TeamDI.com Pro IT Race - Lime Rock - May 15

[benspeed]

A great weekend at LRP - have to agree that this track eats up cars and equipment. Seems like the Road Race Center of the East puts on the most wrecks. Track was pretty quick and the weather was excellent. Great to see so many folks out - lotta drivers there watching whilst their cars are getting finished/fixed.

Pro IT was a slugfest. I never drove so hard to finshish last - that'll tell ya how tough these guys are. In the true sense of competition it was a race to even get the car in line to get to grid for a decent start. Andy B won that battle and had his car in line three groups before the Pro IT qualifier. Then when it was time to grid - no Andy! Fortunately somebody moved his car for him so he was 4th and Matt, Doc and I all told Andy to blow past us down pit lane so he could grab some clean track for his ITA Miata - we all sorta wanted to see if he could take pole over all the S and R guys...he almost got it and had fourth.

Top Ten was

ITR Nimkoff - 1:00.9
ITS Henderson - 1:01.2
ITS Driscoll - 1.01.3
ITA Bettencourt - 1.01.745
ITR Phillips - 1.01.756
ITR THiele - 1.01.8
ITR Fox - 1.01.85
ITS Rooke - 1.01.9
ITR Brealt - 1.0196
SM Jessberger - 1.02.4

The Autotecnic guys proved you don't need to be at the front of the grid to grab a good time - they were mid pack for qualifiying and still started up front.

A bunch of us put on sticker tires for the race. I took off my tires and thought that they looked pretty damn good but I was worried they had about 15 heat cycles and that they'd give up after 25 laps in what looked to be a 40 lap race.

The start at the front was pretty clean but I hear there was some major pushing and shoving going into T1. Hendo got a little loose in Big Bend and I was able to get by him and Andy got pinched in the mix. Some Miatas got waxed at the uphill, think one of them was Nick Leverone, so we took four laps under caution. That put the grid at Nimkoff, Driscoll, Phillips, Henderson, Thiele, Fox, Brault, Rooke - hard to be sure - I just remember that all of these guys were all over me like dents on a Miata.

On the restart Hendo got an insane launch and was able to drive past me and Nimkoff. I did a total Banzai Ben on Nimkoff into T1 got some major air under the right tires but managed to hold on and make a clean pass (thanks Rob for not launching me into the weeds). By turn three it was Driscoll, Henderson, Phillips, Nimkoff. For about ten laps I was able to keep up with the Autotechnic BMWs but then I began to fade. Nimkoff made several attempts to pass but I was able to hold him off by driving the line but my handling problems got worse and Rob was really putting on the heat and forced me into running wide at West Bend. He then took us side by side into the downhill and I should have let him go and tucked in. Instead I ran wide into the marlbes and barely held on, watching Rob Nimkoff drive off. I dropped it back to third to get back going and found myself half a straight behind with a swarm of BMWs all over me. From there on I just dropped like a rock with really greasy tires. I was so pissed in the car wishing I had not switched to stickers and wondering why these R6s gave out so bad.

All I can say is I made every one of you dudes work to get around me! I haven't driven in my mirrors this much ever and that forces a guy into mistakes - I'll blame it on the tires. Thanks to all the drivers who ran me clean - all the passes were spot on good judgement moves - just great driving and lots of respect while pushing to the max. Fred Fox got on my bumper and then disappeared - I heard he went off and hit the wall, don't know where but I hope he and the car are OK.

There were many car parts on the track and some pretty bashed up cars. The leading SM driver, Ron Jessberger was hit in the rear under FCY so hard that it snapped the rear and he had to park it. Munroe and Thiele banged some bumpers - Rob Thiele is forever cursed to having a repaint on something after every race!

My hat has to go off to Rob Driscoll - that man is overall winner for both of the Pro IT races so far this year and he's not got a scratch on the car and looks cool as a cucumber out there. Looking like a champ buddy. Only guy I know who might ruffle you would be Kip but the talent up here in the NE has scared him off - where are you Kip? I need another Porsche to help out against all these Bimmers!!!

So I got from 5th and 2nd in class to 3d and 1st in class, then dropped to 8th and last in class. My only saving grace is second fastest time of the day. Rob Nimkoff had FTD - wonder if it was the track record for ITR. Great Run Mr. Nimkoff! Driscoll only got you by .6 secs at the line - no mistakes, well done!

Top Ten Finishers:

ITS Driscoll 1.01.3
ITR Nimkoff 1.00.8
ITS Henderson 1.01.2
ITS Rooke 1.01.077 (eight to fourth - nice)
ITR Brealt 1.01.3I (ninth to fifth - nice)
ITR Munroe 1.01.7 (11th to 6th - nice)
ITR Thiele 1.01.35
ITR Phillips 1.01.004
ITA Cefalo 1.02.18
SM Harding 1.02.69

Winner in ITB Ken Hubbard 1.04.3

This was a great event and it ran well with the National. Tons of fun and lots of spectators. The autobody economy is thriving!

