ARRC updates?

[swiftdrivr]

Anyone know how the racing is going in Atlanta?

[problemchild]

20 laps caution free in 80 deg weather.
11 each of FF and CF.

FF
Andy Brumbaugh
Cliff Johnson
Dave Petzko
Greg Rice
Tim Voth

CF
Steve Brooks
Phil Kingham
Mike Rand
Wayne Nicolette
Dave Harrison

Andy and Cliff had to leave so should will be a new OA winner tomorrow.

[swiftdrivr]

Thanks. Sounds like it was a great time.

[Dave Harmison]

Incredible racing, incredible weather. Steve and Phil had a tough, close race. Wayne, Mike and I had a fantastic battle for third. Side by side through turn one. What a show.

[swiftdrivr]

I hope someone can post video. I live vicariously!

[Purple Frog]

It started pretty exciting, ended not so much.
Rained heavy during the night.
The morning was a beautiful British Isles day, misty and gray.
Only a few went out for 8 am Qualifier.
By Noon after all the Qs and PDX, the track was dry and all went to grid on slicks.

The start was pretty exciting as Greg Rice took the lead into T1 in his '84 Reynard.
Then at the end of lap 1 Greg still had the lead.
Ditto lap 2.
Then Petzko and Haas got by in modern cars.
The whole time the top 7 cars were packed tightly together.

About lap 4 three cars tangled at T3 and shortly thereafter Mark Gray collected concrete on the exit of T5 trying to miss a spinning car.
It went FCY a few laps to clean up.

At the restart it went back to pretty exciting racing, especially in the front pack of 7.
On about lap 13 Greg went off heavy at the exit of T1, and moved the concrete barriers.
That forced the White Shirts to throw double yellow/black/ checker all at once.

Reports are that Greg is OK, the Reynard not so. Lots of damage to the old girl, but no bent frame, it did its job.

Final results probably:

FF Petzko, Haas, Roux
CF Kingham, Brooks, Rand

[problemchild]

My apologies for shortening the race for everybody.
Thanks to Mike, Joe, and everything else for the hospitality and organization.

Clearly no one to blame but myself for using too much of a damp curb, but not sure why in the year 2017, at one of the finest tracks in the land, there is a concrete wall at 90 degrees at the exit of the fastest corner on the track. I gather I am not the first one to find it.

[Earley Motorsports]

What a great time and a special thanks to Joe and Mike. It was great to see everybody again even though I was only there for the RCFFS event on the Sunday. Had the Merlyn MK29A out which was it's first time on the track in 19 years. As I hadn't driven it anywhere but down the street to many waves from the kids of the block so I decided to go out for the qualifying run in the morning on slicks in the drizzle and fog. A little greasy though. It worked out as a good shake down to make sure everything worked.
Qualified last (6th) of the morning group but opted to start at the back of the pack for the race to let the good guys go and have some fun.
Great time and great racing even at the back. Bummer about the crashes but glad everybody was OK. Special thanks to Wayne Nicolette for giving me a brake master cylinder the night before as I couldn't get a good pedal. With his help was how I made the main event. That is the way these guys are. Everybody helps everybody else. Come join the RCFFS events, great fun guaranteed.

[Joe Marcinski]

Hi,

Very, very relieved to hear that you are OK Greg! Sorry to see a few cars damaged, but the drying, but not so much off the line, track made it a little tricky yesterday. The ARRC championship race on Saturday we terrific fun.

The Right Coast series had a very, very good weekend at the ARRC and we have some really good news to report for the future. I promise a full report in a day or two, but unfortunately I have go do my real job so that I can keep Beaker in the life style to which she has been accustomed........................

Again, so glad that Greg is OK and thanks to all the drivers who came to race with us. This series exists solely because you, the drivers, choose to come and race with us.

Best regards,

Joe Marcinski
DUFFUS Prime

[swiftdrivr]

" but not sure why in the year 2017, at one of the finest tracks in the land, there is a concrete wall at 90 degrees at the exit of the fastest corner on the track. I gather I am not the first one to find it."

