ReidSpeed NASA VIR Full Course race report - 2-21, 2-22-09

[fasthonda]

hi guys!

wow, what a great race weekend!  other than it being SUPER cold (16 deg F at night!) it was a perfect weekend for me!  report and vids as follows:

here's the quick down-n-dirty ReidSpeed race report:

saturday: i qualified REALLY well;  i got the pole position with a 2:18.5 (that would be a new PTE track record, if it had occurred during a race!). for the race, i lowered my tire pressures a bit too much, figuring that the tires would eventually heat up and grow; they did not gain enough heat (were at 32 psi when we came in after the race; too low for my car to work well on Toyos). anyway, i got a good start, and the black SE-R (steve harper) and i had a braking contest going into the first turn;  guess who won!      at that point, i took the lead in PTE; and then fought with Joe in the tube frame sports racer for a lap, and then gave up, not wanting to slow me further with fighting (i was running mid 2:20s -- the tire pressure was too low, and i could feel it). Wade in the white SE-R caught up behind me, and i drove defensively, keeping him behind me most of the time (he got up next to me a couple times, once at the end of the back straight). wade's car is FAST! i ended up winning PTE, with some last lap mayhem ensuing between the miata and a spec e30:

here is my incar vid:  http://www.vimeo.com/3348562

here is Wade's incar vid in two pieces (much more exciting than my incar, cause you get to see the probe for the entire race!): 
Part 1:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTU_1zJ-PKA
Part 2:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhE4zRUxIIs

man, after watching wade's incar -- when he got the good draft on me and tried to pass going up the backstraight -- i never shifted into 5th, and instead just kept the mofo to the wood in 4th and let her eat!  the tach was buried past 8k (the numbers end there!) and right before the brake zone you can hear me hit the rev limiter....  that's a first for me;  i've never hit the rev limiter in 4th!  and in wade's incar, i think the probenstien is actually totally drowning out his motor with it's scream....  i'm sure glad she didn't pop!

sunday: the track was slightly damp in places (just how i love it;  nice and tricky to drive!). steve harper in the black SE-R and i had an amazing 'race' during qualifying; probably the most fun i had all weekend! we were both pushing very hard, and he and i can really drive close to each other without crashing.... i qualified first in PTE with a 2:19.5. i got a good start in the race, and started to check out from the rest of the PTE field. i spent the remainder of the race letting the GTS-2 cars by (i didn't want to fight with them, and hurt their race, or endanger my car). the race ended under full course yellow, due to a bad crash between some 944s in Oak Tree.

http://www.vimeo.com/3342219

i had a really nice weekend; it was great being with all my friends, and good racing action! i just wish it had been a little warmer on fri night; i froze my ass off!!!

the probe ran perfectly; the Ksport GT Pro suspension was incredible at VIR (lopped over 3 secs off my last time there!), and the ReidSpeed BBK gave me the stopping power to outbrake the other PTE'ers.  i never even took the tool boxes or jack out of the trailer; i just added gas! i wish every race was like that!!!

i would highly recommend that any RTR'ers who can make the journey give VIR a try;  its a world class course!!!

enjoy

todd

[betegh9]

Nice racing! I watched both parts. It is cool to watch the intensity for that long a period of time. Are you (all) using still the RA-1's? or is the R888's the new tire? I've used the Toyos for years now, and now use the R888's. I like the tire very much, find them very predictable and fast enough for me. They are not quite like the Hoosiers, but you can't beat them for the $$$. I have 12 days on the R888's from last year, and will probably make this season with the same tires.

[fasthonda]

hi!

the tires i was using i bought used last year (225-50-16 RA-1s) for $200.  they have completed 9 races (i'm really on a streak;  i've won all 9!), and it appears that they might have another weekend or two left in them....  at this point, they are pretty much totally bald, without any real hint of tread left on them....

the other guys are mostly running on hoosiers or hankook z214s.

todd

[J.Smith]

Good stuff Todd! You're haulin' ass in that thing!

I agree on the intensity of the competition that lasts for much of the race, that's crazy. Gotta keep focused for a long time period and not make any big mistakes. In my brief racing "career", I've had some battles that last for a lap or 2, than we'll get separated, and the intensity drops down a few levels. Running nose-to-tail takes alot of concentration, and will wear you out if you're not prepared or used to it...which I know I'm not. The first 3 laps of Sunday's race was like that for me, and I'm thinking to myself, "there's no way I can keep this up for another 30 minutes". Well, I didn't have to, my competition broke. Hey I'll take a win anyway I can get it!

Great to see you again, sorry we didn't get to chat more. See you in March!

[fasthonda]

hi josh!   for sure, we'll need to hang out and talk more, next time!  will you be at VIR again in March with NASA?

you were SMOKING fast -- 2:10s!!!   your car looks great, and sounds mean, too!  i was standing up on the hill watching your guy's race both days.....

see ya soon!

 

[George3]

All this talk about racing is getting my appetite going.

Doing my Comp School in March.

Nice driving, Todd !

Josh, I heard you were lighting up the track !!!

[Toms 993]

Todd.........are you going to VIR this weekend? I'm signed up but you may be the only one from RTR going down. Give a call if you can....610-772-0308.
Tom Dymant