Oct Rockingham HPDE

Ron Spencer · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:27 am

We just finished our final event for the year and as usual Mark, Stacy and crew (forgive me but if I try to name everyone who makes these happen I'll forget many) put together another highly successful event. With one exception there were no incidents and most of the offs were both feet in, under control drive offs. Students congratulations on some fine driving!

So a BIG thanks for the whole HPDE/ Time Trial crew for putting together another fun event and another BIG thanks to all the participants. Without you we wouldn't be able to put these events on.

We've a few months off to recover, update the cars, change the brakes and clean the windshields before we start it all over again at VIR. Have a GREAT off season and hope to see you all then!

Ron

On a personal note, thanks Oscar for convincing me to and helping me change the head gasket on the CRX. Obviously fixed the overheating problem!

Jeff Underwood · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:34 am

Agreed. Great weekend folks! Another well run event for THSCC.

I have to say also that lunch on both days and especially Sunday was outstanding! I think you are on to something there.

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

More thanks from me!

Thanks to Mark and Stacy and the rest of the crew. Classroom (Ron) and in-car (Vincent) instruction was excellent.

I had a great time - can't wait until Feb! And yes, Ron - I'll have a full face helmet by then - and a roll bar and 5-point harnesses!

Food was *way* better than expected!

BarryStewart · **Joined:** Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:34 pm **Posts:** 24

Had an absolute blast !!! Huge thanks to Stacy, Mark, their crew and Ron. The Time Trial was everything I expected and more.

Great group of organizers and drivers to work with and be around.

Food was excellent both days.

Big thumbs up and can't wait till Feb and VIR.

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:54 am

Thank you to all,
We couldn't have these if we didn't have a great bunch of participants and instructors. I think we have some of the highest quality program participants around. Each person expresses an attitude of learning and comradely that makes putting these events on fun. We really appreciate the lack of ego and intense competitiveness that we have seen in other programs. Even though we are running around like chickens right before the event, we enjoy the time spent over the weekends, and the people we get to hang out with. So once again, thank you.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:53 am

Good weather, good friends, good time!

My ABS had a malfunction the last session on Saturday and it turns out I needed it. I corded both right fronts heading into T3 causing me to pack it in for Sunday. Enter three good friends with offers to drive their cars on Sunday and I didn’t miss any track time at all. A big thanks again to Walter, Kendt, and Bret for trusting me with their babies on track. After Bernie’s ‘scratch’ on Saturday you’d question someone’s sanity for loaning you their car for a track session. I appreciated it very much guys.

Also both my students (Kendt & John) did very well making my job as instructor much easier. Good work, and I hope to see you guys in February at VIR.

Another thumbs up for the food from me too! Good food, and a great price. Man I wish that scenario was possible at VIR.

BertNeily · **Joined:** Tue Jan 09, 2007 10:49 pm **Posts:** 3

As all above have said, the event was very well run and a lot of fun.

Kudos in particular for the handling of Sunday morning's fog delay. The pace laps were a nice surprise and a good way to use the down time. The PA announcements for revised run session starts and classroom times were helpful in keeping us all up to speed.

I'm looking forward to THSCC/TZC's events next year.

Bert Neily
Leaning Alfa GTV6

Ron Spencer · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:18 pm

Vincent, both right fronts?

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

Ron Spencer wrote:

Vincent, both right fronts?

Maybe it's a Southern thing and he meant to say 'I right corded both fronts' :wink:

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:26 pm

Ron Spencer wrote:

Vincent, both right fronts?

And both left fronts! :oops:

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:30 pm

Vincent converted the rear axle of a duelie for better FWD traction.

Matt Nicholson · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:59 pm

Perhaps Vincent converted to Twin Tires? Remember the "replace all your single tires with 2 smaller ones on the same size rim" people? How'd that work out. (hint: I can't even find them on the interweb anymore)

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 3:20 pm

Matt Nicholson wrote:

Perhaps Vincent converted to Twin Tires? Remember the "replace all your single tires with 2 smaller ones on the same size rim" people? How'd that work out. (hint: I can't even find them on the interweb anymore)

Hey, it worked well enough to be banned from F1

Kevin Butler · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:27 pm

I had a great time this weekend. I had reservations about driving The Rock all season, but now I am glad I didn't hold back. This weekend's Red group was one of the best I've driven in all year. Great on-track manners in a widely diverse group of cars. The classroom was great too.

Saturday's TT was a new level of experience for me. Mark Vitaco and I couldn't get away from each other. It was fun, but a little perplexing. I got a point by from Mark on the 5-6 straight on about the 3rd lap. The next time around, going into T7, I hear tires screaming and see nothing but his front end in my left side rear view! When I had entered T6 he was like 4 car lengths back. Afterwards I found out he was taking the "Mark O'dell" line through turns 6 & 7.

After digging hard as I could for another couple of laps, I couldn't seem to shake him well enough to feel I wasn't holding him up, so I pointed him by. I figured I had already gotten as good of a time as I was gonna get and he definitely new something I didn't about T7. Time to learn, so I followed Mark around for the duration of the period.

On Sunday, Mark was gridded right behind me, and I was thinking to myself, "Not again!" I resolved to get as much space between myself and Mark as soon as possible. Matt Nicholson was a great rabbit! I was able to put distance on Mark and drive without having to worry about a silver Scirocco in my rearview mirror.

I guess I learned something from Mark on Saturday. I picked up about 3/4 second on Sunday from Saturday with a greasier track. New RA-1's probably didn't hurt either.

Can't wait until next season. Kudos to all that make it happen.

Ron Spencer · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:35 pm

Kevin what you saw from Mark is turn 6 is MUCH faster then most people think. I think the limiting factor to speed through 6 is close to being the ability to get settled and slowed for 7. Its a REALLY fast turn!

Glad you had fun and sounds like you had a really fun time trial.

Ron

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