Infineon Double Regional

[Matt Conrad]

For those planning to attend the Double Regional at Infineon Raceway on Aug 31-Sep 2, the deadline for early entry is this Friday....I think the late fees are $50.

There's also another bigger issue....

The region is not recognizing the FB class and they are making me enter as an FS. Their online registration also does not have FB as a class. I spoke to the RE about this and he said he'd be happy to add FB if there were actually going to have cars...and from many of the posts I've seen here and speaking with a few racers, there should be around 5 FB's at this event. We need to get FB on the entry list and we need to be running as FB....not FS.

If you plan to run this event please get your entries in now and please contact the region to let them know that FB is a real class and there will be FB cars running.

Thanks,

Matt Conrad
Phoenix Race Works, LLC

[martyb]

We've already entered our Stohr F1000 at this event as a FS, as we did the previous regional at Thunderhill. We'll probably leave it this way, so we can't be protested for our new airbox!

Marty

[Matt Conrad]

Marty,

I would hope you would reconsider and run as an FB....otherwise how are we going to show these regions that FB is a real class and we deserve to have our own classification...

...but as of now I'm an FS too because the region doesn't recognize FB as a real class....guess that means I can run underweight by the 20 pounds or so and then maybe I'll throw the 200hp bullet in too....

Matt Conrad
Phoenix Race Works, LLC

[Mark H]

Well wasen't FS first created for these cars? But then some guys with new FA's thought it would be cute to run FS putting the MS /FC cars right back where they were, 2 old for FC and 2 new for CFC?
Now if that don't ruffel everyones feathers.......except FC?

[martyb]

Well wasen't FS first created for these cars? But then some guys with new FA's thought it would be cute to run FS putting the MS /FC cars right back where they were, 2 old for FC and 2 new for CFC?
Now if that don't ruffel everyones feathers.......except FC?

Maybe it started that way in Georgia, but out west there actually have been cars built or bought for FS; a car powered by a turbo Audi 4 runs regularly, along with a car that has a BMW V-12! Also some cars that have been modified beyond their class limits run FS.

Marty

PS Matt, we're not running Nationals with the Stohr this year, we're running it at regionals along with our other motorcycle-powered car, the turbo-Hayabusa Super Production car. maybe we'll try some Nationals next year!

[GoPro]

If you plan to run this event please get your entries in now and please contact the region to let them know that FB is a real class and there will be FB cars running.

GoPro is entering it's Stohr F1000 on Monday and we'll petition for FB classification.

5 F1000s...wooohoo! What a track...this should be terrific.

I agree with Matt...if you've got an F1000...petition for FB so we can get our numbers up.

Marty...I won't protest your CF air-intake and I doubt anyone else will.

Let's go racing - GoPro

[D.T. Benner]

The Region does not want to spend money for another $10 trophy! The SF region has 2 types of trophys. The ones that are generic (winners info is attached at the time it is handed over) or Photo awards (you pick the photo and it is printed and framed on the spot!) OR-the kind like the cast resin ones that have to be made up ahead of time and cannot be returned to the vendor. Those have to be ordered in advance and if no one enters a class the trophy goes unclaimed and the money is wasted. Sure that sounds like a lame excuse but I think all classes listed on the schedule have trophys made up ahead of time for 1st. thru 3rd. place. So that could be 3 trophys wasted. The alternative would be to take the results and have trophys made and mailed After the event! That would not be very popular!
So call the Region office and tell them if you are going to enter and that you want to run in FB. S.F. Regions Group 2 used to be called the "Formula Alphabet" group but the Sports racer guys whined about the name so now it's the "Wings and Things" group!
One thing to remember when you come to a S.F. Region event- the times posted on the Event Schedule are Green Flag times! So don't be late to pre-grd. AND practice sessions are "Feed on-Feed Off" so the starting time for your group could be earlier or later than you may think! Keep an eye on who is on pre-grid for those practice sessions. The reason for this is that we have a good group of people who have figured out how to give every one the maximum amount of Track Time by running a tight schedule.

[chuckj]

You FB guys may want to look at the GCR, if the F1000 cars are not homologated in FS then I don't think the region can put you there and if they do the other FS drivers may be able to protest you. As we all know, the FB class was established by the BOD late last year just like FE. FE's can't run in FS as they are not homologated in FS and they can no longer run in FA (thankfully) as when the FE class was created they were removed from FA. Then we get into "restricted regionals" which is where it gets fuzzy.

