3/3 SARRC at Road Atlanta

[GT1Vette]

I keep waiting for one of the participants to post, but maybe they're not sure of the official results. I'll post what I observed:

The Frog and Ms. Frog did in fact show up with the new/old car and rig, but never took to the track because of niggling problems like a clutch that wouldn't disengage. He/we did run the car around the paddock once or twice and learned a lot, not the least of which is to unload the poles for the awning BEFORE backing the trailer up against Court's rig.

Miserable rain on Saturday, so many entrants didn't even bother to qualify. Sunday was overcast but dry, the high of 40 degrees was reached around 10:00 and the wind never did quit blowing.

Only FC was Jim Belay (?) in a VD who started at the back and turned 1:33's on his way to first overall. Clint MacMahan in a F500 had qualified on the pole and led much of the race, but was disqualified for being 20# underweight. Watch for him in the future, however, the kid's good.

Entries in CFC were Court Dowis, Richard Aiken, Michael Monfort, Mark Hatheway, Jewett (?) and another yellow Swift whose name escapes me at the moment.

Court qualified first and led every lap in CFC followed by Aiken, Monfort and the yellow #68 car. Hatheway was not yet comfortable with the track, so he elected to start at the back even though he'd qualified mid-pack. As you may gather from other discussions, he had a close encounter of the first kind with a Vee that had spun in Turn One starting the second lap and tore up the RF corner. Richard Aiken spent more time in a car this weekend than he did all last year and he continually improved as the race went on.

Now that this is out there, I'm SURE others will add their comments...

[Aiken Racing]

The only FC was Rob Poma and he he had a quick lap of 1:37 and change and Richard matthews was driving Andy Brumbaugh's old Swift (which is now yellow), but spun on cold tires in the first turn and re-arranged the left rear. It was a fun race to watch, but was a miserably cold, wet and windy weekend.

[Purple Frog]