[Terry Hanushek]

TeamDI Pro IT Round 2 Results
Lime Rock Park

ITR

Robert Nimkoff - 39 laps
Robert Breault - 39 laps
Tyler Munroe - 39 laps
Robert Thiele - 39 laps

ITS

Rob Driscoll - 39 laps (overall winner)
Jeff Henderson - 39 laps
Matt Rooke - 39 laps
Bill Umstead - 37 laps

ITA

Marc Cefalo - 39 laps
Andy Bettencourt - 12 laps

ITB

Kenneth Hubbard - 38 laps
Tim Mullen - 38 laps
Richard Gelason - 37 laps
Chris Schmidt - 35 laps

ITC

None

SM

Jeff Harding - 39 laps
Craig McHaffie - 39 laps
Dennis Valet - 38 laps
Jonathan Farbman - 38 laps

Great event - close, intense racing

Terry

[Fred Fox]

I was having a great day until I started having a lousy day!

I haven't been racing much in the last years, so I'm still trying to get a rythym going. But yesterday started out great. I ran my fastests lap times ever at Limerock (mid-1:01's). I qualified right up with Rob Thiele and Rob Breault and Ben. The racing was awesome. The best race I ever had. That is until about halfway.

I was running I think 3rd behind Ben. We were lapping traffic. I went wide in Westbend and put two wheels off. No problem I rode it out till about halfway down the hill. I eased onto the track and just as I was back on I caught a glimps in the side mirror of a blue car closing in. I turned back left to avoid contact and put two wheels off again. This time i couldn't save it and hit the tire wall at the bottom of the downhill. Whole drivers side is pushed in. I just got the car back from the bodyshop two weeks ago. They completely redid the drivers side after damage last year at NJMP. Dropped the car at the Autotechnic shop. Hopefully the same guys who turned Rob Nimkoffs car around after NHIS can have it fixed for the race at NJMP. To top it off my brand new video camera didn't record anything. I'm pretty bummed, but it was a blast while it lasted! Hopefully see you at NJMP!

[BruceG]

I was having a great day until I started having a lousy day!

I haven't been racing much in the last years, so I'm still trying to get a rythym going. But yesterday started out great. I ran my fastests lap times ever at Limerock (mid-1:01's). I qualified right up with Rob Thiele and Rob Breault and Ben. The racing was awesome. The best race I ever had. That is until about halfway.

I was running I think 3rd behind Ben. We were lapping traffic. I went wide in Westbend and put two wheels off. No problem I rode it out till about halfway down the hill. I eased onto the track and just as I was back on I caught a glimps in the side mirror of a blue car closing in. I turned back left to avoid contact and put two wheels off again. This time i couldn't save it and hit the tire wall at the bottom of the downhill. Whole drivers side is pushed in. I just got the car back from the bodyshop two weeks ago. They completely redid the drivers side after damage last year at NJMP. Dropped the car at the Autotechnic shop. Hopefully the same guys who turned Rob Nimkoffs car around after NHIS can have it fixed for the race at NJMP. To top it off my brand new video camera didn't record anything. I'm pretty bummed, but it was a blast while it lasted! Hopefully see you at NJMP!

Fred ....check with the corner workers(station 11). They recorded the incident when someone wacked me last year at the same spot appr.

[mossaidis]

^^ still burns doesn't it? Thank you for all the updates. Sounds messy... really, I am happy everyone got home okay. The incidents you describe pale in comparsion to what I saw at LRP last year (Lotus/Miata at the right hander) regardless I am left with the impression that folks are being a bit more aggresive this year than last - whether it be driving against others or driving their engine to the ground!

[mossaidis]

Some updates from the corner workers...

"The larger races were meat grinders today. I was working Station [...] and it was a very busy day. 40+ cars just can't spread out quickly enough to avoid accordion-ing when something happens early in the race.

First race we had someone dump oil all through the Uphill. Problem was, we didn't see it at first. After the 2nd car went squirrely near the top, we noticed it. Unfortunately the 2nd car ended up spinning and ended up perpendicular to the track right at the top of the Uphill. He's lucky he didn't get t-boned. The Mini must have known he was in a real bad spot, so he got restarted and got out of there in a hurry, just as black 9-9 Miata spun in nose first into the wall in anticipation of t-boning the Mini. The Miata ended up pointing down the track, tucked against the tire wall. That shut things down for quite awhile. Luckily they had [XX] the noob (referring to himself) on the radio to keep it all straight.

