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Well....What is latest on Mid-Ohio for ST????


TexaST-1

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Ya know...you spec-taters need to come out and race with us sometimes!!!

Anyway....

great turnout & beautiful weather. James Forbis, Danny Popp, David Pintaric and I finally all met. On Saturday 32 cars in various classes wnet to qualify. I posted the third fastest time of the group and couldn't believe they were starting me 19th!!! It seems that some of the directors thought it would be smarter to start the cars by groups rather then lap times. We had a meeting with them...but no dice...they were sticking to their guns.

It went SU, AIX, AI ST1,ST2, FFR, CMC. SO the ST guys decided amongst ourselves to hold back about 10 car lengths for the start....unfortunately we caught the field almost immediately. Let me tell you Kevin, those AI guys do not want to be passed!!! I got bumped 3 times. I had put a new clutch in and when I shifted from 3>4 the engine would just rev up until a few seconds later it would grab and complete the shift. This made passing anybody almost impossible. Later in the race I was trying to pass a car in a turn , spun and Pintaric T boned me. All my fault. I finished 9th overall, 1st in class (only 2 cars, Popps car caught fire). Tony B in the FFR inished first in ST2, followed by David and James.

Sunday..they let us start by lap time. Seems like everybody had problems..James lost 3rd gear and dorve enough to get credit for the race and David had an unbelievable battle with TOny in the FFR. I think they touched and David blew a tire. I made it thru , finished 4th overall and first ST1. Tony won ST 2.

Popp is gonna be the guy we have to beat in ST1. Man...that guy can drive. We are going to have our hands full this year!!!!

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I hope you didn't leave a bad tast in Dave's mouth about NASA, I have been trying to get Dave to race with us for over a year.

 

I know Popp is fast, but we'll see how my new mods workout. I am going to my first outing this weekend at TWS. I'll see how she flys.

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I know Buffomante didn't have the fastest laps in class - he just had some things go his way.

 

That's the way racing is, being in a position at the end to win.

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So fast lap times from the other weekend belong to Bob Mayer in what looks like an ex-world challenge vette. 1:34.1 in Sunday's qualifying was the quickest I could find. I'm assuming that's on the Pro Course since ST was grouped with AI (from the AI discussion, they were running the Pro Course). So does anybody have any flavor on track conditions, etc...? 1:34.1 is fast, but is it fast enough come September? I've personally seen Danny running in the 32's last August on the club course so was there something wrong with his car?

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How much slower is the club course than the pro course?

 

2 1/2 to 3 seconds.

 

Last year of the Mid Ohio Runs Offs (2005) the pole for the August National (Club course) was 1:36.XXX, the Run Offs pole was 1:32.000. Same car and driver. The Run Offs jsut "makes" people faster...

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In my limited experience, club racers don't leave four seconds at a track, even when it's a relatively unsubscribed weekend. Danny ran his 32's on the club course during a regional weekend in TTU.

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Let me clarify:

 

Club Course in August 2005 Pole: 1:36.XXX

Pro Course in September 2005 Pole: 1.32.000

 

I said the course difference is 2 1/2 -3 seconds, the extra 1 1/2 - 2 seconds is the Run Offs "effect."

 

The repaved track may be faster than before. Plus (no slight intended towards Mr. Popp) his car wasn't a T1 prepped car.

 

I think a T1 car will do 1:30s on the pro course (based on my experience from last week). Yes, I think I left alot of speed out there.

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IMHO 1:30 for T1 is very optimistic on the Pro-Course.

 

Yes, you are right. But 2 years of T1 development, plus a repaving job that makes the track faster get a 1:30.999 within reasonable reach.

 

I have been accused of smoking crack before...

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I think maybe a qualifying "Flyer" but certainly no race times. I know Lou G runs 1:29s during the race and qualified I think at a 1:26 on th Pro Course. I think these are still the current records.

 

I think John Heinrocket maybe able to clock a qualifier of a 131.99999999, but no race laps.

 

My best race lap last championship on the club course with my T1 C5 plus about 40 hp, plus about 30lbs was 1:36 flat. I think I may have left about 1 second on the track.

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So fast lap times from the other weekend belong to Bob Mayer in what looks like an ex-world challenge vette. 1:34.1 in Sunday's qualifying was the quickest I could find. I'm assuming that's on the Pro Course since ST was grouped with AI (from the AI discussion, they were running the Pro Course). So does anybody have any flavor on track conditions, etc...? 1:34.1 is fast, but is it fast enough come September? I've personally seen Danny running in the 32's last August on the club course so was there something wrong with his car?

