Isn't there a race this weekend?

[Matt M.]

Two days before the big drift event and not a word?

What has happened to my favorite forum......
I will be at Road Atlanta for a few days on my march to the sea...... Not signing any autographs this trip. No handshakes unless I know your name. For all the slow people - most of you from what I see, I'm giving free pointers all weekend..... For those Canadian citizens in attendance - My skin will be as pale as yours - but I'll be the one with the Stanley cup winning Bruins shirt on.......Most likely come back next year with a new shirt that says the same thing as well.......

Where is Finelli?

[Beartrax]

Watch for Finelli in the next Supercross race on Speed Channel.

[Monty M]

Fast-Matt in the Radon this morning...

[Monty M]

Fastest in practice? David Grant

[Purple Frog]

Going through the picture files just sort of looking for a picture that captures the weekend...

[Purple Frog]

Voted as best looking pit crew.
Jim Belay has been racing FC for a while. This weekend he decided to join us at his home track. Since his old pinto still had the old style cam he was sort of bringing a knife to a gunfight, but i think he really enjoyed the whole weekend.
Not pictured (to protect the camera), Jim also had Steve Davis as a crew member (just home from a Summit Point Majors win in FV).

[Purple Frog]

Sunday's "hard charger" Dave Weitzenhof.
The Citations have obviously figured out how to grab top speed. Turn 9 radar gun... 142.
I am guessing they handle well also.
Three different makes on Sunday's podium.

[Purple Frog]

You can race mixed amoung FE, FM, FA, FB, etc... or you can race all in one class.

[Purple Frog]

Always causing a stir... the debate about whether this was a moveable aero device...

[Purple Frog]

Tim said on the podium he does not expect the season to be un-competitive. Obviously, Kyle teamed up with Jame Lee are going to be in the mix.
Saturday was a "would have, should have" learning experience for Kyle.
David is getting faster and faster as Polestar turns the bolts and he 'unlearns' the Atlantic habits.

[gfastr]

Tim said on the podium he does not expect the season to be un-competitive. Obviously, Kyle teamed up with Jame Lee are going to be in the mix.
Saturday was a "would have, should have" learning experience for Kyle.
David is getting faster and faster as Polestar turns the bolts and he 'unlearns' the Atlantic habits.

Speaking of competitive, welcome back to Cellmark Paper and their F2000 Hard-Charger Award. One more way to keep things interesting throughout the field

[Steve Bamford]

Fast-Matt in the Radon this morning...

Hey Matt,

What was written on the side of your car...I felt a little dyslexic trying to read it.

[Wren]

Hey Matt,

What was written on the side of your car...I felt a little dyslexic trying to read it.

I like knowing that people are thinking about me and it is always nice to know that someone appreciates my work.

But, whoTF are those people?

[reidhazelton]

Classy.

[KevinFirlein]

brought to you by the guys who said out loud that Andersen lacked class for leaving an awards banquet early in 2007. Find it hard to Believe that Glenn signed off on that one.

[Wren]

They've been exempt from tech and car construction rules since that car came out. I have to believe that has been pretty emboldening.

If you ever needed proof that those guys are free to do whatever they want in that series...

and seriously, I have no idea who those guys are.

[Purple Frog]

Maybe it was a First Admendment issue...

[Wren]

Yes, I had forgotten that the F2KCS was a government entity.

[Purple Frog]

Last time i checked the first admendment applies to all entities, not just the government.

[Purple Frog]

Obviously this is not a "spec" series. A few different diffuser solutions to view. It appears a few years of Brandon pulling a diffuser through higher speed air than a F2000 can acheive has caused some new developments to trickle down.

[Wren]

Last time i checked the first admendment applies to all entities, not just the government.

I'm really not sure if you are serious or not. I hope you are joking.

Just like Doug doesn't have to let us discuss whatever we want to here, you don't have to let them put whatever profanity they want to on the side of their car.

[KevinFirlein]

come on Frog no other series would allow a car on the track with that on the side of it. But I guess since you, as a series official just put it in print that as a matter of the 1st admendment anything can be put on cars since its free speech, that any responce will also be tolerated without any penalty. This could get entertaining.

[Purple Frog]

I was told that it stood for:

Filled Up With Radon Engineering Novelties

You folks just have dirty minds.

What profanity?

