CMP Spring Sprints

[Purple Frog]

a NEW CMP thread

Now that we have the fuel thing sorted out; everybody is bringing rocket fuel (unless their cars are stored in Michigan), but not using it until somebody else does . Now, we have to get down to discussing the really serious stuff.

#1 Where's the party?
#2 Who's bringing all the paddock equipment I need to borrow?

Sean O'Connell has heard about the Apexspeed Party to be held Saturday after Qualifying, so he's coming without a race car just for the party. I have been on the phone with him trying to convince him that these national contenders are very serious and don't party. He's not buying. He is also going to be checking out the DSR Forum's party.
Mrs. Frog said if there is going to be a party we must wash the trailer and the ice chests, and test all the lights and blowup dolls. (Race prep can be such a chore...)
Tim is filling all the empty Reserve 1800 bottles with uncut standard Cuervo Gold.
GT1Vette requests that it be under a canopy that is high enough that he doesn't have to stay bent over while drinking.
Rob Howden said he was shipping down free mags to pass out. Of course that was before he went to California...
We have to remember to have Pespi for Cole.... and GR.
Maybe we can get Rosella to cook up some of her famous "Paddock Pasta".
We are thinking pots of chili as the main course (the FF guys don't want wings.).

Now about #2...
I have been racing for 7 years only because of the good graces of my regional clubbie friends.
I provide the entertainment and a target they can laugh at... these wonderful generous sportsmen racers provide the: (a)scales and pads (well setup on solid ground), (b) they provide good sources of pressurized nitrogen, (c) reserve me a great paddock space, (d) they provide stable 110v power, (e) camber gauges, tire pressure gauges, (f) good two or three session take-offs, (g) assorted nuts and bolts, and (h) all the other stuff I can't afford. It's a well oiled strategic plan to keep the car counts up in the class. I humbly bring the car, true statesmen of the sport bring the equipment.
Is national racing going to be the same? LOL



Saturday night... no tux required. There is a fairly nice restuarant (not a truck stop) in downtown Kershaw. I think it's called J and J (?). Strong Italian menu, but lots of other "American" dishes. Can't remember if it has a bar, does have wine and beer. It's always best to get a large table next to all the SOMs and then be rowdy as all get out. The sidewalk out front is wide enough to park between the restuarant and the parking meters if you are adverse to parking your NSX or Carrera on the street. (Now how would I know that?)

OBTW, I know you all are wondering about the schedule for driver photgraphs for Formula Car Magazine... We usually take them as you are leaving the restuarant. Rob likes how the flashing blue lights add an interesting color pop to the presentation on the glossy pages.

[Bob Wright]

[QUOTE=Purple Frog]a NEW CMP thread
[color=purple]
Is national racing going to be the same? LOL

If you're going to be at Savannah in March, we could make a deal...I have the scales, bolts, N2, and 110v-the party clearly requires much more skill.

[Purple Frog]

Bob,
We were planning on Savannah in March as part of the "Discovery of Mortality Tour 2005". That was back in the heady days of January. When we were saying "Wow, great New Years party....what's next? Hey, what do say we do the Runoffs..."
Now, as reality sets in, we are worried that we will be so thoroughly embarrassed by our performance on the track at Kershaw, that we may need to tuck tail and run back to the regional events where we get beat by less laps.
Savannah, March 12th, be there or be square. I'll see if Rob can send down the FCM umbrella girls instead of just free magazines.

[Purple Frog]

Will anybody be running a Pi beacon at Kershaw?

[GR]

Looks like the Double Detonation trick HardRock pulled off at Sebring in January will be putting a bit of a kink in the start of our racing season......... Talked with the motor "re-builder" today, and it seems my timing could have been a little better,.. Like maybe blowin' up in October or November, or something

Seems that there are a quite a few motors already in the "hey do mine" que, and I'm like #199. So, probably won't have any ponies for the chariot until March

Well, looking to the bright side .................................................. ....................................
.................................................. .................................................. ..............................
.................................................. .................................................. ..............................
(still looking for it) .................................................. .................................................. ...
.................................................. .................................................. ..............................

Anyway,......... It is with deep regret that Team HardRock won't be makin' the trip to CMP next week,......... and probably not to Road Atlanta the following weekend either.

Everybody have fun and play nice. Kinda gonna miss seein' Frog in all of his Purple Glory
Enjoy the party everyone!! Now.... What's on Speed this weekend???

[chuck cecil]

Mike
will have my beacon . If comprent is there they have a giant beacon . Will use thiers.

[Purple Frog]

Sat
Feb 19 Few Showers
55°/39° 30%
high 55 °F

Sun
Feb 20 Showers
56°/40° 60%
high 56 °F

Haul 9 hours one way to race in the wet?

