Hoosier Tire US Formula First Rounds 3 & 4 - Waterford Hills

[jsteeb]

I don't think I managed to find an apex the entire video, but here is the Saturday race from my point of view.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxLqYCtW5C4

I wish my camera would have been working more consistently on Sunday - I drove a much better line. I really wasn't trying to pass Bonow at the end. I have a rhythm at this place, and it didn't include a certain yellow car being there. Lack of experience on my part I suppose. I hope there's no hard feelings.

[steve everard]

So the fun began at Friday practice when the Jacer planted firmly into the tire wall. I could see from where I was standing that Reece was ok but the fact that he was not looking closly at the damage told me it was bad and he was ...well not happy with himself...

After the tow truck dropped the car off at the "Steeb recovery center" where we were pitted for the weekend I could see the toe was out about 95.6 degrees. After consultation with the Formula First family who are always there to help each other to get back racing the master plan was put into place. It was 4pm Friday and we drove an hour to get a new front beam from a not so local parts store. Whilst I was there Reece, Jason and Steve Steeb disassembled the bent beam and drove to Jasons workshop where I met them. The tie rod was fabricated and the beam shock towers came off. We headed back to the track and the beam was re attached to the car. Bugs were bitting and the lights were tripping out the electric to the nearby motorhome where they were trying to watch TV, MY APPOLOGIES TO THEM BUT THE RACE MUST GO ON>>>>>. Jasons wife was supporting our frantic activity with logical suggestions that made life easier. At 5 mins past midnight Jason and Reece got to eat dinner from Applebys and we called it a night.
Next morning we met with the on site welder (what a conveinience) who did a great job on the shock mounts. We were in busines....or were we ??? The spring tensioner That we could not fit to the new beam was our big gamble and unfortunately caused the front end to be way to soft. I really thought that was us out of the race until the family got back together and came up with a solution and we were racing.
So by now Reece had missed all the practice and was heading out to the track to see if the car would make it without grounding. It was good and we were in business.....
Reece drove a realy good race finishing 3rd with barely any experience of the track. If it were not for the restart I think he might have gained a spot. Anyway the drama of the day was not over. With all the frantic activity of getting the car in the race at all we failed to check weight which at the last race weekend was way over.We failed by 4 pounds On reflection it was still a win for the Everard camp and another step foward to being contenders in a really tough championship.

My thanks especially to all the Steeb family (hope you heard the track announcements reflecting my appreciation) for their help with repairs / registration support and also all the workers at Waterford who were the best.

My checklist is underway for the next round at Grattan. See you all there.


Steve and Reece

[rgu]

Thanks to Traci Clark for the pictures. I’ll see about posting more.

Podium Saturday L-R second place Rob Clark, First place (and newest FFDA member) Bill Wise and third place Doug Seim.

Podium Sunday L-R second place Bill Bonow, First place Jason Steeb and third place Doug Seim.

Finally some wheel to wheel action at narrow Waterford. Gotta have trust!!

[racing girl]

First few photos are up at this link. Don't believe she's a pro photog but the Mom of a young Camaro driver who likes being at the track and taking photos.

[2BWise]

Quick post

Saturday class race video
http://contour.com/stories/waterfordhills_6_25_ffst--3

Trying to get the Saturday Showcase video together since it managed to split itself into 3 parts. I'll need more time to get it together so it has to wait until I get back from my current work trip.

[racing girl]

More photos too.....

[teamclark]

Here's video from the Race 2 (points race) on Sunday.

Sorry for the delay been learning to use some new editing software and need to practice a bit more. Will get Race 1 posted tonight.

Rob

http://vimeo.com/25783018

[2BWise]

Well, I've finally found some time to put down all my thoughts from the weekend. I will say that coming in I was a bit hesitant. After running a Vee for two years my expectations weren't too high. More power, more brakes, more steering, but I wasn't sure how it would all compare, but with the prospect of a 12 car field it was worth the venture. With the help (antagonizing) of Jason Steeb I was able to find a rental. In the end SR Racing was the best choice as I've already dealt with Jim in the Vee realm and they were already coming up with Robert Clark's car.

Friday night; I was out in the afternoon to help a friend shakedown his DSR. That car is the sixth vehicle I've been involved with on a build level and it is great to see that thing out turning laps. Now only turning laps, but finding seconds with every session. Wanna see fast watch this: http://vimeo.com/25673196

While that was going on I had to sit around and watch the on track antics. In the mean time I got to meet Jim and Greg and get fitted to my car.

