MV Destroys Laguna FV Race Record

[Bill Bonow]

Disclaimer, all unofficial, just got this off Race Monitor:

Michael Varacins just finished up qualifying out at the Laguna Seca SRF Regional going on this weekend.
The old qualifying record was held by Randy Harris and has stood since 1996. Per the SFR website, that time was 1:43.878. In this last qualifying session, MV blew this record away by 1.1 seconds!
I'm sure it will be made official soon enough, but Race Monitor posted a blistering 1:42.728! The next FV back was Skip Streets who posted a 1:45.2

Congratulations to Michael!

[Bill Bonow]

Big mistake, Race Monitor was a little goofy. That was Race # 1 of the weekend.
So, Randy Harris's 18 year old Qualifying record stands.

MV did set the race record, previously held by Blake Tatum from 2006 at a 1:43.485

Still a big congrats to MV for his win

[flat tappet]

Any kind of a record at Laguna..except for most number of times going off at the cork screw is just outstanding.Well done,MV!!

[Amon]

Bill,

Where did you see the results?

Mark

[Bill Bonow]

They are not official, but they are live.

https://www.race-monitor.com/Results/Session/4891296

[Diamond Level Motorsports]

Blake's record at Laguna was on the American Racer hard compound tires, not Hoosiers. It is no surprise that someone finally beat it.

Not taking anything away from Mike because he showed up and completely spanked all of us. Frankly, it is a little embarrassing. We all have a ton of work to do before October. Don't want a repeat of this again.

[Hardingfv32]

Could he be wondering why he spent $3000+ and 10 days of his dad's life driving (Mike flew) to just gather data? I guess it is not the most difficult track to learn.

Brian

[Daryl DeArman]

Better to find out you have it pretty damn close to "good enough" at a Regional in March, than figure out you aren't in the ball park in October.

Personally, I think it would have been better to turn some 100% segments, but not on the same lap so that you get good data, and don't show everybody just how much work they need to do. Let them figure out in October just how far off they are. Maybe, that's just what he did, and 40.xxx is what he has in the bank...

[Hardingfv32]

That is exactly what he said he was going to do. There must have been a mistake made. There is no reason to motivate the competition.

That said it does not look good for the West Coast competitors. Skip Streets is the local engine guru's, Ron Chuck, anointed front runner. I think the West Coast FV's have been operating in somewhat isolated conditions. This should be a wake up call for those few who are serious about the Runoffs.

Brian

[Matt King]

Why would this be a surprise to anyone? MV is a great driver in a well-developed car. Any of the West Coast guys who ran against him at RA already know what they are up against.

[Hardingfv32]

Why would this be a surprise to anyone?

Because this is their home track and not Varicins. Also it is the slowest professional road coarse in the world where as RA is one of the fastest. There was the 'possibility' that it might to Varicins team's liking.

Brian

[Matt King]

Still no surprise. There is nothing magic about either Laguna or RA. Good drivers and teams always adapt.

[Kim291]

Brian, maybe you and Derek should have come to Laguna this weekend and drive representing the West coast since you seem to think that the drivers that did participate this weekend should be embarrassed. Skip, Ron, Dennis, Slim and everyone driving there this weekend was probably using this for testing, comparing and car set up for the run offs.
There were also quite a few from the W.C. that were not there that are really fast at that track so in my eyes there is nothing to be embarrassed about.

Mike does his homework and is very dedicated to the sport. Plus he is a great driver.

Kim Madrid
FV 29

[Diamond Level Motorsports]

It's no secret that Mike has basically constructed the fastest FV in the history of the class. He is the most dedicated and focused person in FV that I have ever seen. This is what hard work, knowledge, and experience will get you. I doubt anyone in the nation, at the amateur racing level, spends even one half the time working and developing their race cars as Mike does.

Pretty impressive.

We will be racing at the runoffs and will be happy with whatever finishing position we get. Not everyone is "in it to win it" as Randy Jackson would say.

[Hardingfv32]

Skip, Ron, Dennis, Slim and everyone driving there this weekend was probably using this for testing, comparing and car set up for the run offs.
There were also quite a few from the W.C. that were not there that are really fast at that track

Who are you kidding.... the locals are toast!

Skip and Slim raced two weeks ago in preparation. This is the best they have.

Dennis was trying a second car because he is struggling with his Vortech. He has lacked performance for a good year or more.

