Pro IT Series (NE) - Round 2 at NJMP Thunderbolt

[Terry Hanushek]

Meg Meyer's race report from NESCCA web site:

ProIT Round 2 Report

Round 2 of the 2011 ProIT season was run at the Jersey Devil National.

39 cars qualified, 38 started (1 DNS, 1 late entry chose to start from the back of the pack). Things started out quickly, with a great race (as always) shaping up between Rob Thiele, Rob Driscoll, Jeff Henderson, Matt Rooke, and John Hainsworth. Unfortunate problems had Rob Driscoll drop out after 5 laps, and Rob Thiele after 8.

The great racing continued throughout the race. Jeff Henderson and Matt Rooke were 1-2 for a long time (26 or 27 laps – until Matt started running out of fuel.) They stayed within 2 seconds, other than occasional gaps caused by traffic. 9 cars finished on the lead lap (29), and 14 more were only 1 lap down.

Matt held on for second by a mere 1.2 seconds over John Hainsworth.

Results by class were:

ITS – Jeff Henderson, Matt Rooke, John Hainsworth
SM – Yiannis Tsiounis, Derek Jones, Marc Cefalo (by .4?? seconds!)
ITR – Ken Hubbard, Tom Smith, Val Heun (in her first race in her new S2000!)
ITA – Chris Humphrey, Christian Chandler, Robert Marx
ITB – Rob Foley, Steven Noake, Michael Tinnis

Track Records: ITS 1:33.126 Jeff Hendersion, ITB 1:37.851 Michael Tinnis

Again, SJR would like to thank the ProIT series, and drivers for coming to race with us. They put on a great show! Also, ALL the workers – without whom no one could be racing, and NJMP for having great tracks, and helping us put on great races.

Meg Meyer
SJR Membership/Webmaster/Chief T&S

[robits325is]

Meg Meyer's race report from NESCCA web site:

ProIT Round 2 Report

Round 2 of the 2011 ProIT season was run at the Jersey Devil National.

39 cars qualified, 38 started (1 DNS, 1 late entry chose to start from the back of the pack). Things started out quickly, with a great race (as always) shaping up between Rob Thiele, Rob Driscoll, Jeff Henderson, Matt Rooke, and John Hainsworth. Unfortunate problems had Rob Driscoll drop out after 5 laps, and Rob Thiele after 8.

Translation:
Unfortunate problems = getting punted

[benspeed]

Here's a low resolution video of the Pro IT race. Some pretty good action - very fun track. I was plagued by mechanical issues. After quyalifying I was torquing the wheels and noticed cracks - all four of my 16 inch wheels had stress cracks so I had to buy new slicks and mount them on my 17' rain wheels.

Had a good run and got the lead handed to me (check the vid) got repassed and then started having vibrations which got progressively worse - left rear bearing was failing fast so I limped around to be sure I got more than half the race in for points and then pitted.

Jeff - you owe Rob a case of cold beer bro!


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



Watching the vid I think that going over the curb with the left rear, entering the octopus sequence probably punished that bearing and caused failure. Rob Thiele in the blue tiger stripe green BMW has a control arm bend and he's got a major tire rub causing smoke.

[rthiele]

Congrats to the winners!!

Thanks Ben for the video. Sorry to hear about your wheel bearing, saw you where suddenly missing and wondered what happened.

I bent my lower right control arm and drove with a couple of degrees positive camber in the rear from the first lap (probably happened in the first left turn). Very funny feeling in the Jersey Devil when you suddenly look out of the side window because the rear wants to pass you onto the straight...
Had to grandma around until Jared could diagnose and I finally gave up. Bummer after the great qualifying, car felt super in every turn until the incident.

[megmeyer]

Translation:
Unfortunate problems = getting punted

I didn't know any details, sorry! From the tower, it was a great race! (as it usually is)

Meg