DUFFUS 2015 Race #2 at 'Vette Museum

[Dave Harmison]

Registration is open for the National Corvette Museum race June 13 and 14.

This is the second of the DUFFUS races and we'd really like as many people to show as possible.

Phil Kingham, Chuck Smith, Reilly Harris and I went out and shook the cobwebs off our cars last weekend at Gingerman. Phil was his usual blistering fastness and Reilly Harris showed he had some incredible speed too. Both are intending to go to NCM so CFF will be anything but a walk in the park. I'll be there too but I am slow.

This should be a fun weekend. There is a Friday test day as the track is new and no one knows what the fast setup will be. So come on out and try to beat Phil and Reilly to a track record.

[PK]

Only Dave and I are registered at this point. Nobody else wants to try out a new track?

[EACIII]

I would love to go but google tells me it is over 14 hour from CT to there. And they are not figuring towing a trailer. Just too long a tow.

But I do have a job in Louisville, if I can just arrange a meeting the week before or after?

Ed

[teamwalker]

Blew up only motor at DUFFUS #1 @ NJMP. Will be lucky to have new motor ready for August race at Summit Point. Should have done this stuff in the off-season! LOL.

[Dave Harmison]

Anyone from Chicago going to make it? How about some of the southerners?

[bassracer]

Anyone have a CFF to rent?

[swiftdrivr]

Motors in a box, still full time, very long tow in the RV, but possible next year if it's a real driver's track. Post some video when you get back!

[Garey Guzman]

I talked to NCM and also some coworkers that went to the ChumpCar event there last weekend. From them, I got the following info:
1. Very nice facility, some construction still in progress
2. RV parking at $50/weekend including electric, camping w/o electricity is $35
3. 5 acres of concrete parking for competitors to park on.
4. Some garages completed but the one with bathrooms with showers is opening a week after this event.
4. Clean portajohns for now
5. Race gas available
6. Overnight security so we can load in from something like noon on Thursday, 24/7 through the end of the event.

I'll be in RV spot #4 so please say hi! I'm gearing for it to be a little faster top end than Barber but I'm sure there will be a gear change or two once we get on the track.

[Wes Allen]

Hi guys
You'll love the track. Very technical, cool straightaways and the coolest corner ever! The sinkhole!!! Wish I was there. But made the pilgrimage to the June Sprints. Have fun, and enjoy some of our fine Kentucky bourbon!
Safety Fast
Wes Allen

[PK]

Very cool track. Amazing length packed into a small space. Reilly Harris, Dave Harmison and I had a fun race today. I got first by about 6 feet over Reilly but I think he probably got the new track record. The fine Kentucky weather rained during the lunch break both yesterday and today but was just hot and humid while there was activity on track. Hopefully the track will do something to provide good spectating because that and the lack of bathrooms are the main complaints at the moment.

[Garey Guzman]

Phil didn't mention the slowest pace car driver EVER during the Sat race!! Driving a Corvette, I don't think he topped 30 mph on the straights.....

Sunday was better for most but not all. I heard that Dave H's Royale had a problem arise after Sunday qually so he didn't race. Phil was Phil and dropped the CF lap record by 2 seconds! I think most people improved and we didn't have a single pace car lap! A couple local yellows slowed everyone down toward the end but a clear last lap got me my fast time if the weekend!

The NCM facility is getting close. Lots of construction was going on while we were there. The track is a challenge although I'd say there is a lack of runoff area that makes penny-pinchers like me a little wary. I'll be looking forward to the next SCCA event there!

[PK]

Yeah, that was the slowest pace lap I've ever seen. Painful, especially with the 3.15 mi length. It took forever! Dave said to the Chief Steward 'Hey Pat, I want to talk about something', and the immediate response was 'pace car speed?', so it wasn't just our group. Much better on Sunday, though.

The track will be a more pleasant place as the facilities get finished. Hopefully they will put in some high bleachers or build some mounds so spectators can watch. The track is in such a small space, with some height it would be easy to see more than half of it which would be really impressive for a 3+ mile track.

It was kind of a shame to drive 500 miles to get there and not get a chance to go to the Corvette Museum. Oh well, maybe next time.

Hopefully the in-car videos came out. If so, Mike will post them soon.

[mikey]

so what is the new track record? did you run the full (grand) course config?

that place will get better over time. they are building garages with rooftop spectating, but there are several places around the track that some stands would be nice.

NCMMP put priority on opening the track, but they're not done developing that place by a long shot!

[MikeR]

Here is video of a lap of the NCMMP track on board Phil Kingham's Zink Z10C CFF during the Friday practice day.

https://vimeo.com/130814384

I'm processing video of Saturday's race. I'll post that soon.

[PK]

Yes, we ran the Grand Full Course.

The provisional results showed my best time in the race Sunday as a track record at 2:10.997.

[MikeR]

Here is video of the Saturday race (w/o the safety car laps). Unfortunately some red clay on the camera lens obscures the video a little bit. It was a tight race between Phil Kingham, Dave Harmison, and Reilly Harris. Unfortunately, Dave had some engine problems and had to drop out. Phil and Reilly continued the battle right up until the end. The video doesn't show it but Reilly was pulling up along side Phil at the chequered flag.

https://youtu.be/KsJ2Fxjw_Wk

[Earley Motorsports]

Good video and it is good you took out the pace car. I didn't realize Corvettes could go that slow.