Round 5 - Milwaukee (Jun 12th)

First, apologies to Michael Drechsler.  I got into the back of him on the first full course yellow.  He lost his back wing and I lost my front, and we both spent considerable time in the pits getting repaired.

Most of the rest of the race I knocked out consistent, albeit damage slowed, laps while watching cars speed up from behind and shoot by as I went high into turns.  Not much time to think strategy on a short track.  

At some point toward the end I was racing with (following really) Bob H and Ludovic.  Ludovic put on an amazing show of instinctive car control exiting turns.  I know the reasons were explained above but watching him go loose exiting turn after turn, with tires smoking, and then somehow keep it off the wall, and not lose too much time, was worth the price of admission.

Finally, thanks again to all who tirelessly put on this high quality show, race after race. The mod and tracks are an amazing trip down memory lane for me.

Jacob Fredriksson wrote:

I trust you will look into the fact that the pace car plowed into cars on pit lane? 

Indeed, we will look into this.  Sincerely sorry this happened.

Lee Simpson wrote:

 

At some point toward the end I was racing with (following really) Bob H and Ludovic.  Ludovic put on an amazing show of instinctive car control exiting turns.  I know the reasons were explained above but watching him go loose exiting turn after turn, tires smoking, and then somehow keeping it off the wall, and not lose too much time, was worth the price of admission.

Thanks. At last one people had appreciated the Little Chevy Horror Show during the race

I felt my chance for a good result on this short track before the race. My times was near by the best drivers so i hoped i will keep them also in the qualy and the race. But first mistake came in qualy when i badly counted my laps and i finish my ride after first fast lap. Really dont know why?? In the race i kept the pace and keep the 7th, 6th and finally 5th position. The pitstop came during the yellow phase around 60 lap i think so i guessed the amount of the fuel for the rest of the race. Because i dont use any graphic calculator for right fuel consuption the amount of the fuel was really only an estimation. The main mistake comes during the restart after yellow phase around the 130lap. I spun after the shifting from 2nd gear to the 3rd gear and i went into the wall. You didnt hear my swearing after this stupid mistake. Congratulation to the Richard. His pace with the same car as me was awesome.

Screenies up

http://historicsimracing.org/en/resultatscourse/1206

A pretty bizarre race, looking back on it now.  Kudos to Jonatan and Ben for keeping up with the developments so well!  Loved the coverage, and Ben's camera skills continue to amaze! 

Aaaaaarrrrrrrrgh! Still kicking myself after this one.

I had the perfect setup, more power than most of the field and definitely better handling. And I really didn't want the pole as it would be my first start with you guys and didn't want to be accused of jumping it or bogging it down. So 3rd spot on the grid was ideal for me. So all I have to do is mind my marks, be patient, let the field settle out, take no stupid risks, and I would get a decent finish -- possibly race for the lead if my setup behaved as it was designed.

So no part of my failure was due to the car. It was the chimpanzee in the driver's seat!

On the grid, got away smoothly, form up behind Richard, Dana to the outside. Good! One eye on Richard, one on the message box. Revs are perfect in 2nd gear. I'm feeling pretty chuffed, because I figure Richard is gonna launch like a bat outta hell and I could be sitting in 2nd by the exit of T2.

Wrong!

Pace car pulls off. Do I go or wait for the signal? Watch Richard, go when he does. Waiting, waiting. Then I hear a Foyt engine spool up and one of the Green's screams by to my inside. Waiting. "Green Flag" message pops up. GO, GO, GO! Engines are screaming, the field is coming, AND RICHARD IS NOT MOVING! "I'm gonna get hit, I'm gonna get plowed!" My right foot is screaming to be put down and my head (thankfully) is calmly saying "hold your line, let it sort out". From the green flag to backstretch I go from 3rd to something like 7th or 9th -- I just don't know.

By some miracle, I get away unscathed. The first caution gave me a chance to settle down and catch my breath. Green again. I work my way up to 6th, patiently just waiting for openings. I close on 5th place and he is harassing the hell out of Dana for 4th. I watch this for several laps before they both slide wide in one corner and I can dip underneath. I've got 4th and move up on 3rd.

I move right up on the gear box of 3rd. Sorry I can't remember who it was, but he was spot-on perfect and never gave me an opening for lap after lap! That was huge fun, just trying to size him up and find any opportunity to get by. Finally (and I don't know what lap), he makes a move on a lapped car and a spun car is sitting right in his path. OUCH! That was a huge one! How I got through it confounds me.

Into 3rd place and the yellow flag is out. Sitting pretty? Maybe for two seconds. I slow down for the yellow, car bogs, try a downshift, tail hangs out, counter steer, too late, we lazily slide through the grass and knock the nose off on the inside wall. (expletive)

I got righted but had been moved to the end of the line. Paced another lap to find my spot and see if the pits were open. Sixty-six seconds to change the nose and tires. In the meantime, the green flag has dropped again and I'm at least a lap down. But fresh tires and a lighter fuel load (staying on my original fuel schedule), I'm thinking we can make up some ground. And we do.

The next caution, still with the back-markers, I settle in with the car I should be behind. But he and the car in front of him either can't decide what spot they should be in or don't know how to pace. 80-20-50-35-80-15 mph! Trust me. I KNOW these cars are finicky at pace speed, but C'MON! Green flag comes out and we're 3/4 of lap behind the field!

I went back to work, gaining what I could. But several laps later, I came up on Jason White in his Parnelli. He graciously gave me the line into T3, but I hung the tail out coming out of T4. I could either try to correct and possibly take us both out on the outside wall with many cars coming behind us, or just tuck it in and hopefully not hit anything in the spin.

I spun into the pits, knocked half the car off, and was parked all bass-ackwards. It was time to just get out of the way.

But I LOVED it! The testing and tuning, racing, being competitive!

Like virgin sex: scary, great fun, over way too quick, and you just want to do it again as soon as possible!

I'll be shopping for an open car in the next race. I hope you'll have me back!

You are welcome Scott  

Next race at Pocono is a 500 miler and there should be competitive open rides

Alberto Ibañez wrote:

Next race at Pocono is a 500 miler and there should be competitive open rides

Peter Blom wrote:

Alberto Ibañez wrote:

Next race at Pocono is a 500 miler and there should be competitive open rides

Peter, as the 500 winner, you have the chance to win the Triple Crown

Nice race report Scott.  

It was me who slammed into the car in the middle of the back straight. I had some damage and saw you closing in on me and I had to get past the slower car, I pulled out to overtake and bang.