Race Report- SoCal April 25-26 at Buttonwillow

[Tim Comeau]

Another great weekend of racing fun. 5 racers started on Saturday and 2 more showed up for Sunday's race making 7 starters. TOYO TIRES bucks for the top guys!

The SoCal 944 Spec group once again has a solid core of attendees. All helpful, friendly, but fierce competitors who are helping to grow the class. Good stuff.

Weather at Buttonwillow in spring is almost always great. Didn't even need to set up the E Z UP for shade. The usual, huge, spring time mud bogs that pose a problem for those who can't stay on the racing surface just weren't there. In fact, it was dry enough to throw a dust cloud for every tire dropped off the edge of the track. And if you spun off? Huge dust cloud!

Tom Atteberry was once again renting the black CRE #007 944. He's still having a good time getting used to the 944 Spec platform and what it can do.

Saturday's start was a nice super-tight pack. Just like racked balls on a pool table! No contact and they ran tight for a number of laps, however, it became clear that Foxx was the dominant car/driver racing combo.

I thought the story of the day was the speed that Rafi Gogus was showing, which, unfortunately, kept getting overshadowed by his difficulty staying on the track! Here a dust cloud, there a dust cloud, everywhere a dust cloud... He had the fastest lap of the race at 2:13.1 in the 6th lap out of 11. On Sunday, Rafi turned a 2:12.2 in the last lap of his race , which means he's still getting faster on that particular configuration.

"Hey, Rafi!" "What color is your 944?"......black, orange,....and dust.

Both Hohler and Todd von Mende were able to finish ahead of Gogus on Sat with Foxx winning. Von Mende, a visiting driver from the POC 944 Spec group had a great time racing with NASA for the first time and he got the big handshake from me- "Welcome to the Show!"

The finishing order was:

Foxx

Hohler

Von Mende

Gogus

Atteberry

 

Here's a pic of the 944's on Sat.

And a pic of the start on Sunday...

The beer thirsty racers shortly after being blood thirsty fighter pilots. Sat evening pizza and beer was free. And of course, fresh racing videos were provided by the group for viewing at Jim Foxx's Mothership RV. Nobody's ego was safe from the jesting and driving feedback!

Got some shots of the grid on Sunday as well. 2 of the cars were back in the other row.

On Sunday, the group of seven 944 Spec cars had a tough time getting in some clean qual laps, but the lap times came down quite a bit from Sat's racing. Everybody was going faster.

Charlie Buzzetti and Chris Allen were the 2 extras for Sunday. Really nice colorful field of 944 Spec cars.

Buzzetti absolutely schooled the field- driving off over the horizon in no time and getting credit for 1 extra lap compared to the other guys. His fastest race lap was a 2:09.3. Von Mende was next fastest at 2:09.9, but Foxx was able to come out ahead of him for position despite turning in a slightly slower fastest lap of 2:10.2. Those 2 had a good dice! Next home were Rafi and Robert , follwed by Allen and Atteberry.

Sunday was :

Buzzetti

Foxx

Von Mende

Gogus

Hohler

Allen

Atteberry

 

After Sunday's race NASA officials kept everyone in impound for a surprise safety gear inspection. Hohler, in his 2nd ever race and thinking he wouldn't get called to impound because of his 5th place finish, took a short cut to the paddock and was VERY close to getting DQ'd and losing points! A messenger was hastily dispatched to get him and Robert rejoined the class quickly.

After a minor tongue lashing from the very nice official, I don't think that will happen again. LESSON LEARNED: Don't ever skip impound.

An interesting point to this is that the points he saved might put him over the top for the Championship at the end of the year!

Though I didn't race this time around, this weekend was really rewarding for me in terms of seeing the happy faces and watching the guys pushing hard to get the most out of their 944's. If they went off the track, they didn't give up, but quickly rejoined the fight. I could see their race craft improving, not just their speed. Pretty damn good weekend all in all!

[Tim Comeau]

I'd like the other racers to chime in with their race stories.

[roberth944]

I did learn my lesson by skipping impound! I was just trying to keep down the gridlock in the impound area and thought that they didn't stop me on Saturday for 2nd why would they on Sunday for 5th? I think by not arguing with the offical at all and having the correct fireproof socks helped my cause. Saturdays race was a spinfest for everyone! I'm just glad mine happened early so I could recover in time to make up lost positions. Todd I want to see that video again if you post it! I missed Rafi by about a foot on the front straight while spinning. Whew! No one hurt, no cars damaged, adrenaline maxed out!

[Tim Comeau]

Yes, you guys were close to coming in contact when Rafi spun across your bow coming out of sunset.

And yes, I thought you handled the situation in impound like a pro.

[Tim Comeau]

Did you guys notice my 944 Spec.org shirt AND hat?

 

Let's hear the version of events from "Spinderella!"

[cbuzz]

Something that Tim left out was alot of us did not go to impound after Qualifing on Sunday. Not sure what happened there but I just drove straight to my pit. I will try to remember that for the future. I would suck to have to start at the back for something like that.

 

The class in So-Cal is growing and that is great news.

 

A big THANK YOU to Tim for lots of hard work and promotion of this class.

 

Todd challenged me for most of the first lap and then I was able to get by some traffic. It sounded like Jim and Todd had a great race. The rest of my race was getting by the slower cars from the race group that started in front of us and getting out of the way of the faster HC cars.

 

Charlie Buzzetti

#999

[ddg]

I was just trying to keep down the gridlock in the impound area and thought that they didn't stop me on Saturday for 2nd why would they on Sunday for 5th? I think by not arguing with the offical at all and having the correct fireproof socks helped my cause.