Ditto to D.T.'s comments, the SFR runs a tight ship.
Chuck

[RussMcB]

I'd be pretty upset if the region didn't let me run in my official, Nationally recognized class. I can't think of a reason why they shouldn't. Certainly, "We will if there are cars" isn't an acceptable answer. Do they do that with all classes? It's probably a case of needing to bring someone up to speed (but you'd think they'd know about it 8 months into the season).

[Matt Conrad]

Russ,

That's kind of my point here....

The region is saying "we won't have an FB class until we see FB cars".....and now we're bringing 5-6 cars and they're saying we have to run FS...major Catch 22 here.

I'm going to do some checking today on Chuck's comment about being able to run in FS....I sure as hell don't want to tow 14 hours and have them say we can't run....and would be very upset if a region was keeping F1000's off the track....

FYI....Can I get an update on who is going to be there in an F1000? My last count has the following people that said they were going or who have already entered:

Tom Robertson
Myself
Nicolas Woodman
Rod Rice
Marty Bose
Don Madsen

I'd bet we have more cars than some other established classes....

Matt Conrad
Phoenix Race Works, LLC

[Matt Conrad]

I am being told preliminarily by SCCA that Chuck is correct....

FB cars, like the FE cars, are NOT homologated for FS....even though I believe a few FB's have participated in SCCA races as FS cars...

I have a call into the SF Region RE and have another call scheduled with SCCA to discuss this further and clarify the situation this afternoon.

This is pretty frustrating...

Matt Conrad
Phoenix Race Works, LLC

[RussMcB]

I'd talk to the race chairman first, and insist that they correct the situation. If you've already tried that, then I'd be talking to someone in the national office.

We went through something similar a few years ago with FS. Registrars just weren't familiar with the new class. However, FS was much more regional and sparse, so that was understandable. In the case of FB, it's no different than FE, and I assume they are accepting FE cars at that race, right?

Good luck.

[Joshua Held]

Sorry to hear that this is an issue and I hope you guys get it worked out. I know Matt would rather be spending his time building new cars and preparing his car for the event!

I really don't understand what their problem is; you guys are going to be in wings n' things group. Seems pretty simple to me...

Good Luck
Josh

[D.T. Benner]

No,not Ghost Busters! Try Michael Smith, Regional Executive work-408-873-7899 Or try-Peter Nosler Assistant RE/Director. home-650-321-2306. They DID add ASR to the "Wings and Things" Group a few races ago SO it can be done?

[martyb]

(snip)

FYI....Can I get an update on who is going to be there in an F1000? My last count has the following people that said they were going or who have already entered:

Tom Robertson
Myself
Nicolas Woodman
Rod Rice
Marty Bose
Don Madsen

Matt, one correction; I'm on Don Madsen's GonMad crew, I don't have my own car (I wish!)

Marty

[Greg Mercurio]

Not sure why this should be a problem. The Supps say that FB is ELIGIBLE to runs in FS. Doesn't say that you MUST or WILL run in FS. Appears that the SF Region is recognizing your class. Talk to Mike Smith, a very reasonable individual.. Failing that, try RJ Gordy.

[GoPro]

I talked to a gal at the SF region office today and she said that now there are 4 confirmed F1000 entries with 1 or 2 more possible. She said this is enough for them to add FB to the schedule tomorrow and all FS F1000s will be automatically adjusted to run in FB.

She said that as of a couple of weeks ago there were only 2 entries...thus FS. But as there are more entries...local entries, too...they are going to create an FB class for the races.

Stoked! Good show all who piped up! - GoPro

[RussMcB]

That's odd reasoning by the region. So, if they had only one FA or only one GT-1 they wouldn't run those classes? They'd tell them to run in, what, FC & T-1? :-)

And the region can make up rules that conflict with the GCR, like say F1000 car can run in FS when that is against the FS rules?

Glad it's working out. I guess this is just part of the pain of pioneering a new class.

[martyb]

I talked to a gal at the SF region office today and she said that now there are 4 confirmed F1000 entries with 1 or 2 more possible. She said this is enough for them to add FB to the schedule tomorrow and all FS F1000s will be automatically adjusted to run in FB.

