5 Tracks in 5 Days to determine who really is the fastest driver/car/team
Thunderhill Raceway
April 20th, 2004
The Thunder Heads to the Hill
5 Tracks in 5 Days to determine who really is the fastest
driver/car/team
Autowave is maintaining and tuning the Flamemobile
April 20th, Thunderhill
This is not the "Official OTC"
page. It is my "unbiased" (heh) interpretation of the events
prior to the Open Track Challenge, and a diary of what happened during the
event.
So we get to Thunderhill. It's a little windy, which might hurt lap times a bit.
The Flamemobile in front of Dearing yet again - photo by B.
Ethington
(Bigass
picture)
Erik goes out in the first session, and runs 1:56-1:57-1:57. I go out in the second session, thinking I'm gonna be a 1:58 guy......and I run 1:59-2:01-2:01, with traffic on the 2:01 laps. Hummm...maybe next session we can get it together.
Zipping around turn 3- photo by B. Ethington
(Bigass picture)
Coffey/Lampe had a Penske shock go bad, but they are rebuildable, so Erik made some phone calls last night, and arranged to have the parts hidden in the bushes somewhere so Coffey can pick them up. They miss the first two sessions working on the car, but are good to go for the last two sessions.
Flamemobile looking tough!- photo by B. Ethington
(Bigass
Picture)
Dearing runs 1:58-1:58-1:58 in the first session. Erik goes out in 3rd session, and runs into a lot of traffic, and runs 1:58-1:59-1:59 with traffic. I go out in the 4th session, trying to beat Dearing for our little 10 dollar side bet. Except someone took the Hot Lap beacon away, so I can't tell how fast I am running. It feels damn fast though. After the session, I go to see the AMB computer printout, and I end up running 2:01-2:01-2:01. I suck. At least I got below 2:00 for the first time in the earlier session. The NSX was at Thunderhill in OTC 2002, but broke, so I didn't get any fast session in it. At OTC 2003, it broke again, so I didn't get any fast sessions in it. Today I got two sessions, and I definitely need some seat time to get used to turns 8 and 1. I think I'm a 1:58 guy at Thunderhill next time.
Coming down the Cyclone- photo by B. Ethington
(Bigass
Picture)
Derek Wang's EVO was winning T3, but then severely broke, so they are.....done for the week.
PULP RACING EVOLUTION SCOREBOARD
Derek Wang's Evo is out. Vishnu/Gerrard are having problems. And
then there were two.
I didn't get a chance to talk to many people today, as when you are at the track, you are always scrambling to do something. Brent Ethington came down from Washington to check out the event, and brought a lens the size of a big ass telescope.
Cobra coming down the cyclone- photo by B. Ethington
So it looks like we are in first place, only 5 points (1 place) ahead of Dearing as we go to Sears Point/Infineon. More importantly, we have broken the Curse of Thunderhill, which has taken out both the NSX and Wayne's old 944 Turbo the two previous years!
In the hot pit- photo by B. Ethington
Dearing has beaten me three times in a row with his Viper. Which has 2.4 times the displacement of my little three liter motor. It is 5000 cc's bigger. And 335 rear tires vs. my 280, so he has 7 inches more rubber on the ground than us. That he has a ton of seat time in it. (Hey, I can come up with a shitload of "excuses" as to why he is beating me!)
Near the end of the day, Erik drives the WRX around "for fun", and runs about 9 seconds faster than the WRX team on his 2nd lap in the car. Hey....don't feel bad....he kicks my ass in my car also!
Anyways, off to Sears for Day 4 of the OTC. With Dearing hot on our tails (or I should say, hot on Messley's tail).
Everyone chasing Dearing- photo by B. Ethington
(bigass
picture)
Ryan's Vette has a hole in the radiator, but it sounds like they are having one shipped to him at the Willow's Walmart, where he will install it there. Since he is in touring, he has to drive the car from track to track, or else he is disqualified. It sounds like they are going to have a barbeque in the Walmart parking lot, while the parts are delivered to them.
Checking the laptimes for Erik, Dearing, Haney, and Coffey/Lampe -
photo by B. Ethington
