Runoffs 2013

[Tiago Santos]

The crickets are deafening..

Was anything pertaining to FV discussed in the F/SR meeting?

Other threads have mentioned some blown motors early on, how's everyone getting on? The times are looking decent for a couple of guys, but looking down the list, there are plenty of guys I would expect to be significantly faster. If I had to guess, I'd say traffic has been an issue?

[smsazzy]

There was a wreck today on the first lap of qualifying. Only 2 flying laps for most. Bummer. So much for car counts earning you your own session. If the weather cooperates, expect to see the order shuffle this week.

[BLS]

There was much concern regarding splitting the two groups into 20 minute sessions. Anything goes wrong and you're screwed. As near as I can tell from my internet perch, 2 laps is all they got...

A lot of money, time, and travel for 2 laps.

Also, the first lap was over 10 minutes. Was the wreck a leftover from the F500 group or from the FV group on the first lap?

[Matt King]

In the event anyone finds themselves in desperate need of an engine this week, I have a 2-race-old Veetech sitting on a pallet 40 minutes from the track. I'll be happy if it stays there, but if it can salvage anyone's week, send me a PM. Good luck to everybody and have a great race.

[BLS]

From the results, there were 3 decent laps, although many had one lap of those three that was on the slower side...

[Mark Filip]

This type of mess was well predicted! They are stupid to run F500s with FVs on such a fast track not to mention the huge numbers in both classes.

[Matt King]

From personal experience, fast Vees and slow F500s are a horrible combination at RA, especially at the Kink and Turn 1, but what were the specifics? Anyone know?

[Tiago Santos]

The vees and F500's weren't running together on this session. From reports on twitter/facebook, there was oil on the track, on the out lap for the vees someone spun and hit another guy, this other guy then got t-boned by a third, then a 4th car spun and hit the wall to avoid the rest of them.

[Hardingfv32]

I have seen photos of McCormick damage. I don't know where it happened but McCormick, Turner, and Edwards where all gridded near each other based on National Points. Since Turner and Edwards made no laps I am going to assume they were involved. McCormick's car had front and rear damaged. As slow as Turner is running and to some extent Edwards, the accident probably happened before turn 3 if the three were still together.

All speculation....

Brian

[smsazzy]

The big one was in turn 7 when Charlie spun in the oil. There was more oil in Canada.

[Steve Davis]

The report was that Terran Swanson "lost oil" .. a LOT of it. I have no idea why. Charlie spun in his oil, Mark ended up T-boning Charlie and .. not sure of this... McCormick hit the wall trying to avoid the spinning cars?

At any rate, Charlie, Mark and Chuck were all sidelined just out of T7 on the first outlap. I was coming under the start stand when the black was displayed. Something over 10 mins in the pits and they gave us "10 minutes" after we were let go. The outlap was slow through all the oil dry, then we took the green for 3 timed laps (for those near the front). I started 1st at the beginning, but MANY cars took the black behind me and got into the pits ahead of me. I started some ... 20th? at the restart and it was pretty ugly from there on out.

No other incidents that I'm aware of.. I expect all cars to be back on track tomorrow, weather permitting. I have not seen Chucks car though, so not sure about him.

Mike made us all look stupid again .. as usual. Brad was hanging on to him and the rest of us were just hoping for the best of the 2 timed laps that counted. Congrats to both Mike and Brad for making the best of what we had to work with.

Steve, FV80

[Steve Davis]

The crickets are deafening..

Was anything pertaining to FV discussed in the F/SR meeting?

...

Tiago,
Sorry to say that most of us missed the session. It is truly pitiful that the schedule (apparently) CANNOT be arranged such that there is no group on the track immediately before or after the scheduled session that is being discussed.

FV/F5 was the last session on track before the meeting. So, by the time we get back to our pits, get out of the car and get out of our suits, the meeting is OVER.. or we forget about it in the mess that comes following a session ( as was my case).

I have not talked to anyone that went to the session. I'm guessing there might have been NONE from the FV/F5 classes at the meeting...

