DUFFUS #2 at Pittsburgh International Raceway

Hi,

Registration for DUFFUS #2 at Pittsburgh International Raceway on August 1, 2 & 3 is now open on MotorsportReg.com. We will be racing in support of Formula Race Promotions Pro F1600 & F2000 series for that weekend. The Pro Atlantic cars are not racing, so we are in effect the third FRP group of the weekend. The race weekend is being organized by NARRA and FRP is partnering with them.

This means that we will be racing not only with the FRP Pro cars, but with some really trick Vipers, Corvettes, Mustangs, Subaru WRX (they are really, really fast) and other really interesting GT type cars and the Radical Sports Racing cars. We will have our own FF, CF, VCF, VFF race group; nothing but Formula F cars on track when you are racing.

The schedule that you see on MotorsportReg is really just a place holder until we receive the event schedule from NARRA/FRP. We will be on track twice each day of the three day event. The two Friday sessions will be practice sessions. The Saturday morning session will be qualifying and Saturday afternoon will be race #1 of the weekend. Both sessions Sunday sessions will races.

Kill stickers will be awarded to the podium finishers in each class for each race. Trophies will be presented to the podium finishers in each class for the final race (#3) of the weekend. The entry fee will be $495 for the weekend.

Dan Pyanowski has kindly agreed to provide recommended gear ratios for those of us who have never run at PIR. Dan will either e-mail them to me for posting here or post them himself as part of this thread. Since he has run both FF & CF at PIR and is a very, very quick driver the ratio information will be good.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you should have any questions (joemffracer@verizon.net or 540-686-0335).

Thanks,

Joe Marcinski
#04 Club Ford Royale RP24 (almost)

Registration is now open at MotorsportReg.com.

Joe M.

Damn, Kevin Brumbaugh beat me. Two in CF now.

I'm in. Car is coming along.

Joe and Dan,

Any thought on when the gear ratio suggestions will be available? I have only this weekend to prepare for Pittsburgh and I'd love to get the gear change out of the way.

Thanks,
Phil

Hi Phil,

I made the huge error of allowing a new version of IPhone software to "update" my phone on Monday................ Now I am seriously thinking about placing the eefffing thing beneath the wheels of the cop truck and doing a little back and forth practice.

Hopefully Dan will log on soon and get the ratios posted for us as I cannot get to his phone number. Sorry................

Joe M.

Joe,

Dave and I have been doing a bit of searching on Apexspeed, and it looks like Mid-Ohio gears are at least close. My M-O straight through top gear (9:31 pinion) seems like it would be pretty tall for Pittsburgh, but at least it should be 'safe'.

Phil

From my notes but they may be short for the Hoosiers as I ran Dunlops when I was there last (23" dia). As a starting point,

9:31 R&P
19:32
21:29
24:27
25:26

10:31 R&P
19:33
20:31
22:29
24:27

Thanks Jonathan. Looks like Mid-Ohio gearing is just about right.

Typically, depending on the car, how fresh the engine is, the driver etc. MO gears work fine at NL..The only change to possibly consider is dropping first 1 tooth for NL cause turn 13 is so slow.

Hello all:
Just back from a road trip for work and now have access to my records.
With the Tiga, I ran a 1:00.04 back a few years ago with:
9:31 CWP
19/32
22/30
23/28
25/26
RPM at the end of the back straight 6,600

10:31 CWP with the Swift:
18/34
21/31
22/30
24/28

See you there!
Dan

I am thinking of doing Duffus (for sure) and also entering the Pro race. Can I entice others to do the same and not be left alone at the back of the pack in the Pro race? Chime in here or via email or PM. Will want to decide within a week or so

Steve

Hi All,
If anyone is on the fence, please consider joining us for round 2 of the infamous DUFFUS series at Pittsburgh! Lots of track time and a great group of guys. Also were running with Rands Pro series so it is a hassle free weekend! Where have all the Club Fords gone? Bring them out and have some fun!
Safety Fast!
Wes Allen

Looking forward to it ......car almost done. :revs:

Hi,

Just for information purposes; PIR allows pets as long as they are leashed. Also, all Red Roof Inns are pet friendly and there is one that is 20.4 miles and 23 minutes drive time from the track. It is the Red Roof Inn Pittsburgh North in Cranberry Township 724-776-5670. So, Beaker gets to come to the race next weekend.

Unfortunately, my car is still not ready so I will again be playing race chair/director for the weekend. I do hope that more of you will decide to come and join us.

