In a message dated 10/19/99 7:24:25 PM, GSTROM99 writes:
<< You should post an update to the Alpine list. >>
This past weekend was the last ( said very sadly) race of the season. It was
pretty cool, highs in the 50's, frost at night. Saturday was damp. I skipped
the first warm up session but ran the qualifying session. The session started
slow but the track began to dry as we came to the end of the session. I found
myself free of traffic on the next to last lap and I pushed it pretty good
considering conditions. We had a 46 car grid and I qualified 11th. YES I did
say 11th. My son and daughter had a music competition in the afternoon so I
had to skip the race.
On Sunday we only had two sessions. The first a qualifying session at 9:30am
on a dry but cold track. I qualified 23rd. Prior to this weekend, my best
time at Blackhawk Farms Raceway was a 1:38:47. We have been sorting problems
out for most of the season. The most frustrating, a high speed intermittent
miss and a fuel starving in corners. I changed the needles and seats out to
the Gross Jets setup and the problem is now gone. The car runs great. I had
the three row radiator repaired and put it back in the car to handle the
cooling better. My best lap in this qualifiying session was a 1:36:7 almost a
full 2 seconds faster than my best previous time.
I was very happy as most of the session was run in traffic.
We again had a very large grid for the race. I was gridded behind a 914 and
we were on the inside side of corner 1. We had a very slow start in which I
had to go down to second gear as the green flag dropped. I stayed right on
the Porches tail through turn one and we took three cars there. As the race
progressed, I passed three more cars and ran the last 8 - 9 laps with a
mirror full of MGB. He would try to take me on the straights but couldn't get
it done. I ran away from him in the corners. We battled and battled and
battled. IT WAS GREAT ! ! ! During the last lap we passed a Datsun 240 ! ! !
I finished 17th, ahead of every Triumph, Austin Healey, MG Midget, Bug Eye,
every MGB but one. A very fast full current race prepared car that finished
in the top five.
During the battle with the MGB we ran a 1:35:01 WOW WOW WOW!!!!
What a great way to finish the season. Car intact. Engine reliability proven.
Fast lap times and a GREAT DICE !
With Jarrid's help, we will have horsepower next year. That married to a car
that is handling very well, and we should kick some serious ass.
I could and would ramble on but.... it's beddy bye time. Dreams of passing
those damn 356s like Carl Christiansen does.
One last thought, they don't laugh about my car anymore. Quote " I couldn't
run with your Sunbeam. Damn...that thing handles real good don't it?!"
YES IT DOES.
Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me this year. I may post a complete
report in the next coiuple of weeks, if there is continued interest.
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