RR is a handling track, one where I have never really been comfortable. Decided to do the practice day, met Drew in Greensboro Thursday night and we made it in time for three sessions on Friday. As I suspected, I was off the front runners pace, but I’d had picked up some pointers and felt hopeful for Saturday qualifying.
We had a field of 31 cars, a pretty tough bunch since most of the division front-runners were there. After the first qualifier I was sitting 17th, with roughly a dozen other cars within one second (front and back). Not ideal, starting mid-pack is where bad things can happen. The second qualifier went much better after a setup change and finding a drafting partner, moving up to 12th. I was one of the few to improve my time, but it did not move me up the grid since the morning session was overall faster. So, starting 17th….
The race start was quite predictable, with two cars spinning after contact in T1 three rows ahead. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFjUBdjXS0A and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjYfr8DAF). As the scrum developed I saw a hole on the inside and picked up some spots by driving off track. Spent the first few laps trading positions before settling down around 10th place, but late in the race I was being caught by a drafting pair behind me and we were coming up on the tail end of the field. I had difficulty getting through the traffic (nobody waves you by in SM…), so we were now essentially racing nose to tail (with me in front) coming through the last turn starting lap 16 (of 20). I got on the gas just a little too early trying to get a run on the front straight and looped the car right in front of my pursuers.
One missed me, but the other didn’t, taking us both out of the race. As it turns out, I was lying 8th at the time due to another incident ahead of me. It was a disappointing way to finish an otherwise fun weekend, but as they say that’s racing. I figure I can’t hold this one against the class, since it was my error (unlike the May report from CMP…). We were both physically fine, our cars are fixable, and it was a good run while it lasted (note to self re T13 at RR- easy on the gas….).
Overall the first year in Spec Miata far exceeded my expectations. Great competitors, sturdy cars, and intense racing up and down the field. The car will get some needed upgrades this winter (cage, seat, etc), and this time we’ll run more weekends and return to the ’09 SIC in better shape points wise.
Drew and I will be at the Goblins Go weekend at VIR in October to close the season, running the old SSC Protégé in the ECR enduros. Emmitt Staley will be there to pick up his new SSC ride (Chevy Cobalt), and hopefully we’ll see a few more of the BRR club racers there as well. Going to be two days of good racing- see you there!
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