RAL weekend updates

[BobsAuto]

Here I am, starting the topic and stupid me forgot to get the results of the enduro when I went up to the track to catch up with Raymond and his Dad tonight. All I know is that the race went well and with relatively no issues (as far as protests and such). I will grab the results in the AM when I go up to register and post them before qualifying of the ITB race. I will get whatever results I can to post periodically during the day.
Incidently, the paddock looked fairly empty tonight. Not many people.

[BobsAuto]

Ok, I've got them.....first of all, sad to say, Ray (the Dad) Blethen, is not racing today. Turns out there was a clutch issue that they did not know about, but the car will be ready for Cheap Date for sure.

Yesterday's results......Little Le Mans....these are the overall IT finishes....

3rd -- ITS - Linscott/Gregory
4th -- ITA - Andrade/Martins
6th -- ITS - Miskoe/Tier
15th - ITA - Kogan/Kogan
16th - ITA - Meindl/Papa
18th - ITC - Megliola/Megliola
21st - ITA - Brooks/Power

Today -- Qualifying Results -- Official in class results with times
ITA
1st -- Brandon Bogart -- 1:16.058
2nd -- Richard Hunter -- 1:16.335
3rd -- Brett Bogart -- 1:17:032
4th -- Geoff Branscombe -- 1:17:499
5th -- Philip Gott -- 1:17:977
6th -- James Alley -- 1:19:601
7th -- Matthew Daniels -- 1:19:858
8th -- Michael Buccella 1:20:719
9th -- Sean Siff -- 1:21:098
10th -- David Faita -- 1:21:219
11th -- Linda Kogan --1:21:377
12th -- Dick Patullo -- 1:22:008
13th -- Paul Masters -- 1:24:788
14th -- Courtney Hubbard -- 1:26:994
DNS -- Andy Bettencourt, Tim Klvana, Windell Holmes, Matt Delgaudio, Erik Shifflett, Will Martins, Jeremy Sheppard.

ITS/ITB in order of qualifying. Position number designates overall position.

1 -- ITS -- Jeff Harding -- 1:15.260
2 -- ITS -- Dave Maynard -- 1:15.884
3 -- ITS -- Ed Tisdale -- 1:15.941
4 -- ITB -- Jim McMahon -- 1:17.479
5 -- ITS -- Robert Blake -- 1:17.613
6 -- ITS -- Jerry Rigali -- 1:17.797
7 -- ITS -- Maurizio Cerasoli -- 1:18.035
8 -- ITS -- Glenn Lawton -- 1:18.794
9 -- ITS -- Domenic Crugnale -- 1:19.502
10 -- ITB -- Paul Curran --1:19.627
11 -- ITS -- Bill Weaver -- 1:19.974
12 -- ITB -- Nat Wentworth -- 1:20.490
13 -- ITB -- Jason Benagh -- 1:21.032
14 -- ITB -- Anthony Ruddy -- 1:21.206
15 -- ITB -- Julie Melbin -- 1:22.360
16 -- ITB -- Matt Baldoni --1:22.971
17 -- ITS -- Eric Snyder --1:23.131
18 -- ITS -- Paul Omichinski -- 1:25.130
DNS- ITB -- Ray Blethen III
ITB -- Enrik Benazic
ITB -- Beran Peter
ITS -- Brian Begnali
ITS -- Russ Jones
ITS -- Mike Carr

I have not gotten the ITC qualifying as of yet but will post that later on.

Can you believe McMahon's time? Unreal. He flew!!!!! All the qualifying was in the dry. Looks like the races will probably see rain.

Raymond was doing his thing as SIT and Stephen was there for the AM to watch but had to go this afternoon to his girlfriend's gram's wake. Our thoughts are with Stephanie.

It was also great to see Victor up and about walking and stuff, even with his back brace on. Looking forward to seeing him in the seat of a race car in the future.

And, just as a note....Jim McMahon's daughter is building an ITB Manta just like her Dad's. Now if she races a car like she ski races, you guys are in deep doo-doo.

Til later this afternoon......

[lateapex911]

First, great to hear about Victor.... Glad to hear he's in the loop, and kicking tires.

Second...Jims time?!?!?!?!? Whoa!!!!!!!!!! That placed him 4th in a fast ITA field!!! A staggering time. he's what, 2 SECONDS ahead of the field??

