Sebring National

[Zambo]

For all of us not able to bask in that glorious Florida sun, what is happening at the National? Qualifying? Info?

How about letting us know?

Steve

[Paul Schneider]

I'm with you there Zambo...what is going on down there?? I haven't missed this race in years , but I am committed to the Pro Series and have to save my days off for that . Come on Inge, let us know what's going on !

[Keith Carter]

Looked like there were about 7 cars according to the DLB registration. They were grouped with the FFs in Group1 so race one should be done. I'm guessing Inge was up front at the pointy end.

[Purple Frog]

Matt won.... Mair ... But it was a hell of a battle with Inge.
Inge lead for a while. Afterwards Inge said he had a fuel pressure issue.
But from the stands it was fun to watch.

[Purple Frog]

Mair sweeps Sebring!

Inge broke a left rear axle in the race (afterall, it is Sebring)

[Mick Robinson]

Thanks Purple Frog!! I saw you on Sunday but was tied up with some business. I wanted to thank you personally for the good work you do on this site, and for posting the pictures.

For the rest of you, tons of behind the scene stuff was going on. Who would have thought that two FV would take out two FE's on the cool off laps from behind!!??!!!

How's that for a tease? I'm busy today but I will get a report on, belated as it may be, as soon as I can, like tomorrow. Maybe. I'm finally busy again

[Purple Frog]

Mick,

Honestly the picture of Mark in the earlier post was not cropped. I was playing around with the long lens. But, when i saw it, I first thought of you.
Next lap by, I zoomed out a bit. But your ad is still pretty much centered in the shot.

[KAMcDonald]

Mick,

was anyone running the new 4th gear?

[Mick Robinson]

Enterprises is going to release the new gear in March, I think is the target date. Some of the new gears will be in the States in 3 weeks is what Kevin told me. Erik will want to do some testing with them to make sure they are up to the standards of the current gear and that the gear will work in multiple cars. I think, and I might be wrong here, that there has been one car that tested the gear set. I think Enterprises will have 3 or 4 sets out and in CSR cars for a few test days and then evaluate the gear on performance and durability.

On that note, I think the current gear set that Kevin had and Steve used in tests will be used again next week.

[Mick Robinson]

Good weather for the weekend finally! A cold front went thru Thursday morning dumping tons of rain and wind on Sebring.

At about 10:30, the track was dry enough to go out. Matthew Inge, who has returned to Robinson Motor Sports in his FE had the pole with a pole time of 2:15. However, there was a 30 mph wind right down the back stretch! It was his first time in the car in over 2 years as he was off in the F2000 Pro series. It was good to have him back!! Chris Eveland was second a second back with Wally Osinga third about anothjer second back and then new comer Phil Di Pippo ( paddocked with Hagerman Racengineering) followed by Roger Fegahli, Tom Green and another new comer Patrick Linn.

Fegahli was up in arms as he was collected by a FV on the cool off lap! Turn 14 had the sun right above track level and the Vee got into the back of Roger. The repairs took enough time so that Roger missed the first qualifying session for the Sunday race later Friday afternoon. Tom Green also got collected by a Vee and the repairs would keep him from the second session.

The second Friday qualifier was for Sunday's race. Inge, after some adjustments, moved down to a 13.1, with Eveland next and Osinga right on his rear wing only .2 seconds back, DiPippo 2 seconds quicker than the morning session, Linn was 5th for the session.

The Saturday morning qualifier had little wind and cooler temps. Matthew Inge dialed in a time of 11.7, almost 4 seconds quicker than Friday mornings time. Matthew Mair arrived at the track and just made the final qualifying session for Saturday's race. His first time in the car since the Runoffs, and he was second on the grid .7 seconds behind Inge. Everyone else that went out increased their times by 2 seconds, except for Chris Eveland and Wally Osinga. Eveland spun on the out lap and Osinga had nowhere to go and collected him with his left front.

