Congratulations to Kim Ouye (SM) and Skip Sauls (WC GT)for placing well in their events this weekend at Laguna Seca!!

 

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Kim, and Skp won?......you gotta post more man!!......

 

Kim Ouye drove his #29 Spec Miata strongly in both Saturday and Sunday's SCCA SFR Regional races. There were approximately 43 entrants and he finished in the top 20 in both races. They haven't posted the official results on the SCCA SFR web site.

Skip Sauls drove his second WC GT event and finished 15th in a very strong field. He drove his GT3 Cup car like he was a regular in the series.

 

Thanks Eric...16th and 23rd respectively in the two races...although the 2nd one was better in terms of racing...I got brake checked on the start and dropped to around 32nd by the first corner and fought my way back....and to think that I ONLY had 3 collisions during that 16 lap race...and my goal was to have a 'clean' race and save the car for the finale next weekend....hah...the best laid plans....

I'm very happy with both results...I figured to finish around 30th simply based on times everyone posted at LS this year plus having people like Bob Stretch running with us.


Bad news is that motor starting running hot after the collision in T11. A car spun (or was spun) in T11, I was the 4th car behind him. The two cars in front of me were taking a defensive line so I went to the outside and was going for a late apex and blow by them so I had no vision of anything in front of them. Just as I turned in and got on the gas hard, the car in front of me slows very fast and all I could do was get off trottle and barely get on the brakes and smacked his bumper. Then I saw the tire smoke in front of him and the car that has been spun....

I couldn't figure out why I reacted so slowly to the incident as I have very good reaction time. Looking at my video and my recollection of following this car, the car in front of me didn't have working brake lights!

I got dinged on all 4 sides in this race...although the rear bumper was a bump draft so that's fine by me...

The first race was uneventful as I qualified at 24th, gained a couple positions on passes, but most on other people going off track. I basically tried to hold my spot once I moved up as I knew the people around me are faster in general. I was glad to see some of the top 10 cars on the last few laps of the race...they're usually far far far away when I finish... The cool thing in the first race was that I ran 3 consecutive laps faster than my previous best...with 1:50.571 being my new best time at LS....heck...another 33 seconds and I can keep up with that Zytek LMP1....

It was good meeting Skip and Kurt this weekend...sorry I didn't have a lot of time...even with the long gaps between sessions, I still felt rushed to get the car ready...

BTW - That's #92...

 

Thanks for the race report. I enjoyed the SM race more than the WC GT crash fest!

 

WOW...Great Stuff!!! Congrats to both of you! Cant wait to see the video!

 

Videos and a report to come, but here's a HWFM-related picture to tide you over:

 

Skip... thats worth the entry fees alone! What prompted that picture... a request or does every WC car get the spread?

 

I think you are about to get Jeff's position of grid girl procurement director

Hope she got a HWFM T/Shirt to wear on her next pic

 

Skip,

Now I know why I couldn't find you!

Was that you spinning in T5? Were you helped?

Great finish! I hope you run more races next year. Privateers are the true spirit of SCCA racing.

 

Hi Eric,

I spun in T5, but I haven't yet figured out why. The in-car video shows the front start to wobble and the car start to spin, and it might have been better had I not started to lift. I didn't think that anyone had "helped" me, but then again I didn't know that a Vette had spun me during qualifying in Denver until much later either. If I was helped, I guess I have an excuse, but I'm not about to assume that unless I hear otherwise. From the track position and video I'd guess that it was a Porsche behind me when I spun, so at least it won't add to the GM conspiracy theory.

If you'd like to read a bit of a report, see the "GM steals and cheats" thread.

I'm going to digitize some videos tonight if I'm not too beat.

BTW, I tried to get the Toyo girl to wear one of my crew shirts, but she couldn't so so for the pictures. There were quite a few umbrella/flag girls in the paddock at this event, with the Pirelli girls the best of the bunch.

 

I watched the race from the grass park between T2 and T5 while my son played on several inflatable slides. Your finish shows that you would do well to compete a full WC GT series.

I've read the bad boy GM thread and I have to admit that I came home pretty upset about how the race unfolded. It's time that the SCCA do something about the contact in their top series. Unfortunately there is a culture that needs to be changed that hard racing involves contact. The WC Touring car race proved that this doesn't have to be the case. Grand Am has come done on rough driving and it's time that the SCCA follow suit.

Enough of my preaching. Good luck next year and I'm sure I speak for many of us when I say that I hope to see you in the series more often!

 

skip, i visited your pit area on friday, saw your car, but can't find you to wish you luck. but judging from your good finish, you did well...

of course, if the toyo girl was on your car then, i would have lingered much longer, LOL.

 

Exceptional work Skip. That's the kind of performance the team likes to see.

And good job during the race, too.

 

And Kim I hope that picture inspires you.