It didn't used to be that way, if my memory is correct. It seems I recall showroom-stockers running off there, bumbling through the grass and then re-entering the track to finish the race with all corners intact. Not sure why that was unacceptable to the track management. The only thing about Road Atlanta I don't like is the abundance of concrete.

[RussMcB]

Sorry, Greg. It was good to see you, and I hope it was fun up until it wasn't. It sounds like you got up to speed quickly.

[Purple Frog]

Greg hit way up the hill. Past the gravel. Past the tire barriers. Completely out of sight of the T1 workers. Almost to T3.
Cars don't slow down much on wet grass.

[Raceworks]

" but not sure why in the year 2017, at one of the finest tracks in the land, there is a concrete wall at 90 degrees at the exit of the fastest corner on the track. I gather I am not the first one to find it."

It didn't used to be that way, if my memory is correct. It seems I recall showroom-stockers running off there, bumbling through the grass and then re-entering the track to finish the race with all corners intact. Not sure why that was unacceptable to the track management. The only thing about Road Atlanta I don't like is the abundance of concrete.

Before the 1997 changes a lot of what wasn't concrete was either clay embankments or forest. The low tire walls & armco would tend to launch cars. I almost ended up in the trees at the bottom of the esses in 1996, and one year a guy nearly took out the starter stand.

If somebody augered into the embankment at the exit of turn 5 (only about 30' away from the track surface) or the entrance to the old turn 11 on a dry day you'd get huge clouds of orange dust.

It was not uncommon if you lost it in wet conditions in Turns 3/4 or 6 for cars to end up finding trees.

I love Road Atlanta and I've been racing there since taking my first SCCA school there in 1995, but there are several places that have always been very, very unforgiving of mistakes.

[Dave Petzko]

Big thanks to Joe and Mike for all things RCFFS, and all the drivers who came out to play this year. As for the racing this weekend, Saturday ARRC race was entertaining as I had front row seat for the CF battle. Sunday RCFFS race was a little more eventful, but still great fun. Just glad everyone is Ok...especially Greg. Helping get the Reynard into the trailer, it was obvious that the hit was pretty hard. Looking forward to the announcements about the RCFFS 2018 plans.

[Purple Frog]

I know Greg thinks he hit a wall that stuck out 90 degrees to the racing surface. But, that is not the case.
One look at the satellite view in Google Maps and one will see the wall very closely follows a parallel line with the track just barely closing in by T3.

I only bring this up so folks not familiar with Road Atlanta don't get the wrong impression.

[Michael Rand]

Wait a minute, so racing open wheel cars on a closed road circuit can be dangerous ?
Really ?
Come on guys, it is so much less dangerous than even a decade or two back, never mind even so far back as when the fantastic Road Atlanta opened in 1970 and I don't recall anyone barking about the trees when we first ran the place almost 50 years ago for the then National Championship American Road Race of Champions.
Kudos to Atlanta Region for reviving the name and tradition, the track remains as challenging as ever and a joy to race on.
The so called "abundance of concrete" is a far better thing than a sloping grassy or red clay decline into the woods !
Follow Eakins [ Purple Frog] suggestion and go look at Google earth, that wall is absolutely NOT at 90 degrees !
Something seems abundantly clear here.
There are two options.
Three, really.
One, stay home so you don't get scared.
Two, be a smart racer and use just the asphalt portions.
Three, don't try to go faster than your experience and ability and track allow, in other words, learn and stay within your limits.
We have been blessed in Right Coast to have had almost no whiners and complainers, just proper open wheel racers who get on with the program WITHIN THEIR LIMITS.
Yes yes everyone must learn and there will be spins and drivers making marginal pass attempts and inevitably there'll be contact and car damage , the unspoken hope is always that no one gets personally injured, cars can be fixed relatively quickly, humans sometimes less so.
Each competitor must weigh the risk-reward equation by their own standards and act as an adult and live with their decision.
No one has ever been made to race an open wheel car with a gun to his/her head, it is a clear choice, make yours......


By the way, HUGE Congratulations to Dave Petzko for the win on Sunday !

[Earley Motorsports]

Great race, great event. I am still learning a lot being relatively new to this and are having a ball. At 62 this makes me feel like I was at 18 racing bikes. I may be slow but I am getting better. By the time I am 70 I may be able to keep up. As my primary (elementary) school art teacher used to say, "stay within the lines". Excellent track, excellent time. Thank you RCFFS.