She said that as of a couple of weeks ago there were only 2 entries...thus FS. But as there are more entries...local entries, too...they are going to create an FB class for the races.

Stoked! Good show all who piped up! - GoPro

Well that's cute; I wonder if they were going to tell us in advance that they changed our class for us? I'll have to find out if we can get a new class designation decal cut out, as we are labeled as FS!

That's odd reasoning by the region. So, if they had only one FA or only one GT-1 they wouldn't run those classes? They'd tell them to run in, what, FC & T-1? :-)

(snip)

Glad it's working out. I guess this is just part of the pain of pioneering a new class.

Russ, our car was the first F1000 to show up at a SFR regional at Thunderhill; this is the first time there is more than one in attendance!

Marty

[Matt Conrad]

Good news.

I know of one more person who said he will be there and maybe he hasn't registered yet. I really think we'll have 5 cars....more FB's than any other prior event.

I'm really excited for this event....and this class. I think we should all go out on the track together and do a few laps in a group at 12,000 rpm's....we will definitely get people's attention.

See everyone there....back to putting "Pepe the Test Mule" back together....

FYI....Another Phoenix F1K.07 rolls out today...In Bright Red....Pics Later....

Matt Conrad
Phoenix Race Works, LLC

[D.T. Benner]

62 cars are on the Pre-Entry list! With that many cars on track in a 20 min. Qualifying session a clear lap will be just about impossible. Last time we had a group 2 field this big we had the biggest single crash in Region history-16 cars,hope that does NOT happen again! A 30 Min. race without a few Safety Car laps would be nice.

[formulasuper]

Like Racer Russ said, we had problems getting FS listed on the entry forms here in the SEDIV for about the first 2-3 years after FS was listed in the GCR as a nation wide "regional only class". I had to call ahead before each race to inform the officials of the fact that FS was an official class & to make sure I could run in it. Evidentally not all members read the Fast Tracks or the new GCR each year. Once we got each region educated about the class it has been included on all entry forms since. It took even longer to get Tech up to date. I'm still having to inform them that the FS cars are weighed "without driver"!

[Mark H]

Russ is right, just because none were entered you can't just leave out a class?? Wierd? At least yall got it ironed out.
62 cars!! and 5 FBs what a race! Looks like fun, I love this track on PSII, that last turn going onto the front straight looks like real handfull to get done right?

[D.T. Benner]

Yea,Scott I gave up trying to convince Tech. to weigh the car without me in it. I'm not to worried as even without me it's 250 pounds Over the minimum weight.

[Thomas Copeland]

You guys got more to worry about than what they're going to call your car. Not to scare anyone but:

62 cars on the track at one time at Sears Point is a certain recipe for disaster. I can't see how it can be avoided. The accordion effect going up into turn 2 alone will take half the field out. That's because some of those guys in that group still haven't figured out what the brakes are for. Glad my car is safe in Belling's batcave that weekend. But I'll be there taking photos (for posterity) cause what is probably going to happen when all those cars run full tilt into that funnel that now passes as a front straight is likely to be historic. Race safe guys. But chances are you'll only get 2 laps of real racing anyway, the rest will be run behind the safety car.

I think they should give everybody that takes the green flag a trophy for just having the balls and the sheer lunacy to start this race.

[RussMcB]

You guys got more to worry about than what they're going to call your car. Not to scare anyone but:

62 cars on the track at one time at Sears Point is a certain recipe for disaster. I can't see how it can be avoided. The accordion effect going up into turn 2 alone will take half the field out. That's because some of those guys in that group still haven't figured out what the brakes are for. Glad my car is safe in Belling's batcave that weekend. But I'll be there taking photos (for posterity) cause what is probably going to happen when all those cars run full tilt into that funnel that now passes as a front straight is likely to be historic. Race safe guys. But chances are you'll only get 2 laps of real racing anyway, the rest will be run behind the safety car.

I think they should give everybody that takes the green flag a trophy for just having the balls and the sheer lunacy to start this race.

Two quick comments:

1) Thank goodnss the F1000 cars will be at the front of the group. :-).