[16v]

all I have to say is standing in the rain sucks

[MMiskoe]

Sorry to nit-pick Trish, but those are the qualifying positions for the enduro. I wish we finished 6th.

9th -- ITS - Linscott/Gregory 257 laps
12th - ITA - Kogan/Kogan 24 laps
16th - ITC - Megliola/Megliola 210 laps
17th - ITA - Brooks/Power 202 laps
18th -- ITS - Miskoe/Tier 190 laps
19th -- ITA - Andrade/Martins 175 laps
DNF - ITA - Meindl/Papa 29 laps

OA winner did 264 laps in a SM car.

As best as I know, there were no full course cautions during the entire 6 hours. But then again we were off track for 2 hrs while we changed diff's. I thought the racing was pretty clean & polite, however there were only 22 cars out there.

Matt

[fulscaltyz]

It was a good evebt. It would have been cool to have more cars. Perhaps with the race being lengthened from four to six hours that chassed afew people away. I hear the race is going to eight hours next year. I think something that should be done to get more people to run are give out trophies to the top three in each class not overall. Shouldn't all the classes be recognized?

[BobsAuto]

Sorry about the Enduro results.......It was sprinkling, and I had to copy from what was posted and I thought, as did several others that the results hanging on the wall were the Final Race results.....goes to show you, I need new glasses......

Well, here are the final race results which I got hot off the press as they came off as I worked in Timing this afternoon....


ITA

1st -- Paul Masters
2nd -- Matt Daniels
3rd -- Richard Hunter
4th -- James Alley
5th -- Brett Bogart
6th -- Sean Siff
7th -- Michael Bucella
8th -- David Faita
9th -- Dick Patullo
10th--Linda Kogan
11th Courtney Hubbard
12 -- Phillip Gott
DNF -- Geoff Branscombe
DNF -- Brandon Bogart

ITS

1st -- Dave Maynard
2nd -- Glenn Lawton
3rd -- Ed Tisdale
4th -- Bill Weaver
5th -- Eric Snyder
6th -- Paul Omichinski
7th -- Jerry Rigoli
DNF -- Maurizio Cerasoli
DNF -- Robert Blake
DNF -- Jeff Harding
DNS -- Domenic Crugnale

ITB
1st -- Jim McMahon (3rd overall and 41 seconds ahead of 2nd ITB car)
2nd -- Paul Curran
3rd -- Anthony Ruddy
4th -- Matt Baldoni
5th -- Julie Melbin
6th -- Nat Wentworth
DNF -- Jason Benagh

ITC
1st -- Brian Megliola
DNF F--Fred White
(Incidently, the overall winner was Steven Gorroaram in SSM who started at the back of the pack -- something about he disqualified himself from the grid after qualifying -- I didn't get the whole story, not only was in first place within a few laps but he also lapped 1/2 the field-- one fast car in the rain)

ITE (I apologize but I didn't get this qualifying this am)

1st -- Peter Faill
2nd-- Andy Sanborn
3rd -- Thomas Sheehan
4th -- Ephraim Dobbins
DNS -- Jim Barrett
DNS -- Bob Tucker
(Gee, Tom Kelley ran his SPO VW Golf -- pretty car, but looked a bit hairy in turn 12 when he put the power down in the rain)

It rained pretty hard this afternoon at times....The funniest race of the day was the FV race.....3 cars.....we had trouble staying focused in timing on that race.....

[67ITB]

all I have to say is standing in the rain sucks
[/b]

But DRIVING in it is a blast!!!!!!!!

Matt Bal

[JLawton]

WOW a 1:17 in an ITB car. That has to be close to the record!! What kind of car is it??

[BobsAuto]

Jim's running an Opel Manta and I was told that he holds the ITB record at a 1:17.3 something so he didn't beat his own record this weekend. But still, that's damned fast!!!!! And to think his daughter is going to build a twin to it! With Dad's help of course. That could be a an unbeatable combination!!!!

But DRIVING in it is a blast!!!!!!!!

Matt Bal
[/b]

You looked good in the rain. You were quite smooth going by T & S.

[Greg Amy]

DNF -- Brandon Bogart[/b]

I heard rumors there was more to this than a simple "Did Not Finish"...?"

