Watkins Results?

[Ed Funk]

Well? Everyone to drunk to post? I know at least some of you have the ability to post from almost anywhere. How's it going?

[rhygin]

Exactly...

Seneca Lodge having a special or something?

Spent a few hours today playing with rust and fiberglass bondo, dealing with a weird coolant problem and hiding the NOS lines so I might keep up with Ed on the starts. Wishing I could have pieced together a trip sooooo bad.

Heard that Flatout was going to have their own contingecy race at the end of the day with 17 cars... any thruth to the rumor?

BB

[RSTPerformance]

I talked to Stephen, and he will probably post but I think ITB is Lead by Ken Hubbard well under the track record and 2 seconds ahead of everyone else. Then I think it is Dave Gran, Mike Reece, Stephen Blethen and Tim Mullen all within a few tenths of a second.

Raymond "Wish I was Racing, but I am packing for the big move!!! " Blethen

[Tkczecheredflag]

Regional qualifying race
ITR
Nimkoff 2:14.1(breaks old record)
Breault
Phillips

ITS
Rooke
Henderson
Hainsworth

ITA
Cefalo
Wheeler
Klvana

ProIT
R
Driscoll 2:13.9
Phillips
Breault

A
Cefalo
Klvana
DiMinno

SSM
Duman
Leverone
Finsilver

B
Hubbard
Gran
Reece

IT7
Gulick

Lot's of great racing, with little to know carnage.
Blackberry post - thumbs are ready for bed.

[StephenB]

It seems as though Dave gran is the guy to beat in ITB He qualified pole for the ITB regional and won the ITB Qualifying Race today however the lead changed several times!! Reece was out in front on the first lap then Wentworth and ended with Gran out in front at the checkers. The guy who will most likely be the one to beat is actually Ken Hubbard in his 2002 turning low 123's today. The track record was a 23.9 and almost everyone else was in the 25's. I know Mr. Gran himself broke into the 24's with a 24.9 during the early AM qualifying. I didn't see the race results so someone may have gotten a bit quicker in the race .

I am looking forward to the Pro-It in the AM. :026not running the regional)


Stephen

PS: I have some great video of Dave trying out his new brake pads into the bus stop. I will share from my new camcorders that my new sponsor has helped me with. (VholdR.com) I will embed the Countor HD bumper cam, the Contour HD (in SD) in car cam, and finally the older model VholdR cam that was facing backwards. Sorry Dave but I couldn't resist showing the world! It was the most exciting part of qualifying!!. :eek:

[StephenB]

Ok we are off to the track but I wanted to post the videos real quick for everyone to enjoy today!

Here is a bumper cam view!
It is 2 laps long and if you are patient I beleive you may get to see Dave try to mow the lawn in the bus stop and then jump for joy as he returns back on the pavement :026:
http://www.vholdr.com/video/teamdi-p...his-new-brakes
<embed type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://vholdr.com/sites/default/files/flv/42player.swf' allowfullscreen='true' flashvars='height=281&width=500&autostart=false&pl ugins=yourlytics-1&yourlytics.callback=http://vholdr.com/callback.php&repeat=list&file=http://vholdr.com/xspf/node/36849/emb&skin=http://vholdr.com/sites/default/files/flv/skin.swf&&logo=http://vholdr.com/contourhd/img/videoBug.png' height='281' width='500' />

Here is a short view of just dave having fun in the same situation but with an in car video. I think I like the bumper cam better... what do you think
http://www.vholdr.com/video/teamdi-p...ave-gran-falls
<embed type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://vholdr.com/sites/default/files/flv/42player.swf' allowfullscreen='true' flashvars='height=281&width=500&autostart=false&pl ugins=yourlytics-1&yourlytics.callback=http://vholdr.com/callback.php&repeat=list&file=http://vholdr.com/xspf/node/36883/emb&skin=http://vholdr.com/sites/default/files/flv/skin.swf&&logo=http://vholdr.com/contourhd/img/videoBug.png' height='281' width='500' />

