Results from LRP

[wdether]

Ken and a Lotus Elise hit head on, both drivers were transported to the hospital. As bad as it looked, the Lotus may be repairable. Everything forward of the bulkhead would need to be replaced. The car's structure and the roll cage did it's part.

The track cleanup and waiting for the ambulances to return from the hospital caused a pretty lengthy delay and ate into the length of the Pro-IT race. I think the race was between 25 and 30 minutes long.

Before leaving the track, I did hear the other driver was being released from the hospital. I did not hear an update on Ken.

[BruceG]

BTW...Kudos for all in the MOHUD Region for putting on one hell of an event!! A Regional plus and IT PRO imbedded in a National....wow. Just getting all of us in the Regional on the false grid required bending the law of physics. What a great job by all involved(expecially after the deluge on Friday. My hats off to all you folks.

[dickita15]

I was told Kenny was transfered to Springfield (Probably Baystate Medical). I will try to follow up the first of the week.

[CRallo]

Wow! thanks guys! Sounds like I missed a heck of a weekend

no one to blame but myself though...

[vwzx7]

Congrats to S Hawthorne for the overall/ITA win in the regional and ITA win/4th overall in the Pro-IT...Henderson took the overall IT win.

[BruceG]

Dick....I experienced some(seems to me)strange RX7 behavior yesterday during our Regional race. Granted it was only my 2nd race, in a new car with some teething problems and trying to be a clean driver and stay out of other's way when at all possible! Watching the blue flags and giving track room.

I passed under the bridge into the apex in Big Bend, hit my apex with no one on my butt and hit track out to the left at the start of the straight. I was hit in my rear bumper and broke my right tail light by the #6 RX7 that came up behind me. Since the whole point of hitting trackout on the left there is to give faster cars room to pass on the straight, I thought it very odd that someone would hit me there...unless they were trying to push me off the track!! Perhaps that was their intent since I'm not the fastest fish in the barrel but this wasn't a case of no racing room. I couldn't have been any further over to the left and one could drive a Sherman tank past me on the right.

Oh well...Live and learn, I guess.

[StephenB]

WOW what a day :eek:

The $200 regional:
went very well for me as I pushed as hard as I could to get past 10 or so miatas (refered to as piniatas for the rest of this thread ) I wanted desperatly to catch up to the lead ITB car of Rick B. I could see him trying to avoid contact with the piniatas and doing his best to run a clean race. I don't even know if he saw me coming and as I finally caught and passed him entering big bend. We both almost parked in big bend and watch an awesome slide/spin from the ITA RX7 Very cool to watch :eek: . Anyway after I passed him he stayed with me but didn't have enough time to get me back. I think I pulled a 3 wide squeeze lapping 2 cars entering the uphill that he got caught behind putting him a second or so back. I had a great time pushing 11 tenths (except when near a spec piniata then I was 3 tenths trying to avoid contact!) Thanks Rick for pushing me to a near 1:03 timein that blistering heat!

Team DI Pro-IT:
It was some great racing and I had a BLAST racing Ken pushing my limits and his limits as we lifted slightly through the uphill, a lift and tap for west bend and flat in the downhill!! Sadly, for me, about 1/3 in I was hit under the bridge going down the downhill by the #96 Miata Andrezej Brezinski which unfourtunatly ruined my momentum and allowed Ken to pass me going down the straight. Ultimatly this is what allowed ken ahead of me and we are so evenly matched I couldn't get back ahead of him. Again his margin of victory was less than 1 foot at the finish making this the 3rd race in a row that we have finished 1 and 2 with less than 1 second between us! He is know a mere 5 points ahead of me in the championship... Last year it came down to the last race of the championship and I assure you this will be the same this year! The TeamDi Pro-ITB championship is literaly going to be decided by seconds up to the end!

For those that missed it this was a spectator dream race! This race was kinda like going to the amusement park, have you ever riden on the bumper cars? I witnessed conact every lap and I think a car was retired in every turn except the downhill. 10 cars retired in all! yup 25% of the field that started didn't finish!

Stephen Blethen
2008 TeamDI Pro-ITB Champion
www.RSTPerformance.com
www.VHoldR.com The words FIRST HD wearable Camcorder!

[BruceG]

Stephen...Perhaps that was the RX7(#6) that hit my RX7(#10) in the rear coming thru big bend..that would explain it!

[RSTPerformance]

Bruce-

Just as an FYI, the easier place for a lapping car to pass exiting Big Bend is on the left or inside heading into the "left" hander. I always go for that spot unless I see a point by at or around the second apex telling me to go to the right.

If you do get bumped you can almoast always drop a wheel or two off at the exit and keep it together... Just don't turn back onto the track or you might end up in the tire wall on drivers right!

Stephen-

I like the idea of "PRO-SM", otherwise have the miatas run in ITA if it is going to stay as the "PRO-IT" series. Overall though I like the idea of a split start , combined PRO race series with a regional feel. I will post my thoughts on the pro IT sight later