There are only two other drivers/cars of the West Coast that have a chance to impress: T Swanson and Q Posner

The car count for the run group are too high for the $600 fee. To great a chance for black flags and pace cars. Also an issue with slow CF that want to race with FV's. I believe I noticed one just behind Varacins in Sundays race. This is a very common issue in SFR.

I will not race in the SFR this year because of the price gauging that the Region is doing to the competitors. I will spend my money elsewhere.

How was the paddock parking with 250+ entries?

Brian

[Daryl DeArman]

Who are you kidding.... the locals are toast!

How was the paddock parking with 250+ entries?

Still a lot of time between now and October. That's a good thing because there's a lot of work to be done for anyone who wants a realistic shot at the Gold. Nobody likes getting their ass handed to them in such a fashion. I'm certain many will be refocusing and reprioritizing their program.

I saw FB pics of Kim's paddock spot and several other vees. They obviously had a ton more room than they were provided at the Majors at Inde!

[teamwisconsin]

Who are you kidding.... the locals are toast!

Skip and Slim raced two weeks ago in preparation. This is the best they have.

The car count for the run group are too high for the $600 fee.

I will not race in the SFR this year because of the price gauging that the Region is doing to the competitors. I will spend my money elsewhere.

How was the paddock parking with 250+ entries?

Brian,
I'm not disagreeing with you that MV will run away and hide come October; odds are that is exactly what he will do. But please, for the sake of all involved, please stop your prattling on about the Runoffs with all your negativity. It's REALLY tiring. We all know what it costs. We all know that the locals in FV have been in a state of isolation for decades; you can say that about almost every SCCA class out here. The Rockies have provided the Pacific divisions/conferences with a buffer to what the rest of the country has been doing for some time. This has been good in some cases, bad in others. This is really one of the BEST parts of having the Runoffs out here. Everyone gets a chance to do what only a select few who've spent mega-bucks to haul back east have done; test our mettle against the best.

But either way, until you dust off your helmet and roll your aluminum wundercar onto the false grid, all your whining makes you sound like the kid who got picked last in gym class and can only tear down what everyone else is trying to do.

Respectfully-
Ethan

PS, the paddock was fine with 250+ cars. There was totally room for everyone, and all their crap, PLUS rental cars, tow vehicles, etc etc etc... If they can squeeze 650+ cars in there for the Monterey Motorsports Reunion (formerly Historics), they will be able to do it for the Runoffs.

[Hardingfv32]

Still a lot of time between now and October.

FOR WHAT???

1) They all use R Chuck engines. His engines have not change much over the last few years. What Laguna specific features the engines could have are in them at this time. Skip Streets' car for sure, as he is Chuck's favorite son. Note: It is very likely that Varicins was using a Road America spec engine this weekend. It is unlikely he did any development over the winter because of the bad winter, can't dyno.

2) Most of the cars are well sorted Mysterians. Absolutely nothing that can be done to make them faster. The tires are not going to change. So what else can be done to the cars?

3) The track is not very difficult to drive and the drivers all know the track very well. Do not expect better driver performance.

So where do you suggest that WC competitors look for improvements?

Brian

[Hardingfv32]

I'm not disagreeing with you that MV will run away and hide come October; odds are that is exactly what he will do. But please, for the sake of all involved, please stop your prattling on about the Runoffs with all your negativity.

I have said nothing about the cost of the Runoffs for a while, certainly not in this thread. I do not have to... the $950 number does all the talking for me. I raised the issue of the SFR fees as reason not to race when challenged to compete. I love all the SFR tracks but not at the prices they are charging.

You are just reading negativity into every statement I make.

Brian

[Amon]

Brian,

I'm far from an expert and I bet guys like Bill Bonow, Mike V., Steven Davis and others
can do a better job but here goes:

Improve the following:

1.) Better carb
2.) Better manifold (Are they using a Monster?)
3.) Better exhaust or one more suited for Laguna (long or short collector).
4.) Better Aero (maybe a full pan or work around the main roll hoop?
5.) Bring better tires such as Hoosier if they're currently using AR's?
6.) Better engine, specifically heads and what degree of Cam is being used?
7.) Better shock package?
8.) How much fuel in the tank after the race (6 lbs. per gallon). Better pre-race measuring?
9.) Better pre-race set-up with the alignment? We, including myself can all do a better job of it!
10.) Better pre-race brake adjustments....how much drag before the pads swell?

