John Veninger

A bit long.....


I have to first start off by thanking the FL crowd again. What a great group of 928 owners. Special thanks to Constantine and Mel for “pushing” me to go to Sebring. It was a big challenge to get the car race ready in time.
One more BIG thanks to Louie Ott. His design and engineering of the intake system and helping with the DTA Pro allowed me build a killer motor.

My first few times out on the track were very interesting. I hadn’t driven for almost 2 years. So the car and myself were very green. The real trick was trying to figure out how to use all of this new power I had. The pull out of a turn is incredible. The real joy was to pull away from almost anything on the straights.

The first day ended with the fun race. No fun for me since a 911 something decided he like the same space on the track I was occupying and hit my fender. Had to spend the next several hours proving my innocence with the race officials so I could run on Saturday. If I had received a “13”, then I would have to pack up and go home. Thankfully I was cleared to continue the fun on Saturday morning. While being cleared Mark Anderson and Constantine (others?) started working on the fender repair. They did a great job! Had to smile as I saw Mark take a razor blade to trim the silver duct tape to make it pretty

Mark Anderson was running hard with Constantine well-prepared car. The first day we were swapping times at around 2:28-2:29. I was not happy with the Toyo tires I was running and decided to switch over to some old R5 and R6 Hoosiers to qualify.

Drove onto the grid and when I turned the back wheel made a bang and hopped. Mark also saw it and jumped out of his car. I ran and got the jack. Tugged on the wheel and couldn’t find a problem so decided to qualify.
Only had two laps before the group was black-flagged. We went back out after a 10 min. heat soak in the hot pits. Never had a good clean lap, but felt faster and I also felt a bit more comfortable with the car. Was very happy to see the results, a 2:23. My best ever at Sebring was a 2:26 in 2005. I know there is a much better time available once I get the car and myself dialed in.

Started the race without an issue and fell into a nice pace. I moved up several spots. About 3 laps before the end of the race I came out of the hairpin turn and the motor just reved up and the back end darted. I thought the clutch had broken (smoked it once before in the same spot). I moved slowly and every time I added any real power the back end want to steer the car. I decided that as long as the car was moving I was staying in the race. I knew the race was almost over. I had several people pass me and kept looking in the rear view mirror for that red 928 to pass. I was able to get back on the power pretty good on the last lap when I was on the two straights. I took it very easy in the turns. The checker was finally flying after the third time around at the slow pace to take first place. Happy with the results for a car that was a work in progress for almost two years and this weekend was the first time it was on the track since the transformation.

Took the rear cover off of the trans and found the spider gears in the diff were in pieces. So it appears I was running qualifying and the race with a locked rear end. The pieces must have bounced around to unlock and then relock the rear end. Decided that the Enduro was not going to happen.

So the race weekend was over, had some challenges, meet some very nice 928 owners, and went home with a 1st place in the Sprint Race.

John V

John,

congratulations and thanks for sharing. Despite the problems, I can't help but be inpressed with what you achieved. Please keep us infromed as the season progresses.

Mike Frye

John,

Awesome write-up and congratulations. I love reading about this stuff and you guys that are 'carrying the 928 torch' for all of us.

Sounds like once you get used to the new found power you'll be a force to recon with.

mark kibort

great report. Thanks. im sure you have a 2:17 in you for sure!

MK

ew928

Great race report, JV.
Sorry about the 911 13'ing you.

So what's it like to drive a massively powerful solid axle go-cart?
Was it an LSD diff that got fragged?

Ernest (NYC)

Fabio421

John, congrats on the sprint race.
What is the class that you were running and what other cars qualify for this class?

Gary Knox

Congratulations John - well done. Sure the diff repair will make a significant improvement in your times at other tracks. Glad the new manifold is as good as it sounds like it is.

Cheers,

Gary Knox

John Veninger

No 13 for me, his fault. I had the video to prove it!

The LSD diff broke. I have a spare and may be able to fix this one once I get it out of the car.

John Veninger

I ran GT2S. Will step up to GT2R in the future.

Some other cars running in the group of 71 cars were 2001 GT3 RS, 2006 GT3 Cup, 1994 993 SuperCup. Basically all the high end cars except the new cup cars. They ran by themselves since they had over 60 there!

mark kibort

The GT3s, and old 993 cup cars run in the GTC2 or GTC3 class. the RSR or GT3RS runs in the unlimited factory race car class called GTA as well as the modifided cup cars, as the GTC3-4 class is for the cup cars that have been unmolested.

If they run in GT2, it would be different than ive seen before. however the ex speedGT Grenady Sohlker ran a SpeedGTversion of a porsche cup car in GT2R. could have been a mistake at last year's sebring PCA race

Even if the cup cars run in GT2, the would probably have slicks, so they would be in GT2R class. JV ran in the GT2S class based on the DOT tires he ran.

so, on any given weekend, you will be lucky to see more than 1 or 2 GT2 cars, either with slicks or DOTs. (unless the 928s show up!! then we can have 5 like we had at road america)

This is why i like running the 928 in SCCA ITE, so you can beat up on cars in your class, like the vets, mustangs, M3s, firebirds, cameros, s2000s, etc. Its nice to have your car fit a class. But, its also quite a thrill to run with the PCA with all that expensive hardware.(and lots of it!!! 70 car fields are pretty amazing to run in !)


MK

John Veninger

Those other cars I mentioned were not in GT2. They were in GTA and other groups Mark mentioned.

mark kibort

How many GT2 cars were there at sebring this year? David, Mark, and You, that was 3, anymore? did Grenady Solhker in a red and yellow speed GT cup car show up? (should be GTA, but ive seen him listed in GT2R)

There were a few pretty interesting 993s that were GT2 at road america, did they show?

MK

MGW-Fla

It was a blast to watch the "Three Amigos" 928 racers zip around the track & have some Sharks to root for. Each had a special situation. John V as he explained, hasn't raced his car since the massive rebuild, two years or so. He was smokin around the track, especially on the straights; David L with only getting a couple laps last year in warm ups before spinning a bearing(was good to see him win his Enduro); Mark A with flying coast to coast to drive in Constantine's loaner, an incredible piece of 928 track art! He definately flew around the track in it too. Think even if he was in an SUV, that guy would somehow finish at least mid pack!

Everyone was thrilled and impressed with them all & very appreciative that we had some 928s racing that we could cheer for. I tip my hat to all three, but especially the effort John made to get here & back! 24 hours one way is beyond the call of duty. Course, John, ya know, Daytona is three hours closer to ya(6 hours saved round trip), & is right on I-95 if that helps any in your future plans for Florida racing!

MGW-Fla

Here's John & his Silver Streak Shark holding off a 911 on the start/finish straight.

MGW-Fla

Another shot of John's One Eyed Monster Shark!