Watching the Firsts out turning laps was frustrating. I chose not to run practice, but watching the others out learning the track and hearing the resultant lap times had me worried. Guys were running in the 14s on the first day and I've never even sat in a First. My appetite Friday night was almost non existent. I was nervous.

Somehow I got to sleep Friday night. Unfortunately, I was up at 6am, and my mind was racing. I was trying to visualize the track in my head. An hour went by and I had about 30 virtual laps in my head.

We arrived at the track around 9:30. Knowing that we'd be on track around 10:30 I wanted to arrive early enough to get settled in. Jim had my car ready to go first thing when I arrived. For once I had no worries about the state of my car. Per my usual routine I hopped into the car 3 laps into the Group 1 prac/quali session. The butterflies were dancing around in my stomach. Fortunately, I timed my entrance to the grid at the right time and found myself on the last spot on the grid. Since I needed to learn the car I wanted as much track space as possible.

One of the things that's interesting with nerves is that once the green flag drops it transforms directly into adrenaline. All of a sudden I was consumed with the task at hand. First thought, the steering is phenomenal. For once I can actually feel what the front wheels are doing. What a novel concept. Second, wow there is power. I can actually modulate the throttle off the corner and feel a difference. Heck, I'm picking up some track on some of the other Firsts. Things are going well. Well, too soon to think that. On lap five the car developed a miss and all that power I was enjoying was suddenly gone. Well, I'll bare with it and at least work on my line and work on finding my marks.

Session over, 11th overall and 6th out of the Firsts, at a 1:17.3. Not spectacular but its been the first 10 laps in the car. We'll take mid pack.

Nerves set right back in at lunch time. I barely choked down half a hamburger and some pasta. Per routine I'm in the car at the third lap of the Group 1 race. Sitting on the grid my brother, Ryan, is reminding me to breath. Man I hate being nervous. When the green flags drops this time things fall right into place. For the only time all weekend I actually get a good start. At the start/finish line I take a peak at going around Rob Clark for fifth and consider making it 3 wide into Turn 1. While I know 3 into 1 can work I'm not ready to try it. I back off initially and sit right off Robs left rear. He's clear of the car behind though, so I take the outside and force 2 wide thru 1, up over 2 and down towards the kink. I leave Rob room, but he backs off and I'm into 5th entering Turn 3. I get thru Turn 5 well and take a look at Doug Siem into Turn 6. One of the problems I suffered throughout the weekend was that I couldn't get enough front brake bias to meet my needs. The adjuster was bottomed, and even so the rear just wouldn't stay settled in the braking zone for Turn 6. I guarantee the spectators loved seeing me coming diving in and barely keeping the thing pointed straight ahead. So no pass on Doug into Turn 6, but the run was good enough that I could take the inside into Paddock Turn, up to 4th, until Swamp. Dave misses the apex and I take the line before the second apex and am up to 3rd. Not really sure what's going on at this point, but I can't complain. After one lap I'm sitting in 3rd. Caught Bill Bonow on the start of Lap 3. Going thru Turn 2 he has a moment and I have to try and slow the car mid corner. I couldn't keep it on the black stuff and nearly loop it on the inside. Fortunately, I'm able to collect it before the wall and before getting turned around. Unfortunately, not quickly enough to keep Dave and Doug behind me. Back to 5th. Once we arrive at Turn 6 Doug dives underneath Dave and I follow him thru, back to 4th. I follow Doug for another lap and get a big run out of Swamp, so into Turn 1 on Lap 6 I go by Doug for 3rd. Two laps later I get by Bill down the back straight for 2nd. That's where I'd finish.

I hopped out of the car with the biggest smile on my face. That session was one of the most exciting and fun sessions I've ever had in a race. I get out with an epiphany; I will never drive a Vee again. Over the course of 10 laps I get re-acclimated with a proper formula car. The Evolution has spoiled me.

Well, during the course of the class race I managed to post a 1:13.17. Good enough for pole for the Formula First Showcase. My brother and I were ecstatic. We were hoping to fight for a podium spot in the showcase and we've put it on pole. I think I've shocked Jim and Greg and everyone else as well.

