Nelson Ledges Results

[Bill Bonow]

This past weekend held rounds 3 & 4 of the US FST Series at Nelson Ledges. There were actually 17 FST's at the track, but only 15 drivers to pilot them. Still at 15 cars, this event is the largest FST grid to date. Nelson Ledges was just as it was from the previous year, fast and bumpy.

High spots of the weekend:

Greg Rice pulls off a blistering 1:11.7 in qualifying and sets the race record at 1:12.8 for Saturday.

On Sunday Robert Clark held it for a couple of laps at 1:12.7, but Doug Seim picked it up a few laps later and now holds the race record at 1:12.687.

The weekend saw its 3rd and 4th series race winners with Doug Seim getting the win on Saturday while Kiwi Robert Clark gets his first series win on Sunday.

Jim Nash's Mission (now in full orange color) made the longest trip from Bloomington, MN and had a great weekend with minimal "teething" issues.

Full results to be posted later (got to go to work), but in general, the weekend was fun and the competition was tough.

We did get plenty of photos and video (posted soon)

[problemchild]

Doug Seim was the likely winner on Sunday as well. Doug and I got together on the last lap and he got the worst of it. That was certainly not my intention and I asked the Chief Operating Steward to penalize me. I believe Doug was classified 4th and I was moved from 1st to 5th. It was very difficult to have two wins wiped out when taken off track my cars several laps down but Doug was in position to benefit from both incidents and deserves congratulations.
Cheers!

[Doug FST 5]

Nearly a perfect weekend for us on the track but a bizare weekend off the track. We had a very odd and time consuming mechanical problem to fix on Matt's car on Saturday night and Sunday morning. I thought I had seen it all. On the trip back we found Dave Dawson sitting on the side of I-80 with his flashers on. The "light sabre 2000" welder was called into service fixing the cracked axle on his trailer. I took a moment to capture the scene on video - I'll post soon.

The final lap on Sunday was very unfortunate but I'm tickled pink to get the lap record. Even sweeter when you do the math. The record lap average speed is now a tick over 99mph.

[Bill Bonow]

The "light sabre 2000" welder was called into service fixing the cracked axle on his trailer. I took a moment to capture the scene on video - I'll post soon.

I always thought it was the "Death Ray 2000" Will you submit the video to OSHA as a Mr. Bungle sampler?

The final lap on Sunday was very unfortunate but I'm tickled pink to get the lap record. Even sweeter when you do the math. The record lap average speed is now a tick over 99mph.

Congrats on your well deserved race record.

[Bill Bonow]

Here are the official results for rounds 3 & 4

Saturday Qualifying:

1) Greg Rice 1:11.749 * New Qualifying Record
2) Carl Middelegge 1:13.980
3) Doug Seim 1:14.110
4) Dave Dawson 1:14.135
5) Robert Clark 1:14.202
6) Matt Gordon 1:15.162
7) William Bonow 1:15.189
8) Noah Smith 1:15.780
9) Jim Nash 1:16.664
10) Don Smith 1:18.091
11) Aaron Deer 1:20.001
12) Jared Timmerman 1:20.142
13) Mark Kelly 1:20.531
14) Dave Blevins 1:20.856
15) Randy Shinn 1:33.384

Saturday Race:

1) Doug Seim 1:13.340
2) Robert Clark 1:13.411
3) Carl Middelegge 1:13.447
4) Noah Smith 1:15.593
5) Matt Gordon 1:15.586
6) William Bonow 1:16.039
7) Jim Nash 1:16.021
8) Mark Kelly 1:16.049
9) Jared Timmerman 1:17.263
10) Aaron Deer 1:19.329
11) Don Smith 1:23.830
12) Dave Blevins 1:20.549
13) Greg Rice 1:12.809
14) Dave Dawson 1:48.856
15) Randy Shinn N/T

Sunday Qualifying:

