Pictures from 2000 SCCA American Road Race of Champions at Road Atlanta on 11/11/00
Results can be found at www.arrc-online.com
I figured I'd bore you with my story as the pictures are loading. This was my first trip to RA and I hadn't had my Spec 7 out since early August (too busy doing that Solo thing). Anyway, I was really looking forward to the trip. My buddy Mike Machi was heading down with me from Milwaukee, WI. However, we'd only gotten an hour out of town when we heard a whirring noise that was followed by some smoke coming out of the engine compartment of my van. "That's not good" I thought. We pulled over and I noticed it was down on power and that oil had come out the dipstick, breather and pcv valve. We found an oily plug and spent an hour trying to find a parts store. The new plug didn't help so we took it to Mike Alexander's shop in Zion, IL. No compression in that cylinder and a leak down had air coming out the pcv valve so it was getting past a bad piston or ring. The motor still ran but I didn't think it would get over the mountains. "So much for the ARRC", I thought. Then Mike Alexander's halo glowed brightly and he offered the use of his shop van. Many, many thank you's later we were on our way. Other than running out of gas somewhere in Indiana (had to siphon it out of the Mazda tank) the rest of the trip went fine. We did miss our Thursday test day which wasn't that big of a deal since it rained anyway.
What a track! Much like Mid-Ohio, TV doesn't do justice to the elevation changes here. Unfortunately, the east coast Spec Rx7 crowd didn't show up in force as we'd hoped. MARRS series runner up Shawn Dewey did make the trip and proceded to kick my butt by 3 seconds a lap. But we had fun in the sprint mixing it up with some IT trucks and ITC Datsun's. At impound they checked our carbs and did the lollipop test on Shawn's exhaust ports along with checking his cat. He and his crew were good sports about everything. Everyone know's it's just part of racing. I even got to see parts of my car I'd never seen before. :)
I stuck around for the enduro on Sunday (I'm here, I might as well get the track time). Since I was the only one in my class I didn't press it too hard but again, had some nice dice's with the ITC cars. I was lapped twice by the ITB cars but went 1.5 hrs before stopping for the required 5 minute fuel stop. I'm not sure but we think I may have actually been the overall leader at one point. I noticed my neck and ribs hurt a little during the pit stop. I figured that if Allen McNish can drive a 3 hr stint in an LMP car during the Petit Le Man's that I could go 2 hrs in my little car. I have new found respect for Mr. McNish.
I took a couple swigs of Poweraide and hopped back in the car. After 10 minutes I didn't feel too good. After 20 minutes I was feeling downright bad. Too many hills and turns along with the exhaust fumes and the sugar from the Poweraide was making my stomach a queasy. From now on I stick to water. I ended up coming in the pits with 5 minutes left. I fumbled with the belts and window net but managed to lean out the side of the car before getting sick. Yes, I have an open faced helmet. I guess my body can't take a 2 hr roller coaster ride. I got back in and took another lap so I could take the checkered flag but they weren't doing victory laps. Oh well. At least the drive home was uneventful. Unfortunately, when I got home I found the van motor was terminal, (this is where Dave Bennett says, "I told you to buy MY van!"). Does anyone have a low mileage 302 from a Ford E-150 they'd like to sell?
Thanks for the Atlanta region (especially Lee Graser and Bob Pinkowski) for putting on a great event. I hope to be back next year with a rebuilt motor, light weight rims, new tires, more seat time and fewer excuses. :)
Looking forward to the off season. I need to get away from racing for awhile.
A few people went out for Thursday's rainy practice day.
Coming down the hill between T11 and T12.
I believe this is Andy Brumbaugh's Crossle 35F who set a new CFF track record on his way to the win Sat.
Another CFF coming down the ski hill
Heading up the hill that is T1. 110 mph at the end of the main straight in my Spec Rx7, then you had to try and maintain speed in the big sweeper while shifting down to 3rd somewhere along the line.
T1 puts a big load on the LF suspension
The exit of T5 is yet another hill
There's a large sandy beach on the outside.
Some people used the exit curbing while others didn't
Here's a famous shot. Looking back towards T4 and the esses. The yellow car has just started to come back up the hill.