[Andy Bettencourt]

I heard rumors there was more to this than a simple "Did Not Finish"...?" [/b]

Yes. Brandon hit the wall in a wet Group 1. Most of the ITA drivers went out on slicks and the track got real wet by the green flag. Someone from BBR can comment on how he got into the wall if they choose...

[RSTPerformance]

WOW a 1:17 in an ITB car. That has to be close to the record!! What kind of car is it??
[/b]

Jeff-

Jim was in a Opel GT, a small little coupe, I mean small!!! I wonder if a miata can even see it coming I love the car, but as you niticed 1:17... I think everyone can agree that thier probably is not any other car that will likely go that fast here in the Northeast for a while, and we have what I like to think of as a lot of the best of the best in the country. NHIS inparticular has a very large list of VW's that reguarly compete and they might be able to chime in but can you guys touch that time? That is faster than any VW can go at NHIS IMO. I think the only other cars that have proven to be even close to it are the Volvos driven by Paul Curran and Scott Carlson... Oh thier was once this old guy name Rick Pocock wo had a very fast Alfa Spider as well, cool car, and my fathers long time "hero" . At any rate I think that "the rest of us" will be compeating for second for a while.

Jim's son and daughter are building a Opel Manta. NOT the same car and if built to the max I would guess they might get into the 1:20's or 1:19's wich is more on par with the class.

As for Jim's car it is a rare beast that has always been fast. With the rest of the ITB field all within 1-2 seconds of each other and him being 2 seconds faster than anyone else will certainly continue to raise eyebrows and suspisions (As with anyone that "blows away" the competition). I wonder how successful other Opel GT's have been and if Jim will take the ultimate challenge and go to the ARRC!!!

Raymond "Glad to see you back Jim, just slow down a bit " Blethen

PS: I was a bit busy to really get a chance to talk to Jim, but in passing he was hoping that the car would be in the 1:16's soon... YIKES!!!

[almracing]

I have to say it was a blast running with the ITB/ITS group. I have always liked the rain, and Tom Kelly was kind enough to pony up the $$ for rain tires for the Progressive Motorsports Golf rental.

Matt and I battled for much of the race, first with me chasing him down... then with he chasing me down. It was quite a battle for the last few laps. I was doing everything I could to keep Matt behind me, as he tried to do everything he could to get by me. Despite the close racing, both cars came back in the same condition.

I started racing in the mid-90's running ITB, so it was nostalgic to race there again and get a trophy. (No, I did not get trophies back then) The only problem is that my 3-year old has already laid claim to the silver dish for her tea set!

[lateapex911]

Interesting.

The Manta shares the same wheelbase and brakes and transmissions as the Opel GT, and the 1900 sedan, but the GT gets a 9.0:1 compression ratio engine where the others have 7.6:1. Weight on the sedan and the GT are 2180, where the MAnta is higher at 2230.

So, it's 1.9L, 9 to 1 compression on a 96" wheelbase witha 4 speed and 2180 pounds. Anyone know what this 1.9 puts out in race trim?

[dazzlesa]

at lrp jim and i ran close together in qualifying. i did not see any magic horse power down the straights unless he freshen'd the motor since then.

[RSTPerformance]

at lrp jim and i ran close together in qualifying. i did not see any magic horse power down the straights unless he freshen'd the motor since then.
[/b]

Rick-

The car has been tuned up from what I understand... I think he was in the Mid 20's at the last NHIS event

Raymond

[WillM]

This was a great event with a good mix of cars. Too bad there weren't more. Also too bad our engine grenaded at the 4:10 mark or so. By my our count, our ITA car was 1st in class and 1st overall up until that point!

This was our first enduro ever, but hopefully not our last! Either way, congratulations to the winners and to all who participated and kept the racing fun & clean.

Cheers,

Will
#10 ITA Miata
Andrade/Martins/Daniels

[lateapex911]

at lrp jim and i ran close together in qualifying. i did not see any magic horse power down the straights unless he freshen'd the motor since then.
[/b]

Hey...I'm not suggesting "magic" HP, I'm just trying to get a handle on the specs....kinda my job, LOL.

[Tkczecheredflag]

I am curious about Masters, Daniel and Alley. What were they driving? I believe Masters has a CRX but what about the rest of the players? If they took it to Richy they have to have something worth mentioning. I would also like to hear more about Brandon - Hope all is well. Also - does this 3rd place finish put Richy in the NERRC points lead?? It should be close, no?