nashville ???

[jvarble]

so, what happened, any reports?????

[wbp]

Good Racing.
Results were posted on Mylaps the evening of the event. Search Heart of Dixie.
The 3 hour night Enduro was fun. Somehow time seemed to pass faster racing without sunlight. Michael Hartberger was the only driver to Iron Man the enduro, and he finished exhausted but first in Spec Miata. It was fun having a night race at the same time as the 24 Hours of Lemans was racing.
Drivers commented that the track was much more challenging than they expected.

[wbp]

Paul Ballance, a frequent poster here, and a Novice this year, won the ITS race on Sunday. His first win I think, and well deserved as he contributed a lot in the effort to do this race at Nashville Superspeedway.

[BlueStreak]

Way to go Paul :026: You were looking good Saturday as well!

JB, DS, and myself ran what was my very first enduro. It was done under the lights Saturday (VERY cool, man is that a pretty facility). We did it in my ITB car - it was an absolute blast despite having only 3rd and 4th gear (I broke the shifter linkage on lap 1). We finished 10th of 14 and 1st in ITB (the only ITB car - where was everybody? - you missed a great event).

Tennessee Valley Region and Chattanooga Region did an AMAZING job of putting on this event. I had a fantastic time!

If you missed running under the lights at Nashville, you missed something really special - I hope to see you at the next one

Thank you Bill for all your hard work!

[bhudson]

Considering that the track is in the far northwest corner of the division and with increased travel expenses, AND being on Daddy Day weekend, I thought the turnout was good. I'll second the kudos on TVR and CR on the excellent job organizing this event.


Bob Hudson
Div Chief Steward
Atlanta Region

[Jeremy Sharer]

this looked like a fun event.. i would have been down for the PDX if rod number 3 in my 240sx wouldnt have decided it wanted to be a rebel and jump out the block.. lol

but one of these days im going to join yall in IT i just need to get a car.. and get a shit load of track time before i attempt to club race.. lol i dont want to be in everybodys way and accendently cause wrecks..

[Parrish57]

Way to go Paul!!! The Z cars showed their stuff over the weekend.

[JeffYoung]

Good job Paul!

[pballance]

I got lucky! Below is a rather long race report.

Here is part of a write up I did for our regions newsletter about the weekend.


As I was towing to Nashville I was very hopeful that I would have a good weekend. I have been chasing a stumble, fuel, or ignition problem for a couple of months. At the Nashville Time Trial, I just couldn’t find the right combination to make the car run well. Back at home I spent a lot of time methodically going through the fuel system, resetting the valves, ignition, and carbs hoping to cure my “stumble” and loss of top end. On the Saturday before the race I test drove around the block (big neighborhoodJ) and the car pulled to 7k in 3rd so I was hopeful I had cured the issue.

Saturday morning’s rain dampened my hopes and I really didn’t want to go out for qualifying but I needed to find out what the car was going to do. As I motored around the track and the lack of power returned. No power coupled with the slick session did nothing to bolster my confidence.

Back in the garage I pulled out the new carbs that had arrived from ZTherapy the Tuesday before the race and began the process of installation. David Plott, a fellow Z racer, who was helping Randy Shedd (last years 2nd place Z car) came over and was a tremendous help. We got the carbs installed and started trying to get them adjusted. WAAAY rich but at least the car ran. With just a little over 15 minutes left before my next session we finished the install and out I went again on a still damp and rainy track. Times dropped, the car seemed to pull well but it still wasn’t right. I came in early when the rain picked up and my windshield fogged so bad I couldn’t see.

I walked away from the car for a few minutes and when I returned Randy had sent a true Z expert down to try and help me out. Clarke Crawford had come to the track to watch and visit with fellow racers that he knew and offered to help me get me car running right. He took off his jacket and began methodically adjusting the carbs. With his help and guidance we installed a new set of plugs and started re-adjusting the carbs.

Clarke approved of the settings and sent me to the grid for my race. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen on track so I just hoped for the best. I was gridded inside on the last row of 15 cars in my run group. Only Randy in his extremely fast 280Z was behind me. On the out lap it seemed the car was running great and I was cautiously optimistic for a good race.

Green flag dropped when I was looking at my temp gauge and I was late on the go pedal. Randy went high and I dropped to the apron. I passed 4 cars before the start line and started trying to make it to the front. The car was running great and for the next few laps I started picking off the cars in front of me as best as I could. Through the NASCAR banking I was running a very low line most of the race and a couple of times I would have to check up to keep from getting hit when the guys that were running high would come crashing down the banking into turn 1. They simply couldn’t see me as I crept alongside of them on the low line.

I had fun with an RX7 and 944 as I filled their mirrors for a couple of laps. I had a little trouble getting around them and the second place Miata that I had been gaining on pulled away from us. I finally got a good run out of the bus stop and used Susan Clayborn’s ITA Miata as a pick to get by the RX7. Next lap I got the 944. I thought I was in 3rd place then as Bill Denton’s RX7 and Randy’s Z were both out of my sight.

Out comes the checkered and as I came into the pits the workers motioned me to impound. It seems Bill had lost an apex seal on the next to last lap and I had moved to 2nd place. I was ecstatic. In my third ever race I managed to make the podium.

