TMS Invitational Grand Prix

[Matt Blehm]

Not in 100% of the cases, but there are a significant percentage of drivers who are there because they could write a check. A few local STU guys that run/ran in World Challenge fall under that category real well. even with only a year of racing and a few years of HPDEs under my belt, I was all over both of these guys in the corners, then they'd take off and leave me on the straights... While I was on heat-cycled R888s and they were on new Hoosiers.
These guys are getting picked on by locals with no budget, yet they're racing in a Pro series as well? Yeesh. I'd hate to be a good driver in a well-prepped car on the same track. (And yeah, James can say the same about me too... )

 

[James Rogerson]

Looks like production turned into an EP race. Kos off to a good start with young Andrew, Paul P and Mike H giving chase. Was looking for that last lap win but Rick held on. Can't wait to hear the on site version.

James

 

[Matt Blehm]

I was too busy hiding from the sun, but I saw three piles of sticks hauling arse over the oval wall, and a white 1st gen RX7 following closely behind. every now and then a purple and orange RX8 would start to catch up, then drop back and I could hear the driver screaming all the way around the track about what he was going to do the car when he gets home...

 

[Paul Pineider]

Saturday Race:

EP
Kosdrosky Caterham 1:33.405
Pineider RX-7 133.828
Halbrook Caterham 134.364
Robertson Caterham 134.028
Buskuhl Rx-7 136.802
Chuck Davis Accura 138.732
Sydney Davis Miata 139.044
Snader RX-8 136.945

FP
Smith Honda 1:42.648
Vick Accura 1:50.324

It was a 4 car race to begin with, Halbrook spun on 1st lap. I stayed close and sat behind Kosdrosky and Robinson who were fighting it out. Finally Robertson
spun near the end of the 19 lap race. Snader had car problems, same ones that would plague him Sunday. In FP Vick who just finished the Integra build was fighting
first weekend blues.

Sunday we had a qualifying race of 10 laps, most thought maybe a little too long. TMS is pretty hard on the equipment.

Sunday race:

EP

Kosdrosky Caterham 1:33.302
Halbrook Caterham 132.965
Robertson Caterham 133.209
Snader RX-8 133.484
Pineider RX-7 133.355
Sydney Davis Miata 138.668
Chuck Davis Accura 137.424
Buskuhl Rx-7 136.802


FP
Smith Honda 1:42.597
Vick Accura 1:53.025

This time the first 5 EP cars had a pretty good race. Kosdrosky and Robertson went at it at the front, with Kosdrosky taking the lead. Halbrook passed for second then gave it back to Robertson a lap later. Snader moved up to 4th, then dropped back and I took over 4th. The first 4 cars were nose to tail for 14 laps until I developed a bad vibration and dropped back. Halbrook passed Robinson for second, and was very close to Kosdrosky at the finish. Very close EP racing as you can see from the lap times. Forgot to say, there were no H cars. I know James would have had something for the F cars!

All in all I think all had a good time at TMS, we were all disappointed that we didn't get any prod cars from out of division. It was fun being able to race without having to fight off the STU cars.

 

[Larry Svaton]

Smith would not allow James,HP, to Race. If he had tried, Smith would have pulled James License. As for the STU cars,you are lucky,CPA7, as down here we all live close to several of them and see them at MSR all the time. I guess that makes up for you living close to Mike.

 

[blamkin86]

All in all I think all had a good time at TMS, we were all disappointed that we didn't get any prod cars from out of division.

Jesse almost had me talked into coming down. Does look like a good event.

 

[Ron Bartell]

Smith would not allow James,HP, to Race. If he had tried, Smith would have pulled James License.

Huh??? Must be an inside joke?

Where were the Trenery's and Weber at this race?

 

[EPrill]

It was brought up a couple of times in Victory Circle Sunday as to where the out of division cars were and I think that was a fair question. It was not that far of a drive from Topeka. I did it in my street car in 6.5 hours so it would have probably been a 7.5 hour tow.

I can't speak for everyone. I couldn't have made it due to not having a transmission presently, but I had never planned on racing there due to it being the first Invitational and I needed to focus on the work commitments. I did commit at the beginning of the season to the other five Majors Championship events (3 Super Tours and 2 Invitationals) and that's still my plan.