2) Maybe there can be an impassioned statement made at the drivers meeting or converstaions among competitors to help get everyone's mind on the right track regarding sane approaches into that first corner.

I hope it goes well and everyone comes home after having a great time.

[martyb]

Two quick comments:

1) Thank goodnss the F1000 cars will be at the front of the group. :-).

(snip)

I see the smiley, but doubt they'll be up front anyway. The Atlantics, some of the hot DSR/CSR's, and the hot FM's will be faster in qualifying. I'm guessing there will be a tight knot of F1000's about the 5th or 6th row back!

Marty

[GoPro]

I see the smiley, but doubt they'll be up front anyway. The Atlantics, some of the hot DSR/CSR's, and the hot FM's will be faster in qualifying. I'm guessing there will be a tight knot of F1000's about the 5th or 6th row back!

Marty

I've got 2 seasons of Russell Championship series racing at Infineon...27 races there I think, with I dunno how many practice days. So I feel pretty comfortable in saying (as everyone seems to agree) that running 62 cars in one start group through turn 2, 3a, and 6 in lunacy. They are all blind turns and the first 2 are over crest / off camber and blind!

It would flat out be irresponsible.

I think we need to petition for 2 if not 3 start groups. It has the potential to be like the Star Mazda cars at Montreal last year when they had that HUGE wreck.

I'm game for the mayhem if it comes to that...that's racing...but come on...we should all petition and be smart about this. Maybe they are already thinking about it?

I will call on Monday to request 2 or 3 groups...but does anyone know the best way to officially go about it and get it done?

Freaky and let's look out for each other - GoPro

[RussMcB]

I think the more accurate term is "split start", at least that's what I think you mean and that's what they call them in my neck of the woods.

What are all of the classes in that group?

[D.T. Benner]

On the DSR/CSR website they are talking about asking for a split start. That has it's good and bad side from my experience. But I just want to get through the first lap in one piece and then start racin! Funny thing is that at our last Regional we had ALL Formula cars in the first 6 rows and the Sports Racer guy's predicted we would all end up in a Ball in turn #1-that didn't happen!

[GoPro]

Split start! Doh! Right...that's what I mean. Me gots lots of laps but not so much experience hehehe.

Just for fun, here's that F1000 lap of Infineon again so you can practice bending your eyes up and over blind off camber crests to see cars parked on the exit

http://gopro.vsocial.com/#102853

Good luck to everyone...I will not dive bomb, for what that is worth (no, really!)

GoPro

[D.T. Benner]

Is like what you see at Sears Point (I Refuse to call it In-whatever!) but the whimps in the IRL use the school chicane and turn in right past the tower! Wait till YOU hit turn 10 at 125+ and hope you don't run out of road at the exit! Suck it up and hold your breath.

[Lee Stohr]

Saturday's results are discussed on the DSR Forum - Stohr racers Don Madson, Rod Rice and Nick Woodman came in ahead of the Phoenix cars of Matt Conrad and Robertson. Details are sketchy. Sounds like Matt got hit by a FM.

[PMPerformance]

Nice cars great race..A couple of those Stohrs were really hooked up..

[Thomas Copeland]

62 entries. 49 cars took the start. There were as many as 50 on track at once. But it was a nice clean start. Two caution periods but no big offs. The new Phoenix F1000 looked good and sounded good on track (and close up) as did the Stohr. I have one photo of the front of the field behind the pace car in turn 3a and the back of the field is way, way, down near start finish. Big field.

[Lee Stohr]

Congratulations to Stohr F1000 driver Nick Woodman for setting new race and Qualifying records on Saturday. He was even quicker than the fastest DSR !

[martyb]

Thomas,

Thanks for posting the two pictures of the first lap at turn 2; by comparing them we can see that Don (silver Stohr F1000 just outside of the orange Stohr DSR at the apex in the larger picture) really did somehow pass 2 or 3 cars on the first lap between turns 1 and 2!

Marty

[martyb]

Congratulations to Stohr F1000 driver Nick Woodman for setting new race and Qualifying records on Saturday. He was even quicker than the fastest DSR !

Actually he did on that on Sunday, and very impressively I might add! That kid is a rocket!

On Saturday he was having multiple problems, so we were both top qualifier and won the race (in class). Sunday he blew us into the weeds!