Those are my suggestions! I'm sure many more are out there and more helpful than mine.

* I'm also NOT suggesting that these suggested improvements aren't currently being used, but I
listed them in response to Brian's prior post.


Mark


88' Citation 002'

[jhenn4716]

It is unlikely he did any development over the winter because of the bad winter, can't dyno.

You obviously don't know Mike very well!

[Daryl DeArman]

So where do you suggest that WC competitors look for improvements?

Everywhere.

You seem to think there is more of a defeatest attitude in racers than I do. I'm confindent folks aren't coming home from that weekend thinking "my car ran like a raped-ape, stuck like glue and I drove it so well Ayrton would have been impressed."

[Diamond Level Motorsports]

I was there. My son was racing. We got smoked.

Thankfully this happened early in the year and we all have 6 months to raise our games.

Brian, I think you are underestimating us west coast guys. I know Ron Chuck is no dummy and he will have something for Mike come October.

[budawe]

I was working F&C this weekend and it was a great weekend of racing and congrats to Mike and Al for coming out and leading the way.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to the chicken little claiming the sky is falling. We have plenty of time and as was mentioned before, those records were set a long time ago and we've been running the spec tire since. I watched a couple of in car videos and I'm confident that come October, the West coast will be well represented.

I agree with Ethan that we're a bit isolated but most are looking forward to this fall.

O yee of little faith, come forth with your best effort and show us how it is done.

[Hardingfv32]

Brian, I think you are underestimating us west coast guys. I know Ron Chuck is no dummy and he will have something for Mike come October.

Now one or two competitors might have had a bad weekend but not all of them. The field showed the normal competition gradient for all those entered. Frankly, no one seemed to be having a really poor weekend.

So that gets you back the the original question: Where are you going to fined improvements in cars that have been in development for a good decade or more? You get blown off and all of a sudden the creative juices start flowing? And exactly who is going to do the come up with the new ideas? You guys are in a creative desert.

The West Coast guys did not have an engine to match Varacins the whole time the Runoffs were at Road America. What makes you think that Laguna will be any different? I can guaranty you that there are no engine improvements coming for October. I will put money up on that statement.

The logic of this situation is you have the locals with years (decades??) of time and knowledge at Laguna vs Varacins with five sessions under his belt. Who should have been the the most competitive?

Brian

[Hardingfv32]

We have plenty of time and as was mentioned before, those records were set a long time ago and we've been running the spec tire since. I watched a couple of in car videos and I'm confident that come October, the West coast will be well represented.

O yee of little faith, come forth with your best effort and show us how it is done.

So where do you see the car improvements coming from? You do engines, what would you improve that you have not already done? You have been saving something good for the day the Runoff's came West?

We turned a 1:43.00 5-6 years ago on Hoosiers, so I have nothing to prove. I would say a 41 is very probable. Sadly I do not see the next next two Regionals at Laguna being a good entertainment value. I stated my position on these high fees long before this current discussion. So trying to call me out is completely pointless.

Brian

[jhenn4716]

completely pointless.

Is most of the discussions on Apex. Big deal, so Mike came out and ran a few fast laps. Everyone knows the caliber of racing he brings to the track. There were plenty of drivers not on track, many of whom can challenge Mike at any track in the US.

Anytime Mike Varacins is on track we know we ALL have to dig a little deeper. Speaking of engine development, I think he still has a motor for sale.

[Speed Sport Engineering]

Well this is an interesting thread.

I had an amazing time racing at Laguna Seca. It was one of those tracks that I've always wanted to race at, and I'm glad I finally pulled the trigger and did it. The elevation change from the top of the corkscrew down to turn 10 is really amazing and TV doesn't do it justice.

The west coast FV community was great to hang out with. It wasn't my intention to cause any us vs. them or me vs. them debates by going out there. There are plenty of strong west coast potential winners and none of them should be discounted. I know I certainly am not counting any of them out. Not to mention the strong competitors from the east coast who will be making the trip.

I learned a lot from running there, and we certainly have room for improvement. My trip there was a success not because of lap times, but because I got a lot of good data. In fact, this was the first race in years where we didn't even bother to watch the race monitor for lap timing information...not even for a single session. Lap times didn't mean much this past weekend. There is a long way to go for all of us between now and October. To be making any predictions based on this past weekends performance of me or anyone else is either just entertaining, silly, or both.

