IT-Miata Shootout @ Mid-Ohio June 8-10 *Grand-Am Weekend*

[R2 Racing]

This is correct:

We're racing Saturday afternoon in front of the big crowd! I wasn't gonna let that opportunity go by with just another boring qualifying session.

Here's our sessions.
Friday:
5:20-5:50pm - Qualifying #1

Saturday:
3:05-3:20pm - 10 Lap Race #1

Sunday:
9:10-9:40am - Qualifying #2
12:50-1:20pm - 10 Lap Race #2
3:15-4:00pm - 19 Laps Trophy Race

Obviously Q1 sets the grid for R1, and subsequently Q2 for R2. The grid for the Trophy Race (which is a full GLDiv points race with tech and all!) will most likely be set by average finishing position from R1 & R2, with fastest lap time in either race deciding ties.

[RacerBill]

So, the schedule that Grand-AM posted in not correct, right?

[downingracing]

Full + 4 on the waiting list! Not bad - Not bad at all!

[jay05]

Are we able to get on the property Thursday evening and what's the limit on crew overage?

[RacerBill]

Another question for Matt - with 65 cars, will we start on the front straight or use the pro start?

[jumbojimbo]

Man, I hope this forecast holds out.

Fri Jun 8 77° 56° Partly Cloudy Chance of rain: 10%
Sat Jun 9 81° 60° Sunny Chance of rain: 0%
Sun Jun 10 85° 64° Sunny Chance of rain: 0%

[S2_ITBVW]

Yes, the weather forecast does not get much better than that!

We are also thinking about towing up on Thursday evening. Any word on whether we will be allowed on the property? Also, will there be someone there to tell us where we can paddock?

This is going to be fun!

[RacerBill]

I talked to the OVR folks this past weekend. I believe that they will be there Thursday evening to take care of our paddock location. On-track activity starts with a Trans-Am session at 0800 Friday, so there will be plenty of arriving going on Thursday.

Tentative location is just South of the road that goes between the middle and upper paddocks, and just West of the Mid-Ohio School car stockade (right by the showers). It will probably extend South from there, how far I don't know.

BTW, remember that this is a Pro weekend, with thousands of spectators walking around. Be sure to be able to secure tools, valuables, women, etc. Don't leave anything lying around unless you have someone in you paddock.

Still no word on where we will start, front straight or back straight. Pretty sure we will be using the club course with the kink before Turn Two. That right, the Keyhole is now Turn Two. Had to use the new numbers this past weekend. Lots of confusion! Hope they pass out new course maps at registration, so that we can get used to the new numbers.

[S2_ITBVW]

Thanks, Bill. You have confirmed what I read in the event documentation. It does indicate camping is available on Thursday.

D

[R2 Racing]

Some info from Jude Summers, our race chair.

Registration with (OVR) Gloria Sheets for Drivers, Crew, Over Crew,Tech, Stewards and Registrars only!

All other participants/workers should already be listed on the SCCA Pro Worker list, and should go the Mid Ohio Worker Window.

Hours are Friday 8 AM – 7 PM
Saturday 7 AM – 11:00 AM
Sunday 8 AM- 11:00 AM

Other Information:
Entrants may bring car to track on Thursday eve, but must register 1st thing in the morning. Cars must be taken to the area designated by Mid Ohio. It will be roped off area in upper paddock towards the permanent showers. Absolutely no tents allowed in paddock area!!! If you want to camp in a tent, you must go to a location in the designated Mid Ohio camping areas.

Unless told differently at registration, Tech is planned to be held in the designated paddock area.

Friday
There is a mandatory driver meeting on Friday June 8th @ 4:30PM in our paddock area! It’s advisable to be race ready (including driver suit) at that time, as cars go out at 5:20PM Meeting may be short but then again depending on questions, may not.

5:20 - 5:50 p.m. Practice/Qualifying - Improved Touring / Spec Miata Shoot Out

Saturday
3:05 - 3:25 p.m. Improved Touring / Spec Miata Shoout Out Race #1 (10 laps)

Sunday
9:10 - 9:40 a.m. Qualifying - Improved Touring / Spec Miata Shoot Out
12:50 - 1:20 p.m. Improved Touring / Spec Miata Shoot Out Race #2 (10 laps)
3:15 - 4:00 p.m. Improved Touring / Spec Miata Shoot Out Race #3 (19 laps)

Thank you for your participation and your support of our event.
Jude Summers, OVR Race Chairman

The ITA car is coming together. Might even get to start it up tonight.

[Racerlinn]

Kevin, is the Mid Ohio Worker Window the same building that Registration is normally in?