Here is dave coming back on track with all that lost momentum...
you will notice as I enter the bus stop the miata gains a ton on me as I lift and watch Dave mowing the lawn for a moment :eek:
http://www.vholdr.com/video/teamdi-p...iew-dave-grans
<embed type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://vholdr.com/sites/default/files/flv/42player.swf' allowfullscreen='true' flashvars='height=281&width=500&autostart=false&pl ugins=yourlytics-1&yourlytics.callback=http://vholdr.com/callback.php&repeat=list&file=http://vholdr.com/xspf/node/36884/emb&skin=http://vholdr.com/sites/default/files/flv/skin.swf' height='281' width='500' />

And my favorite video of the day... Bump drafting is so much fun
http://www.vholdr.com/video/teamdi-p...-bump-drafting
<embed type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://vholdr.com/sites/default/files/flv/42player.swf' allowfullscreen='true' flashvars='height=281&width=500&autostart=false&pl ugins=yourlytics-1&yourlytics.callback=http://vholdr.com/callback.php&repeat=list&file=http://vholdr.com/xspf/node/36885/emb&skin=http://vholdr.com/sites/default/files/flv/skin.swf' height='281' width='500' />


Hope you enjoyed the video.. more coming after todays race!

[StephenB]

Anyone know how to embed the video? Oh well I put the links in so you can at least click on those and watch the videos. :cool:

Stephen

[73itb]

I've watched the last video 3 times.Pretty cool shot....Matt

[Tim Dugan]

sweet video's hope you enjoyed the weekend at the glen:026: see you this week

[RSTPerformance]

Pro ITB Results:

It was a 2 second conversation/text so I am sorry I don't have any of the other results...

1st - Ken Hubbard (New Track Record)
2nd - Stephen Blethen
3rd - Dave Gran

As for the Video!!!

Stephen Awsome shots!!! work on that mumper mount and I think you have found one of the bset shots! One interesting thing I noticed is with the traditional view Dave went off track and was gone, with the bumper cam you can see that he went off the track and came back on... Very cool.

I know the HD cam has sound but it wasn't working on my computer, was curious how it compaired to the original camera (rear shot).

I've watched the last video 3 times.Pretty cool shot....Matt

Agreed, awsome shot and that is the old non-HD cam!!!

Raymond

[Robert Zecca]

Great weekend at the Glen. 51 cars took the green which is the largest field in the history of the TEAMDI PROIT SERIES. At the checker it was Ben Phillips and his ITR Porsche 968 take the overall win. Great job to all participants including all our new drivers who joined us for the first time. As you witnessed the racing is excellent, competition very close and high respect amongst all competitors. One of the best shows in SCCA today.

Next week we will be running at the MoHUD National at Lime Rock Park. We will be resuming our podium celebrations and sponsor giveaways as well and giving Ben the well deserved victory celebration he deserves.

Thanks to all who helped make this event a success. See you at Lime Rock and please checkout www.proiteseries.com for photos and stories on this event.

Sincerely,
Robert Zecca
www.teamdi.com
www.proitseries.com

[gran racing]

As usual, lots of ups an downs this weekend. Saturday was quite exhausting as I was constantly running around working on the car and when I had a free moment, I tried to help Melissa with our 1.5 year old son. The brakes didn’t feel right during the session, so Stephen helped me bleed them and suggested I changed the brake pads. (Thank you Stephen!!!) I had inspected the front pads and had plenty on the outer pad and thought there was enough on the inside, but was I ever wrong. Went out on the new pads that were previously bedded in, but as Stephen’s video shows in the Pro IT qualifying the brakes still didn’t feel right. Then I began feeling the rear tire having issues, pitted in and torqued the lug nuts again. I had a wheel lug snap in the morning and replaced three of the lugs – it’s possible one didn’t get “pressed in” well enough. Went back out but the brakes still didn’t feel good. Then I started to experience fuel starvation. As I went back to the paddock yet again, I could just picture Jake Gulick laughing his butt off at me. Before the session, he asked if I ensured I had enough fuel. Oh yeah, I added extra for this session. Evidently I was wrong. So two trips into the paddock and no crew.

