Hoosier Tire US Formula First Rounds 5 & 6 Grattan

[winsmith]

Pretty sure that we will be there.

Jared Smith

[lawyerbob]

So what's the official count now? 12? 13?

Boy I can't wait!

[rgu]

Its only official if you register. Lets go guys

Welcome back Jared!!

[Bill Bonow]

Yep, as far as WMR or MC is concerned, we have 10 cars registered. We have a week left before the event. Lets get those last three guys registered and maybe we can ask about switching to an earlier group!

[lawyerbob]

Trailer is all packed and ready to go!

Anyone looking for my paddock - here's a pic of the new trailer:



Yeah - there's a LOT of vinyl to peel!

But it's all packed, and actually pretty organized!

See you all Friday!

Bob

[Bill Bonow]

Bob,

Did you get a free kilt with the trailer?

See you on Friday.

[lawyerbob]

Bob,

Did you get a free kilt with the trailer?

See you on Friday.

I didn't! But then, it was a trade in at a dealer, so maybe they kept it!

Man that's a lot of vinyl to peel.

[lawyerbob]

I just printed out the track map for Gratten - anyone know how long the track is?

Anyone care to give a quick walk through a lap - what gear where?

I've been watching the videos from past years - looks like a fun track!

Also - any thoughts on where the FST gang might be looking to Paddock?

Thanks!

[teamclark]

Track is 2.2miles give or take.

It is a really fun and challenging track, there is a reasonable description of each of the corners at this link although a little out of date re the track surface.

http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/MI/Grattan.html

my favourite line is "Some competitors claim that Grattan was designed by an individual who had a clear understanding of the limits of racing cars and a pathological hatred of racing car drivers"

With regards to gears in a FST - here's my very rough description....

I generally shift down for turn 1, hold through 2 -3 and general change up as your coming out of 4 (right hander down hill) then over the jump (yes you do get airborne if you carry speed down the hill - whatever you do don't brake or change steering angle in the air) then hard brake and either change before 5 or before 6 depending on your preference, carry 3rd through 6,7,8 (toilet bowl) and then change up down the 'straight' - hard brake and down shift for the hairpin then accelerate hard back up the hill and change up either just before the left hander onto the straight or after depending on how much speed you have carried up the hill.

The corners are either blind apexs or off-camber or both....so it takes a few laps to get your braking/turn in points identified.

Paddock - its a pretty small paddock at Grattan (not as small as Waterford) - Jim usually tries to park the rig just off the main paddock road (straight ahead as you come across the track) to make it easy to get out at the end of the weekend - most people are within that area.

[lawyerbob]

Thanks Rob! that's very helpful!

and you're right - that's a great quote for sure

Bob

[Bill Bonow]

We're officially at 12 entries.

Here is the line up at the moment:

Hoosier Tire US Formula First Championship Series Rounds 5 & 6 at Grattan Raceway

# 5 Seim, Doug Okeana, OH Mysterian M5.1 Blue P&NP Computing / Autowerks

# 6 Everard, Reece Rochester, MI Jacer Gold/Black

# 8 Dawson, Dave South Bend, IN Evolution MK1 White

# 11 Deer, Aaron (Butch) Elgin,IL Campbell Evolution Black

# 13 Stack, Robert Hartland, WI Stack Citation FST White Stack Law Office

# 19 Steeb, Jason Novi, MI Lynx FST Blu/Wht/Yl Steve Steeb Service

# 25 Renshaw, Lance West Chicago, IL Campbell Evolution White

# 27 Smith Jared Stanford, KY Campbell Evolution White

# 31 Shinn, Randy Gibsonburg, OH Gomez Adams White

# 37 Clark, Robert Rochester, MI Evolution Cm-1 Blue Team Clark Motorsport/SR Racing

# 57 Farmiga, Sam West Chester, OH Citation 95 V red

# 69 Bonow, Bill Plainfield, IL Campbell Evolution Yellow

FST is the largest subscribed class of the race weekend and will provide competitive and close racing

[winsmith]

Hitch em up boys it's time to race. ( a little southern stock car terminology for our northern brethren ) Looking forward to seeing everyone and racing FST again.

Win Smith

[lawyerbob]

Hitch em up boys it's time to race. ( a little southern stock car terminology for our northern brethren ) Looking forward to seeing everyone and racing FST again.

Win Smith

Boggity Boggity Boggity - lets go racing boys!