Wally had the help of his Grandson to repair his car and just made the grid for the start of the Saturday race. Eveland was not so fortunate, and joined the race one lap down.

On the start, Mair and Inge broke away from the rest of the group and put on one heck of a race. Inge had the lead for the first lap, and Mair got by in turn one. The became separated by an FM and that delayed the attempts by Inge to get back by Mair. After a couple of cautions, the lead two were separated by .9 seconds at the checker.

Osinga lead Feghali across the stripe as Partick Linn ran a fine fifth, followed by a lap down Eveland and Di Pippo finished on pit lane.

The Sunday qualifying was in great weather, with Inge pulling out a last lap qualifier to go from .008 seconds off the pole time of Mair to a whopping 1.9 seconds gap!

Everyone had a qood Sunday morning qualifying session with Osinga again 3rd, followed by Eveland, Di Pippo and Green all within one second of each other, Feghalli just a little back and Linn .3 off of him.

Another great start with the front row guys side by side into turn one, Mair squeeked out a lead down the short straight to turn 3. Nose to tail the leaders went around the first lap while Green took off like a rocket, leaving behind Eveland and Feghali!

Inge coasted to a stop on the second lap, leaving a big lead for Mair who then cruised to the win.

Behind him though, things were exciting! Eveland fell back in turn one traffic, only to set his sights on Feghali. Green mean while was tracking down Osinga. The 2 groups worked each other over until Eveland had a throttle problem and stopped off track.

The focus on Green and Osinga was the exciting part of the race. With 4 to go, Green caught Wally and went by, only to be repassed on the same lap. Green made another pass and this time it stuck, but Osinga gave it all he had to come up just short at the flag!!

Great racing at Sebirng and this week they all head to Homestead except Matthew Inge who has to WORK!!

[iamuwere]

Two cars collected by FV on the cool down. That is indeed unfortunate.

[Marshall Mauney]

Two cars collected by FV on the cool down. That is indeed unfortunate.

How does that happen? That would seem to require a "special kind of stupid" to achieve....

[Purple Frog]

20+ years ago at Skippy School I was told that it was very common to have multicar crashes after the checker.

They taught to not let up for many turns and then only gradually.

I'm sure this will be an interesting story, but my first reaction was; how could a vee catch two FEs to be able to run into the back of them?

[turbo993]

It wasnt on the cool down lap,it was during the first qualifying,i passed a black S2 and while going by the FV he panicked and put his front wheel between my wheels and sheared my right rear corner right off the car.He said the sun was too bright and didnt see me.I had already passed him,so I couldnt avoid him.I didnt even see him hit me.I dont understand the logic of putting us with cars that are 15 to 20 second slower and have control arms made for a truck.The guy destroyed my car and kept driving .Nothing happened to his car.Nice guy,didnt do it on purpose,but it still cost me few bucks.But its ok,Its racing and I love it.

[La Scuderia Raggi]

Thank the SCCA gods that FE's in SF region don't run in the group with the FVee's. Not bashing the Vee's, but I spun in T2 at T'Hill on the first lap in my Swift DB1. Came to a stop sideways in the middle of the track, with all the Vee's that had a split start bearing down on me. Was not liking the thought of getting T-boned by a Vee with that big, heavy stock front end!

[L72425]

Anyone have Roger Feghali's (from Mass) contact info? Wanted to send him an important message about a topic we discussed all week....weekend. . . .down at Homestead and have not been able to contact him. . .

Guess I will send it through this forum. . .

J E T S!

JETS! JETS! JETS!

lololololo....................

[Drew 13]

[quote=L72425;283206]Anyone have Roger Feghali's (from Mass) contact info? Wanted to send him an important message about a topic we discussed all week....weekend. . . .down at Homestead and have not been able to contact him. . .

Been wearing my Jets hat I got for Christmas continuously for the past 3 weeks.

[Mick Robinson]

I put cash money on the Jets!!! They thought I was nuts! well, come to think of it, it was a pretty bad bet, almost