Marty

[VehDyn]

Congrats to you Marty (and Don) and also Nick for the good show. I saw the mylaps and it looked like you guys were hauling. Great job.

Ken

[Matt Conrad]

First off….I’d like to make a few factual statements to clarify a few things…

• This was the very first race for any Phoenix F1000….and the prototype was literally laying on the floor of our shop in pieces less than two weeks before the test day. For us to even make the event was a miracle. Didn't some other prominent car builder get beat by a 1996 VD conversion his first time out????
• Nic Woodman is one hell of a driver. He is currently #6 in the Formula Russell Championship and has tested his F1000 several times at Infineon prior to this event. After his rear wing sheared off on Saturday he was within a second of his time with the wing…figure that out! Trying to compare me to his driving ability is like trying to compare Tiger Woods to Bill Murray…..and I’m the one in Khaki!
• The 1:32 lap is very impressive….unfortunately his tires only lasted about 5 laps and he could barely get better than 1:38’s after the tires blistered….badly.
• We finished on the podium in our first race weekend with the car. No suspension failures….no wing failures….the wheels stayed on….no major problems....we rolled it on the trailer.....We’re pleased.
• Everything we’ve done from day one has been very public….and we’re now starting to shake down the car in public….even at tracks 14 hours from Phoenix....where we’ve never run the car before. That won't change.

So…like I said earlier...the weekend from our perspective:

Sixteen to twenty-hour days preceded the event for weeks (as we delivered customer cars), not to mention the 14-hour tow from Phoenix the day before. Dustin and I were both exhausted before we even got there. We never even got a chance to put the car back on the set-up pad and assumed that when we re-assembled it that it would be close to where we left off with testing.....we were wrong. Remember what they say about the word ASS U ME D….I won’t even mention the spin in 2 where I almost got hit 13 times….sometimes by the same car that missed me the lap before....does anyone look at the flag stands???

The weekend didn’t get any easier as we fought a dry sump tank “puking” issue and a tire issue (see below) that we’re not sure of, but we improved and qualified for the Saturday race mid-pack…a 1:39.6 I think….OK considering our best time in testing was a high 1:40.

The race started great as everyone cooperated and we got going without incident. Traffic was bad and started working my way forward….running 1:38’s….car felt good…..until the double yellow for multiple cars off in many different areas. When the green came out (I was in turn 10) 3 cars roared past me before I heard “green”….confusing re-start. I ended up in a pack of about 8 cars and couldn’t make any passes as it was about 6-wide into each passing zone. I finally decided I needed to go and dropped low into T7 to get by a few cars and a FE moved over and forced me off into the grass. I thought he may have hit me….but no marks on the front wing or tire. I got hi-centered on the T7 curb and caused a full-course caution.

When the corner workers could finally push me off the curb (reverse would have done it) they dropped the left front wing on the curb and did some damage…not their fault…but I had to limp it home as the wing was fluttering in high-speed corners.

Dustin repaired the front wing and we got ready for Sunday. We were also fighting the dry sump tank “puking” issue and we figured out a solution for that as well.

Sunday dawned and we felt pretty good. A new set of Goodyear’s and our fixes from Saturday’s oil issues and we thought were ready to go…..or maybe not. The car was “dead loose” in qualifying and we ended up still loosing some oil…our fix to the oil issue didn’t work, and we found an issue with the tires that will be addressed next week with Goodyear (sidewall seperation). I ended up at the back of the pack as I never got a lap in.

For Sunday’s race we implemented a recommended change to our oil system from George Dean and we changed back to our race set of tires from Saturday. The start was really slow and I think I got a “green, green, green” while I was still approaching T11. I slowly worked my way forward through FC’s, FE’s, FM’s, DSR’s in the field until a full-course caution mid-way that sort-of bunched up the field. I got passed under yellow by several cars (not F1000’s) but got by them all under green and started to again work my way forward until checkers showed. Don Madsen had pulled off in 7 early so I knew we had a podium and didn’t want to throw it away…I didn’t really push too hard.

In the end….a LONG weekend. We learned a ton about the car and I got a lot of seat time in the car....our goal….and since we’re still essentially testing…that’s a good thing.

See you at more races soon.

Matt Conrad
Phoenix Race Works, LLC