Blackhawk Farms Major 2017

[Keith Carter]

Just read the supps for the May Majors and we're race group 5A. Yep, we get our own race group!!! We qualify with the alphabet soup, but One Formula is estimating 20 FEs for this race so thank you to whomever put our own race group in place. If weather is good, this will be an awesome event and we look forward to returning to Blackhawk. Who is in the headcount for attending?

Registered: 14
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Cutter, Matthew
Goncalves, Luis
Oppermann, Dean
Smith, Daniel
Keith Carter - No sun, no race
Elliot Finlayson
Marklein, Dennis
Mueller, Michael
Mason, Ray
Dziewior, James
Elliott Sohn
Rhett Barkau
Duncan, Charles
David Budres

Yet to Register, but possibly attending
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Quentin Nelson
Marshall Mauney
Becker Reardon
Hanna Zellers - Rick out on business
Tom Muffler - Tom is broken


Was registered and not anymore?!
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Futcher, Rob

[Robert Finlayson]

Elliot Finlayson will be there.

[MAC Racing]

I am registered

Mat

[dsmithwc04]

We will be there.

[Keith Carter]

We're at 8! 12 more to go in order to reach the estimation!

[Tifosi]

9.

[Robert Finlayson]

Everyone please register asap. Don't want to lose our own race! Credit card doesn't get charged till race day. Only 3 weeks to go

[Keith Carter]

Who are some other potentials that we're missing? I'm not sure if Team Zellers is to be considered since I keep seeing a Swift FA posted all over Facebook and Instagram. What about the Mufflers, the Mauneys, and the Reardons?

[Keith Carter]

Up to 10... Keep it going!

[CenDiv4]

+1 more!

Jim Dziewior

[Keith Carter]

Down to 10... Going the wrong way here, people.

[SStadel]

Pretty sure we're going to have Rhett Barkau, David Budres and possibly one more yet coming from One Formula.

[Robert Finlayson]

Watched the results on race monitor. The new guys both did pretty well. I would think Quentin Nelson would be coming.

[SStadel]

It looks like Elliott Sohn is planning on coming for Saturday. He has a previous commitment, but after getting his full comp he's trying to change flights to allow him to run with us on Saturday. I've been beating the bushes but most of the ones I was counting on earlier are at the fringe of the Conference and have various reasons for passing on Blackhawk.

[dsmithwc04]

How many are we going to need to keep our own run group?

[Keith Carter]

Rhett and Elliot are now registered bringing us to 12! I don't think there should be any trouble hanging onto our own race group. Here's the breakdown of the group:
Class Totals:
Formula Atlantic: 2
Formula Continental: 2
Formula Enterprises: 12
Prototype 1: 4
Prototype 2: 6

[SStadel]

David Budres will be lucky number 13.

[dsmithwc04]

David Budres will be lucky number 13.

Damn, I should have waited and I could have been lucky 13! Well, maybe the early bird gets the worm?!

[modctr]

Everyone can thank Steve Stadel for the separate group. The only concern is that with the lower than expected turnout, next year might be in doubt. We really would like to see 18-20 cars for a single class group. We appreciate those of you who have entered, and entered early for our planning purposes.
Jeff Kulawinski
RE Blackhawk Valley Region

[turbotom90]

Sadly, I won't be registering. I am awaiting surgery to replace several disks in my neck due to an injury I sustained fighting a residential house fire. Pretty much out for most of this year with rehab. But I plan to be back in the FE as soon as doctors release me.

[Keith Carter]

Sadly, I won't be registering. I am awaiting surgery to replace several disks in my neck due to an injury I sustained fighting a residential house fire. Pretty much out for most of this year with rehab. But I plan to be back in the FE as soon as doctors release me.

Yikes!!! Stop being such a hero and you'll be able to race more! Get well soon, Tom!

[turbotom90]

Yikes!!! Stop being such a hero and you'll be able to race more! Get well soon, Tom!

Thanks Keith.

[Keith Carter]

Up to 14!!! That's one hell of a race group for a run of the mill Majors!

[SStadel]

Run of the mill Majors?! Kick off party tonight at One Formula tent. Renowned blues artist Dylan Doyle and his band food and beverages. Mazda stickers handouts and more. Crystal trophies for Sundays race.

Run of the mill Majors.......

[Keith Carter]

Lost one... Maybe Mueller dropped out because I said that? Why didn't you say in the first place there would be stickers!?

[Robert Finlayson]

Big shout out to Steve Stadel and the One Formula crew on an incredible weekend. Not only did the FE get our own race group both days which was awesome, thanks to Steve. He also threw a nice gathering Friday evening with a live band playing on the hauler lift gate, some great food and drink. Finally, One Formula also provided some really nice crystal trophies for the winners. The weather, though cool, was bright and sunny all 3 days. A great start to the northern GPFour series.