[problemchild]

Hey guys.
My camera showed up. The workers must have tucked it inside the car.
What an awesome race at an awesome track .... even if it did not end right for me.

Please excuse the disorganized shifting, partially but not totally because of a balky shifter into 4th.
http://www.riceraceprep.com/2017/11/...-road-atlanta/

[Michael Rand]

Public apology to Greg from me as it seems Greg took my post as meaning he is a whiner. NOTHING could be further from the truth.
If there were advice from a dinosaur to Greg it would , and this is the voice of experience speaking, stay off the wet painted curbs .
Once off the asphalt onto wet grass and/or red clay I am sure his Reynard gained speed before impact.
I know this because I have done that same thing.
Hence a cautious early few laps to be sure where the damp was and what curbs held water the worst.
I hate seeing anyones car damaged and am sure Greg will have it in good fettle before next season.
Again, if my post was taken incorrectly than I am to guilty of in-artful phrasing perhaps, but definitely no finger pointing at Greg.
Rice Race Prep and it's owner and his customers are more than welcome anyplace anytime.

[swiftdrivr]

I love Road Atlanta, even though I haven't raced there since the "bad old days" before concrete spin-control. It has always been a track that can bite you. I broke a car at T-12 once,[ without exceeding my limits. The guy behind me did, on the first lap, of the first session of the weekend. ] But even though you don't have to be the one who causes your crash, racing is about pushing the limits, so it makes sense to try to obtain the safest environment to pursue that addiction / affliction / hobby / avocation. A "whiner" named Jackie Stewart probably saved more racer's lives than any rescue personnel ever did, and likely saved the sport too. In my job, I regularly see the effects of vehicular trauma, so perhaps I am more attuned to the long term and short term possibilities. You may decide for yourself if my racing despite this knowledge makes me a whiner, an idiot, or something else, but I think we should all welcome any reasonable critique of the safety decisions of tracks where we race, and continue to push tracks to upgrade and fine tune the tracks we play on. I don't know the situation where Greg went off, as I haven't been there in 20 years, but 1] he's okay, so something worked, and 2] an 1110 lb car is moving around concrete barriers, so it seems there might be room for improvement.That said, I've already put in to be off for the 2018 ARRC. I hope to see you guys there, and at the 50th the year after!

[Roux]

Had a ball. Thanks Joe. thanks Mike. Lets do this again and again, .....

Did not finish on Saturday due to brake pedal going to the floor, and so got to watch the race from the T7 corner station. GREAT SHOW guys!! close, fast and aware racing. Twice a lead car in a tight pack lost drive or made a big error and no-one tagged it. Great awareness!

Sunday was great for me. I finally found out how good my new setup on the car really is. Look forward to refining the handling next year at RCFF events. Get those cars ready and out there! You will have someone to race hard and fair with

Steve

[S. Frebert]

Finishing a car, with basically no bodywork done, New shocks never fully installed, Fire system replacement, and other odd bits within 3 weeks simply wasn't feasible. Derek Holmes and a bunch of my local car friends all banded together and got this done enough to work any bugs out at the track. Finishing the bodywork 4am before the week started had the car rolling out like this:






Had everyone that helped put the car together sign the tail of the car in celebration of this!!



Finally getting to the track, the car did awesome. I mean there was basically no issues. Nothing working loose, new fuel cell (thanks joe!) Did a superb jobb no ignition issues, all was great! I mainly spent most of the Thursday and Friday, scrambling to get the car to stop digging into the track under braking and cornering (It was so bad I thought the Stewards were going to make me start an Asphalt paving company)......

Friday's afternoon qualifying resembled me sliding the back end in T1 & T3 like Gerhard Berger at Monaco in 95.... At least that's what it felt like haha...





Ready for a gear change because getting a drive out of T7 with these straight line rocket F5 & F6's was driving me nuts. I possibly screamed in german....Even with traffic, this still gave me 6mph more on the straight!

Then comes Saturday Race... Figured the Sliding from Friday may also be attributed to to harsh of a rear ARB setting (especially for having it unhooked for the whole day thursday!)

