At the banquett Friday evening Kevin Bailey received a sportsmanship
award for all the help he's given his fellow CS competitors this year.
Well deserved.
Jim Harn get's my unofficial one. Background: haven't tried G-Forces
yet, not that I didn't want to it's just that my car's easy on tires and
I still had a new set of R1's I saved for Nats. Brought them out last
Sunday to scrub them in and, well, my co-driver flat spotted one of
them. Came to Nat's ready to buy/run G-Forces not knowing what
pressures to run, etc. Made a wrong turn enroute and get to BFG truck
at noon Wed. to find them out to lunch. While walking the course ran
into Jim and he offered to let us use two of his R1's (he used his
G-Forces). Outcome may have been the same but it was nice having peace
of mind using a familiar tire. Jim's 'good guy' halo is growing
brightly and I'm very happy he snagged the last trophy spot again.
Hey, did you hear we had a rollover? Paul Krucke got to see a unique
view of the pavement in his white ES 87 Volkswagen Scirocco. Guess he
was really going for it on his last north course run. I heard it was at
the end of 'squiggly alley' (left right combo). The car ended up on
it's wheels but looks to be in pretty bad shape with RF damage. Not
sure about him. See http://www.boltmaker.com/NORTH.JPG &
http://www.boltmaker.com/south.jpg for course maps.
"Everyone talks about the Type R in GS but look at the Celica ST in HS -
9 of the top ten from Thursday are in Celicas. "
Cause (like Type R in GS) it's the perceived car for the class? 10 out
of 18 HS cars (plus the MX-6) MAY be going to ES next year. If so, some
good HS bets might be a Civic, Integra, S-10 pickup (see DSP results for
pickup info, although I'm not sure it was a 77), Golf/wabbit/GTI,
Contour, Protege, MX3, Shadow, etc.). Remember, opinions are
like...ears, everyone has a couple. :)
"FS - Camaro <---unless superman drives a Mustang"
I'll have to look for the big S on Lindbergs chest (see FS results). I
believe Chris has won the Cendiv's BFG series for at least the last 2
yrs in a row. Dean Sapp (dollar bills, anyone? You had to be at the
talent show, yet another reason to come to Nats) co-drove but had some
cone problems (as did many, he still trophied). This is not a new IRS
Cobra. Didn't someone say autocrossing is 80% driver? Also, cudo's to
Jim Crawford taking 2nd in FS after a 6 yr hiatis from autocrossing.
"The AP protest (AFAIK) was about the legality (can it actually run) of
the 3.8 RSR Fordahl was running, as there is no specific listing for
that displacement."
Porsche Cup car? Didn't keep up on protests although I know Goodners
LSD was found legal.
"Hmmm! Looks like the Celica would have come in third in G-Stock."
and 2nd in DS! What? No Chrysler money? <grin> Guarantee I would have
been much slower in a Neon (see Dallas tour results). I can't drive
those things.
"remember the conditions that those classes ran in very well may be
different."
FWIW, GS ran colder 1st heat, HS & DS 2nd, ES 5th (dirtier course?) on
the same days
"But why do the Friday results show him in a Type R? Lloyd -- did the
'Lude break?"
Lloyd said he was having ABS problems so he left the car at home. He
and Stephen, er, Shpindle Kettlestrings ran Victor Bells Type R (same
car Sapp drove last year?)
"With the numbers associated with the Type R they should kill the Neons,
let alone H Stock. Just doesn't add up."
That's the funny thing about Solo. Some things just don't add up,
(remember that this isn't drag racing). Maybe the driver 'walked' the
courses better, maybe he was one with his car (Randy Chase lights
incense, hears Sitar music in background), maybe he was just on or up
for this event after getting beat by ES his last two events, maybe
Celica ST's are easy to drive, maybe Nats courses are handling courses,
(Denise noted how the CP guys never got on the power for long and had to
tip toe around the course), maybe it was the tires, maybe the driver
came down for the Midwest Divisional to get used to the concrete and
bumps, maybe the planets were in just the right alignment. If you're
not here, it's real easy to look at the numbers and pass judgement but
there's so much more that goes into this. There were quite a few
drivers who were expected to do well and didn't for many, many reasons.
It's not all black and white. Maybe the Canadian Club is talking too
much right about now.
"Is it just my browser, or is ESL missing from the results site?"
Debbie Fessler had a most excellent 2 days and won by over 4 seconds.
"Actually looking at the results why not move the Type R, AWD DSMs and
the new Celica GTS into DS?"
Because then you might have more than 20 cars in DS next year and GS
would be wide open and better subscribed again? Many folks see DS
entries going down next year. I suppose the Prelude would become the
perceived car to have but at least it's cheaper and more readily
available. Also, remember that we don't class cars on just this one
event. Expect this discussion to go on forever.
My take on the courses. North, you had to have cajones, (flat out finish
turn!) 3rd gear section for many. It really rewarded agressivness, late
braking and staying on the gas. Lot's of cones went flying because of
this and ruined many a good run. Lot's of slaloms. South, I thought it
was more about sweepers and braking into the decreasing radius turns but
it turned out to reward cajones too. My last two runs I was able to
hold it down throughout the long slalom and the 2nd last left hand turn
(butt cheeks still sore from being clenched so hard). Both were well
liked from the comments I heard.
Many thanks to the Leverone's and all their helpers, it was a great
event. Wish I could go to sleep now. :)
--
Jeff Cashmore
Toyota Celica ST = HS (sold! I'll miss you, Toad)
Pontiac Firebird = FS (Sunday is Jane's first event!)
|