Michael Varacins

[Hardingfv32]

...we ALL have to dig a little deeper...

Just babble... You dig deeper for a better car, more powerful engine, more talented driver? So where do 'you' expect to find these improvements? Are you not constantly looking whether Varacins is their or not? You can just switch the light on when you want?

There are clearly a few drivers/cars than can race with Varicins that live East of the Rockies, but that is NOT what this thread is discussing.

Brian

[Diamond Level Motorsports]

Brian,

Dude...... It will be ok. The glass isn't always half empty.

Personally, I know there is 2-3 more seconds left in our car and driver combination. Will we beat Mike? probably not, but it's OK. We don't put in the effort that he does and I am OK with that. Some of us race for the fun of the sport and the camaraderie with hour fellow competitors. My self worth is not based on winning the runoffs. I am lucky to be able to spend this time with my son and share our passion for a sport that we both love. To me that makes me a winner already.

[Amon]

Brian,

I assume you're making a return to Laguna to defend the honor of all those Vee drivers who have NO chance against (in your opinion) Mike at LS.?

Good luck and no excuses please!

Mark

[Kim291]

Brian,

I agree with Mark. I can't wait to see you guys out there to carry us West Coast drivers. It will be cool to see Mike have a challenge, especially by you guys.

Looking forward to it.

Kim Madrid
FV 29

PS: It maybe a little tougher when you are on the actual track and not in the recliner chair behind the computer screen. Just saying......

[budawe]

I grew up on a ranch in Nevada with rattlesnakes as pets. Over the years I've learned how to train them to do many things. This winter I developed a miniature die grinder and taught my snakes how to use them. I can now offer killer snake manifolds that will guarantee 5 horsepower. Get ready for October now!!! I will not charge anything for them but my snakes will ask for a little taste of you in exchange.

Don't be left behind!!!!! (4/1/14)

[Matt King]

^^^ That reminds me of some emails I got from someone a few years ago.

[Tiago Santos]

I have one of those magic trained rattlesnakes, but it hides in my pants most of the time.

[Tiago Santos]

Getting back into the thread for a little bit, and ignoring the doomsayers - if the previous record was 1:43.xx on American Racers, folks better be running 41s on Hoosiers by the end of the year!I think a lot of California based folks are still working on dialing their cars for the new (to them) tires. Also, I don't find it so unusual that someone could come in froma few thousand miles away and bring a very different perspective to the track. We had the same thing happen at our local track - people got stuck in a rut racing each other and doing the same stuff over and over. When someone came up and destroyed our lap records, it didn't take much for a few folks to at least make up a big chunk of the difference.

I'm sure Mike knew the track like the back of his hand before he even set foot in California It was also interesting to watch some of the video from the race. Completely different approaches to car setup and driving - again, I'm sure it surprised a lot of folks that are used to seeing cars being driven the same way year after year.

I can't be sure if anyone on the West Coast can catch up to the faster East Coast folks, but I'm 100% convinced they will get closer by October.

[Amon]

Tiago,

Is this in-car video you're describing and if so, where can it be viewed?

Thanks!

Mark

[Tiago Santos]

Tiago,

Is this in-car video you're describing and if so, where can it be viewed?

Thanks!

Mark

Hi Mark - it was in-car video that someone posted on Facebook.. Don't think it's on youtube, just their own facebook feed.. Hopefully someone will post a youtube link at some point!

[jhenn4716]

Just babble... You dig deeper for a better car, more powerful engine, more talented driver? So where do 'you' expect to find these improvements? ... You can just switch the light on when you want?

The west coast guys will race with Mike maybe twice this year, this past weekend and at the Runoffs. I have to look forward to racing with Mike every weekend. You find improvements wherever you can. Whether its improvements to your engine, car setup, or even driver coaching and development. None of us are experts at what we do, or we wouldn't be sitting here on Apex. Every driver should always be looking to improve. How many times have we been stuck on a project, whatever it might be, and someone comes along and gives us insight into a new idea. It is no different for the WC drivers. People know their cars, they know what they can and can't improve on, leave it to them to figure it out.

And lastly, either get in a car or ...

[Bruce Livermore]

Mike Varacins: East Coast Guy (of Wisconsin maybe???)
Ah to be from flyover country