Tom W

I did my first race with PRC/NASA this past weekend and figured I'd report in. The Big Turtle will need to judge the results. First contrary to team dictates I did not spin (but I did hit a few apexes anyway) and I placed. I was 3rd.

Ok, in true HWFM tradition I screwed up and finished 3rd but I had no choice, there were only 3 of us in the class. That conforms to club rules I think. However, contrary to team rules I was bad. I pestered and harrassed a 996 cup car for the entire race. The extra 100 or so hp helped him get ahead on the straights, but I got it all back in the turns. However, in keeping with team dictates, I never did force the issue and get past him (hey, as a rookie I need 4 clean races). Now I know what Miata drivers feel like.

I'm trying to locate a few photos.

Despite dire predictions of rain all weekend, it turned out pretty well. Too darn cold with lows of about 40 in the first sessions of the day, but it warmed during the day (not to the desired 70s though). We only had a few brief bits of rain. Unfortunately, the main rain came Sunday morning just as the pace car was leading our session out for practice. It had mostly dried by qualification. And, while it was completely dry during the race, the wet grass and mud made going off a significant issue and one cup car appeared to be totaled after an issue in a turn that ended by smacking into the wall at about 40 mph. The recording and overlayed data showed 2.2 seconds from the rear end first stepping out to impact. The driver was fine, the car was not.

Anyway, I had a great time. As has been said many times, a race is a whole new level of adrenaline rush when compared to DE.

911

Tom, congrats! Where was your race?

Flying Finn

Sounds good!

For a while I got nervous when you said you were 3rd but since there was only three in your class, Mike might let you go even though, podium finish is a podium finish...

Tom W

Rich: Thunderhill. PRC runs as a seperate group during NASA weekends.

Mark in Baltimore

Cool, Tom. Photos, please.

Brave Heart

Great you managed to bag third place -- I don't think I'd even get that

Robert Henriksen

I think a true HWFMRer would have FOUND a way to come in fourth!

RJT

LOL

Coming in third deserves a good butt whoopin'.
They don't call me the Mother Superior for nothing!!!!
Bend over, here it comes ---------------------

JoAnne

Bull

Surely you didn't ACTUALLY show up on the podium????? Last is last! Act like it!!!!!

David '96 993

Tom,
Congrats on your virgin run and keeping your turtle clean. As a turtle, you can be proud to say you finished last. It must have been fun filling up that Cup cars mirrors

chris walrod

Great stuff Tom!! Sounds as though the ran reliably. Dont worry, I would have found a way to finish fourth
Cant wait to see pics!! You have made a great point about wet grass. Even though the track was dry, you had the great thinking of keeping safe!! Congratulations to you!!

Mike in Chi

Where there is a will, there is a way.

But congrats Tom, a podium under those circumstances is a laudable performance. Most of all, welcome to racing, Brutha Turtle.

But I'm sensing I need to clarify something.

It is perfectly acceptable to podium, even to win, and yes, even in a large field of cars, as long as you do it in a HWFM worthy way.

Remember, the ferocious and feared Snapping Turtle is still a Turtle deep down. (Very Zen, huh...)

Oh yea. A big Turtle Pond shout out also to Brutha Robert above who had two poles, a 2nd and a flag to flag win this weekend in his Wreck Racer Ford!!!!

(sic 'im, ***** Superior! -- no wait, as I recall, he had the pole in Saturday's race, went agricultural in turn two, re-entered the track at turn four in 2nd place, but could not get by the eventual winner. Very HWFM!!!)

Tom W

You guys are too much! I thought about a DNF to avoid a 3rd, but I really wanted to get my provisional license signed and have less races to go until the "real" one.

With luck I'll have a camera running for the next one and will be able to pass one of the pesky cup cars. That would be HWFM when the Turtle passes the hare.

Mike in Chi

viperbob

Congrats Tom.... I will have to come out and see the new and improved Turtle sometime....