[rickjohnson356]

Froggie:

keep in mind your ultimate goal this year: Runoffs at MO. If it rains, others may stay away so that you might be able to get some early points towards the runoffs. Some of my best finishes were in the rain, it is a great equalizer for those whose motor may be HP challenged. The hot dogs might fall off the track by mistake. so just drive smart & get some points.

Good Luck!

[GR]

You're a friggin' amphibian..... aren't you?

I know, it's a long drive home w/wet shorts. Those itchieowies really stink!


I know what Frog's saying. But....it comes with the territory doesn't it? Rain, that is.

[chuck cecil]

Rain gotta love it.

[Purple Frog]

1 FA 1 Nastasi
2 CSR 1 Mucha
3 FC 1 Shaffer 1:51.300
4 FC 2 Minor 1:51.400
5 FA 2 David Grant FSCCA
6 FA 3 Keith Grant FSCCA
7 CSR 2 Goldkind
8 CSR 3 Vassian
9 FM 1 Noell
10 FM 2 Lawrence
11 CSR 4 Liverato
12 DSR 1 Johnston
13 FC 3 Gonzalez 1.57.455
14 CSR 5 Galashan
15 FA 4 Beresford
16 FC 4 Levy 1:56.292
17 FC 5 Cecil 2:00.962
18 DSR 2 Frost
19 S2 1 Tavilla
20 FM 3 Drew
21 FC 6 Gilkes 2:03.967
22 FM 4 Fennessey
23 FC 7 Manfrinato 1:59.778
24 CSR 6 Rossum
25 FA 5 Hamilton
26 FM 5 Hogan
27 FC 8 Eakin 2:02.204
28 FC 9 Moran 1:56.979
29 S2 2 Gaither
30 FM 6 Williams
31 DSR 3 Stafford
32 FC 10 Fatur 1:54.390
33 DSR 4 Mosley
DNS FA Alderman
DNS FC Scheper
DNS CSR Falatick

[Tim FF19]

Dear Mr. Frogger,

Thx for the results. You don't happen to know how FF group made out do you?

Signed,

Swerved to miss a small amphibian on the road the other day but still had contact - Sorry

[John Robinson II]

Tim,
I didnt get a sheet so I only know the top 4.

Burkhardt
Robinson *
Baggett
Scanlan

* penalized one finishing position per chief steward.

Although it wasnt raining during the whole race the track was slick as snot. I spun on the pace lap then proceeded to reclaim the pole starting spot, hence the penalty. Hallman made a run at me but pulled off. Any one know what happened to him? Didnt get a chance to see before everyone packed up and left. It was late by the time we got away from there and getting dark and colder.

I dont care what any of them Cannucks or Yankees say, it was friggin cold. According to my truck, morning temps were below 30 both mornings. It did warm up some what on Sunday but the precipitation then proceeded to fall, nearly all day.

John

[Drivers Services]

Hey Tim,

10 Fords, Top 5 were

1. Burkhardt (actually won on the track when John slowed a lap early, Don't know why?)
2. Baggett
3. Robinson (penalized 1 postion for spinning on warm-up lap and regaining original starting postion)
4. Little
5. Scanlan


Hey John,

Tried creeping along on the pace lap as slow as possible hoping you could spin on track and continue in front of me, almost got an enema trying to help. Why'd you slow a lap early?





I'm a "Yankee" it WAS cold. John had the field covered. Burkhardt, Hallman and Scanlan's car's were hooked up very well for the condition's and were very fast. All ran into trouble. Scanlan had a wheel nut come loose then got hit with a stop and go penalty for a blend line violation! Burkhardt and Hallman were out to keep John honest. Hallman's no luck weekend continued, not sure what happened to him in the race. Jim? Burkhardt on the other hand was extremely entertaining spinning at least twice and winning. The Leslie crew worked hard to get Hendrickson back on track but Larry was out early with an off and left rear damage.
Boggs looked tired after the race, muttering something about rain tires not getting better with age. Baggett and myself didn't really race as much as survived for 2nd and 4th respectively.

Hey Mike,

Thanks again for the Ignitor. Could you do me a favor an email me your address so I can get one back to you.

Jim Little

[Purple Frog]

I'm hesitant to write too much about the weekend because it will be a chapter in my upcoming book "Beyond My Means, the journey to the 2005 Runoffs".


I spent Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday all day in bed sick. Thursday night called all the crew and told them I wouldn't be going to Kershaw.
Friday morning I felt recovered physically but must have lapsed mentally, because I proceeded out to the shop, assembled the car, did a gear change, loaded the car and drove 500 miles to arrive at CMP at 10:30 Friday night. Clear 36 degrees.