Made the adjustment and went on with the race. Back end still sliding about thru turns, I was normally okay with....Now a 2nd time after I just saved it, after the apex of T1, I was NOT ready for it to let go again


Lovely hit, that I had the choice of keeping it to the inside of the track, or cut the wheel the other way and force Doug & Joe to start exploring natures wonders on the side of the track .... Inside it was absolutely a better choice...staring doug in the face going backwards was enough excitement for the both of us I'm sure.

I actually love how the suspension crumpled exactly how I'd want it to. The impact was more lateral so no "tearing" effect really happened.

Crew from MD that Showed up Saturday, had their work cut out for them!!




We did everything we could. Shout out to Steve Roux for the Rotor to trying an retrofit to the car, and thanks Clay for trying to help get that last bit to fit right.



Giving up is not something I remotely think about in times like this, but it came down to it. The Weekend was still amazing with everyone. The only thing I wish, is to of had more time to talk to everyone. Being surround by people with the same passion is what worth everything...


I implore anyone to run with this group. There is no better feeling running with these guys, side by side, 120mph- 12inches apart into Turn 10, and feeling absolutely comfortable with the person beside you, making racing with this group, that much more enticing.....Yes Joe, That was awesome....

Sorry for the long winded response but man this weekend was the best I've ever had!! I hope things work out with reality for me here soon and I'll be able to do as much racing as I want!

Shayne Frebert
Van Diemen RF85
#23

[andyllc]

The event was a great way to end the season with a fun event like that. Hate that I had to work and not be able to race on Sunday, even if the weather and track conditions were less than favorable. Above all else I am really happy to see the Right Coast group growing. I hope it continues to grow with each season.

[dgernert]

ARRC RCFFS Race Results here:

http://www.rcffs.org/2017-results.html#Atlanta

[MikeR]

It has taken me a while to post some video from the Saturday afternoon ARRC group 4 FF, CFF, F5 race. On the long ride from Road Atlanta back up to Michigan I was suffering from laryngitis and a sore throat. Little did I know that I also had a bad sinus infection that has had me wiped out all week.

But, I finally processed the video from the Saturday afternoon race. The weather was perfect and the race was exciting with closely fought battles throughout the field. Enjoy...

https://youtu.be/BJMdmzerrBI

I will try to post video of the Sunday afternoon RCFFS race later this weekend.

[Earley Motorsports]

Great video and battle. Just need a camera out the back. I bet there is just as much fun at both ends.

[problemchild]

But, I finally processed the video from the Saturday afternoon race. The weather was perfect and the race was exciting with closely fought battles throughout the field. Enjoy...
.

If you are going to watch a video with an ongoing view of another car, that black Van Diemen is one sweet car to have to watch!
Both Phil and Steve do a fine job driving their fine cars.

[tim voth]

Hey guys.
My camera showed up. The workers must have tucked it inside the car.
What an awesome race at an awesome track .... even if it did not end right for me.

Please excuse the disorganized shifting, partially but not totally because of a balky shifter into 4th.
http://www.riceraceprep.com/2017/11/...-road-atlanta/

Great drive until the crash! You have a fast car

[problemchild]

I found a broken rotor on the RF which appears disconnected from the crash. Certainly no other right side damage and I have had similar rotor failures previously. Just seems strange that I did not notice brake or drag issues. I just wondered if anybody had pics or video of funky stuff happening on my RF. Thanks

[Earley Motorsports]

Not that I have much experience but I noticed in your video on your last lap when you came onto the straight out of 12 the car didn't seem to be as smooth or planted as all the other laps. Just an observation.

[swiftdrivr]

I found a broken rotor on the RF which appears disconnected from the crash. Certainly no other right side damage and I have had similar rotor failures previously. Just seems strange that I did not notice brake or drag issues. I just wondered if anybody had pics or video of funky stuff happening on my RF. Thanks

Can't imagine you'd get very far with that without sever vibration or worse. I'd think, with it being on the front, your steering wheel would feel like a jack-hammer. Maybe it snapped and that's what caused the crash?
BTW: Enjoyed the video. You looked really fast and smooth until the last few seconds.