R. J. Sorensen
Well-known member
"Who knows, maybe the Runoffs might return home some day."
Jim,
I thought Riverside was closed.
RJS
Jim,
I thought Riverside was closed.
RJS
NOLA Majors, March 7-8
- Thread starter kruck
- Start date
Matt Blehm
Moderator
Still in Houston. Have to run by jobsite on the way out and I'm hoping to be there by dinnertime.
Matt Blehm
Moderator
Kevin, I didn't know you drove my car this weekend? 
http://www.mazdamotorsports.com/webapp/ ... 1&button=y
http://www.mazdamotorsports.com/webapp/ ... 1&button=y
kruck
Well-known member
Ahh, now I see. Apparently the press releases that were actually emailed out at the end of each day, and I for some reason never actually received myself, had the incorrect info:kruck":32ax8vrd said:
From Saturday's:
Also says this in the list of winners at the bottom of the release:
On Sunday, they have it correct in the article:
But the winner list at the bottom was still incorrect:
This is what happens when Reece gets promoted and some "new guy" starts writing the releases. :lol: How am I ever gonna explain this to the CEO at Honda? He's gonna be so upset... :liar:
Brian Linn
Well-known member
I was wondering if you could sign up for your Mazdaspeed membership after the fact and collect your contingency. Mazda pays well for those Majors wins, even if you were illegally running a Rx7 in FPkruck":2fze65sh said:
Matt Blehm
Moderator
I thought that was only in SM?
Aaron Johnson
Well-known member
I believe since Mazda is the official car of the SCCA even i drive a Mazda RX-7,
James Rogerson
Well-known member
I saw that Mr. Ruck broke the FP record. Will Perry broke the HP record. And I'm pretty sure the GTL record fell as well.
Only race I took the time to watch on Sunday as Will was really close Saturday and I was actually happy to see him lower the bar for me. Maybe I'll take the mothballs out of the Civic and drive next time. Much easier than being the Asst. Chief Steward, Paddock Marshall, and roving tech inspector. :roll:
James -r
Only race I took the time to watch on Sunday as Will was really close Saturday and I was actually happy to see him lower the bar for me. Maybe I'll take the mothballs out of the Civic and drive next time. Much easier than being the Asst. Chief Steward, Paddock Marshall, and roving tech inspector. :roll:
James -r
kruck
Well-known member
Yes, EP, FP, HP, & GTL all had new records set at NOLA. Only the 2nd event ever, and the track & weather were both better from what I understand. Not to mention, EP, FP, & GTL were all set by previous Runoffs winners, and the HP record went to a guy who's been consistently running one of the best ITC cars in the country over the past ~15 years. He took what he knows about 1G CRX's in that prep level, and applied it to a very nice HP build of one.
Matt Blehm
Moderator
STU, STL, T2, T4, GT3, BSpec, also lowered lap records by several seconds..
Yes, weather was a huge factor in lap times as well as experience on the track. Last year, it rained- actually snowed for a while- on Friday test day, and Saturday's race still had standing water in the corners. Sunday's race had a pretty green surface and the track was pretty cold so it just had little grip.
It rained on Friday this year as well, but the surface was dry by Sat morning and the weather was much more conducive to a fast track. high 50s, low 60s so engines made good power, while we had some sun to warm the track surface and make tires stick.
The mid-pack finishers in many of the classes were at/below the track records set last year at the first event if that tells you how much faster the track was this year.
On Saturday, I started 6th and wound up 4th overall, 3rd in class. Ruck literally pushed me around the turns and I'd squirt by him on the straights and clog up the turn again. Since there was nobody near us to affect finishing position for either class, I kept it up to see if I could stay in front of him. I blame learning a new car and inconsistent driving, but I'm sure I was pissing Kevin off to no end.
On Sunday, Ken Kannard was closer to the front of the pack and we talked before the race.. The plan was to let Ken and Kevin fight it out in FP since there's no way I could catch Reynolds of Robertson to fight for EP.. Then Ken got balked at the start and I think he lost a gear or something, and I never saw him after the first turn. So it was back to Kevin and I all alone. game on-- grasshopper chasing the master. Kevin would drive away in the turns and I'd catch him on the straights. I was able to keep up for a few laps hoping I'd learn something more than how inconsistent I was and how fast that freakin Acura is on the turns. After about lap 10, I cooked the rear tires and started falling back and just couldn't catch back up to Kevin on the straights. It was a battle to stay on track since the car didn't want to turn off throttle. on throttle, I'd heat up the rears and go sideways after a few turns.. With some chassis/air pressure tuning, I think I can reduce/solve the issues and get the tires to last a race. Just an excuse but this was only my second weekend in the car and my first time on radial slicks- I have a lot to learn- and fix- on the car.
Basically I just need a good test day with someone that knows what they're doing to get the car set up, then it's time to learn how to drive the thing.
Yes, weather was a huge factor in lap times as well as experience on the track. Last year, it rained- actually snowed for a while- on Friday test day, and Saturday's race still had standing water in the corners. Sunday's race had a pretty green surface and the track was pretty cold so it just had little grip.
It rained on Friday this year as well, but the surface was dry by Sat morning and the weather was much more conducive to a fast track. high 50s, low 60s so engines made good power, while we had some sun to warm the track surface and make tires stick.
The mid-pack finishers in many of the classes were at/below the track records set last year at the first event if that tells you how much faster the track was this year.
On Saturday, I started 6th and wound up 4th overall, 3rd in class. Ruck literally pushed me around the turns and I'd squirt by him on the straights and clog up the turn again. Since there was nobody near us to affect finishing position for either class, I kept it up to see if I could stay in front of him. I blame learning a new car and inconsistent driving, but I'm sure I was pissing Kevin off to no end.
On Sunday, Ken Kannard was closer to the front of the pack and we talked before the race.. The plan was to let Ken and Kevin fight it out in FP since there's no way I could catch Reynolds of Robertson to fight for EP.. Then Ken got balked at the start and I think he lost a gear or something, and I never saw him after the first turn. So it was back to Kevin and I all alone. game on-- grasshopper chasing the master. Kevin would drive away in the turns and I'd catch him on the straights. I was able to keep up for a few laps hoping I'd learn something more than how inconsistent I was and how fast that freakin Acura is on the turns. After about lap 10, I cooked the rear tires and started falling back and just couldn't catch back up to Kevin on the straights. It was a battle to stay on track since the car didn't want to turn off throttle. on throttle, I'd heat up the rears and go sideways after a few turns.. With some chassis/air pressure tuning, I think I can reduce/solve the issues and get the tires to last a race. Just an excuse but this was only my second weekend in the car and my first time on radial slicks- I have a lot to learn- and fix- on the car.
Basically I just need a good test day with someone that knows what they're doing to get the car set up, then it's time to learn how to drive the thing.
JessePrather
Well-known member
Kevin, someone on the ST advisory committee will hopefully recognize the fact how fast a FWD car can be in the turns as well! Nicely done!
James Rogerson
Well-known member
@Sam: Raise/Lower he moved it in the right direction.
Next year we may change the configuration to use the new turns 5 and 6. But right now I'm packing for Sebring next week and not too worried about next year.
James -r
Next year we may change the configuration to use the new turns 5 and 6. But right now I'm packing for Sebring next week and not too worried about next year.
James -r