NARRC Runoffs is 32 laps!!!!!

[Greg Amy]

Kessler called and said that fewer than half of the Group 1 field qualified, and most that did were SSMs. That means a field of GTL, EP, FP, HP, and STU are all at the back of a field of SSMs (where "there's more at stake").

You bet your ass I'm gonna be there for Race One. Meet you in the tower at 9:20 AM.

GA

[73itb]

I am not sure any amount of drainage would help. This rain is crazy and its been coming down for about 10 hours.

Current update: 3:30 go/no-go. If they cancel afternoon session, morning with be quick qual and then shortened race...maybe 15 laps.

Local news said 8.5 inches in Falls Village between Thursday and Friday...

[StephF]

Any updates??????

[pfcs]

WELL.......??
How'd Charlie make out?
Others?
Anybody home???

[JLawton]

I only have ITA again. I left before the ITS/ITB/ITR race. I was a little whooped after our race!!

I managed to take my third place on the grid to 5th coming out of Big Bend on the first lap!! Tim, Shane, Rick and I hammered on each other for the first 4 or 5 laps letting Andy get away (well, that and the fact he was turning faster times! ) I finally got my self back in to second, Rick and Tim faded and Shane and I went at it for the rest of the race. Rick ultimately went into the wall on the down hill, Timmy lost it in West Bend and hit the wall on the inside (I think). Both were OK and managed to drive their cars to the trailer although I'm not sure if they had any frame damage.

Final:
Andy - 1:01.6
Me - 1:02.1
Shane - 1:02.0
Steve Fredricks
And I'm not sure who after that.

IT7 - Sheppard
ITC - Funk (Ed)

Lapped traffic was tough. I think we started hitting it in lap 4 of 32!! The Showroom Stock guys seemed to have the toughest time dealing with us as we lapped them......

[Jeremy Billiel]

I only have ITA again. I left before the ITS/ITB/ITR race. I was a little whooped after our race!!

I managed to take my third place on the grid to 5th coming out of Big Bend on the first lap!! Tim, Shane, Rick and I hammered on each other for the first 4 or 5 laps letting Andy get away (well, that and the fact he was turning faster times! ) I finally got my self back in to second, Rick and Tim faded and Shane and I went at it for the rest of the race. Rick ultimately went into the wall on the down hill, Timmy lost it in West Bend and hit the wall on the inside (I think). Both were OK and managed to drive their cars to the trailer although I'm not sure if they had any frame damage.

Final:
Andy - 1:01.6
Me - 1:02.1
Shane - 1:02.0
Steve Fredricks
And I'm not sure who after that.

IT7 - Sheppard
ITC - Funk (Ed)

Lapped traffic was tough. I think we started hitting it in lap 4 of 32!! The Showroom Stock guys seemed to have the toughest time dealing with us as we lapped them......

Awesome job guys!

[vwzx7]

I only have ITA again. I left before the ITS/ITB/ITR race.

I left with about half the ITS/ITB/ITR race left but saw Nimkoff's car being towed into A Paddock with the front end pushed in.

As I left it was:

Driscoll
Henderson
Tiger striped BMW (can't recall his name)
Leverone

[Andy Bettencourt]

The ITB race was awesome. I was watching the S2000's debut at Lime Rock with Ulfelder behind the wheel. The split start allowed us to see both races. IIRC, Zaslow, Gran and Blethen all led at one point. Great job by all, close racing and a chance to race each other for a while without traffic. Gran winner.

ITR was just as exciting. Nimkoff took off but had an issue and put the car off in the uphill. That left Ben Phillips, Robert Thiele and Ulfelder dicing it up for the ITR win. Ben and Steve went through Big Bend side by side and Ben ended up putting a tire off and falling back. Lap after lap, Steve and Rob swapped spots until the S2000 ended up REALLY wet after a slide put him into the water outside the left-hander. It was a shame it couldn't have played out. Great to watch.

ITS was the Hendo and Driscoll show walking everyone. Rob got the win. Nice job.

Great run group.

[Tkczecheredflag]

IIRC, Zaslow, Gran and Blethen all led at one point. Great job by all, close racing and a chance to race each other for a while without traffic. Gran winner.

Andy - I think it was John VanDenburg not Bleth

[Andy Bettencourt]

IIRC, Zaslow, Gran and Blethen all led at one point. Great job by all, close racing and a chance to race each other for a while without traffic. Gran winner.

Andy - I think it was John VanDenburg not Bleth

Thanks Tim! Sorry John - you know how those things are assocoated with the Blethens... Nice job!!!

[Magical Trevor]

Rick ultimately went into the wall on the down hill, Timmy lost it in West Bend and hit the wall on the inside (I think). Both were OK and managed to drive their cars to the trailer although I'm not sure if they had any frame damage.

