This time I ran with Team Randy aka "The Silver Bullets" in the 240SX. We left early Wednesday morning and drove to Maryland to stay with Tom Freeman for the night before heading up to The Glen Thursday morning. We left 85 degrees and sunny for 34 degrees and rainy. To say I was not a happy camper is a understatement.
Friday morning was the same, cold and miserable. Luckily we rented a garage for the weekend so that should have made things better. Yes, it kept us dry, but not warm. We were next to a group of damn Canadians who thought 40 degrees was like summer and they kept leaving the damn garage door open. The wind was like 15-20 MPH, which made that scenario even worse. We discovered a leaking radiator hose and had to send the women into town to get a new one. We got that fixed and were ready to go, well at least Randy was.
We got through tech and AIV inspection to get out on the track about 2:30. Randy did a few laps and came in to inspect the brakes (shudder) and afterwards the rest of us (me, Cline, and Remchak) we none to excited to drive on a cold wet track with 90 other idiots. Finally Cline and Steve did drive, and I decided I'd take the last 15 mins. I got out on the track only to make 1/2 a lap before a red flag ended the test day. Yeah, I got 1/2 lap practice...New York weather sucks!
Saturday morning we decided I would drive first. I had only seen 1/2 the track, but that's the cards I was dealt so I'd have to deal with it. After a lap or two it was clear this was a VERY fast track, and the car had way more in it than I was capable of at that stage of the game. It was cold, slick, and with LOTS of armco in close proximity I wasn't about to push it hard enough for me to hit anything. After about 45 mins I was feeling "OK" and was able to pass a few cars. As I was passing two cars in the long downhill right-hander after the bus stop, the power steering quit...mid corner! I had to wrestle it to keep it off the wall and off other cars, but using two hands on one side of the wheel NASCAR style I got it under control and back to the pits. Under further inspection, we found the belt was gone because the pulley that bolts to the balancer had lost all the bolts but one. We took it back to the garage, repaired it as best we could, and got back out there missing about 50 mins.
After Cline and Steve did their sessions, Randy cut his session short so I could get more time in the car since the repair in the morning cost me about half my stint. I hopped back in for the last 45 mins to finish the race. By this time the track was dry and I was getting more confident each lap as I learned the track. The car was stuck like glue and it was fast. Turns out it was about 10 SECONDS faster than I was driving it at the time, but not knowing that I was having a blast. I called in on the radio to tell Randy the car and the track was worth all my bitching about the SUCKS-@SS New York weather. That session was fun!
Sunday morning we get back to the track to find it's FREAKING SNOWING!!! Son-of-a-b*tch. Did I mention New York weather sucks? Honestly I can stand a little cold with enough layers (I was wearing SIX BTW) but with the wind, it's just plain miserable to me. Luckily Diane parked the truck at out pit stall so I stayed in the truck whenever possible.
We decided Steve would go first, Cline would be next, followed by myself, and Randy would finish. We were doing OK, but the leaders have some damn fast cars. Regardless the track was lots of fun and sans weather, we were all glad we made the trek.
When I got back in the car this time, I knew the track layout, the pavement was dry, and it was go time. I was doing well, gaining confidence, and having a butt load of fun. I was able to post a 2:23 lap time, which I though wasn't too shabby since I was NINE seconds faster than Saturday. Was it possible for me or the car to do a 2:21? As it turned out, Randy ran a 2:22 on just his second lap out on Sunday, so yes a 2:21, or maybe a 2:20 was possible. However However that DAMN PROBE, (yeah that same one that beat us at VIR, and PBIR) ran a really low 2:19, almost a 2:18 so we were far from be the fastest car and/or team.
About an hour into my session I came around to T2 under a FCY to see a Miata that was in the wall HARD in T3. Sure enough we had another red flag and we were all brought in. I knew the wreck looked bad, but when we were ordered out of our cars I knew it was worse...hopefully not _the_ worst. We were informed the driver was unconscious when the safety crew arrived but he came to later and would be air-lifted by helicopter shortly. Yes, racing is dangerous folks!
We thought it would be likely 15-30 before the race was restarted. As we planned our strategy (fueling, driver swap, etc) we were told to get back in our cars and the race would resume in five minutes. Ack! We hurried to get back in and I was back out for only a lap or so before another FCY. Right as I was having the most fun I have ever had driving a car it was time to do the swap and my session was over.
Randy got in for the last stint and posted a 2:22 right away. Of course as fate would have it he called in saying he had smoke in the car under braking and wanted to come in to check it out. We made a quick stop to see we had a tire rub on the LF, but we had that the whole race so we weren't worried and sent him back out. A few laps later he called in to say we had an electrical problem and we were taking it back to the garage with an hour left in the race.
Upon removing the LF wheel we discovered the tire rub had made it up into the main wiring harness and shorted a few out. Watkins Glen is VERY bumpy in certain areas making our tire rub even worse. The car would run, but we didn't time to fix it so we started packing up.
As we were packing up we see the Balls Deep pink-colored Civic coming rolling in with grass stuck in the doors and two flat tires. Apparently he rolled it on the last lap but it came to rest on the wheels so he just drove it back in.
The safety workers followed him to the garage stall and asked if the driver was OK when he jumped out of the car and said "Sure! Man that was fun!" What kind of idiot thinks rolling a race car is fun? I *think* this is the same car/driver that caught fire in Daytona last year, but I'm not sure.
Rob Harvey stopped by, asked about our car, and told us the winning Saab was disqualified after passing 5 cars under a yellow flag. The owner Robin Bank was furious, which I'm not surprised as those guys take this alll waaaaayyyy too serious. It's like they are getting paid or something. I'm not sure they are having any fun if they don't win.
So in summary, Watkins Glen, the track, is a blast. If you ever get a chance to drive it, do so, but you might wait until June to be sure you don't need a parka under your Nomex.
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