 

As the official NASA sock inspector ( ), as a rule of thumb always drive through impound or by the tech trailer after qualifying and the race (no need during practice).

Sometimes (but rarely for 944's), Mike Ellison will want to do a suprise safety inspection, he or I should be out there to point you to line up or wave you by.

With some groups, the series director will want us to weigh certain cars (this is very common for S.M. and Honda Challenge).

[cbuzz]

OK now I have a real excuse for not going to impound, there wasn't anyone there to tell me what to do

 

With out the worker to point where to go I was lost, luckily they have cones on the track to block off closed sections.

[ddg]

OK now I have a real excuse for not going to impound, there wasn't anyone there to tell me what to do

 

With out the worker to point where to go I was lost, luckily they have cones on the track to block off closed sections.

 

Buttonwillow is the odd one, @ Fontana and Willow springs you HAVE to drive by tech/impound to get to the pits.

[Tim Comeau]

Check out this ultra-mega bazooka shot that Ryan Flaherty took from the starters stand.

[FLASH944]

ok i guess i deserve that name but if you dont try different things and drive a little harder or try different things howelse our going to go fast. I had so much fun out there that it didnt matter where i finished up thankd to Jim Fox i shaved 1sec on sundays race. For the record i spun every sesion but sundays race. Cant wait to do it all over again what a great group of peaple and racers. Thank you all.

 

 

P.S.

whats up with the Honda Challenge guys do they really have to pass you everywhere?

[cbuzz]

Yeah they are going to pass everywhere especially when they start behind us.

Just keep on your line and let them go by you. Do not move over to give them the line mid corner. This really creates lots of problems. Give them a hand signal if you have the time.

When they start in front of us it works out better since it takes longer for them to catch us and the have streched out the gaps between them.

Please remember that the first ones to get to you are racing for the overall lead. They are doing thier best to not lose time to the guy behind them.

As your racing skills increase you will see them coming earlier and will be able to be ready to point to the side you want them to pass you on.

 

Again, do not go off line to make it easier for them. If there are two in a row try to let both of them by if possible. It can be intimidating but it is all part of racing.

 

And always have a good time.

[FLASH944]

thanks for the input. What if im trying to pass the guy infront of me and there are 2 honda guys coming to pass me what shold i do then should i race my pwn race or should i let them pass any where and let me fall back. Only reason i ask is that it happend to me and i let them pass and the guy in front of another 944 spec gained more distence and it was to late to catch up.

[cbuzz]

That is a very tough situation to assess. The Honda guys or any racer for that matter will do what it takes to get by ASAP especially if it is for position in class.

In my opinion, if the overtaking cars are the overall leaders or are racing in class for position and are lapping you I feel they deserve the courtesey of being able to get by with out causing too much hardship for the cars being passed.

Always try to look for an opportunity when this is happening. Be sure to stay right on the bumper of the car you are trying to pass. Make a move to follow the faster cars and go with them. If the faster cars are on the inside of you in a corner then that situation is in your favor. If they are on the outside it is not as favorable but still in your favor. Use the faster cars to help yourself.

It takes lots of practice and lots of track time.

Try to assess every situation you have for passing/being passed after the race. Look to see if you could have done something different and try that next time.

Read lots of racing books. I personally like "Think to Win" by Don Alexander.

 

We are lucky to be taking part of car racing. Be sure to have fun. This should be the best years of your life outside of your kids.

[Big Dog]

Charlie is giving you great advice. He is a master at passing and traffic. I can be fast but am not as good as the best guys, like Charlie, Norm, Glen, Tim and Joe with traffic. They have so much experience with traffic, passing and racecraft that I continue to watch and learn from them.

 

Talk to Charlie every chance you get when you are at the track with him and you WILL get better.

 

Jim

[944-Spec#94]

Crap I just had a nice long post in this and it got lost...

 

Anyway traffic is a big part of racecraft and try to hold a position (or gain a position) when traffic is racing by you is a skill to be learned. Here in Az we run often in a group with 400 hp vipers and GT3 cups on a 1.5 mile track so we get lapped multiple time during a race. This means that lapping traffic is big part of racing. Learning how to use that traffic to your best advantage is key. Some times you make big gains by using traffic and other times despite your best effort you lose out. It just a part of racing and is one aspect that prevent it form getting stale.

 

So next time you are racing a competitor and have 2-3 Honda trying fight through look at it as an opprotunity to gain and edge on your competitor. How you do so will always be very situational and sometime you will get hosed, but other times you can easily gain a car length or have a competitor bottled up for a lap or two giving you a major edge. Always remembe that this sort of thing is a a part of racing and rather than detracting from the racing addeds to the racing especialy if it occures after the start enough that things were starting to stettle down. In our cars it can be very easy to lose 2-3 car lengths and never be able to gain them back since our cars are so close. However traffic can come in and cause the lead car to slow just enough to allow the car behind to close up and make it a race again. I can't tell you how many times this has happen to Jim and I and most of the Az runners.

[cbuzz]

Well said Joe, that was alot of what I was trying to say.

 

Thank you Jim for your kind words.

 

Charlie

[FLASH944]

thanks guys for all the support on and off the track.

[FLASH944]

thanks guys for all the support on and off the track.

[Tim Comeau]

Agreed. You can learn something by trial and error, but reading the book will get you way ahead. Same with road racing. You need to experience it first hand- but you can get WAY ahead by watching other driver's videos. There's much more to see and learn besides the line and gear changes.