[Keith Carter]

Just got home about an hour ago... First and foremost I need to apologize to the 5A race group for turning turn 6 into a slippery and sandy beach for a few laps. I had a double downshift and the rear snapped around on me. I didn't realize how bad of a mess I created until I followed Dean right off track onto the jagged tooth curbing after nearly losing it a second time on the following lap. I don't recall seeing a debris flag at all though, but at that point it was a bit obvious.

On Saturday, Dean was on pole with Elliot Finlayson grabbing the P2 slot later in qualifying with myself and Dave Budres rounding out the front two rows. I settled into third after the start and was there a couple laps until Dave and Mat got by me and then both had a bobble (at separate times) and handed the P3 slot back to me.... only a couple laps later to go off in turn 1 into a makeshift retention pond from the rain from the night before after being pressured by Rhett Barkau for a few laps. I was able to make it back on track after surrendering a few positions to end up taking 5th after a somewhat awkward last lap from what I was told. Elliot Finlayson snapped an input shaft coming out of the last corner and coasted to a stop before the checker and Dean won the race from a roll through the pit lane! Congrats to Dean, Rhett, and Elliot Sohn!

On Sunday, Dean still held to the top spot as well as Elliot Finlayson on the outside of row 1. David Budres bumped me from my previous day's qualifying position to P4 to round out the front two rows. Dean had missed a shift on the start and allowed Elliot Finlayson and I to get a jump on the group. We were out to a good lead when I had my T6 mishap and allowed Dean to get by. I was able to gather it back up and back on track to hold third for the rest of the race. Elliot checked out with some consistently fast laps and Dean and I played a bit of cat and mouse until the checkers. Rhett Barkau joined us for several laps before dropping back. I had apparently appeared to be driving in a bit of red mist after filling my quota for off-road excursions for the race. Eventually once the tire temps came up, the car got better and I kept Dean within striking distance. I just couldn't close the gap.

A big thanks to Steve and the One Formula team for organizing the separate run group, the special trophies, and for the party on Friday night! I'm still waiting on my Mazda stickers, though! The One Formula tent was extremely busy all weekend so we didn't have much time to visit otherwise. The separate race group was extremely appreciated and was proven that it could be done in a normal format race weekend and what kind of negotiating power a class with large car counts can get. Hopefully future events will be able to back it up. FE is really gaining momentum in CenDiv and I couldn't be happier about it. Lots of new faces to the group which was really great to see for the first race of the season. 13 cars!! I hope it continues on!

Saturday's Race Podium
Oppermann
Barkau
Sohn

Sunday's Race Podium
Finlayson
Oppermann
Carter

[Bill Bonow]

First time for LMI to take care of an FE, Jim Dziewior's green/blue # 4.
Have to say that it was a great experience. Steve and all the One Formula guys are fantastic!
Real trackside support, parts and info. They played a huge part in making Jim's first outing a real success.
I was always skeptical about the class/car, but I have to admit I was way wrong.
Very solid car with minimal worries.
Great competition in the series and our own run group!!!
Thanks to everyone in the FE community that welcomed us into a great group of people.

[dsmithwc04]

We had an absolute blast with close racing throughout. It definitely paid dividends to stay on the racing surface as we climbed from nearly last place to fourth on Sat. Sunday the game changed a little and 5th was about as good as we were going to get after we missed the the mark on tire pressures in the rear. One thing is for sure, I gotta stop qualifying 2 seconds slower than my race pace... Steve, thanks for an awesome time Friday night. The food, band, and camaraderie was top notch.

IMG_11381.jpg

[Keith Carter]

Anyone have any pics of the group at the start of the race? Kind of a neat image with that many cars in our own group.

[dsmithwc04]

Anyone have any pics of the group at the start of the race? Kind of a neat image with that many cars in our own group.

I second that! And if anybody has pics of the blue 39 FE I'd love to get a few pics of our car on track in the new scheme.

[CenDiv4]

Great class! Thank you very much to all the guys who helped us with our first weekend! One Formula, Steve and Matt were absolutely awesome as usual LMI was on their A game thanks Bill and Bruce!

We are excited to be a part of the class and look forward to many fun weekends. Great racing, great people and truly a class proud to be a part of!

Congrats to Finlayson, Oppermann & Carter! Those were some nice trophies.

See ya soon.

Jim Dziewior
FE 4

[SStadel]

If I did this right, this is a picture of the band at their performance at the Ringling Theatre in Baraboo Saturday night.