[RacerBill]

Steve: That's were it's been in the past - First window on the left, facing the building.

[13GT3]

[QUOTE=R2 Racing;336916]The Ohio Valley Region is having a dinner/party Friday night with pizza and some soda/beer provided, so everyone should make it a point to come over to that and hang out. My suggestion is though, as the only beer that will be at that party will be "mass produced & American", what do you guys think about having a little "Craft Brew Potluck" Friday night in additon to the OVR party? Bring a six (or twelve if you're feeling generous) of your favorite micro-brew(s), and we can all just kinda sample. I'll even bring one huge cooler for this purpose, if people are down with it. And yes, I just came up with this idea while sitting out on my back porch, enjoying the warmth, sun, and some new summer brews I just picked up.


I like it! Fat Tire on the way.

[downingracing]

GREAT WEEKEND! THANK YOU to all of the drivers that attended the event! Please post (or PM) your positive and negative feedback. I want to ensure that if we are invited back to do this again that we are working to make the event even better!

And I had a BLAST with the SMs! Those top 4-5 were having a great battle and I had the best seat in the house for that show!

[jumbojimbo]

Great event. Even though we were just a small part of the weekend we felt very welcome and had a great time. I'm glad ITC decided to attend.

My sunday race video is uploading to http://youtu.be/OzAH5SKcw3k
5% loaded, should be there by midnight.

Near the end of lap 7 I can see why #91 Miata was mad at me. I was focused on the BMW losing a wheel bearing and I didn't see him coming, he probably thought I blocked him on purpose.

[Racerlinn]

I'm tired. And the Yuengling kegs were a horrible, horrible, horrible idea..... :aj:

[JLawton]

<calling Bill Stevens, calling Bill Stevens.......>


Looking for a report on the new car!!!

[ITA_honda]

Great Event! Everyone I talked to had a fantastic time. Kudos to OVR SCCA! I still remember why SM's and ITA's arent in the same run group anymore Holy Miata's! Was catching Matt Downing for 2nd but had to get around 6 Miata's. That took the whole race! So Downing turned on his angry headlights and ran away

[RacerBill]

Congratulations to OVR for organizing this event. I'll voice my only complaint right up front, and that had to do with the track, not the region - having to paddock near the showers was great - that's where I usually paddock. But having to camp (sorry, not all of us have campers, trailers, etc.) was a royal pain. When we needed something, it was in the other location. Up the hill, down the hill, up the hill all weekend long. OK that's off my chest.
As to the rest of the event, I can't say enough good things about it. I was apprehensive about bringing a new car that I had never driven, and was SOOO different from the old car, to an event with 65 cars in the group (not to mention that half of them were WreckMeOtters). We got over that in the first session when I discovered myself getting angry with cars that were doing there own thing and holding me up. Another grand awakening when I realized that the 25 cars behind me on the grid were there because they were SLOWER than me!
Hats off to the Miata drivers. Everything was great until race 2 on Sunday. First time I had to drive through an obstacle course of pieces, parts, bumper covers (some flying through the air!) etc.
Race 3 was going to be a challange, with both the heat of the day, and the length of the race (17 laps). Decided to use the poor man's cool suit - two zip lock bags of ice between the driver's suit and the long underwear. Worked like a charm. On the first lap, I managed to get by at least 3 cars that had started ahead of me. Another first. The race went great until the entrance curb going into turn 9 (used to be known as 11 before the pro sanctioning bodies caved into the tv producers who couldn't deal with 16 stations and needed to have only 13) decided to move to the right about a foot. Taping the brake produced a snap spin, 180 degrees, and sent me backward into the gravel. but the car pulled itself out and since I did not hit anything, we were able to finish the race.
Anyway, congratulations to the winners. The spectators seemed to like our cars. Heard comments about seeing cars that did not cost megabucks, and cars that they could recognize. Hope the recruiting did well. Funny, I actually tell you if there were any spectators there - I was just concentrating on the racing. And it was fun. I can't tell you how many little mini dices I had with other cars, but it was more than I have had in all my racing up to this point. I know that some drivers went home with work to do, but I hope that they all return to this event next year (I'll just ave to find a way to make my camping tent to look like a stacker trailer! And sign up early. I will NOT be on the waiting list next year!

[RacerBill]

<calling Bill Stevens, calling Bill Stevens.......>


Looking for a report on the new car!!!

Jeff: I sent you an email a little earlier. Car ran flawlessly!. Did not have a chance to change any settings (sway bar, shocks), so we just said we'll take it like it is. You're right though - keep it off the curbs!

Hope things are going well.

Talk to you soon.

PS - see my post just before this one.