[jimh3063]

Hey not to get side tracked on something non insult related but I thought it was cool three different chassis were on the podium!!

[Wren]

While I seriously don't think I have ever had any interaction with whoever owns/drives that car, I hope this is one of those things that seemed like a good idea at the time.

When you start to think about the level of effort that went into this, it gets kind of lame/try hard. Throw in the car number and it seems more "drunken high-schooler" than anything else.

[KevinFirlein]

to be fair on the number Paul Farmer who owns that chassis has always run 69 if memory serves properly

[Purple Frog]

I would think the focus should be on applauding a few hard working guys that have regular jobs that went through a tough year last year trying to develop a new car, then with a massive effort over the winter, re-engineered the car into what so far this season has been a dominate piece. They are not only winning, but doing so while breaking course records.

That is the real story my friends.

[Steve Bamford]

Deleted

[reidhazelton]

As a guy on the sidelines, it just seems to lack professionalism to me. On one hand it is funny in a drunken bar conversation kind of way, but really it made me a little disheartened a series that has so many great things going for it, competing against the USF2000 series would allow something so crude and having nothing to do with racing, and then letting it be spread on the website. Something best left in the trailer if you ask me (which no one did). Just my 2 cents.

And freedom of speech does absolutely in no way mean you can go ahead and say anything you want at anytime. Even SCCA (those mixed class scumbags) have "professionalism" guidelines for what is on a car.

Not taking sides....it is just 45* up here and I have not been in a car since September and frankly....I'm bored out of my mind.

Frog - Tim Minor and crew is one awesome story for sure. Props for the littler-guy.

[Wren]

Kevin, I'm sure there is no risk of anyone putting anything on a car in some kind of back and forth.

I don't have any idea who Paul or Matt are, but I'm pretty sure I understand where Paul is coming from. When we were protested at the 2010 runoffs, I took that really personally and I shouldn't have. It took me several months to realize that I was wrong and that the people who filed the protest had every right to do what they did and it wasn't personal. The rules are there for a reason and we should all compete within them. In retrospect, the protest helped make the 2010 runoffs victory more legitimate. It was Eakin who explained to me that back in the day protests used to be really common and people did it back then to see what was legal and if they could incorporate other people's ideas into their own car. There is something to that.

So, Paul appears to have taken this personally. I understand, but I would encourage him to reconsider. I was encouraged to protest the car by the Radon guys, let's not get too upset over what I submitted.

As for McDonough, I assume that is the person who started this thread and the person in the photo on the twitter feed. I don't think I have ever had an interaction with him. He appears to just be a ringer driver, but I guess I have a new fan though.

Reid, I agree. I am surprised that the series allowed it and that one of their officials would go on to try and justify it. I'm sure I will get over it somehow.

[Matt M.]

Doug - First - thanks for cleaning that up - it was worded incorrectly and in poor taste - I know....... I have my moments..... I do like to elbow that kid now and then.....

Second - Congrats to Tim and Dave Grant - Never met Dave before, you read about his success in FA and wonder if he can mix it up.... I watched race 1 and liked the way he peddled it - I think all the kids have a few things to learn (I have like 10 issues but is it that hard to put your frikkin hand up when you are going into pit lane?)

Third - sorry to Kopp - We did touch between 10a/b while I was trying to get the car back under me - and didn't mean to pinch you.... The old Matt would - but not now.......Just want to say that here because I'm legitimately afraid of the wisko camp - and don't want any trouble.......

Lastly......
I did it..... It widely went unnoticed until I pulled in to victory lane..... But in the end - that was the point. To pull in there with that sign on the car. Thought it - got it - did it - all in the span of 2 days........ In a Radon that hadn't been raced yet - and I haven't driven since 2011. We had luck sure - but unlike tapping away on the keyboard to dispel the trolling that gets spewed every time somebody mentions the R word - I put something out there you are going to have a tough time to dispute.... Radon 3rd. People love me or hate me for the crazy stuff I do - I don't really care with racing who comes down where.
I love the class - I love the competition - I love to race. People think I'm in this camp or that camp - It's all BS - I loved driving the Piper to the front at Watkins Glen - just as much as driving the Radon.....
What I don't like is somebody spewing BS about a deal they know nothing about. So I've made my point the best way I can......
Doug can ban me if he wants - I've never been banned or sat down since joining - and I've done some crazy ass stuff on here..... It is what it is.....I can tell by the join date and # of posts you like to run something other than a car.... Get it together brother and put the keyboard down - If you make it that far, Jimmy and I will buy you a beer.

