Anyone else racing at COTA?

Roger McDaniels · **Posted:** Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:26 am

While technically the deadline for COTA acceptance passed yesterday; I've been told that we should wait until after the 6th before making other plans for that weekend. Apparently we haven't been ruled out and are on the standby list in case another team cancels or doesn't pay.

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Sat Jan 02, 2016 4:42 pm

steve remchak wrote:

Whoodah thunk that Milko would have gone all "pinky finger out" on us... ??

I'm not sure what you're getting at here, but I've been through Chumpcar's "competition school." It was 10 minutes on the flags/lights then Jay saying 10 times 'a safe pass is the responsibility of the passing car.' That was it. At the top end Chumpcar runs at speeds that are faster than several classes that run with NASA. In order to run mid 2:20s in PTF or SSM you have to go sit through a day of people watching you to make sure you're not a total asshat. I've seen some really stupid moves by NASA racers (Like this first lap in a non-points race https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBxx3rseV0E), but a good chunk of my comp school class was also not given their licenses because they couldn't be bothered to learn the damn rules before the school.

Does Chumpcar need a full day school with a high fail rate? No. But they need something that's better than a THSCC HPDE drivers meeting. This was a few years ago, but count the cars blowing past Charlie under a red flag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7zPalyF3vc

steve remchak · **Posted:** Sat Jan 02, 2016 5:06 pm

Yes, that was several years ago. If you are more comfortable racing with folks that can pass a test then so be it.

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Sat Jan 02, 2016 5:53 pm

And the considerable on-track evaluation. But hey if we're going for glib, you're comfortable with people probably listening to Mike/Jay telling them to not do dumb things.

Roger McDaniels · **Posted:** Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:14 pm

None of the schools really test what a driver will do on track; they just give them some stuff that they can use if they want to.

Adherence to the Chump rules would eliminate most of the asshattery that I've seen at Chump races (and other races), but at Chump they seem to really go out of their way not to enforce their rules (other than 5 minute pit stops), which is why I don't want my car in any more of their races.

Case in point; we lost a bushing at a Chump race and had multiple spectacular spinning offs before we figured out what was wrong with the car. We were never flagged for being an obvious danger to ourselves and others. At a LeMons race, about the third time we went off we would have had to figure that problem out and get it fixed or lose our wristbands.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Sat Jan 02, 2016 7:24 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

And the considerable on-track evaluation. But hey if we're going for glib, you're comfortable with people probably listening to Mike/Jay telling them to not do dumb things.

I raced against Grand Am, NASCAR, NASA, BMWCCA, SCCA, and complete newbs in the same ChumpCar race. The ones that concern me the most are the roundy round types and the NASA types. Because they come in with attitude about who is around them. They usually either make sketchy passes as if they are running a 20 minute sprint race or just plow their way in wherever they want to be.

It's not the newbs causing most of the issues.

Granted ChumpCar could be more stringent in their rules enforcement, and they have become more strict than in years past but it still needs work. But they are also saying that contact can and will happen. Knowing that I can adjust my driving style to avoid the asshats.

Roger McDaniels · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 5:14 am

I got the official rejection e-mail today. Maybe next year.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 7:51 am

Roger McDaniels wrote:

I got the official rejection e-mail today. Maybe next year.

What did it say exactly? I have a friend who ran with them out in TX last year and he sustained a bit of body damage. He said they were rejected for this race due their car's appearance?

Roger McDaniels · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 9:41 am

"You are receiving this email because you applied for the race at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). We want to thank everyone for their interest. The field has been set, and it was a very difficult process. WRL staff sorted through over 150 teams to fill 85 grid spots based on several criteria, including history with WRL, time registered, adherence to the rules, and even race control logs. At the end, we were down to trying to balance out the classes as best we could while still honoring the other stated criteria.

All teams who are in have been notified and confirmed. It should go without saying, but we do regret that we had to cap this event. It was heartbreaking to have to cut so many good teams. If you did not make it, we will put you at the top of the list for the next COTA race. BUT - There may be an opportunity for you to get into February's event as well, see below."

Then it says that if people blow up on Saturday, that spots will be open on Sunday for $1000.

I sent them a pretty good-looking picture of the Duff car:

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 10:09 am

Roger McDaniels wrote:

I sent them a pretty good-looking picture of the Duff car

Is that a recent picture? That car wasn't that straight the last time I saw it. Actually was it ever that straight? Photoshop? :mrgreen:

Roger McDaniels · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 10:31 am

That is an old picture. A couple of years ago we got it fixed up and painted. It never made it to a race like that; I bounced it off of a tire wall and an Armco fence coming out of Hogpen at the THSCC HPDE right after that picture was taken.

My brother came to town last week and we replaced all of the dented body parts and put a new paint job on it, so it should look really good for Barber.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 11:24 am

Roger McDaniels wrote:

That is an old picture. A couple of years ago we got it fixed up and painted. It never made it to a race like that; I bounced it off of a tire wall and an Armco fence coming out of Hogpen at the THSCC HPDE right after that picture was taken.

So you advertised to WRL under false pretenses? :lol:

Roger McDaniels wrote:

My brother came to town last week and we replaced all of the dented body parts and put a new paint job on it, so it should look really good for Barber.

Your brother? Oh, you mean Robert? Seems odd to me when people talk about their family not using their name when the person you are talking to knows them by name.

We replaced our LF fender recently after an altercation in T14 at CMP altered ours. It really bugged me to have a dented up car. If we're going to have a banged up car, we may as well run Chump Car!

Roger McDaniels · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 11:36 am

I can't imagine racing without lying and cheating.

Yeah, that's right, you would know Robert. I think you were his in-car instructor at least once.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 11:43 am

Roger McDaniels wrote:

Yeah, that's right, you would know Robert. I think you were his in-car instructor at least once.

Yes, and in true "McDaniels give Hondas a bad name" form, his car broke down and he couldn't continue. :mrgreen:

Roger McDaniels · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:16 pm

He finally got tired of fixing his Honda and bought a Spec Miata. Now he's fixing that.

THSCC Forums

Anyone else racing at COTA?

Who is online