Steve, FV80

[BLS]

Mark,

For an explanation of the unpublished qualifying procedure:

http://www.formulavee.org/interchang...php?f=4&t=5141

At least tomorrow the V's will be on the track first...

[Tiago Santos]

And it's done! Congrats to the podium finishers, it was a fun race to watch... For 2nd place!

Personally, a lot of the guys I wanted to do well seemed to have bad luck, but I'm very happy for Terran's 8th place! Well done dude, I can't wait to see what you do next year, playing at home

[RussMcB]

Congrats to Steven Davis' fastest race (and 2013 Runoffs week's) FV lap.

[BLS]

Looking up the track record it appears Stevan now holds the lap record for Road America.

Congratulations on that! Small consolation I guess with the break near the end.

What a great race! The pack behind Varacin's had a race long battle. I was sure sorry to see Stevan break on the next to last lap.

[veefan]

Congrats to Varacin's, talk about running away with it... looked like an F1 race with Vettel at the wheel with a little bit of Red Bull Engineering! Sittin at work, watching speedcasttv ain't as fun as racing but I still enjoyed it!!

Congrats Mike!

[Tiago Santos]

I thought the record was a 2:40 something.. It was heart breaking to see Stevan slow down like that. I was crossing my fingers that his strategy would pay off, seems like he was playing it perfectly :/

[smsazzy]

I believe Chris Jennerjahn has the record at a 2:40.93 or thereabouts.

[Amon]

Congrats to Mike and Al on another disappearing act victory!

Very well deserved!


Mark


P.S.: Great drive by Gary Blanarek going from 15th up to 2nd at one point
and finshing 6th(?).......

[BLS]

I believe Chris Jennerjahn has the record at a 2:40.93 or thereabouts.

Could be, I looked it up on Cen Div website, up to sept 2013 according to that.

[Matt King]

The Runoffs record could be different than the Cendiv track record, but either way, it was another impressive drive by Varacins. Reminiscent of his win a few years ago when he walked off to about a 50 second lead.

[derminator]

Congrates to Varacin's but the race for second was epic. All the drivers in that pack are a class act. Way to go Roger and Brad

[csatte02]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JWUGCJptAjI

in car from behind the rollover at the start. Luckily Rizer appeared to be okay.

[Hardingfv32]

What is impressive is no full course yellow for a rollover.

In general some very aggressive service by the emergency/tow crews. Very unusual to see this these days.

Brian

[Matt King]

The RA safety crew has been heroes all weekend. They kept a bunch of races from going FCY, maybe even when it should have.

[fvee62]

Congrats to Mike and Al, these guys can (obviously) walk the walk and are great people to work with besides that.

[Brad Ellingson]

Indeed RA Safety crews do a great job, but lets not forget, half the track is covered by SCCA CenDiv Safety crews who, as some forum members can , unfortunately, attest to, are quite good as well.. We alternated station assignments thoughout the Runoffs.

[Speed Sport Engineering]

A big thank you to all those who sent their kind words. It was another fantastic season wrapped up with another fantastic runoffs race. (Or for Stu and crew, it was another fabulous season wrapped up with another fabulous runoffs race. )

A big thanks to the safety and corner workers for their efforts in not going FCY at any point during that race.

I'm looking forward to trying to keep the streak going. Next year takes a totally different approach with the new challenges Laguna brings.

Although i didn't get a chance to make my way around and speak to all those I haven't seen since last year, I certainly had lots of fun this time around with those I did get a chance to talk with.

Thanks again,

Michael Varacins

[smsazzy]

Just watched the Speedcast broadcast. The announcers were PAINFUL!!!!!

Can't we get someone who knows ANYTHING about the class to do the commentary?

I liked when they said we use the 1300 motor. (That explains why I was down on power, I only had 1200cc's)

They also said Lisa Noble was carrying on the family tradition like her FATHER Bill.

Any driver from California was still "Learning the track".

Are you kidding me?