Saturday morning we could not believe how cold your hands get touching anything metal. 27 degrees. And everything seemed to be metal. Sean (Carnut169) showed up to scope out all the m/c powered cars and provide help for me. We unloaded, teched, and went to grid for practice. By then, 10:30, it was a downright pleasant 45 degrees and bright sun. I attempted to grid last to no avail.

Practice was fine. Obviously we were lapping fast enough not to get lapped nor laughed out of South Carolina. Did notice that the water temp didn't get over 145 degrees, even with tape over the radiators. Us Southern boys are not used to things like carb icing... to be discovered when you ease into the throttle just after turn-in at any corner of your choice. I hadn't been in the car in a few months and I was going faster than ever before, so we were pleased. Did notice a lot of sticker tires on grid. Folks went out a few laps, scuffed them, and came in. I was happy to be on the third session from some tires from last season.

Qualifying was around 2:30 (group 5) and now it was downright hot. 57 degrees and sunny. Lots more sticker tires on grid. We improved a smidgeon. But the serious guys picked up the ante. Left the Q sheet in the trailer, but I think Chas was in the 1:34 range, Tim 1:35, and Rossella throws down a 1:37 in her Tatuus, thus proving I had no excuse but me for my paultry 1:40 (that was a new pr for me) oops.

So shortly after qualifying Chas and John Robinson are in my paddock looking for the Apexspeed Party. I should have hid. I let the whole Apexspeed world down. Friday morning, party preparations were not on my mind. I wasn't even supposed to be in S. Carolina if you listened to my doctor. On top of that, this is only like the second race that Mrs Frog has missed, for she had taken me serious Thursday night and made other plans. And she is the party planner. Compounding it all, Tim Schmidt, my trusty crewchief and margarita maker had scooted out after qualifying to drive two hours to put on a tux to go to a "real" party.

There was not a party to speak of. But, Chas and Rob Shaffer had a very large heated walled canopy with quantities of beer. "Heated" being the key word. I was feeling both the fatigue of the strain of going on the track twice and not embarassing myself, and a virus that still had not left my body, so I was not my normal froggy self.

Sunday morning dawned warmish (49) and cloudy. We skipped the hardship warmup, as did most of the field. Tim Minor was having a very unusual weekend having to chase the handle on his ride. So he did go out to experiment with another major change. But, all-in-all Sunday morning was uneventful. It was just spent watching as the drizzle got heavier and heavier. The track conditions at noon, though damp, would have entertained soft slicks. But... we didn't race until 2:00 ish.

It got wetter. We pulled out the rain tires. It got wetter. We put on the rain tires. Having not set up a canopy (planning on a rapid departure) we now were faced with the dilemma of whether to change the car to a wet setup. Sean was willing, but I was suffering from a virus that seemed to thrive on these new nasty conditions. I figured we were starting soooo far back it didn't matter. Screw it. I'd just putter around, get a finish and try to drive by my sick self the 500 miles on two-lane roads home. In the old Reynard I had some great rain races on weather cracked ancient rain tires, what could be so difficult about just motoring around in a wizzy Tatuus on great rain tires?

I did notice that on some day in the past I had written the circumference of rain tires on their side walls, and that the fronts appeared to be 1.5" smaller than the slicks we were taking off. Oh well, I'm not in the mood to be DaveW Jr, throw them on the car. The whole crew noticed that when we decided to go to grid, the car would not roll out of the sandy paddock. We basically carried it over to the pavement, where it was obvious it had at least 3/8" of front ground clearance. 5 minute warning. Oh well, "just drive the pig".

The powers to be had determined on sunny saturday that we would have a split start with the covered wheel cars in front... because Mucha had qualified so quick. It didn't seem to matter that most of the closed cars were slower than half the open wheel field.

The race was downright wet. My rain light worked, I'm in the back, no problem. The first start was waved off because as expected a true FA looped it on the pace lap. The second start had to happen because they had already started the first half of the field. So to say it was a fast start is an understatement. For the most part we all behaved well and got to racing in pretty thick spray. I had noticed that on the pace lap, if I banged the brakes hard, the front of the chassis bumped hard on the pavement, unloading the fronts and they would nicely lock up. Sweet. So I spent the first lap dialing in massive rear brake bias, or at least turning the fool out of that knob on the dash.

