Mike in Chi

Not at Sebring this year. Those guys from Colorado kicked both coasts' asses in their first trip ever to the old B-17 base.

02fly

Wow, you may be faster??? but we are defiantly better looking

I raced SKUSA and the Norcal. I wasn't a factory racer but Emmick help out alot with parts and chassis so I was the next best thing to one of there quote unquote factory guys. To the best of my knowlage Lewis never raced in the states only Button and Trully, sorry can't spell Trully

Of course racing is a business but if you remember before the open wheel split there were pay driver but for the most part they were fast not just field fillers. Racing in the US is in a sad state, sports car racing has always had gentlemen racers but they for the most part competed in the lower catagorys and not the premier classes.

Thank it's been fun and thanks to all the service men or women because with out you we may not be able to have this healthy excahnge of thought and ideas!!! Bye Bye

02fly

Sorry I read your post quickly thought you were refering to Lewis Hamelton, Andrew Lewis doesn't ring a bell what class did he race and were?

A.Wayne

Colorado , not sure what racing you are talking about , but the racers who live on the east coast to name a few,

1. Juan Montoya
2. B. junquiera
3. Barrichello
4.Randy pobst
5. andy wallace
6. max papis
there are tons more , but you get the point ,

If PCA , then we will have to change that next year

A.Wayne

He was a beril factory driver and i believe Sukusa Champion at one point ....

another Shaun MCMUrray , now races hooters truck series , after spending time in europe at elf . lemans and ALMS , because they all required money not just talent ,if you are fast then you get selected to be one of the special ones to pay, now he is trying to make it to NASCAR......

that's the reality , europe is different in that more money is available to racers , towards F1, we have the same here but towards NASCAR and the funding is better and easier than those trying to get into F1.......

SundayDriver

Very cool on the Legrand. I am trying to get the Stohr back together for this season - took on too many projects and I am running behind, as usual. It IS a great car, but the development pace over the past couple of years have left me about 4 seconds off the pace vs. the newest hardware.

I agree, it would be great if the fastest driver got the pro rides. But I am not sure it works that way in Europe either - I am no expert, but from what I see, the kids with money get the rides over there too. If anything, we have the best farm system for racers, BUT it is for stock car racing, not road racing.

02fly

Hey Sunday driver My good friend just sold his Speads because the way DSR is currently going the cars are so fast and the money is getting crazy the new WF1 has taken it to a whole new level. I get to see the craziness first hand here in Oregon with the Portland International Racway being our home track and Lee Stohr's home track. The cost has just pushed my friend back to karting he is just way to competitive to show up and race in the middle of the pack. I chose vintage because the group of guys are more about having fun and driving the cars than spending the most money for the victory. In vintage the cars are the stars.

A.Wayne

Is,nt there a big event at portland raceway this week ?

SundayDriver

It is a fun class, but has gotten insane. Cornering speeds are really taking the toll on the motorcycle engines - getting really hard to keep them alive at 3.5 g's. Costs are out of control, etc. I had just hit the point where I felt I could run top 5 at the Runoffs and here comes the WF-1 and I am mid pack again. In spite of all that, I am going to run at least another year. I added tunnels for this year and am looking forward to that added speed - maybe I can be back to top 10. Not sure what the next season will hold.

1AS

So Al Unser Junior didn't need dad's money, and neither did Juan Pablo? This is an expensive sport, and chances are that if you aren't in the upper 2% of incomes, you can't do it. Lewis Hamilton needed support until he caught somebody's eye. Sam Posaey was born rich, etc., etc, etc.
But how different is that from tennis? Who gets to live at Bollateri for 5 years without family money, who pays for the traveling coach? While a raquet cost a hundred bucks, the teaching pro might get that every 2 hours, and to get to the top, those guys and girls play 6 -8 hours a day.

I used to race vintage Can Am, and followed the career of lots of the original Can Am racers. Jim Hall, Gary Wilson, Causey, were accompanied by a whole bunch of other ride-buyers. Dickie Smothers and everybody else in Formula A. How about LeMans, which was all gentleman racers forever (eg Briggs Cunningham). In CART, Nelson Phillipe bought his ride, and in 3 years became a winner.
Qualifying for Indy is a challenge unto itself, and I will say again that very few of us woudl even try it.
This year AJ Foyt III, Jon Herb, and Milka were all paying their own way (or grampa was). Give her a break. To do this at her age, you really need to want to do it.
Again, I think very few of us would have the ***** to try Indy qualifying, and even fewer would have the skill to succeed.
I didn't see the race, so I don't know what caused her retirement. AS

A.Wayne

Mark , what engine are you using and how are you managing the engine...

Veloce Raptor

...

SundayDriver

It is a late 90's R1 - built by Woody's. Fuel is 'stock' carbs modified by Graves. I have 3 ECU choices. Mostly I have run stock but now have a slightly modified ECU that provides a bit more aggressive map and an extra 500 rpm - that should be ~12,200 rpm. I also have R6 electronics with no rev limit - engine should take 13,000 with 13,500 for short periods if needed.

Engine makes great power - I can stick with pretty much anyone down the straights if I have the same exit speed. I am running wet sump with some mods to the pan and a baffle plate. The WF-1's have much greater cornering speed and have been showing a lot of engine issues. I may be pushing into that range with the tunnels.

02fly

The big weekend is this weekend june 1-3, rosecup followed by champ car next weekend. The motors that Mark and other DSR are using are R1 and GSXR 1000 for the most part we are using pretty much factory harness with ecu that have been tweeked by Dean up in Washington.

And for the record I would not try to Qualify for Indy now maybe in my 20's but on the same note I'm not going to try out for the NFL wich by the way doesn't care how much money I have. Just ask all the kids that were poor and now are millionaire.

Ok, I'm now done I've beat this to death, but one last thing just because you have money doen't me you should be on the track, there were a number of driver that started the race that would have never had a chance ten years ago no matter how much money they have. I know, I know life suck and can sometimes be cruel I'm just tired of people buying there way into things and then thinking they belong!!!

deep_uv

I'd hit it.


Steve