Eye opener in IT

[IPRESS]

My first weekend (at MAM) out since April opened my eye to a new day in MidDiv. IT is getting stronger. ITA has really become tough with most all entries pure IT cars instead of crossovers from SM. With that said there were more miatas entered in IT than in SM. The cars were not all full out builds, but most of them were pretty good IT cars.There were one or two that are real close to 100% and the driver talent is also very good.
I was pleasently surprised that IT has progressed in MidDiv. SM may be suffering from rule changes. IT may be the place to race again.

[tnord]

The cars were not all full out builds,

some of them more than 100% i suspect.

There were one or two that are real close to 100% and the driver talent is also very good.

Jesse Prather? yeah, he's alright.

[lateapex911]

some of them more than 100% i suspect.

???such as?

[IPRESS]

I think only a couple had the overbore, but several have MEGASQUIRTS and some decent suspensions. I think Travis was poking fun a little as if he was confident of a trangression he would throw Fresh Paper.
I was glad to see such good racing in IT. The last two cars in the group (IT7s) had the crowd cheering for them on every pass of the grandstands. There were numerous brands involved and with 30+ running it was the largest group of the event.

The beer mugs as trophies pleased the thirsty podium finishers!

[Greg Amy]

Back in 2004 or so, I was having an ongoing online argument with someone in regard to the "competitiveness" of the BMW E36 in ITS. Basically, this person (a very good friend to this day) did not believe me/us how dominant this car was, even when not fully prepared. No matter how many times you told him/them about what "we" were experiencing up here, about how dominant this car was, it was still all about "the car is classified correctly".

That argument lasted for a very long time, right up to the moment he visited the ARRC and got to see it for himself how the cars ran. Then, all of a sudden, he "got religion" and we ended up with the cars having intake restrictors and, ultimately, the birth of ITR.

Ironically, he is from Texas, where the competition level of most Club Racing cars isn't quite up to the standards of other parts of the country, like the Northeast, where you can get away with lesser prep.

Welcome to the bigs, Mac.

And before you (royal "you") get all pissy, I'm from Texas. Been there, done that. Moved to Connecticut in the early 90's, specifically chasing the racing competition.

GA

[IPRESS]

Back in 2004 or so, I was having an ongoing online argument with someone in regard to the "competitiveness" of the BMW E36 in ITS. Basically, this person (a very good friend to this day) did not believe me/us how dominant this car was, even when not fully prepared. No matter how many times you told him/them about what "we" were experiencing up here, about how dominant this car was, it was still all about "the car is classified correctly".

That argument lasted for a very long time, right up to the moment he visited the ARRC and got to see it for himself how the cars ran. Then, all of a sudden, he "got religion" and we ended up with the cars having intake restrictors and, ultimately, the birth of ITR.

Ironically, he is from Texas, where the competition level of most Club Racing cars isn't quite up to the standards of other parts of the country, like the Northeast, where you can get away with lesser prep.

Welcome to the bigs, Mac.

And before you (royal "you") get all pissy, I'm from Texas. Been there, done that. Moved to Connecticut in the early 90's, specifically chasing the racing competition.

GA

Sir Greg,
No welcome needed, (but thanks for the sentiment) I went to my first ARRC in 2000 and got a good intro into big time club racing. I have been most years since (was there for your win) and always love to see the talent from different areas of the country. Some places are hotbeds for Regional racers while others are more National leaning. Yet others have enough to be strong in both. Texas is more concentrated on the National side. Down here many of the drivers also run NASA. Great IT cars are just not seen too often. MidDiv at least had IT numbers when I started racing there 4 years ago. Now they have not only numbers, but folks committed to building better cars and doing some development. I think it has to do with more stable rules than SM. A stronger IT group is good for the whole division.
(Letting my Republic of Texas side show) Hey we have had some ARRC Champs in the past, Stretch, Benzer, and you (sort of half way ) just to name some off the top of my head.
As my original post stated, I was pleasently surprised to see IT in such great shape after not being able to race for a while. Hope it is like that in other parts of the country.

[Gary L]

I was pleasently surprised that IT has progressed in MidDiv. SM may be suffering from rule changes. IT may be the place to race again.

Here's a video of the opening lap of Saturday's race from back in the pack (started 14th). ITB should have been a race to watch, and actually was for about 5 laps, but...

Oh Hell, just watch the 3 minute video and find out.

http://www.youtube.com/v/tJjZy53AoFc...en_US&hd=1

[RacerBill]

VERY COOL, Gary!!!!!!!!

[IPRESS]

Here's a video of the opening lap of Saturday's race from back in the pack (started 14th). ITB should have been a race to watch, and actually was for about 5 laps, but...

Oh Hell, just watch the 3 minute video and find out.

http://www.youtube.com/v/tJjZy53AoFc...en_US&hd=1

As usual Gary it is fun watching you wheel "The Flying Blue Box" as my girls call your car. Thanks for the video, my "To the left...to the right" move at the start looks as exciting on video as it was in the car. You, Chris, & Chuck had a super battle going, too bad it went south. That run group had battles throughout...The "A" bunch with Jessie, Brian, and Travis: Y'alls "B" scrum: My fight with the RX8, and the IT7s at the tailend just going tooth & nail........Great stuff according to people in the stands.

[rsportvolvo]

Good to hear IT is improving here! Now I'm excited to race some local talent in ITB!! I was considering just leaving my Volvo 242 in FL to compete, which I will for starters. Now she's definitely gonna be based out of Texas. I hope this trend continues.

[Greg Amy]

I.T. was tremendously popular in SowDiv/MidDiv in the mid- to late-80's when it first arrived. I remember I.T. fields that were the biggest of any Regional/National weekend. 'Course, back then it was the Wild West, run-whatcha-brung, very little rules enforcement....

[rsportvolvo]

Somehow Mac's good news is getting pooh-poohed by an Exan and SM disciple. Unfortunate.

Again I look forward to renewed IT interest in the MidDiv. Running in the same group with Albin, Hemmingson and Learned will be more than enough competition for me, if I can catch them.