Hooiser FST Rounds 7 & 8 at Grattan

[teamclark]

Robert

In response to your points.

1. Not sure I understand your point, I agree if you mean its different from round to round...but its the same for everyone at the meeting.

2. Why not....

I think however in my previous comments I essentially agreed with your points when I said it doesn't work under our current points structure....(and the double regional format).

3. The old qualfying is about improving your car argument...I would suggest thats true for a very small percentage of the competitors, but I could equally argue that racing would give people more opportunity to practice...racing. But I am sensitive to the fact that most of us can't afford the time or the dollars to test at every track so I agree less qualfying means less tweaking. You just need to decide whats more important - from my perspective its going racing.

4. Cars starting at the back of the grid - well thats actually pretty easy to fix, rather then setting the grid for the race based on finishing order you set it based on lap times - that would have put Doug on pole for the Sunday Race. Again you can't fix incidents like the weekend, and you can't fix mechnical issues - but those are just part of racing - I think its actually part of why we have a best 7 of 10 rounds instead of total points.

By the way I am not criticising the organisation of the series, or the way our points structure works (today), I think all those involved do an incredible job pulling the series together and working to run a very enjoyable class and championship.

But given the choice between a 3rd race or qualfying session I would take the race every time.

Can't wait for Mid-Ohio.

[jsteeb]

[FONT=Tms Rmn][FONT=Verdana]I'm not sure why I would be expected to yield the corner (nobody was yielding anything to me), but I tend to agree with Mr. Clark regarding some of the comments about aggression after the race (from all of the trailers). I made one...pretty questionable...move during the qualifier, and it had nothing to do with the incident at the end. Other than that, I was bump drafted. I was the outside car in a 3-wide move into T1. I went side-by-side more than a few times in turns 1-3. Hell, Doug raced me neck and neck all the way through 4 at the start. I was smiling from ear to ear for about 8 laps. :-) [/FONT][FONT=Verdana]It's all par for the course in a typical Formula First race (minus the end), and one of the reasons I love this class. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Tms Rmn][FONT=Verdana][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]We were racing for the pole in the big show, and (I assumed) 1 series point. If Robert and I were really being overly aggressive, everybody else was right there with us. And, as much as I want to give Robert a truck load of crap for punting me, I ran wide on both Carl and Doug there Saturday. The inside of T2 is still pretty slick, and I knew it. I'm not convinced more room would have done the trick, but more room from me and more braking from Robert probably would have helped. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]Trust me...I don't think anybody is more bummed about the way it turned out than I am. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]Having said all of that...I LOVE races, but I also really enjoy qualifying. The typical Double Regional setup is my favorite.[/FONT]
[/FONT]

[CAM]

Helter Skelter. Not sure why but as my third time there, that is always the most incident prone race / qual, whatever I have ever been involved in consistently.

With that being said it is a hell of allot of fun. I have great video and will get it posted as I was in 3rd, 4th or 5th place for most of it. I was just starting to try to be more aggressive and try moving up further... when everyone decided to have, a shall we say coming together at turn 2.

The whole weekend was allot of fun. I just ran out of tires by the end, 20 heat cycles on the rears and 13 on the fronts, finally they just gave up the ghost. Another lap and I would have caught Doug, and Greg & Robert would have caught me. Doug really did a great job keeping it on the track and in front for those final 3 laps.

I will get the video uploaded hopefully tonight and everyone can enjoy.

[jsteeb]

Since it is the one we're talking about, here is the Sunday Qualifier...

http://vimeo.com/14226570

Sorry for the quality...but what do you want for $80!?

Maybe I'll post Saturday's race tomorrow - it was my favorite For now, watching the video reminds me how much fun it was to be out there. Time to go find out how bad my car is.

Cheers!
Jason

[Jim Nash]

[FONT=Verdana]Wow. It looks like it was one heck of a weekend at Gratten for the FST group. Great racing, some controversy, young talent to the front, a guy showing his heels to the field with no result, and a veteran pulling it out on Sunday after the help of many![/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]The one big take away for me is that a FV conversion (Steeb and Siem) can compete with the best the FST manufacturers can offer. I hope to reverse that trend at MO. See you all there! We have a respectable opening act in the Pro F2000 series so, as the headliners, we need to deliver![/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana]Jim [/FONT]

[jsteeb]

Mr. Nash....HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Yeah...I've been looking forward to Mid-O all summer. I'll probably show up to spectate even if my car can't make it. F2000 AND FST!?! My 2 favorite open wheel series at the same track! I can't wait!


Chris Satterly...thanks by the way. Will you be able to make it to Mid-O? How about WHRRI in September?

[Doug FST 5]

Since Mr. Nash has seemed to "throw it down"....

Bring it on Jimmy! I bet I can beat you with one front shock dragging the track!

I can't wait for Mid-Oh!

Doug FST 5

[rgu]

Jason if its parts you need to get to MO then just let us know.

Onward and upward.

[Bill Bonow]

Just got my photos from the event, will have a race report up shortly. I have to tease you with this one..... The levitating Formula First of Jason Steeb



If you look, you can see shadows under all four wheels.

[Doug FST 5]

Any more pics available from this race?

Doug

[jsteeb]

I think Doug will like this one!



Thanks to Keith Averill for the pics!