(I lived in TN for a decade and raced a few stockcars myself)

[lawyerbob]

we're officially at 12 entries.


Fst is the largest subscribed class of the race weekend and will provide competitive and close racing

very cool!

[SamF]

[FONT=Calibri]I have never been to Grattan so anyone provide a quick overview of the signup process for the Friday practice day at Grattan? Is there a full day and a have day fee or just one price regardless of when you arrive. Do we know when the gates open on Friday? [/FONT]

[FONT=Calibri]Sam[/FONT]

[lawyerbob]

[FONT=Calibri]I have never been to Grattan so anyone provide a quick overview of the signup process for the Friday practice day at Grattan? Is there a full day and a have day fee or just one price regardless of when you arrive. Do we know when the gates open on Friday? [/FONT]

[FONT=Calibri]Sam[/FONT]

Sam - I've got a call into the folks at Gratten about this and will post the info as soon as I hear from them

Bob

[rgu]

We’ll need to have a membership meeting at Grattan. Some of our competitors have noted that we need written series rules. I wholeheartedly concur and I’ve put together a draft of such a document. I’ll pass it out to the membership and explain it best I can. The members can get back to me with suggestions and I’ll bring those to the board to be finalized hopefully before or at Road America.

See you at the track on Friday Night.

Robert

[lawyerbob]

Here's the skinny on the test and tune:

Gates open Friday at 7:00 AM

morning session 10:00 - 1:00 - six sessions 3 each open and closed wheel

afternoon session 2:00 - 5:00 - six sessions - 3 each open and closed wheel

full day $140

half day $100

Bob

[LanceKTM950]

I've been moved to car #41, and I officially volunteer to be tail-end-Charlie for the entire weekend. I'm also running in the #0 black 944 in SSGT so that I can enjoy some time in a nice, hot, enclosed car.

See y'all there!

Lance

[LanceKTM950]

Hey everyone,

I'd like to put my GoPro camera on the rental car this weekend, any suggestions on where and how to mount it? I do have a billet roll bar mount that I can install...

Lance

[lawyerbob]

Hey everyone,

I'd like to put my GoPro camera on the rental car this weekend, any suggestions on where and how to mount it? I do have a billet roll bar mount that I can install...

Lance

No cameras! What happens in Gratten stays in Gratten! lol

I just picked up a Vio cam as well and hope to figure out how to mount it on my car for the weekend too.

Jut looked at the weather - good news is that the temps look a little cooler. Bad news, it's because of forecasted scattered showers.

[SamF]

I've been moved to car #41, and I officially volunteer to be tail-end-Charlie for the entire weekend. I'm also running in the #0 black 944 in SSGT so that I can enjoy some time in a nice, hot, enclosed car.

See y'all there!

Lance

Lance that was my planned position you need to fine another one.

Sam

[lawyerbob]

Lance that was my planned position you need to fine another one.

Sam

COOL - you guys fight it out for 11th and 12th and I'll get a top 10! this is going to be a great weekend!

[teamclark]

Lance

I mount mine (also GoPro) from the top of the roll bar - so you can see my hands (and my hand gestures) the wheel and a good shot of the action (check out videos from Waterford).

I have a billet mount for the GoPro which works well - but it does need a sleeve (just plastic tubing) over the rollbar to make sure its tight - I can't remember the dimensions of the roll bar material but for some reason from memory it was an odd size. I will try and remember to put a spare sleeve in if your using the same mount?? Let me know




You can use the standard GoPro roll bar mount but you need to crank it tight otherwise you camera angle is going to change frequently.

Rob

[LanceKTM950]

Lance that was my planned position you need to fine another one.

Sam

I claimed it first, you're going to have to fight to stay in last place Sam, I'm not going to cruise around and just give it to you. If we go around side by side we can keep Bob out of 10th...otherwise we're toast which, given the weather, we probably will be anyway.

Lance

[LanceKTM950]

Hey Rob,

I'll switch the billet mount from the 944 over to the FST, if you could pack a sleeve I'd sure appreciate it, otherwise I'll have to use electrical or racers tape which will be pretty messy given the temps. The GoPro mount rotated several times when we tried it on my buddy's S2 car, so I'd imagine it'll do the same on the FST.

Thanks,

Lance

[lawyerbob]

I claimed it first, you're going to have to fight to stay in last place Sam, I'm not going to cruise around and just give it to you. If we go around side by side we can keep Bob out of 10th...otherwise we're toast which, given the weather, we probably will be anyway.

