VIR Oaktree Double National

[Dennis Valet]

As usual, gorgeous weather. Lots of formula fords, lots of good racing all the way through the pack. I haven't uploaded many pictures, but here are some. I hope I can get more diverse shot location tomorrow, and I hope I get the hang of my new editing software soon.

Full album

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...VIR/4-17-2010/

[Beartrax]

Fantastic photos! Thanks for sharing! Sadly I'm only about 1-2 hours away, visiting family, but there's no way I could convince the wife...

[stonebridge20]

Dennis, Great pics! The "pro" guys have nothing on you.

Been on the phone with JT a lot over the last two days but he's been too busy to give me times and results. Nothing on MyLaps yet either. I know JT won Saturdays race and killed the lap record but I would like to know how the rest of the field is doing. Can you post up Saturdays results?

Thanks, Mike

[Purple Frog]

Love the pictures.
Interesting observation. If you look at the fit and finish of the bodywork between like model cars, the white one (12) looks very aero smooth. It probably does make a difference.
Looking at pictures of Niki's FC car at the Runons, i noticed the same attention to detail.

[BrianBelardi]

Any results for FF and FC?

[Jeff Owens]

my laps is finally posted with links.

http://www.mylaps.com/search/search.jsp

[stonebridge20]

Love the pictures.
Interesting observation. If you look at the fit and finish of the bodywork between like model cars, the white one (12) looks very aero smooth. It probably does make a difference.
Looking at pictures of Niki's FC car at the Runons, i noticed the same attention to detail.

That and about 1000 other little things is what keeps you in the top 1%

[Dennis Valet]

I added some more pictures - again what a great weekend, everyone should definitely consider adding it to your yearly schedule. Fantastic track, amazing weather, fast schedule.....The FF/F500/FV group was one of the better ones of the weekend. I can't imagine being in the Wings/Things or GT1/2/3/T1/T2/STO/AS group. What a clusterfock

New uploads - http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...VIR/4-18-2010/









and some non FF pictures I liked

[Swift17]

Once again it shows that talent in the end ALWAYS shows thru -- when you look at Dennis' "automotive art" you see he get's it - his work makes you "feel" the moment, head tilts, tire flex, drivers at the limit -- etc. ! I am sorry for being repetitive, but WELL DONE !!!

EJ

[Swift17]

Saturday:

Treadway
Valet
Benson
Generotti
Hull
Baggett
Seddio
Lloyd
Cooper
Henderickson
Scanlon


Sunday:

Treadway
Valet
Benson
Baggett
Generotti
Scanlon
Lloyd
Henderickson
Hull
Lee
Seddio

[Tom Valet]

After Saturday's race, Dennis said to me, Dad, your race report is going to be very short this year: Treadway fast.

Yeah, Treadway fast, but John Benson also crazy fast in a DB-1 with Jason Generotti in a DB-1 also very fast. Two really talented young drivers who will single handedly drive up the value of DB-1s with drives like they had this weekend. John got down to the (former) track record in Sunday's race.

Mike Scanlan will give a full Honda report I am sure, but here is the short version. The engine ran great but he had clutch problems Friday. Honda overnighted a new clutch but it didnt arrive until noon Saturday. The car was put together in a thrash in a little over one hour and he made the race. From that point on it ran flawlesslyu and Mike made it down to the mid 2:03s in Sunday's race, his first time at VIR. So all the panic that the Honda is 10 hp down is unfounded. The car needs an adjustment, he is down on top end, but I think it is pretty obvious that SCCA got the initial restrictor size correct.

BTW, Mike (Agnifilio), JT swore us to secrecy, but who was in the garage helping Scanlan put the Honda back together? JT and his dad Harry! The whole time JT is touching the Honda muttering under his breath "I hate this thing, I hate this thing." But JT couldnt help but pitch in to get Mike back in the race.

Take care.

Tom

[Swift17]

Agreed Benson was wringing the db-1's neck .... And Bill Valet was flying in BOTH races as well with a 2:01.614 on Sunday ... GREAT JOB with two well earned and deserved "silvers"

P.S. thanks for the nice comments on Jason

[stonebridge20]

BTW, Mike (Agnifilio), JT swore us to secrecy, but who was in the garage helping Scanlan put the Honda back together? JT and his dad Harry! The whole time JT is touching the Honda muttering under his breath "I hate this thing, I hate this thing." But JT couldnt help but pitch in to get Mike back in the race.

Take care.

Tom

Tom, I didn't hear that part of the story from the weekend. It doesn't surprise me that JT and Scarry Harry were in there helping. I would have been down in the dirt with them if I was there instead of in the shop making a living. You know we all get out of this sport what we put into it. It's always better to beat someone on the track and not in the paddock!

Nice job both days to Billy also! The Kids quick!

[John Merriman]

Can someone post the actual mylaps link? i couldn't find the results using the link posted above. Do I have to register to see results on my laps? And do they list car/engine? Thx

[John Robinson II]

John,
THe links on the FB forum here work.

[Bill Valet]

What a great event! My second time driving in this event and once again the weather was gorgeous and the racing was incredible. Here are the direct links to the mylaps

Sunday

http://www.mylaps.com/results/showrun.jsp?id=1456962

Saturday

http://www.mylaps.com/results/showrun.jsp?id=1455554

JT was just something else as usual. Shattered my lap record by just about a second during the weekend races but the real story was his qualifying lap of 1:59.6! holy hannah! Story's of his line through oaktree became legend as myself and some of the other racers discussed how ridiculous the amount of speed he carried through that corner is. Congrats again Jeremy for more well deserved, and dominant, wins.

Benson and I had some serious wheel to wheel racing on saturday that goes down as some of the best fun I've had in a while. He's a very hard, but very clean racer and I'll go wheel to wheel with him anyday. On Sunday I thought I had enough speed to shake him but he put in some blindingly quick laps to keep putting pressure on me the entire race.

Thanks to all the vee's and 500's for their heads up driving all weekend. They were always courteous and mindful of where we were on track. It's a tough track to keep in your mirrors and keep focus on at the same time so hats off to them!

The field this year was amazingly competitive with a lot of cars in the 2:03 to 2:04 range which made for great racing all the way through the pack! If you haven't been to this event before I highly suggest it, great track, great facilities and great racing.

Thanks to Jim, Harry, and Eric for their hard work to keep working with the setup to get these new goodyears working and to solve the ignition issues we were having all weekend. And as always, thanks dad!

Bill Valet

[Brandon Hull]

Dennis, wow, thanks for the photos, what a public service! That Corvette photo just captures the essence of that beast.
Nice to meet all the Valets. This was Forrest's first National event and he and I had a great time, learned a lot, and enjoyed meeting you all.

[Dennis Valet]

Hopefully the first of many - Forrest is very fast and very quick to learn/get up to speed. Definitely a welcome addition to the FF ranks.