I noticed I wasn't loosing ground, and had gotten cleanly by the first few spins, so I started feeling pretty racy. The car felt great at speed. On lap 2 (?) coming out of T11 (slow corner) I soon learned it was going to be an insufferably long day. In the middle of six cars all nose to tail my engine just coughed, just a wee bit, just as I was squeezing on power. About the time the cough translated into trail braking the rear started around, and then the engine burst to life at full song. Ye haw, off into the boonies. Remember that little ground clearance issue we had? When I stopped, the engine was running and the rear tires were spinning freely. I was high-sided on a small fire ant mound. I'm figuring it's end of game. Then, behold!, some angel in white appears to be pushing on my rear wing, and away I slide onto the track. For his wonderful, heroic action, I spun a rooster tail of mud all over the blessed soul.

Back on track, no cars in sight, despair sets in. OK let's just motor around for a finish. Remember the long term goal, I'm telling myself. Soon, only to find the car to be a god awful handful. If the carb wasn't freezing, then the rear was without grip. It was the first time I had ever thought about retiring a running car to the pits during a race. But I marshalled on. It wasn't like I was in anybody's way. I couldn't see another car (except for those off in the boonies). I motor on. Soon I'm seeing the back of the field. I start thinking racy again. These thoughts were always quickly erased by visions of the world spinning by on corner exit of any one of the real slow corners on the track (take your pick... T11, T13, T14).
Four spins in 10 laps. My God, will this ever end? But yet wait, the leaders have yet to lap me. Hope prevails, and each time I motor on. By mid race I seem to have adapted to this new car that does not like any throttle being applied unless pointed VERY straight. So I motor around for another eight laps uneventful. By now I know who's leading, because I get to wave to each and every one as they motor by. The indignity of it. Then near the end I do another piro-wet onto the front straight just to remind myself how much fun I'm having. I see my crew on pit wall taking off their crew uniforms and changing into other clothes, anything that wasn't purple. Some seem to be sneaking towards their cars. They act like they are timing other cars, look the other way as I spin by....
Finally a checker flag! I thought it was supposed to be a twenty lap race, why did they leave us out there 3 hours (or so it seemed). I drove into CMP's wonderful dirt impound area, only to be again reminded I had no ground clearance. Yuck. Belly deep in mud. We get to finish the whole debacle by again carrying the car to the nearest piece of pavement.

Back at the trailer I notice that the rear slicks we took off are 1/2" shorter than the wets we put on. Add this to the difference up front, I must have been driving around with about 3/4" of rake. Why not just put the rear roll center up around the Moon?

Oh, it was so humbling. Especially bad, because I knew better. DaveW has taught me well, I just got pure lazy. One can not "just drive around" one of these sophisticated cars.

Alas, trying to be positive. We did accomplish our 42nd straight finish, albeit the ugliest. We actually scored some points. The car is in one piece. We have one of the four starts and three finishes we need to go to the Runoffs. And at least we didn't spin out of pole position on the pace lap. And on top of that, Jamie Cole brought Lynn to spectate, so we did have something pretty to look at in the paddock. Life is good.

P.S. Afterwards, one of the nice folks in white told me that they could not keep track of the numbers of spins in the field. They guessed there was over 65.

[Marshall Mauney]

Tim,
Hallman made a run at me but pulled off. Any one know what happened to him? Didnt get a chance to see before everyone packed up and left.

While we were packing up, he told me he had an ignition failure. We both had ignition failures - his in the race, and mine in qualifying.

I dont care what any of them Cannucks or Yankees say, it was friggin cold. According to my truck, morning temps were below 30 both mornings. It did warm up some what on Sunday but the precipitation then proceeded to fall, nearly all day.

John

Aw, c'mon. It wasn't that cold. Heck - I'm from North Carolina, and I thought it was tolerable.

By the way, I didn't get a chance to come by and say thanks for the tow in the first few laps of qualifying. And you probably thought I was just being nice pointing you by as we left the grid....

Marshall Mauney
Steel Cities Region F500 #64 (#84 this weekend...Hallman beat me to it!)

[John Robinson II]

Strange scoring, I had lapped everyone else before I also had a rear lug nut come loose. I thought the LR had gone flat as I hung it out over the concrete ditches at the edge of 14. I had lapped Bagget the lap after it first started coming loose. On the final 2 laps the nut had backed off enough the spindle began spinning inside the rim. Machined about a 3/16 deep slot on the inside of the rim, if I kept it in 3rd it wouldnt brake loose so that is how I finished the race. I was informed later that the drive pins must have been worn allowing the rim to spin just enough to break the nut loose.
The interesting thing about the scoring is that the data showed I ran an extra lap.

John

[Curtis Boggs]

John,

If I remember right, .. I think you lapped me, .. about 20 times, .. yea, . well
maybe 19, .. even with a lap head start, .. 5 year old rain tires DON't hook up!!!!

