Who will win FF - Vegas line

[Drivers Services]

I know I'll catch heat for this. But I was asked how I would handicap the Runoffs FF race. As I don't have a car or customer entered here goes.

As I have many friends in this race (probably not after this post) let me state some of the things I considered.

Track, Car, Equipment, Luck, Runoffs luck, Experience,Team,Engineer, Budget, Racecraft, Attitude and Aptitude.

Odds

4-1 in no particular order

Cliff Johnson
Anthony Coello
Eric Langbien

At 5-1
John Robinson

At 6-1
Steven Oseth

7-1
Steven Hickman

9-1
Davey D'Addario
Mike Sauce

10-1

Gerald Barrett
Nick Hollingshead

12-1

Bill Kephart
Harry Sauce
Stan Townes


Rest of the field at 13-1 or better

All bets are off if it rains.

Jim

[Rob C]

I think you're pretty close. I don't know of D' addario (sp?)is he new? Care to give us a line on who will get the pole?

Rob C

[Cole Morgan]

I'm going to say it goes like this.

Coello gets pole by .152

Robinson qualifies 2nd followed by Cliff Johnson, Steve Oseth, Langbien, and Hollingshead.

The race starts. Everyone get's through the new T1 clean, someone in the top 6 spins in T3.

The race continues with no full course caution. Robinson uses his years of experience and his handy dandy engineer (James "Bruce" Lee) to have a great car at the end and he gets past Coello with a few laps to go.

Robinson
Coello
Langbien
Johnson
Hollingshead
Oseth

There is your top 6 boy and girls.

[Allen_W]

How could Sports Car mag mention neither Tony Coello nor Gerald Barrett in their Runoffs article?

If Tony runs trouble-free, he should be considered very likely, along with Gerald and Cliff Johnson. Yes, I am biased in favor of those who have blasted past me in Sprints qualifying and so forth . . . but these guys are fast and very smart racers.

[Joefisherff]

Okay what are the odds on what tires Tony will run on the rear????? Good luck to all and let's make it a clean race this year so we can see some real on track battles throughout the field!

[Gerald Barrett]

95% Tony will run 7.0 Front tires on the rear. I think he has run those all year.

[Garey Guzman]

I know of another person running the wide fronts on the rear but his name isn't listed above....

[Tom Duncan]

"....will run 7.0 Front tires on the rear. I think he has run those all year". Uh, is this a joke? Is someone (more than one?) using wide (7.0) front tires on the rear of the car?

Tom Duncan

[John Robinson II]

"....will run 7.0 Front tires on the rear. I think he has run those all year". Uh, is this a joke? Is someone (more than one?) using wide (7.0) front tires on the rear of the car?

Tom Duncan

uhh, no joke and yes.

[Garey Guzman]

And others are giving it a try.

Look for more "tricks of the week" at your upcoming RunOffs!

[Drivers Services]

There are at least 4 different types of front tires that have been tried or will be used at the Runoffs on the rears that I know of.

Rob,
Davey D'Adarrio and his father are really good people, they run a Db-6 that you can eat off of out of Conn. They're very much a team and they're quick.

Pole Odds?

Shorter List

At 3-1
Anthony Coello
John Robinson

At 5-1
Cliff Johnson

7-1
Steven Oseth

10-1
Davey D'adarrio
Eric Langbien
Mike Sauce

Rest of the field at 11-1 or better

Cole,
I've seen people go out on a limb before, But never as far out as you've gone with your prediction. I'm referring of course to your prediction that....

"Everyone gets thru the new turn 1 clean"

Later,
Jim

[thunderracing91]

There will be at least a 3 car pile up by turn 3.........................Hopefully suace will make it through this pile up in 07!

Andrew

[M.Sauce]

Thanks I need some luck for the first couple of corners.I have been taken 3 out of last 4 Runoffs in the first or second corner at the start.

[Bill Johnson 42]

Mike - Just slow down. If you do I will too.

[M.Sauce]

Bill- You just remember who got your car figured out for you.Show some respect for the elderly. I got to do better this year or quit. M.Sauce

[rrosson1]

I'll put my money on Barrett.

[Dave Hopple]

Pole
Coello

Podium
1.Coello
2.Robinson
3.Johnson

Darkhorse (s)
Langbien
Sauce
Oseth
Kautz

[bryancohnracing]

Two who wish we could be there racing:
Hopple and Cohn!

Course, this also pretty much garantees us not to be in the turn one mess, right Dave?

Pole: Coello

Top Three
1. Johnson
2. Coello
3. Langbien

Any number of guys could be in there if they have good luck.

Go Cliff!

See you all in a few weeks!

[Rob Howden]

Two who wish we could be there racing:
Hopple and Cohn!

See you all in a few weeks!

Don't worry, guys. We'll keep everyone who can't be there updated. Al Craighead and I will be arriving on Tuesday and will begin our in-depth trackside on www.eformulacarnews.com first thing Wednesday morning. There will not be more informative coverage of the Runoffs anywhere.

We'll have complete class-by-class reports and results, paddock blogs on our forums, photo galleries, interviews, daily podcasts and the full 'Photo Grid' once again so that you'll see a shot of each and every car.

The Runoffs...one of my favorite times of the year.

[Drivers Services]

Early test week info. Not a lot to report

We got in late Sat Night, No canopies were going up on Sunday with tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings in the area. Didn't get the Tornado but did get the thunderstorm.

Monday was great weather wise. We were testing fender strength in the CSR. Stan Townes was the only FF I saw testing. I had him in the high 41's. Midday he came back on the hook, didn't look to bad.

Tuesday We tested the wall exiting the old chicane with an FA. Bill Kephart was out in his Vestal. Didn't get any meaningful times on him as the day was weird weather wise. Overcast in the morning then on and off drizzle followed by another nasty thunderstorm. Finally about 3:20 the skies had cleared and the track dried out in most places except for a few "Streams" running across the track.

By Wednesday A few more fords took to the track including John Robinson and Cliff Johnson. Weather was great. I was busy making FA parts so I didn't see much on track happenings. Was told JR was in the 40's. Cliff seemed to be taking a leisurely approach to testing. Working on small things not trying to put laps together.

Caught a plane home wednesday night. Richard Leslie was rolling in just as we were rolling out

Hear JR went faster thurs, down into the 39's

Other notes, Gibby's working with Mirl Swan and company. I'm told Hans Peter is going to run CSR and FA in the same car!!! That'll wear out a crew. Glenn Cordova's heading out to give Steven Hickman a hand. Heading back out in the AM.

Later
Jim

[Drivers Services]

Hello again,

As I only have 7 of eight corners on the 2 cars we're running i'll have to make this quick.

Tires........

Many comp's have tried small rears (FM fronts on the rear seem a popular choice) but are pretty much staying with what they've run all year. The aero advantage they offer doesn't come into play much here and the track changes have lessened the rotational weight/ acceleration pluses they bring to the table. Factor in gearing and the opportunity to backwards engineer your effort seems great. Something that happens quite often at the runoffs it seems.

Engines all over the paddock are being changed, the Drivers Services engine crane has it's own appointment book....

Most everybody's here, those who have waited to today to test might get caught out, First session is 9:50 am, it's going to rain today, the only question is when it will start.

Hottest rumour in the paddock "Road America is in for 2009-11"


Later,
Jim

[Drivers Services]

Well there's only 1 test session left before qualifying starts tomm. looks like the rain will hold off for today. pushing it back into tomm.

With 3 of the 5 top finishers from last year not returning guys are looking to move up.
You're going to have to go fast. Unofficial times for testing have........

JR on your provisional pole with a very low 1:38
Oseth's at 38.4
Coello and Johnson high 38's
Langbien low 39's
D'Addario's also in the 39's along with several others.


Wait a minute did I say 3 of the top 5 finishers not returning?
Can you say late entry!!!!
A car has been purchased in canada, a blue motor is being put together, parts are being borrowed.......
Heading in from the east coast, can he get here in time? Can he get up to speed with out any testing?
Alot of people may have just lost a spot on the final grid.
The man whose name is a verb.

Prepare to be "Schwietzed"

Later,
Jim

[Drivers Services]

Somebody get this kid some pushrods!!!!!!!!!!!

If your name's not Shandelle Leonard your not going thru the 8/9 chicane the fastest. He is positively flying thru the 8/9 combo (new chicane) several drivers almost recieved a DB-1 enema. Get him a pushrod car and he could win this thing. Looks like Stan Townes, David Livingston and Bangert and company have some work to do to earn DB-1/3 top honors.

The session started at 11:15 featuring a quickly drying track and sunny skies. 4 of your pole favorites chose not to go out, JR, Cliff, Oseth, and the small tire flyer Coello.
Langbien was first out trying to sort out a carb problem. As the Csr and FA are ready to go I headed over to the chicane to watch. Ethan Shipperts and Eric Langbien's cars look amazingly alike when coming at you thru the sun, they're both smooth and fast thru the chicane, easiest way to tell the the difference was the sound, yep Eric's still got some work to do on that carb problem. Other guys that looked good thru the chicane included Hickham,Kautz and Mike Sauce. D'Addario looks tenative turning in early and not enough while being slow to go back to power, He'll get there, watch out if he does, he must be quick on other parts of the track because he's 4th on the grid.

The top 5 are all under 1:40

Ethan Shippert's first at 38.4
Shandelle Leonard 2nd at 38.8
Tim Kautz 3rd at 39.2
Davey D'Adarrio 4th at 39.2
and Mike Sauce 5th at 39.7

The field is down 25% from last year with 6 of last years top 9 not here. Big turnover.

Other notes: Hickham's been chasing a miss, Barret was off his pace perhaps scuffing tires. Only 18 guys went out.

Looks like you're going to need a 37 if you want the pole

Jim

[thunderracing91]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh yeaaahhhhhhhh I hope Ethan will get his car dialed in!!!!! I am pulling for Ethan Shippert and Cliff johnson!!! Tear it up Ethan!!!!!!!!!

Andrew

[stonebridge20]

[quote=Drivers Services;

Hottest rumour in the paddock "Road America is in for 2009-11"


Later,
Jim



!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Purple Frog]

Pictures for you FF fans.

Something died in JR2's electrics.

Some interesting wizzy FF parts on grid...

[Purple Frog]

more pictures from grid...

[Tim FF19]

Who's driving the big bannana? Or better yet, what is it?

[Purple Frog]

Kephart. It's Dan Campbell's new creation. Called a Vestal.

[Art Smith]

Froggy-

does Bill Kephart have some new trick wheels to reduce drag OR is there a "wheel cover" story brewing??

Art
artesmith@earthlink.net

[Roland V. Johnson]

Well if Ferrari can do it.....

[Drivers Services]

Watched from turn 1 overlook, you can see Alpha (what they call the bend in the front straight before T1) thru 6.

JR and Hickham are really fast thru the new 1/2 combo. Hickham's not scary looking thru it, but JR looks like he's right on the edge. In fact it looked liked he scared himself 1 lap using all of turn 2. The man wants the pole.

Many drivers were mowing the lawn exiting 5, Hollingshead and Livingston especially. JR, Coello and ClifFORD Johnson are rotating the car and sliding thru 5, Fun to watch. JR really slides the car thru 6, the slow first gear corner leading onto the highspeed back section. A good place to be fast.

Coello and JR's driving styles seem to be very tire intensive.

They split the session with F500's giving each group only getting 10 minutes. This led to somewhat of a stampede mentality, guys who should know better ran nose to tail in a group of 5 or 6. Fun for the 9 fans watching but definitely compromising the indivual lap times. No surprise they all qualified with in 1 or 2 tenths of each other. Nerves I guess.

Gerald Barret looked to be driving for all he was worth. Ragged but fast the effort netted a 3 second improvement and a bump up to 5th on the grid.

Got to feel good for Bill Kephart. Driving his 1 off Vestal 09. Nobody tested more, testing all week long trying to develop the car after having walked away from his very fast DB-6 (Last seen leading the Pocono National in the hands of Mike Agnifilo). The session was somewhat of a breakthru breaking into the top ten with a 38.7

Your leader board now features a dozen guys under 1:39

JR 1:37.6
Coello 37.7
Hickham 38.1
Shippert 38.4
Barret 38.4
Kautz 38.4
Kephart 38.7
Johnson 38.8
Leonard 38.8
Harry Sauce 38.9
Langbien 38.9
and D'Addario in 12th and the last of the sub 39's also at 38.9

Later,
Jim

[Purple Frog]

JR waited on pitlane until the whole herd stampeded in a cloud of dust over the horizon. Then China let him loose.

First lap around he radioed in that the car was shutting off unpredictably.

Next lap around he said it might work if he held the toggle switch up with his left hand.

Third lap around he was 8 seconds off his normal pace. It looked like a Morgan Homes disaster in the making.

Then JR went off the track and bounced HARD. Presto zappo everything started working.

The last possible lap was his money lap. He just didn't give up.

Tonight the Swift DB-6 is stripped to bare frame getting new wiring and switches. But they think it was the battery moving in its case and shorting on the frame. I believe a new battery and mount will be installed before the Wednesday qualifier.

[stonebridge20]

Jim, Thanks for the updates. keep em coming. Not being at the Runoffs SUCKS even if it's in Kansas! Any more RA Runoffs "rumors" ?

Frogy, Thanks also for the pics and "inside scoops"

Mike

[ric baribeault]

funny mike....i heard that one all the way here in northern meh he ko....ric

[Garey Guzman]

I just saw that three F500's are getting into the 36's. Wonder what our FF guys can get too!

Low 36 for pole? Maybe a high 35?

[Rob Howden]

Morning folks,

Al Craighead and I are now on-site here at Heartland Park Topeka and will begin our five-day coverage of this year's SCCA National Championship Runoffs. We will be posting all of our Paddock Pass updates to our respective class forums on www.eformulacarnews.com and will also have immediate session updates, race reports, photo galleries, audio interviews and nightly EFCN Trackside podcasts.

We hope to raise the coverage bar to another level and invite you all to visit the site to get complete updates from the track. If you have any direct questions, we'll do what we can to get the answer.

Our Event Page, which is the homebase to reach ALL of our coverage, can be accessed here:

http://www.eformulacarnews.com/news_info.php?n=1585

Enjoy the weekend!

[TIM CLOWATER]

Is there a post anywhere that identifies what FF each competitor is driving . It would be interesting to know.

THANK YOU

TIM

[TimW]

Is there a post anywhere that identifies what FF each competitor is driving . It would be interesting to know.

http://ams.scca.com/netforum/eweb/dy...71B4B&class=FF

[TIM CLOWATER]

Thank You Tim

Also Thank You Purple Frog for keeping us up to date and for the photo's


Tim Clowater