Jesse's car is also missing a transmission and the bodywork is not yet complete after his Saturday incident at Hallett. On top of that, he had a work commitment himself at Heartland.

Bramlage goes where Jesse does.

Weber's car is still going back together from the Memphis wreck and had an outside work commitment as well.

Not factored into this is the reputation that precedes TMS that it's not a good track. Financially, I felt I needed to skip one of the six weekends this year, and work commitments aside, I decided that TMS was going to be the one because of the reputation. I can say that after having been there and watching the racing that I was pleasantly surprised with the track. It really provided for some close racing. We actually had a number of races that finished with a MOV under a tenth of a second and even one that was a photo finish needing to be settled visually since the transponders had it backwards. If the Invitational is at TMS next year and FP is included I will make every effort to be there as a participant.

 

[Larry Svaton]

Smith would not allow James,HP, to Race. If he had tried, Smith would have pulled James License.

Huh??? Must be an inside joke?

Where were the Trenery's and Weber at this race?

No inside joke, just the true facts. I will see James at our board meeting tonight and tell him to reply. I do not know where the other guys were,Rick drove my EP car and i was at my Father in laws 90th birthday. It was from what i hear a great race weekend.

 

[Matt Blehm]

TMS isn't my favorite track. it's pretty tame compared to some of the others in the area, but it has its own challenges. It's definitely a horsepower track, which is one of the many things I'm lacking in my old beater.

To take NASCAR 1 and 2 on the apron at >120mph, you've got to put on your big boy pants to take that turn flat. I got off in the marbles a couple times and was countersteering at 120! 88-o however, some of the other STU guys either didn't have the guts or grip to do it, and I was able to make up 10+ car lengths on Koller and Cohen through there. Unfortunately I just don't have the power to keep up the rest of the way around.

STU was stuck with SM at this race and that provided some pretty hairy moments. Grahovec, McClughan, and Cohen were all doing 130+ at the end of the straight vs. the SMs that were doing maybe 110. Several close calls according to McClughan with SMs pulling down on him going through the chicane.

The split start was a good call, but it didn't take long before the fast guys were catching the backmarker SMs. for me, it provided some pretty boring racing. I was out there all by my lonesome about 90% of the race. After the fast guys left me on Sat's start, the only other car I saw was the last place SM with 1 lap to go.

Sunday's qualifying race was fun for me. I spun on the 3rd lap or so and stalled the car. finally got restarted and underway just in front of the SM leaders. I had no chance to catch any other STU cars, so I let the SM lead pack by and just played around picking on the ones at the back of that pack. Drago occupied himself by blocking me, McSpadden, and Ross... I gave up trying to get around Drago after having to go through the grass twice to avoid contact, and just helped whoever was in back around nascar 3 and 4, only to watch them get blocked by Drago..

.... I would much rather have dealt with EP, FP, and HP... Seems the majority of Prod drivers have more common sense than to repeatedly block a faster car at 100+...

 

[James Rogerson]

Smith would not allow James,HP, to Race. If he had tried, Smith would have pulled James License.

Huh??? Must be an inside joke?

Where were the Trenery's and Weber at this race?

The Trenery's and Weber all told me they were going but Weber hurt his car at TWS. I broke my left leg (tibia) at the Mitty and Dr. Smith took one look at the x-ray and told me 'no racing or walking'.

James

 

[Ron Bartell]

I broke my left leg (tibia) at the Mitty ...........

Wow - Broke your leg at a vintage race. I hope the car wasn't hurt too badly Only kidding.

Thanks for the update, James. Hope you mend quickly.

 

[tstiles]

[/quote]


The Trenery's and Weber all told me they were going but Weber hurt his car at TWS. I broke my left leg (tibia) at the Mitty and Dr. Smith took one look at the x-ray and told me 'no racing or walking'.

James[/quote]

I guess that was your Crossle sitting out in the parking lot , Ouch 88-o

 

[James Rogerson]

Let's see 3 corners, radiator, chassis, 2 wheels, almost all the body work, steering shaft and assembly with broken leg. Yeah, I'd say I wrote that one off.

James

 

[Matt Blehm]

I wonder if I can straighten it out enough for a LeMons project? :lol: