Portland Super Tour 7 FB's

[ghickman]

Well looks like we will have some epic racing at Portland this weekend. Weather set to be clear and mid to high 70's.

7 FB's and the return of JRO.

This is going to be a major shoot out for sure.

Hickman
Rogenbuck
JRO
Vollum
Blackwell

and a few other new faces in the mix.

[John Mosteller]

We need one more entry for Portland and 8 more entries for the Pacific Major the following week. Plus we need 8 entries in every Major race for the remainder of this year in order to automatically qualify for the 2019 Runoffs at VIR. With the new Runoffs qualifying criteria we need 155 entries in the remaining 20 Majors of 2018.

[Thomas Copeland]

Where were all these guys last year when we were up there? I might come if Larry will let me rent his Stohr again.

[ghickman]

Where were all these guys last year when we were up there? I might come if Larry will let me rent his Stohr again.

Only if you promise to take JRO out.

[Thomas Copeland]

I could do that!!

I'll blame it on red mist....

[ghickman]

The boys on the East Coast need to pick up the slack. You need to get out and run Majors races guys.

[ghickman]

John
Anxious to see your new car. As I remember you've been working on this for a very long time....do I have that right?

[Thomas Copeland]

Yeah....there's a reason why we went regional route this year. But we have already talked about doing more majors next year. But that won't help us out this year for making the 2019 runoffs criteria.

and what exactly is a Radicalone Panther 1000? Sounds radical....

[John Mosteller]

Gary,
I started on this car 10 years ago and got the frame about 2/3 done when I switched jobs. But I only got about 10 days a year off at the new job and usually had to work 10 to 14 hours a day. So basically I didn't get to work on it at all until I got out of that rat race. I still have things to do on it but am going to try and get out on the test day to bed the new pads and rotors and try to find a driveable balance. Hopefully I wont have any major issues that will keep me from making the race as we need all the entries we can get this year

[ghickman]

Gary,
I started on this car 10 years ago and got the frame about 2/3 done when I switched jobs. But I only got about 10 days a year off at the new job and usually had to work 10 to 14 hours a day. So basically I didn't get to work on it at all until I got out of that rat race. I still have things to do on it but am going to try and get out on the test day to bed the new pads and rotors and try to find a driveable balance. Hopefully I wont have any major issues that will keep me from making the race as we need all the entries we can get this year

John
You will be joining a very short list of owner / designer / driver that has built an FB. You certainly have my respect and welcome to the club.

If there's anything we (I) can help you with this weekend don't hesitate to ask.

[John Mosteller]

Thanks Gary

[Mike Holland]

Could we see pictures of this masterpiece?

[John Mosteller]

I will take some pictures this weekend and post a few.

[JerryH]

FB racers in the North American Formula 1000 Championship have been turning out in very good numbers back east. Eleven average per race last year....and a few more drivers are coming onboard this year.

We were assured by Scca that there was a pathway to the runoffs via regional races. Therefore the series drivers chose to run regionals in 2018......because regions needed the entries..... and agreed to give the series standalone races.....a win/win situation......for us and the regions.

Now......with grossly inadequate notice.... the rules are suddenly changed.

Counting a year already gone (2017).....and a year that is half gone (2018).....gives people little or no opportunity to adjust their participation to meet the new rules.

There are a number if problems with this new rule. Primary among them is inadequate notification. Any new rule like this should be announced at least a year before the effective date.

Others problems are:
1. an arbitrarily high average participation number (4)......the highest ever considered or used in Scca.

2. Not counting participation at regional races gives an inaccurate picture of every class.

3. If we are really trying to determine which classes get invited to the runoffs....and not just using the runoffs carrot to force people to run majors......then the number of cars attending the runoffs in previous years should be far more important than participation at majors (or regionals).

Scca should at a minimum delay this till 2020.......but the entire policy needs to be thoroughly reexamined and revised.

A great many scca members will be adversely affected in multiple ways.....included financial.

Jerry Hodges
JDR Race Cars
North American Formula 1000 Championship

ghickman;561419]The boys on the East Coast need to pick up the slack. You need to get out and run Majors races guys.[/QUOTE]

[Thomas Copeland]

Jerry,

You make a VERY GOOD case.

Wonder who's eventually going to file it in the name of all the membership.

[Thomas Copeland]

Looks like JR smoked you guys in his comeback!

I listened to the Saturday race but the live video had trouble keeping up.

[ghickman]

Looks like JR smoked you guys in his comeback!

I listened to the Saturday race but the live video had trouble keeping up.

I lead the first race until my car broke coming into the braking zone to T1. Tried repairing the damage but I wasn't confident with the repair so I sat out Sunday.

JRO and I would have had a battle. Sonoma will be a rematch.

[Mike Holland]

Does anyone have some weekend pictures that they can share?