The official WG club race thread!
06-04-2007, 12:16 AM
#91
Rennlist Member
With 65 cars in the race and 18-19 cars in D (the biggest field I've been in), this race was the most intense track event I've ever experienced; I've never driven so hard in my life. In the first two sprint races, I was nose-to-tail, *****-to-the-walls with a bunch of cars for at least ten laps, looking for a way to pass and trying to defend my position. I'm currently trying to figure out the balance between being a gentleman (I let a number of cars back on the track after they overcooked a turn because I felt like I would have been a dick to "track out" and not let them back on) and ramping up my aggressiveness to pass more cars and/or really wanting to hold my position so I can take home all of that prize money.
I learned a thing or two this weekend. One, I need to get a bit closer to cars to set up for a pass and to maintain momentum. Too many times, I backed off in T9 and T10 and lost the chance to gain more speed and set up for T1. Two, I need to increase my sensitivity to the car's handling behavior. At some point in one of the practice sessions, I broke the rear sway bar mount that attaches to the shock collar. I had awful understeer in T7, T9 and some of T5 but attributed it to pushing harder through those turns. Especially through the esses, the car just didn't feel right, but I pressed on, regardless. Three, I need more seat time at the Glen. Unlike Road Atlanta, the Glen's secrets are harder to uncover. Four, I need to take my driving to the next level. I finished a mediocre mid-pack in both sprints, 9th and 10th out of 15-19 cars, people like Andy Hansen and Bob T in their 993's waxing my *** by a good two or more seconds, proving that I need to find more time and keep it floored. I went into the race figuring I would be happy to finish in the top six, especially with so many other fast cars and faster drivers than me. Five, my golden horseshoe is still intact. How I missed hitting the guard rail while spinning in the toe of the boot, I'll never know.
I got chopped a few times by some other cars, but the racing was mostly clean. D classers Corry Turley, Derek Tietjen and I had a great time trading places back and forth, all of us racing hard but neither of us putting the other in a compromising position. I went off into the grass at the bus stop when I couldn't tell where Derek was and decided I'd rather not possibly get a 13/13 and/or drop $2,000 in body work. I got back on without incident, the worst consequence being that I lost three positions.
The grape enduro was a mess with the rain. We all knew the skies were going to open up and, sure enough, the rain came down so hard that water was being driven into my car sideways. I almost lost it, again in the bus stop, when I hit the slippery concrete but managed to reel it in. I think I freaked out D-class driver Andy Hansen when I went sideways, for he took a short cut past the bus stop, or maybe he simply understeered past the corner.
It was good to run into so many people I hadn't seen in a while, such as Richard Glickel, Brian Paulsen, Joe Lash, John Haas and Dave Morris, as well as meet a few new people like Geoffrey Ring. Sorry I didn't recognize your name until you told me your last name; my brain spelled out "Jeffrey" and that name didn't, uh, "ring" a bell.
Thanks to Pete Tremper, Lisa Musante and all of the volunteers! You made it a great weekend with your invaluable help.
I learned a thing or two this weekend. One, I need to get a bit closer to cars to set up for a pass and to maintain momentum. Too many times, I backed off in T9 and T10 and lost the chance to gain more speed and set up for T1. Two, I need to increase my sensitivity to the car's handling behavior. At some point in one of the practice sessions, I broke the rear sway bar mount that attaches to the shock collar. I had awful understeer in T7, T9 and some of T5 but attributed it to pushing harder through those turns. Especially through the esses, the car just didn't feel right, but I pressed on, regardless. Three, I need more seat time at the Glen. Unlike Road Atlanta, the Glen's secrets are harder to uncover. Four, I need to take my driving to the next level. I finished a mediocre mid-pack in both sprints, 9th and 10th out of 15-19 cars, people like Andy Hansen and Bob T in their 993's waxing my *** by a good two or more seconds, proving that I need to find more time and keep it floored. I went into the race figuring I would be happy to finish in the top six, especially with so many other fast cars and faster drivers than me. Five, my golden horseshoe is still intact. How I missed hitting the guard rail while spinning in the toe of the boot, I'll never know.
I got chopped a few times by some other cars, but the racing was mostly clean. D classers Corry Turley, Derek Tietjen and I had a great time trading places back and forth, all of us racing hard but neither of us putting the other in a compromising position. I went off into the grass at the bus stop when I couldn't tell where Derek was and decided I'd rather not possibly get a 13/13 and/or drop $2,000 in body work. I got back on without incident, the worst consequence being that I lost three positions.
The grape enduro was a mess with the rain. We all knew the skies were going to open up and, sure enough, the rain came down so hard that water was being driven into my car sideways. I almost lost it, again in the bus stop, when I hit the slippery concrete but managed to reel it in. I think I freaked out D-class driver Andy Hansen when I went sideways, for he took a short cut past the bus stop, or maybe he simply understeered past the corner.