Oh - Of course I got yelled at once they realized what happened..... As much as some people want you to believe it's a private club series - I can tell you first hand it's not....... I've made them redder than Kevin at a protest meeting on more than one occasion..... and I'd have 2 titles if it were....

You guys (and gals?) can chat it up - Ill be at Lime Rock ready to race if Paul doesn't make it.... If they let me....

Oh PS - Nice job Dave W! keep cranking!

~ Self proclaimed King of Apexspeed mountain

[Purple Frog]

It is interesting that the folks making the most of this were not there and are not entrants.

As far as i know, no entrant came to us with any concern.
It was judged that the 10,000 Drift fans and most of the paddock would not even have a clue. (I know it might be hard to believe but a large number of our customers do not read Apexspeed.)
It was not outwardly profane.
We were more worried about the Audabon Society getting upset.

Would i rather Matt had skipped the sillyness...yes.
Do i wish Steve hadn't mentioned it on Apexspeed... yes.

But, with Wren continuing to drag it up like it was the big story** of the weekend, i'm now considering decals for my car.

**The big story of the weekend was Tim's with the help of Eric, Tim, Jeremy, Cole, Brandon, et al. This crap just keeps burying that story.

[Steve Bamford]

It is interesting that the folks making the most of this were not there and are not entrants.

As far as i know, no entrant came to us with any concern.
It was judged that the 10,000 Drift fans and most of the paddock would not even have a clue. (I know it might be hard to believe but a large number of our customers do not read Apexspeed.)
It was not outwardly profane.
We were more worried about the Audabon Society getting upset.

Would i rather Matt had skipped the sillyness...yes.
Do i wish Steve hadn't mentioned it on Apexspeed... yes.

But, with Wren continuing to drag it up like it was the big story** of the weekend, i'm now considering decals for my car.

**The big story of the weekend was Tim's with the help of Eric, Tim, Jeremy, Cole, Brandon, et al. This crap just keeps burying that story.

Don't forget about Dave W. driving race two from I believe P16 all the way up to P5. That car has some serious speed.

Both Citations were running really well, but not only does it come down to a good car, you need a hell of a driver to get it up front!

[Jnovak]

The true story of the year so far is the performance of Tim Minor and the Citation. I am WAY IMPRESSED with everything that Tim, his crew & the Citation guys have accomplished against some of the toughest racing on the planet.

Great work guys!

[DaveW]

Don't forget about Dave W. driving race two from I believe P16 all the way up to P5. That car has some serious speed.

Both Citations were running really well, but not only does it come down to a good car, you need a hell of a driver to get it up front!

Thanks, Steve. That was great fun racing with you! It's really nice to have a clean, hard-fought battle!

I had the wings on the lowest-downforce setting I have ever run, and the car was obviously fast on the straights, but still very good in the high-speed corners. We still have some work to do on the low speed handling to get to the front.

See you at Lime Rock?

[Steve Bamford]

Thanks, Steve. That was great fun racing with you! It's really nice to have a clean, hard-fought battle!

I had the wings on the lowest-downforce setting I have ever run, and the car was obviously fast on the straights, but still very good in the high-speed corners. We still have some work to do on the low speed handling to get to the front.

See you at Lime Rock?

Car looked stable in the corners too, great job.

We will be there at LR & plan on making the rest of the events for the year.

It is great in the F1600 & F2000 Series, amazing not having to worry about other class cars getting in your way the entire weekend starting from the first practice session to the final race.

[S Lathrop]

DW and I started racing in the late '60s in FV. When FF came along, we switched. Mike Rand also dates from those years. We always ran in single class races and did so through most of the '80s.

The pro F1600 and F2000 have brought back the racing and the fun we all had in the early years. Now every FF and FC racer can see what racing was like in the old days and enjoy what the old guys knew all along was possible.

These 2 classes and this series may be the last and only place where drivers, engineers and mechanics can learn and practice the what I call real racing. I can attest to how much better drivers are when they get to something like Indy Lights if they have come from an FF/F2000 back ground compared to those that come from a spec car back ground.

The Mikes and gang should be proud of what they have brought to the market and every one involved owes them a big thank you for their efforts.