Another one of the large races had an incident right at the start. Gene Tricozzi can speak to that one. The front runners got away clean but I think most of the mid-pack got caught up in one way or another. We were told to throw a full-course yellow, which the charging pack pretty much was ignoring until I became "animated" with the yellow flags, and my co-workers began waving with their arms to slow down. They had to run under a full-course caution for several laps until they cleared it all up.

Last race of the day, we had a beaut in front of us. I was yellow flagger, and didn't see it start (as you watch from your station down track to the next station), but I heard it happening, and my blue flagger warned me it was coming. Two Miatas went off driver's left. I believe the first one came in too hot for entry to the Uphill, braked hard, causing the 2nd one to brake hard, too. They both went left against the armco, then both spun. A 3rd Miata nailed the 2nd Miata in the right rear wheel area, collapsing the suspension. Those two Miatas ended up on the inside curbing at the beginning of the Uphill, one in front of the other, both disabled, although the Miata with the collapsed RR suspension tried moving and did to a small degree. Furious yellow flags ensued. The oncoming traffic tried braking, and I saw multiple nose-to-tail contact. They sent out the pace car to pick up the field, and we had 3 or 4 emergency vehicles on scene shortly thereafter. Both drivers walked away uninjured, except for a thrown helmet. You discover while waving one yellow flag while holding out a second that it takes awhile for 40-some cars to file by single file in a slow parade lap.

Once the cars got spread out, things went well. "

You made a few corners day... talk about memoriable.

[benspeed]

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/7498905/19864306

Video of the first 15 minutes - had the camera on the wrong size resolution and ran out of memory.

[Fred Fox]

Fred ....check with the corner workers(station 11). They recorded the incident when someone wacked me last year at the same spot appr.

I'm pretty sure the off was my mistake. I should have check my mirrors sooner before bringing it back on track. I'm bummed about no video because i wanted to enjoy the racing action up until the crash. Rob B. or Rob T. did you have cameras going?

[Jeremy Billiel]

Here is the unfortunate incident that Greg had in the Integra.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE7aL_dGEGs[/ame]

[Andy Bettencourt]

Here is the unfortunate incident that Greg had in the Integra.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE7aL_dGEGs

The one thing I tell people about the differences since the repave is that the curbs are a significant disruption.

[dj10]

The one thing I tell people about the differences since the repave is that the curbs are a significant disruption.

Looks that way to me AB in the video.

[vicktorvolpe]

tried to post a few videos of the restricted regional start, but apparently i don't post here enough to put links in. check out specmiata . com for the two videos I guess.

Apparently we gave the folks in timing and scoring a scare as well as the flaggers.

[gran racing]

The one thing I tell people about the differences since the repave is that the curbs are a significant disruption.

Depends on the car and set-up. My Prelude doesn't mind the curbs (rumble strips are a different story). I know a different animal - the SSC car like them as I learned from a couple laps following Joel L. Learned that a little too late.

[robits325is]

The one thing I tell people about the differences since the repave is that the curbs are a significant disruption.

Agreed. Especially the Uphill & West Bend

[lateapex911]

Wow, Greg threatened that wall a few times before he chose his spot. I expected to hear the throttle open during that whole 'event', but I'm clueless as to what to do with a semi out of control FWD car. I do think I heard a dirty word, though, Greg.

[BruceG]

tried to post a few videos of the restricted regional start, but apparently i don't post here enough to put links in. check out specmiata . com for the two videos I guess.

Apparently we gave the folks in timing and scoring a scare as well as the flaggers.

I was standing by the EMT hut when they came undone! Quite a noise....LOL. Lot's of bumpers adrift. Steph(#6 spec pinata) even lost her tie rod and spun across the track with no steering.

[Greg Amy]

Wow, Greg threatened that wall a few times before he chose his spot. I expected to hear the throttle open during that whole 'event', but I'm clueless as to what to do with a semi out of control FWD car. I do think I heard a dirty word, though, Greg.

I clearly remember telling myself as I was bouncing toward it "I WILL NOT hit that wall!!" If I'd dropped in a footload of throttle at that point it would have likely understeered up into the wall and/or it would have added momentum to a quickly - and obviously - diverging situation. I was primarily concerned with getting it past that left wall angle so I could "two feet in" and get it shut down; you can hear a few dips into the throttle to try and get the back end in check, but by that time I was in the grass and the situation was hopeless.

And, yeah, I was pretty pissed off at myself for the whole thing.

GA

[jcmotorsports]

Dave
Do you have a copy of the results or even PM me them. I am interested in T3 and lap times.
Thanks
JC

[RHallRacing]

Any mid pack Pro-IT in car?

[dominojd]

Here is the unfortunate incident that Greg had in the Integra.

Well that coulda been alot worse.