITB cars!) My repairs were fast enough for me to get back out and finish enough laps to beat out Julies total laps by 1 and get me 3rd place! Tim Mullen and Matt Baldoni duked it out and Matt finished on top with Tim on his tails. I heard it was very exciting and they swaped positions lap after lap! I only wish I was a part of it!

Here is a video of the race from my point of view!
The start was pretty wild through turn 3 :eek:
http://www.vholdr.com/node/24317

Congrats on a great 1st weekend for Pro-IT and to all that did well,
Stephen Blethen
2008 TeamDI.com Pro-ITB Champion!

[Beran]

Stephen - great video - thanks for sharing!
hands at 10 & 2 - no shuffling ;-)

[BobsAuto]

Awesome video, it did look a bit tight in turn 3 at the start.

[TimM ITB]

First of all....another great race by the PRO IT series! Thanks to Bob and the enitre TeamDI crew and sponsors for putting in the time and effort!
And my hat is off to Matt Baldoni for taking his first ITB PRO-IT win and for 45 minutes of great, clean, aggressive, and TOO MUCH FUN racing! I know that I left nothing on the track, and that know matter how much I tried to make him make a mistake, he drove flawlessly the entire race......nice job Matto! I can't wait for the next race!
Tim Mullen
ITB

[lawtonglenn]

Thanks to Bob Zecca and the entire team for a great PRO-IT Race.

We made some last minute changes to the 14 car to try to address a
lean condition in the front rotor, but either overcompensated, or
missed the real problem. I spent the entire race unable to put my
foot past 3/4 throttle, otherwise the engine would just die. I guess
we'll have to do a bit more troubleshooting before memorial day.

Sorry if I got in anyone's way back in the pack, one particular memory
is when Tim Klvana kept motioning me to go by on the front straight,
and I tried, I really tried Tim, but with the go pedal only half
way down.....sorry!

Great race Jeff, Rob and Matt!

Here is some video...not the most exciting, but I did edit out most
of the really boring bits

http://video.yahoo.com/people/5915974

[67ITB]

Thanks Tim,
That was SO MUCH FUN. You made me work very hard to get out front, and stay out there. I was trying to make that little car as wide as possible =) Cant wait to see the Golf out there.

Thanks to everyone that made the weekend happen. I had a blast!!!!!

Matt