Fall Sprints Results? - Pics

[Brad Ellingson]

A few pics from Saturday....

[JHaydon]

Nice pics, Brad! I'd say you got that new camera working pretty well.

Grid:
FF
1 Timothy Wise (Swift #25 white) 1:14.891
2 Bruce Lindstrand (Van Diemen #7 white) 1:15.114
3 Mark Kolell (Van Deimen #35 red) 1:15.213
4 Alex Murray (Swift #45 red) 1:15.838
5 John Luxon (Piper #47 black) 1:15.884
6 Allen Wheatcroft (Van Diemen #9 red) 1:16.244
7 John Zimmer (Van Deimen #17 silver) 1:18.128
8 Todd Rhoades (Swift #12 red) 1:18.334

CFF
John Haydon (Tiga #65 blue) 1:20.383

Final:
FF
1 Kolell 1:14.896 (Margin of victory: 0.077 seconds! )
2 Lindstrand
3 Luxon
4 Wheatcroft
5 Wise
6 Murray
7 Rhoades
8 Zimmer

CFF Haydon 1:20.021

Sunday temps reached the mid-50s in the morning, but the sun still didn't come out until lunchtime. No tangles that I saw. A couple of spins, but all the FFs finished.

[Brad Ellingson]

Thanks John! The high res ones look a lot better. I'll burn the ones of you to a cd and get that to you. Even have one of your agricultural excursion...

[Todd Rhoades]

Now Brad you didn't have to post the picture with me against the rail.

[Brad Ellingson]

I apologize. I can remove it if you'd like me to. I have a couple of others of you. If you'd like them, let me know.

[JHaydon]

Aw Todd, I thought it was kind of impressive, with you illustrating the "look where you want to go, not where you're going" technique. (I'm still thankful you had such a light hit -- it was a real blast trying to keep you in sight on Sunday! )

[Jim Nash]

I got a chance to watch most of the Ford race so I thought I would add a bit to the already posted results. Here is a quick run down:

At the start, polesitter Tim Wise fought off a strong move by Bruce Lindstrand to lead the race going through turn one. After a lap, Tim had built a nice 2 to 3 car length lead only to spin (?) somewhere on lap 2 and drop to the back of the field. Bruce took over the lead and started to pull away from the field. At times he was at least 5 seconds up on the battle for 2nd that included Mark Kolell, John Luxon, and Alex Murray. Eventually Mark established himself in second and began to chase down the leader. Although Bruce had what appeared to be an insurmountable lead given the laps remaining, Mark never let up and it paid off. On the last of the 24 laps, Bruce caught some bad breaks in traffic and Mark was right there to capitalize. It was a drag race from turn seven to the checker.

When Bruce and Mark arrived at pit out after the cool off lap the officials were still waiting on confirmation as to who was going to take a victory lap with the checked flag. After a few tense moments Mark got the nod, having only led the last foot or two of the race! Margin of victory - .077 of a second. Bruce drove a heck of a race, especially since he has not been in a car for awhile, but had to settle with 2nd. Both Mark and Tim turned 1:14s during the race with Tim getting the fast race lap during his charge back to 5th.


Jim Nash

[TimW]

After a lap, Tim had built a nice 2 to 3 car length lead only to spin (?) somewhere on lap 2 and drop to the back of the field.

Somewhere was 3d, as at the only time during the race the front brakes decided not to stop the car and I locked the rears with the pedal at the floor. Luckily no real harm done, and after regaining confidence in the pedal the problem never returned. Still investigating and I know what parts to throw at it.

While it could have been a great weekend, overall this was a big confidence building weekend for me after a pretty disastrous year. I was glad to finally get into the 14s in my 2nd year of driving, knowing the car was capable and was able to spend the weekend practicing how I've been told to drive these things instead of dealing with problems.

Tim

[Allen_W]

Brad,

Great photos. I'm happy to see them.

This was a really fun race for me, after a difficult qualifying session on Saturday, and I managed a number of laps faster than I've ever done at Blackhawk. It would have been exciting to see the 0.077 secs. win, but I was way too busy battling with John Luxon for third, eventually having to settle for fourth after the two of us swapped positions a few times. For anyone avid to read about the mid-pack, we got by Alex Murray when he spun in front of us in the carousel, after dialing in a little too much stiffening, I think. From my perspective, John was simply steadier than I was. I made two big mistakes--dropping a wheel, while in front, on the exit of four and then locking up my front brakes while trying to take back the position in turn one. I didn't see John making any mistakes, and that is something I need to learn to do! I finished with a broken rear sway bar--running my two fastest laps at the end of the race. Weird.

Bruce and crew have supported me these past two seasons, and this race was only the second time I got to race on the track with Bruce--and the first with him in his Formula Ford. The shot of Bruce and me side by side must be from Saturday's second qualifying, when Bruce graciously showed me his way around Blackhawk. Needless to say, on race day I didn't see anything of him after the first few laps. It was great to be in a race with someone who's taught me so much in a such a short time--not to mention providing impeccable support, from Nick and the rest of the team. The whole event was so much fun and run so cleanly--I don't remember seeing any yellows (?)--that I felt more thrilled getting fourth than winning other races.

It's nice to see these photos of myself and the other drivers this weekend, so thanks again, Brad.

[Brad Ellingson]

No problem Allen. If 2006 is anything like my 2005 was, all of you CenDiv guys will have lots of pictures....