 

Patrick,

I was present, but my car was not (engine issue). I drove 4 different cars between ST1 , TTU and TTS over the two days. I never spent more than 3 laps on the track without having some sort of issue, whcih did nothing for my confidence level. The blue car will be a MO in July ready to rock, and I can't wait. The best I felt that weekend was in a completely stock '02 Z06 street car with its only mod being the Kumho's (not lowered , aligned or scaled) in TTS and turned a 1:35.5 before the stock brake pads gave up on lap 2 (thanks for the multiple rides James)

 

A 1:30.xxx in a T1 car would be a very tall order , Dave 4-5 sec is alot

 

ST1 cars will for sure be sub 30's .......the track never really felt "hooked" to me last weekend, but what the heck do I know, I never drove a familiar car last weekend ...

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A 1:30.xxx in a T1 car would be a very tall order , Dave 4-5 sec is alot

 

OK, OK, a 34 is a fast as a ST2 will ever go at Mid Ohio...is everyone satisfied?

 

That was the first time I had been on the track since the repaving. It IS faster, if not so that weekend. A 30 "something" is possible, maybe not by me.

 

As I said, set-up changes, seat time, tires, more competition, it all adds up. But I may be wrong.

 

No disrespect meant in the following, Danny: But if you can run a 32 in the club course in a T1-ish Vette, I should be able to run a 31 in the pro course with a full-on T1 car. I am not THAT slow.

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Question #1 What config did ya'll run in April? I thought or assumed it was with the chicane.

 

Question or Statement #2 I don't think Danny's car is T1-ish. I would not set my lap time goals on a car that may or may not be T1-ish. I think it maybe ST-1 or even close to SU last year.

 

Statement #3 There is a HUGH difference between qualifying and racing lap times. TT is several qualifying laps vs a 40 Minute race.

 

I have seen several hot shooes come over from intense DEs to full rad racing. The lap time translation usually doesn't follow.

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A 1:30.xxx in a T1 car would be a very tall order , Dave 4-5 sec is alot

 

OK, OK, a 34 is a fast as a ST2 will ever go at Mid Ohio...is everyone satisfied?

 

That was the first time I had been on the track since the repaving. It IS faster, if not so that weekend. A 30 "something" is possible, maybe not by me.

 

As I said, set-up changes, seat time, tires, more competition, it all adds up. But I may be wrong.

 

No disrespect meant in the following, Danny: But if you can run a 32 in the club course in a T1-ish Vette, I should be able to run a 31 in the pro course with a full-on T1 car. I am not THAT slow.

 

 

David,

No disrespect to you either.....the '32 I ran last year was defineatly a "qualifier lap". I think that a T1 prepped vehicle can certainly run a '32 or even a '31.xxx but a '30 as said will be a huge order. I do believe that last weekend the grip level was not "peak" which would also hurt times, obviously.

How much difference is there in the lap records for T1 "pro" vs. "club" ??? I think it is a '33.xxx vs. 37.xxx isn't it ??? Records also from what I understand in the SCCA are racing laps , not qualifying times . Is that correct??

ST2 cars will defineatly be going faster than a '34 in July. My car last year was not completely T1 like , but it was certainly ST2 like....And if I have one more engine issue before MO in July, it will be an ST2 car.

Someone I know last year ran both course configurations on the same weekend and I , If I remember correctly, was told that it is a 1.5-1.75 second difference.

 

Kevin,

We were running the "pro" course without the chicane. Last my car was alot more T1 than ST1.....actually an ST2 car , a little premature and yes the '32 was a "qualifier".

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Just to sound completely unaware and unintroduced, What is your name? Danny?

 

Great, I am glad to hear it was the pro course. I was feeling mighty SLOW for a minute.

 

I know my car wasn't at full click last year due to brakes and old tires, but I thought I might have been a second off what I think the car and myself could have done last season.

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Kevin,

Yes nice to meet you too in cyber-space.... my name is Danny I am sure we will meet each others acquaintence some time soon , and look forward to it. (the more the merrier!!)

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Kevin/David....

I'm not sure what that "fast time" will actually be.

I watched the time trials from between turn 1 and the back straight.

We had a watch on Danny, and that boy can drive. A plain and simple fact. No disrespect to anybody..hell we are all friends. But I can tell you this, If Danny gets a car that will stay together I think a 33+ is doable in ST2 and 30+ is doable in ST1. NOW I couldn't do it...

The NATIONAL inST1 are gonna be tough this year.

Danny...maybe you should think more ST2

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Danny...maybe you should think more ST2

 

Hey now, I have enough to worry about as it is. We don't need any more "hot shoes" in our class...

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The NATIONAL inST1 are gonna be tough this year.

Danny...maybe you should think more ST2

 

Hell no! Danny, stay up there in ST1 with the big boys. We have Buffamonte, Farmer, the FFR gang and a host of other fast drivers to fight with. A trophy in ST1 is so much more meaningful.

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