COLDlanta. It was miserable. Saturday the constant rain was 45 degrees and horizontal because of a stout wind. Sunday, it quit raining and got cold with the same stiff wind. How do you spell chill factor?
Miserable, unless you were Sir Court Dowis (2000 Champion). He stayed in his heated crew lounge until it was time to play. Then he did what he had to, stay in the CFC lead, don't worry about the overall lead, get 12 points, and load it in the trailer. But even his story had a down side. We all anticipated the debut of his new painted helmet. His darling wife surprised him with it as a Christmas present. It was wizzy cool... until he took it to tech. Seems his wife is not a daily reader of the holy GCR. She had bought him a "M" helmet. You had to feel bad for all involved, but give Court credit, he stayed jovial about the whole deal. I guess he now needs to buy Marshall Aiken's hot street bike and get it painted to match the helmet.
Doug Jewett maintained a smile in spite of his on going Road Atlanta luck. In a heavy downpour during qualifying, Doug decided to go out anyway. The guy is a racer. Going into the esses (4) he discovered a 4 inch deep stream crossing the track, and spun/floated into the mud, a la Road America 2001 CART race. No damage until he noticed he was taking on water. Periscope up! Before he could get out of his very pretty yellow Swift, the water was up over his battery and fire bottle, and still rising. This was more Georgia red clay than water... a mess. The wrecker had a time pulling it out of the suction, but not as much of a time as Doug had when he got back to the paddock to find the temperture dropping below 40 and he trying to shovel out the car. Give the man points for even making it to grid on Sunday... with a smile.
Aiken Racing wanted to be THE party spot in the paddock, so they had the only heated shelter. Rumor has it they were burning 5 gallons of kerosene per hour. Marshall (2001 CFC Champ)was crewing for his father Richard, and did a bang up job on the SE-3. He did all this work with 15 guys watching because they were hiding from the elements in his small shelter. Basically all Richard had to do was drive, and pour kerosene. Richard opted out of qualifying, yet finished 2nd in the race after starting from the back. His best weekend to date. He chased Court until putting two wheels off at 7, then he decided 2nd was better than a DNF.
Michael Montfort showed incredible wisdom. He stayed home Saturday, then trailered his Reynard in on Sunday after it quit raining. Starting from the back, he worked his way up to a 3rd place finish.
Mark Hatheway was doing his first ever race, so he picked Road Atlanta in the rain. Go figure. He even went out and qualified on Saturday... hard to do with a course map taped to the steering wheel, in the rain. Sunday he decided to start from the back to insure a finish and get a chance to learn the track with out being a moving chicane. Sort of a real class thing to do... except a Vee looped in front of him as he was passing another car on the inside going into T1. Mark will be an expert at changing 84 Reynard corners before he gets his regional license. Tough break.
Richard Matthews was driving the ex-Andy DB3, all fixed up from his get-together at VIR last Fall. Looking quick and possibly ready to give Court a race, his effort ended early in the race with the departure of one rear corner of the car.
In FC, Robert Poma started from the back in his mid 90s VD taking the the FC victory, and besting all the CFCs. He was the only FC entrant. He should get some sort of honor for fitting a racing team unto the smallest possible trailer. He drove off on a 12 foot open lawn trailer, but smiling all the way home with a 1st place trophy.
Then there was Mike Eakin. What was he thinking? He shows up acting like it was a custom car show. Sets up camp Friday afternoon, unloads his new 88 Reynard, polishes it, and then covers it up for the evening. Never takes the cover off all day Saturday. He's heard to be mubbling something about Frogs not going out in artic weather. Truth be known, his wife was off doing as many antique stores as possible... with the keys to his new enclosed trailer. Seems that during 4 years with an open trailer Mike never locked himself out. Duh. Supposedly the plan had been to finish the car on Saturday and race it from the back on Sunday. They decided to come out early Sunday and do all of Saturday's tasks. Great plan until the organizers moved the race to group 3 from group 7, leaving the Eakin crew too short on time and too long on needs. His crew chief, GT1Vette, convinced him that even the Frog was not crazy enough to out for the first time in a new car he had never driven without a clutch, starter, tach, or seat. Maybe we could give him "Best of Show" trophy for his 700 mile commute. [img]smile.gif[/img]
So, if it was so damn miserable, why are all these guys smiling and having a good time. It must be the anticipation of the stories they will tell their grandkids about the time back in March of '02 when they thought they would go race at Road Atlanta....

[Aiken Racing]

For everyone who does not know Purple Frog personnally, he is as entertaining in person as his stories read. Great race report and thanks for keeping Dad calm.

I would have been in a panic if I had been locked out of my trailer, but he handled it like a true sportsman I would have found a torch or bolt cutters. [img]smile.gif[/img] , but his new trailer is too pretty for that.

I must say, if there was a car show this past weekend, he would have won it hands down. Next time, I will try to have a bigger canopy so everyone can fit inside.

One last thing. What were we all thinking this past weekend!! That's racers for you.

[andyllc]

Hello Everyone
Richard already has his car stripped down and parts on order so expect him to be in full swing at VIR in two weeks. Also, he is racing in FC this year instead of CFC. Watch out for him this year, I really think once he can get some of his luck turned around he will be really quick. He was really quick at the CMP National.

[Mark H]

It was not Hotlanta this week end it wes wetlanta! But the winners trophy resides in the Court of Dowis. {forgive the pun] All fun aside the red Reynard of Court'S was hooked up,from qualifing in the rain with the car stuck in gear to running smooth laps in the race[at least fron my track side vantage point on the wall at T1]he put himself in a position to win and he did.The red Swift of Mr. Akin also looked good running it hard to a good finish.Mike M pitted next to us and also ran a good race but needed softer tires to get to the front he said.As for me it was a challange running with the big boys but a lot of fun seeing everyone and making new friends.I will miss VIR and was not going to race until the dubble @ RR.But the car is calling me so the crew at SUPERTECH engineering will load up for the big race at Kershaw see ya"ll there. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Mark H

[Mark H]

Oh I almost forgot the titghtest looking car was Mr Frogs. It looks clean and maen! Were all if troble when he comes out with it.
MarkH