For the showcase I got to start from spot #1; a first for me at Waterford. The nerves were gonna be bad. At the start I got a crappy jump and lost the lead into Turn 1. This seems to happen quite a bit. I get stuck having to retake a spot lost at the start on the first lap. Well, coming thru Big Bend I get a big run and pick up about 5 car lengths, so into 6, here we go. With the bias problem I can't go as deep into 6 as I'd like and we go thru side by side. On the exit Jason has the advantage, but I'm close enough going into Paddock. He leaves the door open and I take it. Side by side thru Paddock, then the entry to the Esses, then the left, and into the right. I get left with no option but to take to the curb on the right hander. The car comes down hard. It bounces. I still can't tell you exactly what happened after watching three different videos, but I seem to have brushed against Jason upon my landing. It caused him to drop a wheel on the outside and consequently spin. Not the way I was looking to take the lead. I was already thinking how we were going to take Swamp two wide. We ran a few more laps when Jason climbed over the back of Bill Bonow and the entire field was black flagged. I restarted in the lead with Rob Clark behind me. He stuck with me for a few laps. It took me awhile to realize that the hard compound Hoosiers take a few laps to come in. I discovered the difficult way that two laps is what it takes. In the meantime I had a few monster slides right in front of Rob. We finished in the same order. Me in the lead, Rob second, and then Reece in third. Even on the podium I didn't quite realize the result. There was no anticipation for a win. I wasn't even sure it really happened. In hindsight I wish that it didn't have to happen with Jason spinning on the opening lap. It would have been a brutal battle for 15 laps.

Sunday morning Jason was on the pole for the class race. When we came around to the start I got caught out in 3rd and Jason had me easily into Turn 1. I got lucky Rob couldn't quite get along side. For two laps I struggled with the tires as they slowly came up to temp. On lap 3, with the tires ready to go, I got a huge run on Jason out of Turn 5 and pulled along down the back straight. I beat him into Turn 6. He stuck with me for the remaining 6 laps, but couldn't get close enough.

During that race I was able to go a tenth quicker than Jason and was on pole for the afternoon Showcase race. Pole again. For the third race in a row I got a crap start and Jason closed the door into Turn 1. Again I struggled with the tires for two laps before they fully came in. On lap 6 I got unlucky. Coming out of Turn 6 I lost drive and the chase was over.

With the Showcase over most First drivers were packing up and preparing to head home. I spoke with Jason and initially he said he had no intention of running the afternoon feature race. Well, I told him I intended to run. He changed his mind. So come the feature race it was only me and Jason. We started right behind the F500s and yet again I got an awful start. Jason made the right move and closed the door into Turn 1 early. I would have tried it if he left me room. This race would be different. For some reason the car had developed a push into Turn 5. That had been my advantage all weekend, but suddenly it was gone and any chance of getting along side down the back straight didn't exist. I'd have to try and get by elsewhere. I took looks into Turn 1, Turn 3, and Paddock but was never quite close enough. On the last lap I got a big run thru Paddock and the Esses and pulled right up on Jason's gearbox entering Swamp, but it was too much too late. Had I another lap I probably could have had him, but in this case I crossed the line right behind him.

The weekend ended up a huge success. I never expected to be so competitive right out the gate. A lot of that goes to SR Racing, Jim and Greg, who kept the car running at its peak all weekend. The car was competitive right off of the trailer. It's completely ruined me for Vee. After five years of Formula SAE I feel like I've finally stepped back into a proper formula car. Now its time to start shopping.

A huge thanks to Jason and Steve for organizing the event. An even bigger thanks to Jason for antagonizing me enough to give it a try. The FFDA is a great group of people. I hope to get an opportunity to run with you again in the future.

I'd also like to thank my brother, Ryan, for his support all weekend. For as nervous as I got he was there to help settle me down. Vaughan, for keeping me involved in racing despite giving up on the Vee. For the Waterford family who came by to congratulate me and offer me advice all weekend. Jim and Greg at SR for giving me such a stellar ride. I hope to have a chance to join you guys again later in the season.

[teamclark]

Here is the video from Saturday's Points Race

http://vimeo.com/25837689

Rob

[2BWise]

It was only two cars in class, but it was one heck of a dual

http://contour.com/stories/waterford...eature-race--5

Per the usual, I got a crap start. Either way I had a blast trying to get up to and by Jason. I'm glad I was able to pressure him into one more session. When I first approached him he said he was done. Once I mentioned that I was running he reluctantly decided to suit back up. Peer pressure is awesome.

[924RACR]

Yes, it is...

Now, about testing my DSR...

[2BWise]

Saturday's Showcase race. Had to split it into three parts because of the black flag and because the camera split off the laps few laps into a separate file. I no longer have a fancy editting program that will put it all together and still be HD.

http://contour.com/stories/waterford...e-race-1-part1
http://contour.com/stories/waterford...-race-1-part-2
http://contour.com/stories/waterford...-race-1-part-3