EFF/SVRA at Coronado Speed Fest

[TimH]

They said it would be more of a parade than a race but once the visors were down that message went by the way. Still, not a lot of carnage from the few contact incidents (only one for EFF, on the white flag lap of the final race and repairs shouldn't be too bad) and plenty of pucker but no oops at the new chicane.

Big thanks to SVRA for inviting us. They put on a great show, and the paddock was if anything more entertaining than the track action (plenty of that, too - those old NASCAR and TransAm collectors must have forgotten how much they'd paid for their cars!). And what a pleasure to shake hands with West Coast's movers and future-makers. Best of luck to all!

[fitfan]

we put on a great show! 4 wide across the finish line. top 3 and a lapped car.

SVRA though... acted a bit incompetent/amateur hour marshaling the event... qualifying jumped the start by seconds without any recourse. and "the guy" (me) that qualified on pole, was gridded up 6th for the race? random/inconsistent flagging and enforcing, not following their own flagging protocol we were told in the drivers meeting, etc.. the entire grid was jumbled up from qualifying. i think only one car (second) was in the right place. (and Danny finished second). anyways, all the drivers did great under less than favorable conditions!! - the organizer... has a bit of explaining and apologies to issue to many of the drivers and fans/spectators -IMO (and not just to group 2 as i have heard) - that said, sadly, still probably better run than years past.... and kudos for SVRA for putting together group 2 and inviting the cars to race. so that was a good sign and encouraging.

so i guess what "its not a race" really means is - "we will not marshall this event seriously... you do whatever you want... we will do whatever we want". and there you have it! again - all the drivers did really well under all the weekends circumsatnces. quality entrants all around!

EFF guys drove solid and it was great to have such a large group out. the red lotus 69 was drool worthy! the odd ball super vee way weird! its a blessing to run with such quality people/drivers and cars.

the car to car contact was minimal and "light damage" (bent suspensions) as far as i could tell.

[TimH]

I spent 5-6 laps staring at the 69's gearbox, and was finally about to go by just as the yellow flew for the contact event. Our DOT tires just didn't come in as quickly as the real race tires, and the loose nut behind the wheel couldn't make up positions lost in the opening laps. Good fun no matter the outcome. Maybe we'll come back next year with the right gears in my box.

Ken's suspension looks pretty ok, though the CV is toast. Detailed examination pending.

[fitfan]

well for what its worth, the AR (i don't know if i would go so far as to say "real" racing slicks... but yes they are "racing slicks") get up to about 80% on formation but its takes a lap or two to get the rest out of them... slippery the first lap! i think the only part of the track i wasn't slipping on was down the front straight. the walls ate a few corners off cars....

I'm looking forward to trying out the toyos on the swift. i never liked the AR on the Zink, it much preferred the avons... the swift... i don't mind it on the AR so far. but I've only drivin the car twice so hard to really say at this point.

it is deff a track (short,tight) that you need the right gears for... thats "seconds" on the table there. let me/us know next year and ill share the gearing i was using, which i think was pretty much spot on for me.

[TimH]

Thanks Rodney. I got enough data just in Friday's practice to know what gears I should probably have, but decided not to bother switching out our usual short track ratios I'll be using for the next several events here. I was actually too short - had to feather in 4th a little after Start/Finish and never used first except to start. Surely a handicap, but I wasn't going to run at the front anyway. It was fun just to be out there.

And EFF Toyos might have shown better if one of our quickest wasn't up in Canada protecting his Master Class Championship lead. More wins at ICAR, so Jim's looking good.

Lisa and Jens will make sure you have a good time when you visit our little tracks. Do give the Toyos AT LEAST a couple of laps to really come in, though. Designed for 3000# cars they're not going to get warm just from parade scrubbing and dragging on an FF. By comparison Avons and Dunlops still qualify as "real race tires."

..and slipping is half the fun even when they're at their best. Especially then.

Go EFF!

[Roland V. Johnson]

Thanks to all the Arizona drivers for making the trip. Next year when we are all on Toyo's we will see how everything goes. We all should try to talk up the event and make it even bigger next year. If anyone didn't enjoy watching both Saturday and Sunday races they don't like racing.

[Dee]

I have raced this event since 2003, group 9
this year i followed a car that was black flagged for spraying oil he continued for 4 laps before he decided to head to the pits
for sundays race i was moved back 6 grid spots (dont know why) the refinery was allowed to race and was ahead of me 6 grid spots go figure.
i may go back only time will tell.
SVRA Corprate Giant in Vintage Racing