1) Greg Rice 1:12.841
2) Robert Clark 1:13.582
3) Carl Middelegge 1:13.582
4) Doug Seim 1:13.650
5) Jared Timmerman 1:14.725
6) William Bonow 1:14.850
7) Matt Gordon 1:15.105
8) Jim Nash 1:15.391
9) Mark Kelly 1:15.661
10) Noah Smith 1:16.016
11) Aaron Deer 1:17.823
12) Don Smith 1:17.891
13) Dave Blevins 1:21.303
14) Randy Shinn 1:26.300
15) Dave Dawson N/T

Sunday Race:

1) Robert Clark 1:13.101
2) Carl Middelegge 1:13.571
3) William Bonow 1:14.032
4) Doug Seim 1:12.687 * New Race Record
5) Greg Rice 1:12.716
6) Noah Smith 1:15.282
7) Jared Timmerman 1:15.417
8) Matt Gordon 1:14.835
9) Jim Nash 1:16.168
10) Mark Kelly 1:16.258
11) Don Smith 1:17.200
12) Aaron Deer 1:17.007
13) Randy Shinn 1;25.612
14) Dave Blevins DNS
15) Dave Dawson DNS

[rightturntiger]

Thanks to everybody for another great series event. I really enjoyed being back at the track with the whole group. My friends (both of whom were new to SCCA road racing) really enjoyed themselves despite the many, many hours of work we put in to get the car back on track Sunday morning.

On that note, a million thank yous to Dave Dawson. I wouldn't have been on the track Sunday without his tireless work Saturday night in helping us spring the engine out of the BRD. That is part of the great thing about club racing and, despite all the work it took to get the car back on track Sunday, I think my friends appreciated how cool club racing can be and that was thanks to everybody's (Dave, Robert, Doug, etc.) help Saturday night and Sunday morning.

I'm looking forward to being back at the track...hopefully sooner rather than later.

Matt Gordon

[dd46637]

After finally reviewing my data from Nelson I can say that 7300RPM in 2nd gear is BAD.

That was just one of several lessons learned.

As Matt found out, I am always willing to help a brother out. Your next bar tab will be the stuff of legend for years to come

Doug Seim is my new Hero. There is absolutely nothing funny about being broke down on the highway with a trailer and truck full of stuff. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the video camera.

Safety wire is a damn good idea. After what I saw Saturday night it will become part of my race prep.

Dave

[planbracing]

Enjoyed walking the paddock on Saturday and talking to Randy, Dave Blevins and Jim Nash ( photos don't do justice to the car). No action shots, but a photo of the grid (some cars were very late appearing on the grid and aren't pictured) and the pace lap. Hope to figure out some way to be racing with you next year.

[Carl Middelegge]

I have posted some Video from the Saturday Nelson race as a how not to navigate the bumps in the Nelson Carousel . I was very lucky to suffer no real damage, a real testament to the Campbell Evolution durability.

I was chasing Greg Rice who was in the lead at the time & had Doug Seim & Robert Clark right on my tail. I eventually recovered to finish in third place. Running faster laps after the crash missing my nose than before, go figure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oikkuiWgmY

[skyman]

Thanks for posting the great video, Carl! I now know exactly where the "bump" is in the carousel. I was unable to continue after hitting that same bump on Sunday. Glad you were able to get back on track for a good finish.

Randy

[Doug FST 5]

Here's a link to a video taken of the Sunday race from the observation stand at Nelson. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAabr8Pj49A

[Dave Stevens]

Carl,

I've always wondered what lies beyond the edge of that lip around the top of the carousel, but was always afraid to actually go look. Now I know I never want to go spinning over the edge! Great job on recovering and finishing third. Sometimes being a little pissed off at yourself works wonders for laptimes!

Dave

[sracing]

With a new perspective and validation of what REALLY happened on the last lap.. Great post.

Jim

[Doug FST 5]

Here's a shot of ace roadside welder Dave D manning the feared "death ray 2000" on the Ohio Turnpike somewhere West of Nelson Ledges.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-2DxJseB7c

Doug