Todd Buehrer's Datsun 510
Setting up for T5 was a major pain. Uphill, braking and downshifting while turning right to set up for the left hander. I never felt I got off T5 correctly. Some people even used the curbing here.
Bobby Carter's Datsun 510
Carl Blevins was 3rd in the enduro
Clifton Ching's CRX
Gareth Rebstock set a new ITC track record on his way to the sprint win Sat.
Will Perry and Vesa Silegren won the ITC Enduro on Sun.
Jinx Jordan's Honda CRX
Jamie Blair was 5th in the sprint and 2nd in the enduro
More T5 action
Vesa Silegren's Honda Civic
The ITB sprint was one of the best races of the weekend. Richard Martin, Peter Keane, Sam Moore and Chris Albin all swapped the lead but Moore took the victory.
Richard Martin's ITB Honda Accord won the enduro.
Peter Keane's Honda Accord
Chris Albin was 3rd in the sprint and 2nd in the enduro
Michael Flynn's Audi GT
Sam Moore's Volvo 142 won the sprint. Rotem Gill in the other Volvo had a broken flywheel in qualifying. He started almost last but finished 6th.
Rookie Matthew Braun's clean Golf
Derek Lugar's VW
Colin Harmer's car get's airborne in T7
Using all of the track
I saw the fast guys doing it so I tried it in my Rx7 the next day. However, I found it upset the car too much and put me 4 wheels off at the exit so I gave up on it. Maybe it only works with FWD. :)
Matthew Braun's car has a dirty nose after a little off roading at T7's exit
Rookie John Tak had a great back and forth race with Kenneth Flory's Rabbit. I belive John made the final pass in T11 on the last lap.
Chris's car leaned and picked up the rear tire a little more than the other Golf's.
Two of the King Motorsports CRX's. The silver 56 of David Beyersdorf won the Enduro while Joe Moser's #36 went off in T1 in the sprint (he had a little help) but came back to finish 12th.
Bob Stretch won the sprint but had enduro troubles
Ken Mersereau's 240sx
ITA Miata
Tom Fowler Jr
Louis Boustani
Samuel Collier-III
Jim Susko's IT-7
Robert Moser's CRX
The good drivers consistently had the car in a drift coming around T5
Before powering up the hill
Michael Cottrell was 4th in the sprint but got banged hard in the crash at the start of the enduro
John Henderson won the IT7 sprint and enduro
Ned Freeston's Rx7
Charlie Clark and his beautiful IT7
which, unfortunately did a lazy spin into the wall in the esses
Gary Lippert's Saturn chases Kris Houghton's CRX
Tony Machi's CRX
Tony got a little loose in T5
Steve Tynor avoided him but beached it in the sand
James Walker-JR's Saturn
Buddy Wenners Escort
Neal Hulse's Rx7
Taylor Robertson was 2nd in the sprint and 1st in the enduro
Jeff Hill's (now former?) Rx7
Erich Heushele is still campaigning to get the SOHC Neon moved down to ITA
David Haskell qualified on the pole but had problems in the ITS sprint
Steve Paul was 4th in the Prelude
Bruce Wentzel's Rx7
Something you don't see everyday. Patrick Evans 1986 ITS Mercedes.
Eric Cintron's Rx7
Chet Wittel's Datsun won the ITS sprint
Looking down the ski slope that is T12
Robert Smith walked away with SPO honors
Joe Hooker was 2nd in SPO
Chip Stabler was 1st in TCC and 3rd overall in group 7
Kevin Kieper was 2nd in TCC
We had a couple of trucks show up with Lingenfelter Corvette motors in them
Carnage, carnage everywhere! Lot's of folks have some winter work ahead of them. Tony made contact with another car somewhere around T8. It put him in the wall where he managed to bend up all 4 corners. I also saw a wayword Rx7 get into the back of a Datsun about 45 minutes after the 510 had been parked in T4 during the enduro
John Taylor walked away from this one.
Looks like he'll be going to his backup car.
I had a close encounter with a couple of IT-7's as they came up behind me in T12 during the Enduro qualifying. I knew the first one would make it past before the corner but I didn't think the 2nd would try it until we got to the main straight. I was wrong. It pushed me 4 wheels off underneath the starter stand but I missed the wall.
Velocityshotz.com has more pictures.
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