[APKhaos]

Any Dorki plan on getting another late season track fix?
The NASA HPDE this weekend is open - I think there is room in all run groups. See https://www.nasaproracing.com/nasa_e.../?event_id=188 for registration info.


Last race of the 944Cup series on Saturday, so we will see if I can avoid the wildlife and get the car to the finish in one piece. There have been quite a few 'incidents' in the Cup races this year, and the official word is out that the modified 13/13 rule on metal-to-metal events will be tightened up next season to discourage heroics and banzi racing. Phew!!

Anyway, takers for the weekend???

[Jim Richards]

I hope I can make it to SP to watch / cheer you on, Tony...that is, when I'm taking a break from the engine teardown. Best wishes for good, safe racing and your best outcome.

[Jazzbass]

Just for clarification - you need help in the pits or is this a come & watch invitation?

BTW, try to hit a doe this time around. The meat tends to be a little more tender. I'll bring the Weber for the after-race cookout .

[APKhaos]

Chris,
I'm hoping there are a few Dorki signing up for the HPDE. The race info is a sidebar. I know Dave [Black Talon] was signed up, but there may be others.

[nova996]

I'm in for the HPDE. This time I'll actually stick around for the big event.

Timing on that last weekend was a bit tight for me.

Firoze

[nein14-6]

I went to watch on Saturday, this was the first NASA event that I’ve been to. I walked around the pits and noticed that there didn’t appear to be an un-bent 944 in the place. I was watching while a gentleman in maroon 944 was bolting on a new rear wheel to what appeared to be a completely destroyed car and heading out on track.
I didn’t realize that they did standing starts, I was watching the AI/Factory Five Cobra race from turn 1, man was that cool, I’m hooked and sorry that I missed watching the rest of the races this year.

[CrewChief]

So, you don't like the aerodynamic modifications Potomac member Steve Randolf made to his 944? We were thinking the 'flow through' ventilation would result in a higher top speed. Ah well. We are told the trees (in turn 3) are doing well with no permanent damage. Steve did run the car later in both Saturday and Sunday races.

One aisle over you should have found several 944s not similarly modified.

[nein14-6]

“Flow through” design aka pickup truck bed, I like it.

[BlackTalon]

Originally Posted by nein14-6

I went to watch on Saturday, this was the first NASA event that I’ve been to. I walked around the pits and noticed that there didn’t appear to be an un-bent 944 in the place.

Well, if you looked on Saturday morning, you would have seen Tony's pristine, unbent 951. Saturday afternoon was another story, however... He really looked like a racer when in pulled into the paddock!

[APKhaos]

So, here we are at the end of the season. Saturday was the last race, and the top three positions in 944Cup [normally aspirated] were just six points apart going into Saturday's race. The Honda Challenge had a similar setup, with the two top runners equal on points going into Saturdays race. All this to say that there was some serious racing on the weekend.

The car nein14-6 mentioned was unlucky enough to hit oil dropped by a car [in another series] earlier in the same lap. The resulting spin put Stu into the trees at the top LHS of turn 3. The damage was in front of the front wheel and behind the rear wheel, and was clearly just body damage - no mechanical damage. Yes, he decided to cut the rubbing metal away with a body saw. It was the only sensible way to do it. The panel was toast, so getting it away from the wheel was no loss. The 'repair' allowed him to run in both Saturday & Sunday races, as JB mentioned.

There were three or so other cars that were carrying some body damage from two weeks earlier. Simply not enough time to get the repairs done, and drivers decided to leave the bent bits for the winter recess. If you get a chance check out the 944Cup 2005 Calendar. It contains race pics from the 2004 season. THere are some very nicely prepared cars in the series.

So, my luck finally ran out on the weekend - in two major areas at once!

I'd run every race in the season without a scratch [absent Bambi]. That includes running with the front of the pack, where the Cup guys were fighting it out, and some pretty intense dices on occasion. It also includes starting frm the back of the pack a couple of times, and working through the field - all without a scratch!

Also ran the season without a serious mechanical problem, where serious equals somehting that could not be fixed in the paddock before a race.

That all ended in Qualifying for Saturday's race.

I spun in five on the first Green flag lap. I was at the head of the field, and wanted to keep the advantage of clear track for long enough to get a quick lap in the books. The spin surprised me because I like turn five, and didn't feel that I'd over-driven it. Turns out that this should have been enough to tell me something was wrong, because it was! But no, I pressed on [foolishly].

A few laps later I'd moved through some traffic and had clear track. Time for the hot lap I needed to qualify well. Had a good one going until the exit of T3, when I thought I smelled coolant. Checked my oil temps, which were fine, so pressed on. Entered T4 at around 105 and on the gas.

Just before the apex, things went horribly wrong. A cloud of steam from under the hood, then the front wheels went haywire. I'd burst a water line [I thought], and had my own private skid pad generator. The car slewed into a slow clockwise spin, drifting toward the ugly wall to the left of the chute.

That wall has destroyed lots of cars, and I still had a ton of speed on. Somehow, I managed to correct the spin, but still had no real steering control. The car started to rotate anticlockwise, and was now drifting towards track right. I figured I had enough time to get it stopped before the wall, and I was close......but not quite enough. The rear pass side quarter hit the wall almost directly opposite the flag station at turn 5. So, there I was. Having survided a spin down the Chute, and stuck on the tire wall almost into turn five, and still alive! The engine water temp was mighty high so I shut it down and called for the tow team.

The body damage was minimal - the rear quarter panel and bumper were the only pieces involved. I could have raced without a problem if the bodywork was the only issue. Turns out the head gasket was blown. Its not clear if a hose let go first. Its too early to say if there are other problems resulting from the overheat.

Well, I had enough points to win the SuperCUp championship for the year without Saturday's race, so the festivities of the awards dinner were still on! Janet came up for the dinner. Collected a superb trophy - they made a glass trophy with doug E's picture of the car on the grid at Daytona acid etched in the glass. Very nice! Also picked up a nice bundle of prizes for the championship and rookie of the year.

Its been a fantastic first race season. Learned a ton [still a novice at this], had a lot of fun, scared myself witless a few times, and managed to survive. One of my goals had been to run the season without damaging the car, and I came close.

The 944Cup is a superb group of guys, and a well organized race series. I can't say enough good things about the camraderie, the way everyone pitches in to get guys going if there is a mechanical problem, and the mutual support that makes a great series. Can't wait for next season!