During the qual race, I hit the tire wall coming onto the main straight but was extremely lucky and kept going. I so thought I was going to get sucked into it and spit out across the track. I’m quite thankful that all I need to replace is the front bumper, fender, mirror, and grill. Much better than it could have been. I kept on going and won the qual. race although Ken Hubbard was coming up through the pack fast. After the session Jake helped me bleed the brakes one more time. Crazy Joe came over and surprised me with news I broke the track record. Nice! Although I knew Ken would break it again as he had a much faster time during the PRO IT qual.

On Sunday during the Pro IT, I got killed during the start and found myself behind three SSM Miata while watching Ken & Stephen drive off into the distance. For the life of me I couldn’t get in front of the Miatas which was beyond frustrating. Michael Reece who was the closest ITB car had a mechanical issue, and I knew Ken and Stephen way up front while I was still behind the Miata group. I decided to be smart and not do anything stupid – use this as a learning opportunity to try different lines. I learned a ton during that session and some of what I thought was the fasted way though wasn’t and vice versa. Now I just needed to put it all together. In actuality getting stuck behind the group turned out being a good thing for me to truly learn to drive the track. And yes, Ken won the PRO IT race while braking the track record again. Nice job! Stephen met his goal of kicking my butt with his pretty new painted Audi, which I didn’t enjoy as much as he did.

For the afternoon regional race I started on ITB pole and fourth overall. The brakes now felt good, the driver felt much, much better, and if I didn’t kill the start wouldn’t have the same Miata issues as in the PRO IT race. Got behind the second place SSM car and made it clear I wasn’t racing him and wanted to work together. Not long after we placed a decent gap on the fourth place car. Craig made a mistake into turn one, and I couldn’t stay behind him. A part of me wanted to try to run down the first place car and go for the overall win. I didn’t feel right about that and communicated to Craig I’d let him by at the right time. About a lap later I was able to let him buy and we continued working together. I had an absolute blast working with him and wanted to see him win where I’d be given half of the trophy. Lol Although he was right on the leader he couldn’t get bye. Now that was a fun race and I finally felt good behind the wheel and got a nice surprise beyond the win. I know Greg, seat time. J

I owe an enormous amount of thanks to Kessler Engineering (Matt Kessler) for all he’s done to the car and myself. The Kessler Engineering group had a great weekend. Jake Gulick also deserves a keg of beer of his choice for all the help during the weekend. It’s too bad you had such a tough weekend. Also thanks Greg and Andy for the advice, it helped!

Crazy Joe had quite a race starting from DFL and worked his way up to 5th (I think). Given a few more laps and it would have gotten even more interesting. Nice job with your win in PRO IT.

I could go on more but you're already sick of reading all this.

[StephF]

Love the bumper cam Steve. What is it and where did you get it? Can you give me info on how you have it mounted and hooked up?
I'd love to do that on my car.
While I am at it, anyone else care to share your video setups? I'm just starting to get back into it and would like a decent setup. Right now I am just using a cheapo Sony HD handycam mounted on an IOPort mount. I am considering bullet cams or the GoPro Hero.

[Andy Bettencourt]

What a weekend for FOM. With 16 cars supported at the event, there is so much to remember that the write up on the website will be huge. From my seat:

First time ever driving the Glen. Test day was shortened from 3 groups to 2 for the IT guys as a huge storm came through right at the worst time. With 13 SM's out on track, we had limited ability to tie down one of our awnings at that moment and lost it. Lucky for us, the weather for the rest of the weekend didn't hurt us.

Great track, lots to learn. Tons of blind corners take time to figure out. Love the speed. This track would be an absolute hoot in an ITR car.

Qualifying didn't go well Saturday morning for me. First out but we were lucky recipiants of an oiled up boot from an HRG car in the previous session. Kitty litter every where. Second lap was a touch faster but as I came through the heal of the boot the car washed out totally. I hadn't seen any fluid and there was no debiris flag so I came back through 18 and 10 with no issue. Trying for a flyer, I was making an effort to be fast through 12 (something I never did all weekend) and washed out again. This time I lost about an entire car width. I got the 09 slowed but tapped the tire wall and it ping-ponged me around so I was facing the exit of 12. Joe D and Steve U. make nice controlled avoidance manuveres and I headed to pit lane. Car checked out ok and went out through traffic and qualified P4. Found out later another care had oiled the track and I was about the 3rd car through (I think Doc B told me he hit it and told his crew that 'someone was gonna crash in that'...it was me! :eek