It was painful to listen to. Starts at about the 4 hour 25 min mark on the Saturday broadcast.

[Matt King]

They also said Lisa Noble was carrying on the family tradition like her FATHER Bill.

Maybe I need to watch it again, but I heard that whole exchange very differently than you. What I heard was them saying how some people mistakenly ASSUMED she was his daughter but was in fact married to him.

[Purple Frog]

Let me throw out a Lisa compliment here.
After spending a week in her paddock... she looks and acts young enough to be his daughter. She gets it.

Just saying, it would be an easy mistake to make.

[smsazzy]

Maybe I need to watch it again, but I heard that whole exchange very differently than you. What I heard was them saying how some people mistakenly ASSUMED she was his daughter but was in fact married to him.

They corrected it at the very end, but listen to the part at 4 hour, 34 minutes and 45 seconds.

"Lisa Noble, the chairman of the board.....blah blah blah....carrying on the family tradition of her father Bill."

[Matt King]

They definitely blathered and babbled on about it for far too long.

I think the problem with the Speedcast commentary in general is that they are talking to the wrong audience. I would bet 90+ percent of the audience is current racers and most of them know more about most of the classes than any of the commentators. SCCA has probably directed them to take a generalist angle, but it's wishful thinking. The days of the uninitiated non-SCCA audience accidentally tuning in at midnight to Speed Channel are over. The only people watching Runoffs races on the internet are people who came there on purpose. Randy Pobst had some decent racing insights, but it wouldn't be that hard for them to recruit someone from each class who could sit in the booth and help the other guys out with specific details about each class.

[Pinky096]

Hey! If you feed me I can hitch a ride to Laguna next year and I will call the races. I might only be 17 but I know a pretty good bit about racing.

[fvkartguy]

Just watched the Speedcast broadcast. The announcers were PAINFUL!!!!!

Can't we get someone who knows ANYTHING about the class to do the commentary?

I liked when they said we use the 1300 motor. (That explains why I was down on power, I only had 1200cc's)

They also said Lisa Noble was carrying on the family tradition like her FATHER Bill.

Any driver from California was still "Learning the track".

Are you kidding me?

It was painful to listen to. Starts at about the 4 hour 25 min mark on the Saturday broadcast.

I totally agree and I'm glad I'm not the only one who was annoyed by the announcers.
The announcers went on and on about tie fighters and name pronunciation...
Meanwhile there's a really great race that could use some good commentary!

I really appreciate SpeedCast broadcasting the race, but the commentary was just distracting and irritating. I really liked the commentary a couple years ago because one of the announcers had owned a Vee at some point. There should at least be a little research done so the announcers can have a fact sheet in front of them.


Despite the announcing, the race was awesome and there was some great driving. It was fun to watch and I'm sure even more fun to race, so congratulations to all the competitors and hats off to the safety and corner workers!

[Steve Davis]

They REALLY need to hire Greg Creamer to call the race. There has never been a better, more informed guy. I don't think he's ever raced a vee, but he KNOWS them and most of the players. He does his homework and makes ANY race sound really exciting.

Steve, FV80

[Wren]

They REALLY need to hire Greg Creamer to call the race. There has never been a better, more informed guy. I don't think he's ever raced a vee, but he KNOWS them and most of the players. He does his homework and makes ANY race sound really exciting.

Steve, FV80

He does a great job.

My personal choice would be the two guys that they get to call the Barber event every year. They take it about as seriously as they should. I think they are hilarious.

[Terry Hanushek]

They REALLY need to hire Greg Creamer to call the race. There has never been a better, more informed guy. I don't think he's ever raced a vee, but he KNOWS them and most of the players. He does his homework and makes ANY race sound really exciting.

+1

[grapefarmeral]

They were using two teams. The Dorsey Schroeder team is well informed. Dorsey i believe even drove a Vee. They have done the Vee race before and did the commentary fairly well. The Randy Pobst tram shoud not be allowed near microphones. What irritates me with Pobst is that he mentions his sponsor at every chance, even in his monthly column. .....