Sunday started with repairing the broken caliper duct that let go during Saturday’s fun. Removed the shroud, tied off the ducting, set tire pressures, fueled the car and I was ready. Only one problem, sitting in the right seat of street cars for the next 2 hours while trying to get the driver on the correct line is tougher than I thought. It really wasn’t that bad but if you have never tried it, 95mph on the front straight while sitting in the right seat is far scarier than in you own car at a much higher speed.

Finished the PDX without incident, well only 1 spin mid track, and it was time to race. I was gridded 9th and Randy was somewhere behind me. Green flag dropped and I was ready this time. Randy came screaming by on the outside, I got by a couple of cars and dropped in behind him at turn 1. I got by 2 more cars and it was Randy, 944, ITR Supra and me as we came around into turn 1 again. I managed to over rev the engine and dropped a cylinder. I assumed I had popped a rocker but didn’t hear any funny noises. I made a decision to motor around anyway knowing I needed more race craft and seat time. Next lap I saw Randy pull off at the bus stop. Turns out he broke a gear box. I continued to motor for the rest of the event trying to stay out of the way of the faster guys since I was only running on 5 of 6 cylinders. I was in 2nd for ITS with a sick car as we entered impound. Turns out the 944 was underweight and I guess I took 1st after he was DQ’d. Not the way I would like it to be, but so it goes.

Post mortem revealed that #3 lost both intake and exhaust rockers but I haven’t pressure tested for bent valves yet. I assume they are.

I have to thank David Plott , Randy Shedd, and Clark Crawford for helping me this past weekend. Without their help, I would have had an expensive tuning trip. Instead, I had my first podium finishes. Thanks guys!

http://www.improvedtouring.com/galle....php?i=185&c=3

[Butch Kummer]

I will readily admit I have an ulterior motive in seeing SCCA road racing succeed at Nashville. Not only is NSS less than four hours from my house (thus giving me two more SARRC races within "reasonable" towing distance, but establishing a road racing program in the Music City provides more trained workers and potential drivers for our events at Road Atlanta and Barber. Racing in Nashville is good for BK Racing, Atlanta Region, and the Southeast Division.

But even if I didn't gain personally from the experience, I really enjoy racing there. Granted the track is shorter (and tighter) than any other we run, the transistions can be rough is you don't take them properly, and I need to be concerned about the db limit there (since Sound is on driver's right), but we DO get to run 150 mph on the front straight before diving into decreasing radius first-gear corner, the tight parts are tight for everyone, and the spectating is GREAT! You can see just about everywhere on the track from any point on the track, so when you're watching a race you KNOW what happened rather than speculating on why your buddy never came back by.

Thanks to TVR and Chattanooga for putting on a first class event at a first class facility (did I mention the track staff is a joy to work with?). I know the numbers were down from expectations, but hopefully you guys will give it another try in 2009. And if you let GTA cars run the 3-Hour, I might even give that a shot just for the experience of running under the lights! :eek:

Let me know what I can do to help...

[Cobrar05]

any chance that nashville could be run like homestead using the banking in either 1 and 2 or 3 and 4 instead of the apron?

any chance ITO can run the enduro next season?

[wbp]

Results, updated Lap Records and lots of photos from Nashville Superspeedway are up on the Chattanooga Region web site:
www.rivergate5speed.com/scca

[Jeremy Sharer]

i need to talk to my friend matt. we showed up for the night enduro and we walked threw the pits and got some cool pictures and we tried to get some of the race.. but we had no lighting and we didnt want to use a flash..

[240zdave]

Good job, Paul! I was glad to help, although I don't feel like I did very much. Don't forget to go back and add a lock washer to the top left stud on the rear carb. The one I dropped will eventually fall out of the car somewhere. Let me know what you find out when you tear down the engine.

[pballance]

Thanks again for your help Dave. As soon as i get a leak down check done I will know which way to proceed. Number 3 rockers (both) were both off. Only one of them shows any sign of impact. Both valve springs kept the retainers so maybe, just maybe, I got lucky.

I owe you big time. Has Randy started on your cage? Also let him know that I may have a 5 speed gearbox as well if he needs it.

Paul

[240zdave]

You don't owe me a thing. We have not yet started the cage, but I got the tub off of the rotisserie onto jack stands and levelled it up so we can start. I've got to temporarily mount the dash, steering column, foot pedals and heater/blower box so I can locate the driver's seat first. Then we can start fabbing the cage. I'll let you know what's happening as we progress.

[Ron Earp]

Great race report Paul, nice job! Hope that the rockers just jumped off an no damage was done. A couple of Z's I've been around have done that, although mine hasn't - knock on wood!

Ron

[pballance]

Good News, Leak downs are ok, Put the rockers back on and the car and fired her up. RUns and sounds good. Now I need to nut and bolt, change fluids, etc and get ready for Barber.

I also found time to finally edit some video. Here is the start and first lap or so of the Saturdays race

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA7G05Um0ls[/ame]

[kthomas]

Way to go Paul!

[jmark]

Good job Paul!