The race was WORK. Tim K. got a monster start (as Joe pulled off with a broken exhaust) and got bwteeen myself and the top 2, Cefalo and Wheeler. Neither Tim or I EVER got a clean lap because we were fighting in every corner. I knew that I had the potential from the test day for high 18's so I thought if I could get by I could mount a run on Steve and Marc. Nope. Time gave me just enough room to try my passes when I was along side and he held his outside line like a Pro and powered past me to the next corner.

Steve F. gave me some nice bump drafts through the Esses but it was just not enough. When I looked at video from Steve's car, it was very clear that I was giving Tim way to much room. I had my plan for Sundays 12 lap feature race...race clean but race him much harder. I felt bad that I couldn't close the deal on Tim because Steve had tried to help us both get by. Being the first time at the track, being conservative was the smart play but it sure didn't feel like that at the time. It was pretty awesome. I threw the whole kitchen sink at Tim in T1 on the last lap while in P4 and got sideways avoiding him as he turned in hard toward the apex and I watched Steve and Geoff B drive by as I gathered it up way off line out in the runoff area.

Sunday was pretty ready to race having reviewed the video and data over and over. Got a monster start and went from P6 to P2 by turn 1. I spend all 12 laps chasing Marc, got up along side a couple times but never had a legit chance to pass. Marc and I gapped P3 so I was able to focus on turning my best laps. Ended up P2 with the fast lap in ITA of a 1:18.6. October is going to be FUN.

Some items on the event itself. TONS of cars, TONS of racing. If you wanted to (and we has some customers do this), you could have done the test day a double regional and a Pro IT race. Awesome. Huge Pro IT field.

The PTB allowed the ITR/ITS/ITA to have a split start Saturday with R and S taking the green before the 20+ ITA field and it worked (I thought) perfectly. A little confusion on Sunday morning was taken care of quickly and we had another split start that allowed all the leaders to race without incident.

Actually, ALL the workers were awesome. Weights were done for top 3 in blazing speed and the tech hours were extensive. Overall a great weekend. Thanks to all the volunteers that made it happen and thanks to the Team DI/ Pro IT team for continuing to grow a cool series.

[StephenB]

Here are a few more videos!

Here is a "hood Cam" for the first 10 min. of the Pro-IT race. Nice close competition! (And I legitimatly pass my Dad!)
http://www.vholdr.com/node/37076

Here is the "Rear Wing Cam" for the first 10 min. Had to post this for Dad to see... yup that is you behind me (Non-HD)
http://www.vholdr.com/node/37048

Here is a rear view video that I downloaded just for the Flat-Out guys. About 10 min. long with 2 of the drivers setting me up and eventually passing me. Some great video of them.
(Only Flat-out cars are shown here, not a lot of passing but some great video of them!)
http://www.vholdr.com/node/37045



To answer stephs question real quick... It is a CountourHD camera setup with the Goggle mount that comes with the camera! (the rear facing in all posted videos is the older VholdR camera) If you want to know more about them or how to get one feel free to contact me. I would honestly recomend this camera over almost any other camera on the market. It is HD and you can literaly put it anywhere! I used it as a "boot" cam when I went skiing this last winter, no skips or problems what so ever! And most importantly in very little time you can download and share a video... Unlike Mr. Gran I am a terrible speller and I have terrible grammer. A video is much better than a story from me!

[benspeed]

Yo Andy! Did you like taking "Delila" for a ride? She was tucked in there with you

BAAAHAAAHAAA BAAAHAA!!

[dtanthon]

Beware of the FlatOut Holiday party!
Some of those gifts keep giving and giving and giving......

[Andy Bettencourt]

How do you think I ran fast lap? hahahaha!!!

[dominojd]

Here's my video from the regional. Started DFL in a 23 car field after my exhaust removed itself from the car leaving grid for the qualy race. Before anyone says anything YES i did fall asleep on the start.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5628182/14766891

[raffaelli]

Nice driving Joe!