FB: 2018 Runoffs

[RussMcB]

Any interesting news or stories from practice and qualifying?

Hope the folks there are having as good a time as possible. Looking forward to the race (via web).

[JakeL]

Anybody? Bueller?

Any interesting news or stories from practice and qualifying?

Hope the folks there are having as good a time as possible. Looking forward to the race (via web).

[RussMcB]

Anybody? Bueller?

I'm sure they're all very busy.

Looking at the grid, wow, JR is still fast (an understatement), and Gary looks further down the grid that I'd (and he'd) expect to be.

They are the last race of the weekend, so hopefully that gives them all time to have their cars in great shape for the race.

[Tony Opheim]

I'll chime in since we're in the same run group and these cars have a special place in my heart.

First, let me just say JR is not fully human - he is either part cyborg or a mutant (I'm going with a mutant). His car control is simply unreal - I don't know how he goes so stupidly fast and yet be so smooth at the same time. Plus he seems to be able to pass in places others would not think to and yet they never appear "unsafe" or "high risk". Not quite sure how to say it but he makes his car very visible in your mirrors. A mutant I tell you...

Randy Cook is the best of the rest - he knows this track really well. Taught me a thing or two!

Gary Hickman is having a heck of a time. He was going well right up until a motor change before Q1. He struggled with shifting issues for all three qualify sessions and after changing pretty much all of the Geartronics components he resorted to putting his old motor back in. I was leaving the track yesterday as he did a hardship lap so don't know if he got it fixed.

If Gary gets things sorted out I think he could easily challenge Randy otherwise he, Rod Rice, and Kevin Roggenbuck will be fighting for third.

[Jon Jeffords]

Rod Rice receives a three-spot penalty for a tech violation. Gary Hickman is announced as the winner.

Congrats Gary!

[Lotus7]

Rod Rice receives a three-spot penalty for a tech violation. Gary Hickman is announced as the winner.

Congrats Gary!

I know only what you wrote here, but curious how a "tech violation" isn't binary ... you're legal or you're disqualified, no?
can you elaborate?
thx

[Jon Jeffords]

can you elaborate?
thx

I don’t know any of the details or heard any rumors. Here is the source of my comment:
https://www.scca.com/articles/201060...for-maiden-win

[jaltaman]

It's for passing under yellow, I believe.

Congrats Gary - you guys worked your tails off for it!

[problemchild]

I know only what you wrote here, but curious how a "tech violation" isn't binary ... you're legal or you're disqualified, no?
can you elaborate?
thx

Considering there were only 4 cars running, and 2 cars on the lead lap, one of which was deemed illegal, the difference between position penalty or DSQ seems like a moot point.

[John Nesbitt]

I don’t know any of the details or heard any rumors. Here is the source of my comment:
https://www.scca.com/articles/201060...for-maiden-win

PUY. In my experience, there is only one instance at the Runoffs where a post-race compliance violation did not result in a DQ, and that was PlungeGate in SM in 2014.

Finals are posted here: https://www.scca.com/pages/2018-runoffs-results

[Jon Jeffords]

Here's the exact quote from the link above, which I interpreted as a violation of something found during post race tech inspection:

"However, Rice received a three-spot penalty for a tech violation after the race."

[John Nesbitt]

Here's the exact quote from the link above, which I interpreted as a violation of something found during post race tech inspection:

"However, Rice received a three-spot penalty for a tech violation after the race."

Agreed. "tech violation" surely sounds like a compliance issue.

Whoever wrote that press release should have known better.

[Jnovak]

Agreed. "tech violation" surely sounds like a compliance issue.

Whoever wrote that press release should have known better.

i am amazed that therecseems to be no info on this rechnical violation???

[bill gillespie]

With respect , Jay.....I’m amazed at several tech rulings/ non-rulings during this premiere SCCA event
cheers,
Bill

[John Nesbitt]

i am amazed that therecseems to be no info on this rechnical violation???

Because, according to the final results, there was no tech violation. The penalty was for a pass under yellow. The write-up misstated the infraction.

[Jnovak]

Because, according to the final results, there was no tech violation. The penalty was for a pass under yellow. The write-up misstated the infraction.

thanks John

[Thomas Copeland]

Gary sent me a text reply last night. Said Randy Cook protested Rice for passing under yellow.

I also think I heard Gary mention during the podium ceremony this was his last race in SCCA. I certainly hope not. I texted him last night asking if true but he hasn't responded back yet.