Rick's left-rear rotor and wheel decided to "go rogue" after the hub seppuku'd itself at the apex of the Diving Turn in front of us on station 11. That was actually cause for full-course yellow with a rescue from the flatbed. We also got a strange view of Tim's backside after he bounced the car off the outside, drivers' left, tirewall tracking out of West Bend. Thankfully, however, yes-all drivers in all incidents (lots of 'em!) were healthy (if not happy) traveling home. I'd doubt frame damage on those two crashes, but Rob's was quite substantial. Other problems included our very own Chris Rallo losing his left front wheel halfway into the day's first pace lap running STU and a three car get-together near the exit of Big Bend when first-time racer Samantha Silver spun in the wrong place at the wrong time (the other two or three cars finished the race).

[StephenB]

Thanks Tim! Sorry John - you know how those things are assocoated with the Blethens... Nice job!!!

Yup that was john! Great debut with the Audi! Dugan and I started last and were prepaired to finish 1&2 but little did dugan know you can't try and outbrake gran into big bend then put 2 wheels off and make it out ahead sorry Tim... but you did have a great start and probably past 11 or 12 cars in the first 2 laps! I also wasn't prepared as my car decided that after the three hr enduro at nhms the alternator had enough. It litteraly fell apart and after 2 laps I was loosing power car felt great and the track was fast, it was lap record weather so I was kinda bummed... I suspect that Dave or john got the record and I heard I actually got down to a 104.2 which I was not expecting, easily had another second if the car was good. (The A6 tires are the way to go in Oct. At LRP)

Great racing and seeing everyone. Sorry I left without saying bye to several of you. My wife looked at me after the end and said I don't feel so well... we should probably get home so we are within 3 hrs. of that hospital! We blitzed out super fast and we are home safe with no special deliveries on the side of the highway

Stephen

[Tkczecheredflag]

First Congrats to Jeff L on his NARRC Championship - Nice job Jeff. Andy B you were hot brother - you checked out pretty quickly leaving Jeff, Shane H and me to battle for the next spots. I got a decent start - jumped from 4th to 2nd at the start - held that for a bit - tried to give Shane room to work as I thought he was a bit quicker than me in the back section of track, also Jeff's motor was pulling down the front straight pretty good. I over cooked in T-1 dropped back to 4th and then around L-16 I decided to back the car into a tire wall at the exit of West Bend just before the bridge - rookie move - I was finding some courage in the back (Uphill and W but never picked up a turn in mark at WB, as result , early in, early out, got to the thick rumbles, dropped a wheel, thought I was going to save it and miss the Flagging Station but the rear let go in the dirt and around we went. The other thing that added to the wreck is I was having way to much fun, the car was sliding around pretty good - the track was just a little greasy for me, not sure if any other racers agree. So - got the car going again, finished down 3 laps and posted a decent lap time in the process. Thanks to the Corner Workers at Station 10? the bridge for getting back out to ace and picking up all my parts.

Only got to play with the NARRC drivers for three races this year - had a blast as always. As one former ITA driver said it would be hard to come back to ITA unless it's with a Miata - Andy keeps making a good case for that with his run and win, as well as records falling big time at other tracks.

And now to bench racing, videos and repairs - to bad I was think we would do "The Jerk." Oh well.

[ulfelder]

The ITR racing was fantastic - everything I hoped it would be when we built the S2000. Rob N checked out before his unfortunate wreck, but Ben Phillips and I went at it hammer and tongs, and later Rob T and I did the same before I suffered a sloppy (and wet!) spinout exiting the Lefthander. Porsche, BMW, Honda - evenly matched, racing our asses off. Great stuff.

Steve

[JLawton]

also Jeff's motor was pulling down the front straight pretty good.

Ha! There's where your wrong! I was given a little secret on how to do the Down Hill MUCH faster. I was coming out of the corner 4 mph faster than previously. DL-1 is king! I wish I had video......... And for the fact it would have some good action in the beginning. You and Shane were sliding all over the place.

Sorry about the "off" Tim. That sucks.

[gran racing]

Andy made his ITA win look all too easy. Great drive and congrats!

My challenges continued during the race weekend. The issue I encountered with attempting to get the car into 4th gear wasn't resolved with new shifter link bushings. Must be something in the transmission. Going out for the race, I wondered how many laps I'd make it before calling it a day and coming into the paddock early and told my sister not to bother making the drive to attend the race.

I owe another huge thanks to Kessler Engineering for getting me out there to the event and for a great car (except tranny that Matt had nothing to do with). It was great actually having someone to help crew and offer support - thanks Jake Gulick! When I came into the paddock, I wasn't even entirely sure what place I finished in. Stupid spin!! I guess between cold tires and maybe I let off the gas caused it? Must be.

I'm already looking forward to next year when the downhill will be a lot less scary using both hands to steer. I was bummed with the issues you encountered Stephen, as well as a few other B drivers. Oh, yes Tim, I did include your braking technique demonstration in this video. LOL

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8Qrg2M6lfU[/ame]

[Andy Bettencourt]

Dave - GREAT job, great lines. VERY smooth.

[RHallRacing]

Nice job Dave!!
Man that season went by fast

[StephF]

Nice job Dave!!
Man that season went by fast

Boy I'll say! That was the 2011 NARRC runoff's at LRP we just watched!

[Ed Funk]

What were those special incantations you were using on the transmission? I need to learn those!

Great job! Fun watching you come back up through the field. We were at the downhill and it looked like you were the only one racing on the re-start.