F1600 Series - Rounds 1 & 2

[Tom Valet]

Congrats to Matias, followed the race on Twitter and Live Audio, sounds like he drove a great race. Ditto for Colin Thompson, heck of a drive. Congrats also to Mike Borland at Spectrum, great to see them finally get their first U.S. win, after coming so close so often last year. The Mygales look great too, nice to see so many new cars and new, young, talented drivers joining the series.

Bill's fiance, LJ, says he has been a bear for the past three days. It's hard not being there with everyone after having gone down to VIR for the past 4 years. Having a few withdrawal symptoms myself this weekend. Only salvation is having Dennis there posting his pictures for us.

Best of luck to everyone today, cant wait for Race #2. Have fun and be safe.

[Swift17]

....

[Dennis Valet]

Some photos of Colin's bodywork, which is immaculate. Very tight seams, appears a lot of thought went into it over the off season.











Oh, and the Mike Rand special makes a guest appearance

[Will Velkoff]

I knew that engine cover looked familiar! It's now a Crossle 30/35F

[R. Pare]

4 hours after the race and still no results?

[helipilot04]

bottom of this page

http://www.f1600series.com/news/518-...by-inches.html

-bob

[jgrooms]

It is interesting that the 1st and 2nd place cars both appear to be European spec Mygales. I wonder if the wider sidepods offer an aerodynamic advantage?

[R. Pare]

Thanks - got it.

"Results" page still doesn't show the results!

[Purple Frog]

One heck of a race. I think Colin had the best wheels. After he drove it off, he charged back through the field to get on the podium.
There were races all through the pack, as the field resorted itself every lap.

For the most part these three were the class of the field today.

Amazing scene on the podium as the three of them were excitedly talking to each other about the race. They really had fun.

OBTW, i don't think the "Euro-spec" played anywhere near the role in the results that the youth and talent of the drivers did.

[problemchild]

Tough to complain about 12 cars within a second and a half of fastest race lap (set by 7th finisher).

I found our Euro pods to be a great place for laying tools, sandwiches, and beverage containers, but never considered them a performance advantage.

[Steve Bamford]

Great racing all around...great weekend!

I spoke with Art Foster after the race & he mentioned that he cleaned his carb & the Kent was running much better then it did prior...don't count the Kent out as of yet.

Congratulations to the whole series for putting on such a great show. Thanks Rand & crew!

[Swift17]

As I was recently reminded - in 2010 at the Oak Tree Nat'l I was watching at the Oak Tree and JT came smoking up the hill railed it around the 'Tree, ripped down the straight and Official Timing had him at an unbelievable, high 1.59! Too bad Jeremy sold his car as he was and would be a welcome addition -

[Beartrax]

Wank around with 2 or 3 guys in your run group, or jump into the deep end of the pool...

Anybody else notice in Dennis' picture just how close Andy was to Sean?

Yee ha!

There's another photo on the F1600 website where Grist, Newey & Thompson look like one car. Some of that may be the telephoto compacting effect.

http://www.f1600series.com/photos/vi...to/29/911.html

[Dennis Valet]

There's another photo on the F1600 website where Grist, Newey & Thompson look like one car. Some of that may be the telephoto compacting effect.

http://www.f1600series.com/photos/vi...to/29/911.html

Nothing like a good formula f battle for the lead

[Dennis Valet]

So, now that I'm finally home, some photos from the 2nd race (sunday)













Mike Rand decided that the track had left John out against the tire wall way too long without a medical crew checking up on him, and decided to take matters into his own hands. Not many officials would climb a fence and some tire walls to make sure their friend is alright after a nick with the wall.

[Purple Frog]

I don't think John Nesbitt's problem was created by the driver. Janice caught his car smoking, then 3 frames later he was into the wall.

Rand's better side. A completely involved race director. Check out the chainlink fence in Dennis' picture that Mike vaulted over when he saw no movement on John's part.

[John Nesbitt]

So, now that I'm finally home, some photos from the 2nd race (sunday)

Mike Rand decided that the track had left John out against the tire wall way too long without a medical crew checking up on him, and decided to take matters into his own hands. Not many officials would climb a fence and some tire walls to make sure their friend is alright after a nick with the wall.

I don't think John Nesbitt's problem was created by the driver. Janice caught his car smoking, then 3 frames later he was into the wall.

Rand's better side. A completely involved race director. Check out the chainlink fence in Dennis' picture that Mike vaulted over when he saw no movement on John's part.

The non-response from EV and the utter lack of interest shown by the ambulance crew when they consented finally to appear are a little concerning. In the end, I spent this morning having my (thankfully minor) injuries attended to.

On the other side of the ledger, Mike Rand’s willingness to stick his hand into the hornet’s nest of track officialdom by climbing over the fence to check on me speaks very highly to his character.

I shall remain forever grateful to Mike, and in his debt, for his actions in the incident.

[Steve Bamford]

When did they finally get to you John? I believe multiple laps went by without anyone showing up. I could be wrong but that is what it seemed like. Seems strange as you were at one of the closest locations to pit out if they decided to cut across the grass.

[John Nesbitt]

When did they finally get to you John? I believe multiple laps went by without anyone showing up. I could be wrong but that is what it seemed like. Seems strange as you were at one of the closest locations to pit out if they decided to cut across the grass.

Looking at the results sheet, something like 5 laps, plus cool-down lap. Figure 10-12 minutes. It's a 1-minute hop to the scene for EV.

I don't have all the details yet, but I would not be surprised if, somewhere in the dispatch process, a Send failed to become a Receive.