[ghickman]

Sitting here at the airport waiting for my flight. I just got word that I did officially win. Rod Rice passed under a standing yellow at the entry to T8. I believe it may have been Roggenbuck that layed down oil and it sent out the emergency crew. I guess Rod did not see the yellow but he passed I believe 3 or 4 cars in the process which allowed him to make up some ground on me. Rod and I were nose to to tail the last lap or so.
Randy Cook and I had a great battle going then I was able to get around Randy then I think he may have had a mechanical problem.
From my vantage point JRO was not pulling much of a gap on Randy and me which surprised me.
The last few laps I really got held up by the Atlantic cars especially under heavy braking.

thanks to all that have sent out congrats to me, it was a difficult week to say the least

[Jnovak]

So cool Gary, congrats!

[ghickman]

Thanks Jay, your enthusiasm for the F1000 class has always been an inspiration to me personally.

[Jnovak]

Thanks Jay, your enthusiasm for the F1000 class has always been an inspiration to me personally.

thanks a ton Gary. Both Brian and I love FB AND WE ARE THRILLED FOR YOU AND YOUR VERY HARD EARNED NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!

[MVS]

Congratulations Gary, Tony, and Dustin. - You guys built one hell of an FB car: technically elegant, innovative, and beautifully constructed. - I sincerely admire your perseverance, acumen on track, and ultimately your results in bringing it to a deserving national championship: Cheers to you!!!

Scully

[Daryl DeArman]

Congratulations Gary! I saw that tail FA was giving both y'all fits. I was hoping you purposely let Rice by (coming to take the white flag, don't remember exactly) just so he'd get balked and you could pounce.

It seems to me, that all too often in the mixed group racing, that egos get in the way. Tail end of "faster" class cars just can't find it in themselves to let leaders of "slower" class cars come through unimpeded.

[JEREMY HILL]

Congratulations Gary, Tony and Dustin, I wish I could have been there...Jeremy

[Jon Jeffords]

Tail end of "faster" class cars just can't find it in themselves to let leaders of "slower" class cars come through unimpeded.

I may be mistaken, but I believe the two slower FA's were battling for third position, and thus their disinterest in what was immediately behind them!

[Jnovak]

Thanks Jay, your enthusiasm for the F1000 class has always been an inspiration to me personally.

thanks a ton Gary. We only had an FB for 3 seasons and even though we won the runoffs in 2011 we were over our heads wrt to the $$$ required to race at the front.. That said it was our favorite class ever! A great and tough class and super fast too!

Btw: in your opinion what is the best engine?

[Daryl DeArman]

I may be mistaken, but I believe the two slower FA's were battling for third position, and thus their disinterest in what was immediately behind them!

I understand your point, but I have an issue with the "sportsmanship" involved in mixed-class race groups when you have leaders in one class coming up to non-leaders in another class.

If the trailing FA was racing for 7th, should they have let the FB's through? What about 17th? What if they were battling for 3rd but a lap down? Got to draw the line somewhere, right?

The 3rd and 4th place FA's were 3 to 4 seconds apart for much of the last couple laps (I may be mistaken as well, but that's my recollection). When you have two cars, in another class, driving 10/10ths, crawling up your ass, and the guy you're trying to chase down is a football field ahead, you don't have to give up much real estate to let those other guys through. Hell, tuck in behind them. Maybe learn a thing or two. When they catch the guy you were battling maybe you'll be right there and can get him too. If they don't catch the other guy, you wouldn't have either.

[ghickman]

thanks a ton Gary. We only had an FB for 3 seasons and even though we won the runoffs in 2011 we were over our heads wrt to the $$$ required to race at the front.. That said it was our favorite class ever! A great and tough class and super fast too!

Btw: in your opinion what is the best engine?

Jay
I still like the 07/08 Suzuki a lot. I ran all season long on the same engine. We ran all the test days at Sonoma with the same engine. We switched to our fresh engine for qualifying the yanked it out after Q3 because it acted like it had bent shift forks. So the tired engine went back in for the race. We've got our wet sump pan dialed in and we make 80 psi oil pressure all the time. Less complicated and lighter weight.

JRO and Roggenbuck were both running back dated 2015 GEN5 KAWI's. Roggenbuck blew up 2 of them.

I really like the idea that I can run my car an honest 25 lbs lighter than the post 2011 engine cars.

What I would like to see for the class is a 45MM restrictor for all engines. The 07/08 Suzuki is 45MM so no restrictor needed. Then allow us to run aftermarket ECU's so no back dating would be needed.

[Northwind]

Congrats Gary,

It's great to see all your hard work pay off.

[mario_zgb]

Congrats Gary... i think you deserved it long time ago... your car and race craft were always positioning you between top contenders... this time you did it really hard way

Anyone knows what happened to JR? Without info it would be easy to say car was left at 3 lap setup even he turned low 1:31 "only" considering his qualy times.

It was hard to see during the race but was there something complicated going on around his rear diffuser?

Would also like to know, since we never raced there, what are the biggest challenges of that track? Blind corners, braking after the crest while rear end stepping out, elevation changes affecting oil pressures...?

Thanks