28 ITB cars qualified at Summit thIs weekend... Maybe it's not time to build an ITA

[RSTPerformance]

So I have been toying with the idea of retiring the Audi (fustrated with it) and building an ITA car but from what I heard 28 ITB cars are racing at Summit this weekend... Hummm. The class seems very healthy!

Raymond " what to do" Blethen

[RHallRacing]

Itd be great to get similar numbers for the NARRC's. Doesnt look like I'll be running in B but the car will be there....... Hoping to make a guest appearance in IT-7 though. Im looking forward to B next year with maybe a sister car.

We might have to take a trip or two down to Summit next season

[erlrich]

Considering where I live (mid-Atlantic), if I were building a car now I would build either ITR (if I had the $$$) or ITB, which is partly why I started the "Best car not being raced in ITB" thread. ITA is down to 2 legitimate top tier cars, ITS seems to be recovering a little from the damage the 325 did, but it's still not as healthy here as it could be (although it seems to be doing better in the southeast), and ITC is on life support.

[Conover]

Today's ITB race was a heck of a race too, very competitive, new track record set by a little honda. The ITB race was THE race to watch in my opinion.

[Andy Bettencourt]

That is an amazing turnout. Congrats ITBers!

[924Guy]

Is there even any point putting in the effort to build a new car unless you can be fairly sure you'll enjoy it?

You do seem pretty frustrated by the Audi's situation in B; would you build a different B car, or a fresh take on the Audi?

After all, doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.

Which is why I bailed on building an ITR car and went DSR instead. Which is a different (if not distinguishable) form of insanity.

[tom91ita]

how did this many itb cars happen to be here this weekend? was it planned or was it series points race?

i was thinking about going to road atlanta next year for the ARRC but would be interested in driving 400 miles less roundtrip (585 each way vs. 786) and being in a larger field if this is likely to happen next year.

it sounds great.

and it is another track i have never set eyes on so that would be fun as well.

[Simon T.]

Wow that's a good number of entries!

[StephF]

Yay! Go ITB!
It would be nice to see numbers coming back up across the board again. Much more fun to run with full fields!

[Steven McWilliams Jr]

ITB usually has the best race at Summit. The field is about high twenty to low 30s in ITB which runs with ITS. (~20 are ITB cars) so there is a good showing in the region. ITA is really competitive,after 2 or 3 fully built ITA Miata's go by, the battle from 3rd-10th is full of Integras, Civics/CRX,240s,ect. so it's also entertaining. Build what you want to, but I think either ITA or B is a good choice if youre coming to Summit. Congrats to the record setter!

[924Guy]

i was thinking about going to road atlanta next year for the ARRC but would be interested in driving 400 miles less roundtrip (585 each way vs. 786) and being in a larger field if this is likely to happen next year.

it sounds great.

and it is another track i have never set eyes on so that would be fun as well.

You just need to make it happen, dude! It's always worth it! Went in '07 and '08, and though it's a hella-long trip, the track's worth it. Yeah, Mid-O's great, I do enjoy it, but I like Road Atlanta at the ARRC more! REAL elevation change!

[RSTPerformance]

Vaughan-

I am fustrated with my Audi more than the classification isses... If I was building a B car it would definatly be an Audi. I enjoy the cars from the wierd handling, unique style, and the sound they make wide open!!! Besides the black cloud that has surounded my car with mechanical failures our cars have 10 hard years of racing and are getting tired. My brother is building an ITR car and I can't afford that right now... However a can't help but think about trying something different. My heads all messed up now though after spending the weekend with a friend on a lake speeding around in a boat... That would be a fun new toy for the family!! In the end I think I will try to get another seaso. Out of the old Audi and see where things fall

Raymond

[chewy8000]

This past weekend was an amazing turn out of B cars. There was alot of discussion around turning this into an ITB championship race and bringing in sponsors etc... With Dave Gran from the North coming down last year I think it inspired a few others to make the trip this year which certainly bumped the field up. Jeff Underwood destroyed my lap record from last year with a 1:28.19!!!! Dude is an amazing driver and can peddle that Honda fast. We went back and forth all weekend with a 1st for me on Saturday then Jeff took the win on Sunday and I closed the deal on Monday for the twenty lap race when he missed a few shifts. Looks like we will have to hash it out at the ARRC this year.

[gran racing]

Ray, I admit to being biased here but it doesn't sound like ITB vs. ITA is your issue, it's the frustrations with running the car you have right now. Both ITA and ITB in the N.E. where you'd be running are IMO the two best IT classes to run in hands down. Although I can't say that an ITA Miata would be tempting if I actually had any money and didn't mind driving something everyone else is.

I went down to the Summit Labor Day back with my lude was in ITA several years ago and it is a special event as well as fun track. This year I debated between the ARRC and Labor Day, and chose Summit for various reasons. (Tow, fun factor, along with other reasons.) The competition this weekend....I was running below last years lap record and still finished 3rd in two races, one of which was another battle of between 3rd and 4th until she got a punt from someone else to end that for us. So at least four ITB cars under the lap record. Wow. There were plenty of other fast and great drivers at the event. Then add in how nice and helpful everyone is?

Tristian also proved that it's not all about the fastest lap time. That really impressed me Tristian you were able to get two wins out of the weekend, although on Monday I thought I had a good shot until the battery died. Awesome job and enjoyed running with you, although want revenge. Bring that Golf to LRP for the Oct. NARRC.

[steve b]

Just when us mid-packers start thinking that we're getting a little competitive, all you fast guys raise the bar.

Unfortunately, my in-car had a good view of most of the field (while pointing forward) at the start.
http://www.vimeo.com/14769947
I highly recommend attending an ITB race at Summit if you get the chance. There will be someone to race no matter where your lap times fall. I think 13 cars has been our smallest field this season.

And even though the economy has hurt the entry numbers a little this season, the Labor Day event broke that trend and came in right around last years numbers (ITB was even a little higher)

[Bill Miller]

I miss the ITB races at Summit, they were always good!

Congrats to everyone, and all I can say is WOW, 1:28.2!!!

[Gregg]

We had a good-sized ITA field as well w/ over 20 cars all weekend. A certain 1.8 Miata dropped the track record once again--from 1:25.073 to 1:24.736. That now bests Ed York's ITS record (set w/ a pre-ITR E36 Bimmer) of 1:24.886.

It was a wonderful weekend of racing across the board w/ approximately 300 entries.

[steve b]

We had a good-sized ITA field as well w/ over 20 cars all weekend. A certain 1.8 Miata dropped the track record once again--from 1:25.073 to 1:24.736. That now bests Ed York's ITS record (set w/ a pre-ITR E36 Bimmer) of 1:24.886.

It was a wonderful weekend of racing across the board w/ approximately 300 entries.

Hopefully someone got a picture of said Miata going down the chute on the first lap in what appeared to be a 100 mph drift. The entire crowd in the bleacher let out a collective gasp. It was truely the most impressive thing I've ever seen at summit point.

[erlrich]

For those who weren't there, I've posted a few pics of the ITB action from this weekend here. I have many more to post, I just wanted to get these up to verify the great racing this weekend was not an overstatement.

[RacerBill]

Thanks for the pics, Earl. Makes me start thinking about it for next year.