Where else can a little mistake get you on national TV?????

Joe M.

My objective for the weekend will to Not Get on National TV.

Does anyone know what kind of food service is there? Can I buy breakfeast? Lunch? Just trying to figure out how much to pack in the motorhome for the weekend.

Ed

Hi,

Just got a new tentative schedule for the weekend.

Friday, 10:30 AM to 10:55 AM, Practice #1
Friday, 2:00 PM to 2:25 PM, Practice #2
Friday, 4:00 PM to 4:25 PM, Practice #3

Saturday, 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM, Qualifying (sole qualifying session)
Saturday, 5:20 PM to 5:50 PM, Race #1

Sunday, 11:30 AM to 12:00 Noon, Race #2
Sunday, 4:30 PM to 5:00 PM, Race #3

So we have been given an extra practice session on Friday to get those gear ratios just right.

I checked with the track and they have a concession stand that is open for only lunch/afternoon, but unfortunately not for breakfast.

Joe M.

Hi Ed:
You should probably consider packing some essentials
At the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix last week there was only 2 food vendors that I recall.
Mostly the hotdog, french fry variety.
The hot dog vendor did offer breakfast burritos.
There are limited food stores in the area as well.
We got any things like ice and milk at the gas station mini-mart on 18 near the track.
There is a Subway there as well.
Limited restaurants in the immediate area.
There is an Italian restaurant on 18 near the Super 8 and a Irish pub across the street.
The Italian is fine. I haven't tried the Irish Pub.
The Holiday Inn also has a restaurant.
We found the greatest variety of food choices off the Cranberry exit of the turnpike.
Thats a drive of about 14 miles or so.

Regards,

Greg
PRS #30

Hi,

I have been advised that we will have a very interesting guest driver in the Club Ford division for DUFFUS #2 at PIR next weekend. I expect that the Club Ford race will be even more competitive and interesting that it usually is......................

Joe M.

Well, you have me intrigued. How about a hint?

It looks like Andy is going to get an opportunity to try out his inheritance.

Now, if we could just get Wes a set of headers!

Joe M.

Joe,

if we get there late on Thursday night can we get into the track by signing a release at the gate and then find the ladies around breakfast time? Or is it like the Glen where you are locked out until you have seen the SCCA folks?

I will look at my collection of Ford headers and take pictures to see if there is something Wes could use

steve

Does anyone know if Hoosier brings any regular FF tires with them for the Pro events or just the F1600 pro tires? I guess I could call Hoosier to ask.

If we are locked out Steve you will be parking next to me. I plan on leaving early on Thursday but that never really works out and there is always traffic on I-80 for construction or something. Steve, if you see us parked by the entrance Thursday night stop by - I may even have some cold beer.

Ed

Hi,

NARRA is the prime partner for the weekend and per their supps; load in begins at 6 PM on Thursday, July 31. There is overnight RV camping permitted at the track and there is overnight security present.

A track waiver must be signed by anyone entering the property and it is my understanding that the night security personnel perform this task. I will confirm that with a call to the track later today and it there is anything different I will edit this post after the call. So, it is more like Mid Ohio or Summit Point where the access is pretty much around the clock on a race weekend.

Race registration is not required prior to entering the track property. Lenore & Shelia of FRP will very kindly be registering DUFFUS participants and they usually begin their day at approximately 8 AM.

If you are going to do the overnight RV camping and want shore power from the track, please call them at your earliest convenience. There are a limited number of hookups available so try and reserve one early or may have to run off your own generator.

I will call Hoosier a little later on today and check on non-pro series tire availability.

Joe M.

I plan to work all day on Thursday, which puts me there at midnight- ish. If we park outside I am fine, I sleep in the van, but I should have crew who will then have to put up some tents and then break them back down. Hence the preference to get in. I might spring for two hotel rooms if we cannot for sure get in

why not run the F1600 tires? You are a registered pro

HI
For those of you travelling west through PA on 80, we encountered at least 2 construction projects where the traffic funneled down to one lane.
These were west of 81 and if memory serves one was Bloomsburg and the other Danville.
It added at least a hour or more to our trip out to PIRC two weeks ago.

I have been driving that route for over 20 year and can't remember a summer when there was not construction on i-80. You just assume there will be delays on that route.

Ed

For tires, call up Jeff Speer at Hoosier Tire, (574) 784-3152.

He put a set of R60's in the truck for me at Mid-Ohio last month. Place the order with him today and they will bill you once they are in the truck ready for transport.