It was good to run into so many people I hadn't seen in a while, such as Richard Glickel, Brian Paulsen, Joe Lash, John Haas and Dave Morris, as well as meet a few new people like Geoffrey Ring. Sorry I didn't recognize your name until you told me your last name; my brain spelled out "Jeffrey" and that name didn't, uh, "ring" a bell.
Thanks to Pete Tremper, Lisa Musante and all of the volunteers! You made it a great weekend with your invaluable help.
Last edited by Mark in Baltimore; 06-04-2007 at 12:55 PM.
06-04-2007, 07:32 AM
#93
Nordschleife Master
Had a great time despite the weather. GTC1 is just an awesome class to run in. It was like a hornets nest in both sprints.
In the enduro, my car was just making no power. I started 4th and went backwards fast. I dont think I ran better than a pathetic 2:12. I couldn't even out drag Ernie's cayman! We had just replaced a chain tensioner, so I am hoping it is not something too bad
.
The track seemed fine, but the times overall seemed pretty slow. Most classes were a good 2 secs off. Might have been all the rain.
In the enduro, my car was just making no power. I started 4th and went backwards fast. I dont think I ran better than a pathetic 2:12. I couldn't even out drag Ernie's cayman! We had just replaced a chain tensioner, so I am hoping it is not something too bad
.The track seemed fine, but the times overall seemed pretty slow. Most classes were a good 2 secs off. Might have been all the rain.
06-04-2007, 08:30 AM
#94
Rennlist Member
Mark, Good seeing you and glad you stayed off the rail. I was locked in with another car for the first sprint. We were trading back and forth and hurting our times. If I had just followed him for a lap or two, it would have been smart. The tire marks on my rear quarter from T9 rail sent me home (this time it really did buff right out). I did bend the deck lid, anyone have a spare? At least you finished the weekend clean. I need to have my engine gone over to check the varioram. At the start, I was in my power band and was on it at green, still was passed like I had an anchor out. That was some field.
06-04-2007, 11:48 AM
#98
C winner in sprints 1 and 2 was Larry w/best time on 1 of 2:10986.
D winner in both was Ernie w/ best time of 2:11827 in the first race. Bob D was second in both with best lap of 2:1247.
E winner in both was Justin D.
D winner in both was Ernie w/ best time of 2:11827 in the first race. Bob D was second in both with best lap of 2:1247.
E winner in both was Justin D.
06-04-2007, 11:58 AM
#99
NASA Racer
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
SP3 and overall winner was Christopher Lee in both races
F was Karl Poeltl in both races
G was Bill Richter in the first and Mike I. in the second
H was Will Di Giovanni in the first and William Johnson in the second
I was Rodrigo Herrera in both races
F was Karl Poeltl in both races
G was Bill Richter in the first and Mike I. in the second
H was Will Di Giovanni in the first and William Johnson in the second
I was Rodrigo Herrera in both races
06-04-2007, 12:05 PM
#100
The best part of this past weekend was being able to implement some of what I learned in my very first Club Race in October. In the October summit point race, I just followed slower cars around and could not get around them. I then saw how Dennis Wasser and Dennis Dohlen just flew around the same cars. It was hard to implement the lessons immediately, because I needed time to think about it a little. This time, I never followed slow cars . . . I learned that I always have to be the one to carry momentum through the corner and drive as if the slow car is not even there (of course, you have to alter your line, but you cannot fall into the trap of following them). By doing this, I found that I could pass people in places I never dreamt I could pass them. Most of the time, I caught people in braking zones by braking later and denying them the apex. The trick was not to slow too much so that you kill your own momentum. I also learned in the toe of the boot just to let people pass me on the inside, because I could pass them on the way up the hill by carrying much more momentum and taking a more "classic" line. That way, I could pass them on that straight and keep them away from me in Turn 8. I found that few people with similar HP would stick their nose in for T9 (only guys in higher classes would), which meant I could get a clean run for T10.
Make no mistake, I am still slow, and I am still turning in a little late most places at the Glen since I am still a little shaky about my "incident" last year. My fast time was 2:27 while Cris Brady and Rob Pecori were running 2:24s, so I have a ways to go, BUT, and it is a big but, I was able to hold my own with the midpack I class guys and have a ton o fun having very tight races for the entire sprint. Who could ask for anything more?
Make no mistake, I am still slow, and I am still turning in a little late most places at the Glen since I am still a little shaky about my "incident" last year. My fast time was 2:27 while Cris Brady and Rob Pecori were running 2:24s, so I have a ways to go, BUT, and it is a big but, I was able to hold my own with the midpack I class guys and have a ton o fun having very tight races for the entire sprint. Who could ask for anything more?
06-04-2007, 12:58 PM
#102
Rennlist Member
Ray Williams owns and drives the red bull 997 cup. GTC4 and not GTA if we are thinking of the same person. I think you two are about the same speed so thats probably him.
