M758

Here is some in car from the entire race. Good stuff from the lead pack. Video is in 4 parts.

http://www.youtube.com/user/bajabuzz.../3/RhHL5CS2In4

From car 999

mater

You were having way too much fun!!! Excellent drive good lines,taking your time and pouncing at the right time. Very nice congrats!!!

Sterling Doc

This was not Joe's own video, but that of the winning #999. Joe led for several laps in that race - that you can see in the video. Nice drive all around!

hp18racer

Thanks for the link, great stuff!

Van

That's one happy dude!

M758

Yeah Charlie was pretty happy. Considering he was 8-9 at the start and working your way to first it must have been pretty happy. Personally I like parts 1-3 the most cause I am infront of the camera car. Video 4 is where things go less well for me.

gums

Fantastic stuff! That camera car drove a nice race, very patient at times, I thought. You were well ahead at one point, Joe, what happened? Tires?

Which car in your signature photo is the camera car?

I really love a nice long track like that, but the only downside is that you never get into lappers, which is a horse of another color....

Well done, anyone got 944 SuperCup action?

Potomac-Greg

Is there a "super" equivalent in 944 Spec (for turbos, S2s and 968s)?

I know there's 944 Cup and 944 SuperCup.

gums

944SuperCup is for S2's, 968's, Turbos...equalized by weight.

M758

The camera car is the one behind mine. Red with orange nose stripe similar to my white one.

As for what happened... Well I never expected to lead so when I did I sort of let it get to me. I lost a bit of focus with nobody to chase and starting taking too easy in braking zones. That caused the pack to slowly catch-up. The thing about this race is that nobody had a strong edge. A car could pull a gap, but any tiny error and the gap was closed. Once in traffic we all slowed down and any slowing down put your own spot at risk. Good racing and the top 7 cars on track finished less that 5 second off from the winner. Not bad for 38 mintues of hard racing.

As for supercup.... Not offer at Nationals. 944 cup and 944 supercup are not NASA classes only NASA guest groups. So they were not offered at Nationals in 2009 and I don't believe will be in 2010 either. 944 spec does not have a faster spec class. Just the one. Of course 944 cars eithe NA or Turbo cars can run in NASA either in GTS or Performance Touring. We just never saw the numbers or create spec class for them. The 2.5L 8valve NA cars are cheaper to run given the lower power smaller tires. The faster S2 and Turbo cars go faster, but in pack like this going 115 down the front straight vs 125-130 does not make alot of difference in the racing. 944 spec is popular due to being able to control costs.

944 spec will be back in 2010 with hopefully and even larger and more competitve field. I race with 3 more guys in Az that can run this lead pack. They just missed out due to varing commitments/limitaions.

gums

We're having a hell of a competitive season back east, 944SuperCup is very healthy and the fields are equal in size to 944Cup (although not as large as you guys).
We're going to run our own East Coast version of Nationals in a few weeks at VIR, with a SuperCup class for sure.

M758

One thing to consider about 944 spec is that over the last 7 years 944 spec has been around the numbers of race prepared 944 Turbo's or S2 has never been very large. Most guys that have raced or tracked turbos chose to race the cheaper platform since there is competition and lower operating costs allow for more races. Remember unlike 944 cup, 944 spec are stick on 15x7 wheels, 225 Toyos and Koni's with t-bars in the rear. Those elements help limit build and operating costs compared with running a PCA stock class S2 or Turbo most supercup cars are based on.


Well good luck at VIR in Supercup.

gums

Yeah, I'm well aware that the 944Cups are cheaper to run, no question. in SuperCup we're running 18" Hoosiers, but two other considerations here. One, Hoosier has a tire contingency whereby the winner and second place get tires (a pair and a single, resp.). Although that in no way equalizes the cost between the two classes, I can tell you that SC runs much faster than C, we always lap the Cup field.
Something about cost:speed relation has always held true.
I think both are incredibly good values for racing.

jaje

944 Spec has a tire contingency from Toyo so that helps. If you win a weekend (both races) you can buy almost a pair of tires - two successful weekends and you have a whole new set. We actually share winnings with lower placed drivers in the Midwest. You take the two best results and give the lower of that weekend to a "kitty" that other drivers can use. It helps the guys who can't compete frequently for podiums share more in the contingency as it pays less the lower you place and completely after 5th place.

gums

I think that's a fantastic idea, especially because what's happened here in the east is that the same guys who keep winning keep getting new tires and they're the last ones that need them!