Hi guys
Sorry to say I won't be making the race this weekend. I did find a header that works but business and family priorities have interveened. Everyone can relax knowing they won't be on YouTube!!!

Hi,

Thanks to the very kind folks at FRP, NARRA and the volunteers of the Steel City Region of the SCCA, we had a very successful weekend at Pittsburgh International Raceway Complex. Special thanks to Terry Earwood of NARRA. The iffy weather and an incident with one of the GT cars caused the schedule for our second race of the weekend to be a bit problematic. Terry was kind enough to forego qualifying the USGT series so that DUFFUS could have a full race. Additionally, the volunteers allowed our drivers to return to the paddock to change from rains to slicks because the track was drying out. Incredibly generous; just a real pleasure to work with such considerate folks.

Also, special thanks to Greg Rickes for doing a fabulous job announcing our races and for being the consummate professional. He did not seem to be at all embarrassed by calling us DUFFUS'/DUFFI (at our request of course!). Thank you very much Greg.

On Saturday for Race #1, weather was an issue as is so common in Formula Ford racing. Just before the race, showers moved in over PIRC but moved out just in time to cause the much despised rains or drys question. Everyone went out on rains except Wayne Nicolette who was on intermediates, but the track was soon drying and everyone was searching for puddles to cool the tires. Steve Roux captured what I believe is the first victory for his amazing homebuilt/selfbuilt Wyvren/Honda FF. Andy Brumbaugh sat in for his dad Kevin and won in CF in the Crossle/Honda. The early going was a little trick for Wayne, but his tire choice paid off as he did the fastest race lap and put himself on the pole for Race #2.

Weather, as mentioned above, was an issue in Race #2 on Sunday afternoon. Wayne started from the pole on intermediates, but was almost immediately passed by Dan Pyanowski and Andy Brumbaugh who had gone back and changed to slicks. Dan and Andy put on a great race with the lead changing seemingly twice each lap. Dan eventually took the overall victory in his VanDieman/Honda by 1/2 second over Andy.

Race #3 was the best...........the first half of the race had Dan, Andy and Phil Kingham nose to tail with Dan and Andy swapping the lead back and forth twice each lap. About halfway through the race, Andy inadvertently tapped the back of Dan's car at the kink on the back straight and Dan spun and hit the guardrail. Fortunately/miraculously; the appears to be very little damage to the car and Dan was able to drive it back to the paddock with only a minor nick on the tail section.

The two CF's lapped at just about one minute flat laps going back and forth for the lead for the remainder of the race until Andy was able to prevail by .2 seconds at the finish. Steve Roux finished third overall dealing with a fuel pressure problem for his second FF win of the weekend.

There is no getting around the fact that our entries at both Mid Ohio and PIRC have been small; much smaller than the initial response here on ApexSpeed when we announced the series. I cannot in good conscience complain as my own car is not yet complete so even though I am a DUFFUS I am smart enough to not be the pot calling the kettle black.

We have our third DUFFUS race scheduled for October 4 & 5 at Summit Point for the MARRS finale & Formula Fest. We sincerely hope we can get the same 18 to 20 car entry that we had at that event last year. The racing has been great. You will not find a finer bunch of folks to hang out with. I will let the driver who have been actually racing comment on the weekends, but please seriously consider joining us at Summit Point in October.

There is another opportunity coming up, but I will post separately on that.

Best regards,

Joe Marcinski

Our thanks to Joe, Angela, Dave, Chief Larry and all the Duffi for another great DUFFUS event at PIRC. Great group to race with. Lots of fun. I'm planning to return at Summit Point in October.

I posted video of DUFFUS 2 Race 3 from Sunday afternoon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5GF...ature=youtu.be

Thanks for posting the video Mike. That was a fun race!

Phil

I had a great time racing with the DUFFUS group this weekend. Huge apology again to Dan who I punted. Complete accident on my part and I feel awful. I am glad that his car doesn't have a lot of damage as it could have been a lot worse.

Had a great time racing with everyone and it was a great battle with Phil to the very end of race 3. I am trying to get my video to work from that race and will post it once I get it fixed.

I hope this group can make things work and continue to grow over the next few years. Having a series of races that can get a healthy number of CF's and FF's (that might not want to run the pro series) together to race a few times a year is excellent as nobody wants to race against themselves like what happens too often at events these days.

Hopefully I won't have to wait another 2 years to get the chance to race and I can see everyone on track soon.

Does anyone have any photos from DUFFUS 2 they can post?