Lance

The gauntlet is thrown!

I'm so psych'd about this weekend.

[winsmith]

Excited to be back in a SR Racing/Win Smith Racing Enterprises prepped FST. Look forward to Grattan and racing with the series again.

I have to make up for Road Atlanta , I was slow! It helps to know which way to turn sometimes haha....

See you all soon!!

Jared Smith

[LanceKTM950]

I can't wait to meet everyone this weekend!
My fiancee' Christy will be with me, she's new to racing and a bit shy, efforts to make her feel welcome would be much appreciated. She's the light and love of my life and I want her to enjoy the races no matter how physically uncomfortable it can be. If anyone needs assistance, a visor cleaned, whatever, don't be afraid to ask, it helps her feel useful.
Thanks,
Lance

[LanceKTM950]

Let's see if the new profile pic works...

[LanceKTM950]

Here we are....

[winsmith]

Does that mean I can't let my knukles drag the ground? I sometmes have difficulty with acting civilized. I will powder my red neck. Just kidding, looking forward to meeting all the new folks.

Win Smith

[LanceKTM950]

Somebody please save a spot in the FST group for our truck and trailer.
Thanks!
Lance

[jsteeb]

Interesting weekend for my little Lynx... not sure what I learned yet, but I'm sure I learned something.

I'm betting more of the guys will post the detailed results, but here are the podiums:

Saturday:
1 - Bonow
2 - Clark
3 - Steeb

Sunday:
1 - Clark
2 - Bonow
3 - Seim

It looked like Bill and Rob had a great race. I totally missed the setup Saturday and faded back. I think if Reece, Doug and Jared had not run into trouble, I would not have made the podium.

Sunday started great! I fixed my setup troubles, and managed to squeak out a 25.5 without the lead draft (good enough for 2nd on the grid). I thought I was sitting pretty for the race, and took the green flag with a fair amount of confidence. I knew I was in trouble by the end of lap 1. I just didn't have the same car I had in quali., and the top 3 were really racing each other hard. I slotted into 4th, figuring I would try to stay in front of Jared and attempt to take advantage of any mistakes the top 3 made racing each other. Seemed to be a good strategy until my trans refused to let me find a gear consistently. And that was that... I cruised around the last 3 laps in 4th gear just to salvage a finish.

Anyway... great fun to see everybody again, and it was a blast racing with all the boyz. I hope I can still join everybody at Road America.

Cheers!
Jason

[teamclark]

First big thanks to SR Racing - we had a great weekend, the car was hooked up all weekend and Jim, Mark, Jeremy and Tom kept it that way.

It was great to have a big field of FSTs and to have our own races. Thanks to everyone who came out. Winning on Sunday was great, but breaking the track record was even better!

Here's the video from Saturday race one. I will get Race 2 processed and up tomorrow as its a lot more interesting.

http://www.vimeo.com/26825710

Rob

[lawyerbob]

Finally got a full race weekend in, or darn close to it anyway.

Friday had problems with shifting - couldn't get the clutch to disengage. Saturday morning took everything apart and pulled out the motor to see what was going on. Thanks to Robert, Bill, and Butch the problem was diagnosed and thanks to Jim I got a new clutch installed and the car back together again in time for the Saturday race. Huge thanks to Sam and Ted F. for all their help in "Citation Central" with the R&R of the motor.

What a great track! Had a ball trying to figure out how to get around it and while no where near the lead pace, was very pleased to shave 6 seconds off my time from Saturday to Sunday.

Now that I've got a running drivable car, I move on to getting the set-up correct for Road America!

See you all in a few weeks

Bob

[teamclark]

Ok here it is the one you want to watch. Ignore the color bars at the start something weird with the vimeo upload.

http://vimeo.com/26893556

Rob

[Bill Bonow]

The points are up to date and can be found here:
http://www.formula-first.org/html/2009_points.html

With With 6 races completed, the championship looks to be very close for Clark, Steeb and Seim. Dawson and Bonow are just a strong weekend away from jumping into the fight as well.

Road America will be a great race weekend

[rgu]

Wow!!! what a race!!

Ans a great video Rob

Congrats

[Bill Bonow]

Just got to see the video (better connection at work). Great stuff! Congratulations to Rob Clark on a well deserved victory. A clean, yet tough fight. 5 of the 6 top cars were under the old track record.

All in all, a very fun and memorable weekend.