Jersey Road Racing Classic at NJMP

[benspeed]

What an excellent weekend of racing. South Jersey Region can really put on an excellent show and the folks at NJMP are really tops. Very efficient, friendly and excellent at taking care of an oiled up track.

ITR/ITS/ITB
I had some brain fade and was late to 2 of the grids. I thought we were third group after lunch and we were second - watched from the motor home with my jaw dropped as the pace car took my run group out for the first qualifying race. Ran and strapped into the car, made it onto the track and was about 3/4 of a lap back when the green waved. Managed to battle up to 9th. Then for qualifying race 2 the car wouldn't start. Turns out the fuel gauge decided to go kooky and we were on fumes, throw 5 gallons in and manage to get out last on the pace lap. Battled from last up to fourth so at least I had a decent starting spot. For the classic race got a good start and took first at T1 but knew I had no grip to stay ahead. Matt Rooke dove to the inside for the lead at the hump and I gave enough racing room to run wide off the track and let about 5-6 cars by. Wished I had hung with Matt and John H. but lost sight of those guys. They were running low 16s and mid 15s all weekend - VERY fast. Battled up to third overall - great time out there.

Classic Race results
ITS
Rooke
Hainsworth
Greggory

ITR - I was the only guy - you folks missed a ton of track time :-(

ITB - don't know

STU
I had better luck with STU and was able to win the two qualifier races. Qualifier race 1 was a good time with Windell - got the time down to a 1:16.5 and was able to win that overall. Windell had motor trouble and dropped out but we did have a nice run together. A fellow (Sean) arrived Sunday with a full on World Challenge BMW so I figured my goose was cooked. Got lucking during the Sunday qualier race 2 when the BMW went off at turn 1 and won that. For the classic race, last one of the season the tires were down to nothing - I think I got about 25 heat cycles out of that set of Hoosiers! It was all I could do to stay in front of the ITS Miatas with no grip. Sorta like an A sedan - stretch it out on power and then dog it in the turns. The BMW finished 1st with a 1:13.9, took second with a slow 1:18.8 - but it was a good challenge to figure out how to adjust the line as the grip dropped away.

STU
BMW - Sean
Phillips
Yannis Tousinas

The season is officially over for BigSpeed - figure a new paint job and some major dyno tuning this winter :-)

[benspeed]

A big shout out to Chris Rallo in the ITA car - we were paddocked together and these guys are the real deal - thashed on their car during the night to fix ball joint problems and got back out to race. When my car wouldn't start he was right there to lend a hand! That's what SCCA is all about!

[Kai Noeske]

What everyone above said - a fantastic event, and a total daze of track time galore on an awesome track, with a great crowd, in awesome weather, to end the season.

I drove my car to and from the track - a Civic holds ten (10!) 15" wheels, toolbox, jack & 4 stands, big tub of spares 'n stuff, helmet+suit duffel bag, 5 gal fuel can, clothes, food and drinks for the weekend, and a radio with ipod dock riding on top of the pile .

Double-dipped SSC and ITS; had some slower ITB and ITA cars to play with. Got pounded once, but could continue driving. 8 sessions - 2 15 min Quals, and 6 races - wow!!!

Noticed I was short on rubber, and Joe from Treadzone had the right size BFGs - he even had a set of *his own hillclimb tires* that were obviously heat-cycled and that he sold me for a good price - how awesome is that? Thanks!

Fist time racing Lightning - had only done a track day in a street car before - learned a lot over the weekend. Had better tires in front on day 1 and got within 2 sec of the ssc track record, which made my day .

Big Thanks to Mark Gregory for the alignment help, Chris for grid help, and Ben for explaining what happened when there was some paint traded. Was great to see all of you. Hopefully soon next season!

Detailed report on blog soon.

HUGE Thanks to the SNJ SCCA folks and all workers!!!

[preparedcivic]

Great event at my "home" track put on by the JRB, also my "home" region racing group.

I had a blast, though it started out better than it ended. Saturday qualifying had me the fastest ITB car by 1.7 seconds at a 1:22.9, a full 3 seconds faster than I ran at Lightning back in July. Race 1 had me first in class until I fell off the back of 5 and went off-roading for a while ending up 3rd; race two, which was the last session on Saturday, I had what had to be the sleeve of my suit catch the latch link release on my harness. Driving around the back of the track it felt like the right shoulder strap was loose, looked down while driving around the bend heading to 7 and could see enough that the harness definitely wasn't right. Since that corner can be a busy place, backed way off around the Lightbulb and headed to pit lane to get myself back together. So much for race 2. Race three I got stuck in a bad spot at the start, and had my work cut out for me gettingn around some slower ITS cars. Finally catching what was the 3rd place ITB car, when I got too greedy at the inside 1 and banged my driver's door to RF wheel. No real damage other than a meatball, but the impact was enough to pop the small latch link that holds my window net up! Pull way off driver's left and proceed to spend the next few race laps playing blind monkey trying to type Shakespeare in order to get the rod back in the bracket hole on the main hoop. Finally find it, get the net back up and suck the last two laps of the race.

Over the Winter I most definitely will be investigating eliminating latch links from my restraint systems.........

Oh, and I did manage to need a trip to medical before I left the track too. Stepping out of my trailer, I managed to roll my right ankle, badly spraining it, as well as popping something in my left leg quadricep as I went flailing down to my right. So packing up I could barely walk. Normally the 14 year old son could have pretty much handled it, but he's out of commission with a broken leg, so the wife and 13 year old daughter had to do most of the heavy lifting and crawling under the car to tie it down. Still, we made it home and got all unpacked this morning, but I will be hobbling for at least a week.

But, I'd do it all over again. It was that much fun.

[Kai Noeske]

Ugh! Sorry to hear Rob! #51 driver and car were definitely a fast combination - I had no business even trying to keep up with you despite the hp advantage.

Sorry that bad luck bit you - I saw you in the vegetation at the exit of 1 but did not know that other stupid things happened afterwards in the paddock.

Hope there is nothing serious with your leg/ankle. It was great to meet you, hope to see you soon again - planning to be out at NJMP next season again.

[monsterbronco]

Rob you not alone, with the whole weekend starting better then it ended.

I arrived friday evening. got the car off the trailer and had to get an anual for it. that went well.

Saturday morning we go out for group 3 practice. My first time driving the track at speed. so i was rather slow. I doubled up and ran STU as well, so the practice for group 5 went better. I was getting more comfortable and learning the track.

I had a decent start for the first qual race for ITS. got stuck behind some slower cars going into turn one but was able to move along and get into some clean air. I was spending more time getting faster when the the second to last lap i braked for the lightbulb and started to get back on the gas and pop. the motor would rev but was sounding like it was missing and had no power. i came in and went straight to the paddock. compression tester confirmed i had no compression on the front rotor.

I enjoyed meeting some new people and had fun until i blew the motor! motor rebuild was already in the works for this winter, i was just hoping to make it through this weekend.

Wes