[Dennis Valet]

I was in turn 3. The corner worker asked me to zoom in and see if you were alright. I saw you raise your arms. I am not 100% sure on the signaling from drivers to corner workers, so I just relayed that you raised your arm, I didn't try to interpret it, but I thought you looked "alright."

From what I gather, talking to people who had radios, a team was radioed and was supposed to be sent to you, but no one ever came....that's when Rand jumped into action. There was a train of VIR golf carts chasing after him

[Purple Frog]

Security got to Rand about 8 minutes faster than the EMTs got to John.

Problem is. When security asked for his name, he said "Mike". They wanted more, so being a quick thinker, he said, "Mike Eakin." Now, i can't do the double national this weekend... shucks. I'm going to see a judge in Wakulla County this week about a legal name change.... Based on my limited knowledge, i do not want to change it to Rand, maybe a name like Firlein that has a very quiet reputation with track personnel.

[starkejt]

Allow me to suggest Ockizard.

[Joefisherff]

Any tally on who was running which tires (i.e. skinnies all around, skinnies in front only, etc.)

[Purple Frog]

In the F1600 Championship Series one can not run skinnies on the rear.
The series has a special spec tire that is ~R45.

Which puts this weekend's performance into true perspective. JT doing a high 1:59 on sticky club tires a few years back, and now the kids nearly breaking 2:00 with hard spec tires.

[Steve Bamford]

I believe the track has actually gotten faster with the addition of the extra curbing or curbing extensions around the track. One area that I noticed a big difference was the start of the Esses coming out of 5 where you could run a few feet wider. Also the extension of the Oak Tree, although not great curbing there was still better then dirt.

Although Reme's time in F2000 wasn't beaten this year, I am just going on personal experience being able to add a few more feet at the exit of 5a in particular.

[Dennis Valet]

I also thought the track in the last two years or so put some weird material down in the middle of some of the turns to increase grip

[Joefisherff]

Thanks PF, from the pictures perspective it almost looks like some were running wides and some on narrows. Hot shoes are definitely laying down some hot laps looks to be a great season of close racing!

[andyllc]

This weeked was the first time I competed in a Rand series as a driver. Last year I was helping my dad with his Crossle. For this year we put the Fit motor in the car and my shakedown duties ended up lasting all weekend. It was a great time. I was rusty as the last time I raced was at the 40th in 2009. My dad will drive at future events this year (and hopefully I will too at another event) but I am now an even bigger fan of the series and a huge fan of the Fit. It is easy to see once you have one why you see more and more of them, absolutely the way to go. Even in our 'vintage' car you can be competitive if you do things right. We had some fuel issues all weekend that would cost us more and more power as each session went on but we still ended up in the top 10 on Saturday.

[Steve Bamford]

Dennis does an awesome job with his pics...I big thanks to him for helping to make it a great event.

[Jonathan Hirst]

Andy, why the rear bodywork change? Hope it wasn't as a result of backing into something...great job with the Crossle BTW.

Jonathan

[andyllc]

We mounted the fuel pressure regulator in the wrong spot. It was getting way too hot and after a few laps would get vapor lock. We were trying to cool the air intake as well as get more air on the regulator and Rand's tail made it easier to do both. We will have it all fixed for next time and the normal tail back on the car.

[Dennis Valet]

I just assumed it was because red is faster than blue

[andyllc]

There was a time when I was on the gearbox of Foster, Oseth, and I believe Colasacco and I thought to myself that I didn't get the memo that the car was supposed to be red. Although under all that blue there is some red as it was maroonish when my dad bought the car in 89

[KevinFirlein]

as a side note about engine equality. Yes our car was the the back all weekend, but I got a perverse laughter ought of watching front running Honda after another get a run out of the last turn , pull out to pass mid way down pitlane and.......end up just sitting there. 3 things at work, the DB1 is good thru the air, by that point of the straight the driver advantage from hogpen exit is being lost, and we got all the Kent money can buy. If I was buying / building a new car for a client I would use a Honda just to do it really but I dont see me ever converting our current car. and maintence isnt an issue as I havent touched our Kent other then to do jet changes which I enjoy doing. Never understood all the talk about spending too much time each weekend working on engines.

some good guys in the series this year. someone needs to talk Bill out of sitting out.

[Purple Frog]

Not enough Kents in attendence to prove anything. Note that once Art Foster (Kent) got his initial issues solved, he finished a solid 5th on Sunday.

[R. Pare]

I just assumed it was because red is faster than blue

Must be something else - blue is higher than red on the frequency spectrum, therefore it can absorb and store more energy that can be released later.........

[swiftdrivr]

What did you guys think of the new curbing? I think the "esses" can be run faster, as now they are much more like a straight, but it just isn't as much fun. Got to run it that way, as everyone else is, but I miss the high speed Gs.

[Steve Bamford]

What did you guys think of the new curbing? I think the "esses" can be run faster, as now they are much more like a straight, but it just isn't as much fun. Got to run it that way, as everyone else is, but I miss the high speed Gs.

I am sure that made a difference as it created more of a straight adding a few extra feet on exit...I am surprised I didn't see a bigger difference in the 2000 times as we did with the young guns in the 1600's.

[Steve Bamford]

It is interesting that the 1st and 2nd place cars both appear to be European spec Mygales. I wonder if the wider sidepods offer an aerodynamic advantage?

If that was the case then I am surprised Thompson was able to keep his car on the track. The lack of sidepods must cause zero downforce.

In all seriousness these are modern designed cars (Mygale & Spectrum), very well prepped teams (some with Indy series mechanics/engineers) along with young aggressive kids looking to make their mark in racing. These factors make a bigger difference then anything else in my opinion.

[R.DeVoe]

Where are the videos from the race? I'm having withdrawals!