Between the old rains, .. a not so good set up, .. 7 months since I drove, .. and a track
the was slicker then anything I've seen, .. it was a work out. If I even touched the throttle
in a corner the car came around, .. coming out of a corner, .. very light roll into the throttle, ..
QuickSilver built me a nice new thumper, .. I could have used 20 LESS HP!

I had a great deal of fun seeing every one, .. getting a little stress removed, .. had a grand time.

Curtis

[Chas Shaffer]

Does anyone know if times will be posted on Mylaps.com for CMP?

[John Robinson II]

Chas, I looked last night and could not find ayting on SCR's web site or even a listing for that region on mylaps. I would not put any faith in their times tho, I was just told that Mike Scanlan set the new FF record, 1:18.XXX in the RAIN , mind you. No wonder they think I was a lap down. Hell the Steward informes me that I would not get first place points but second, that is how he told me he was penalizing me one place.

John

[chuck cecil]

its ccr`s web site

[Drivers Services]

Hey Chas,

We ran a CCR race late last year at VIR they do post there stuff on MYLAPS.com just takes them a little while. If I remember correctly they went up about a week after the race. T+S said they lost Transponder info during the Ford race as it cut in and out. Many cars in that race have NO time listed, others have obviously incorrect times. I believe the FC race should be fine though.

Jim Little

[Mike Scanlan]

Nice run John. I stayed around for results as I wasn't getting home until Monday anyway. Positions all appeared as posted above, but the times were all over the map. I asked about it and T&S while aware of the problem, seemed like any recovery of the real times might never happen (they actually showed me with a 1:07, 31 sec. under the lap record, while they had no times on Robinson and 3 or 4 others). My data showed laps in the mid 1:50's until the lug nut backed off causing the pit stop to tighten and the subsequent blend line violation leaving the pits. Funny thing was, they warned us about the blend line in the drivers meeting and I said to someone that I bet they just couldn't wait to catch someone. I made it easy for them as I saw a clear straightaway behind me and just ignored it as I just lost a good race with a pitstop anyway and tried to set up better for Turn 1. Nice track, but that mess of Starter Tower/Pit Exit/Turn 1 all bunched up in about 100 feet.......I don't know.

[Marshall Mauney]

Does anyone know if times will be posted on Mylaps.com for CMP?

There were some signficant issues with the 'official' results sheet for Group 6. There were even cars in the group that were listed as 'DNS' that clearly were in the race (including myself). I spoke with the T&S chief before leaving the track; she told me that she would be reviewing the results 'from both systems' before publishing the final results anywhere. She also said that it would not happen on Sunday.

Marshall Mauney

[sarrcford]

I did not attend this event, but I have attended at least 3 or 4 events at Lowes/CMS where CCR put on the event. They have NEVER had the scoring remotely correct. I was also shown I was a lap down when I was probably only 150 feet or so back from the overall winner. The chief steward (sorry I don't know his name) at the last two events at CMS is a great guy and has made the best of a bad situation claiming that Lowes has cut the timing beacon cable running across the track. They had one whole year to remedy the problem, but the same excuse was made again last year. Imagine being in the 1-2 hour enduro that ran after us. Prior to two years ago, the region still had T & S problems at the same event.

Rob Poma

[Marshall Mauney]

I did not attend this event, but I have attended at least 3 or 4 events at Lowes/CMS where CCR put on the event. They have NEVER had the scoring remotely correct.

Come to think of it, I entered the double regional at CMS in '99 on my novice permit. In a group that included FC/FF/F5/FV, they had me on the outside pole for the first race. That's OK, but it was only my second race on my novice permit, and I was in a really ill-prepared CF. That made for an interesting start! The second day, we never did get final results. Last year's CMP national was no problem, though, so......

[Daniel]

I don't know what problem cropped up with T&S at CMP but I'm sure they'll do their best to sort it out. They use the AMB system plus, I think, a manual system in case of a failure but the manual system takes a while to go through.

SCCA only runs one event at Lowes/CMS each year and I think the track's desire for CCR's money only slightly outweighs their desire to tell SCCA to go away. I think they cut the timing loop every year just for fun. Last time I was there ('01?) they kept coming on the PA and begging for people to come help in T&S. I don't think anyone ever did.

Events at VIR would be NCR not CCR.

[Mark H]

I have raced at CMP 6 or 7 times and have never had a problem? But I have been busted for the blend line thing at least 3 times, some people just never learn? :~) To bad they don't run the Nat. later in the season when its warmer.

[Chas Shaffer]

Times are posted for CMP on mylaps.com. That't just the coolest site!