speedminded
11-07-2005, 09:17 PM
Virginia International Speedway
Good times, should have won but had to settle for a third place finish. Sixty-two (62) cars started on the grid and we qualified 3rd overall behind a Daytona Coupe and Porsche 996 in a HONDA Del Sol :tongue:
Total was about 8 1/2 hours of daylight driving and 4 1/2 hour of darkness...early in the race a spec miata ran us off causing a vibration that was thought to be suspension or transmission damage. Took it behind the wall checking every single nut and bolt taking us from fourth or fifth place back to 58th or so and about 8 laps down. Couldn't find anything, put it back together, and took it back out on the track....probably just rubber and dirt on the wheels and or axle(s) b/c the vibration soon went away...
Now it was time to play catch up....about six hours or so later we had worked our way up to 19th and only a few laps down when the TPS (throttle position sensor) malfunctioned...running Motec and the car is pretty much useless when that happens. Luckily had a "scheduled" double yellow within minutes to give the corner workers a break but it was going to be 15 minutes before the car could be towed in *sigh*....caution was over and tired of waiting so we took the golf cart and a tow strap and brought the car back ourselves...hooked up the laptop, found the problem, and put it back out on the track at 30th place and 12 laps down...grrr.
At 1 hour left in the race we were back down to under 20th overall and 3rd in class (ITE) but still several laps down...then in the last turn coming into the pits for fuel and last driver change the gas goes to one side away from the pickup causing a sputter and loss of traction...the car spins 180° and goes off the track down the bank backwards ripping off the front spoiler and splitter. One of the Porsche's was right behind and our driver does a full speed J-turn, hammers the throttle and brings it back on the track directly behind the Porsche, barely losing speed. :D
I fueled up, we switched drivers, then we're off again to play catchup to a BMW and Trans Am...luckily the pontiac gets tangled up with an RX7 and allows us time to make up for a few laps...he came back out and when the checkered flag was thrown we had just passed him 5 laps earlier and was only 1/2 a lap down. If we didn't have the electrical problem we could have easily caught up and had enough time to detail the car, eat dinner, and sat on the podium waiting for 2nd place car to finish.
Oh well, there is always next year :) and at least we got a podium finish....last year we were 2nd overall when the alternator went out at 11 1/2 hours and we ended up finishing 25th out of 100 cars (of course only 50 made it to the finish). Next year we're also doing a 25 hour race in California, sweeet, can't wait....
You want cliff notes, check out the pics below [only takes 2 minutes to read though] :tongue: The 360 Spyder was doing track days and was staying at our hotel, just had to get a few early morning pics of it...
Good times, should have won but had to settle for a third place finish. Sixty-two (62) cars started on the grid and we qualified 3rd overall behind a Daytona Coupe and Porsche 996 in a HONDA Del Sol :tongue:
Total was about 8 1/2 hours of daylight driving and 4 1/2 hour of darkness...early in the race a spec miata ran us off causing a vibration that was thought to be suspension or transmission damage. Took it behind the wall checking every single nut and bolt taking us from fourth or fifth place back to 58th or so and about 8 laps down. Couldn't find anything, put it back together, and took it back out on the track....probably just rubber and dirt on the wheels and or axle(s) b/c the vibration soon went away...
Now it was time to play catch up....about six hours or so later we had worked our way up to 19th and only a few laps down when the TPS (throttle position sensor) malfunctioned...running Motec and the car is pretty much useless when that happens. Luckily had a "scheduled" double yellow within minutes to give the corner workers a break but it was going to be 15 minutes before the car could be towed in *sigh*....caution was over and tired of waiting so we took the golf cart and a tow strap and brought the car back ourselves...hooked up the laptop, found the problem, and put it back out on the track at 30th place and 12 laps down...grrr.
At 1 hour left in the race we were back down to under 20th overall and 3rd in class (ITE) but still several laps down...then in the last turn coming into the pits for fuel and last driver change the gas goes to one side away from the pickup causing a sputter and loss of traction...the car spins 180° and goes off the track down the bank backwards ripping off the front spoiler and splitter. One of the Porsche's was right behind and our driver does a full speed J-turn, hammers the throttle and brings it back on the track directly behind the Porsche, barely losing speed. :D
I fueled up, we switched drivers, then we're off again to play catchup to a BMW and Trans Am...luckily the pontiac gets tangled up with an RX7 and allows us time to make up for a few laps...he came back out and when the checkered flag was thrown we had just passed him 5 laps earlier and was only 1/2 a lap down. If we didn't have the electrical problem we could have easily caught up and had enough time to detail the car, eat dinner, and sat on the podium waiting for 2nd place car to finish.
Oh well, there is always next year :) and at least we got a podium finish....last year we were 2nd overall when the alternator went out at 11 1/2 hours and we ended up finishing 25th out of 100 cars (of course only 50 made it to the finish). Next year we're also doing a 25 hour race in California, sweeet, can't wait....
You want cliff notes, check out the pics below [only takes 2 minutes to read though] :tongue: The 360 Spyder was doing track days and was staying at our hotel, just had to get a few early morning pics of it...