Time Trial on Shenandoah Circuit at summit Halloween weekend

[Matt Green]

Sorry for the late notice, as I thought it had been posted here before...

DC Region is running a PDX and Level 2 time trial (SCCA) on the Shenandoah Circuit this coming weekend.

Registration closes Monday night, but I think if you call them, you may be able to get in late on Tuesday if needed...

All info is on the DC Region site- http://www.wdcr-scca.org

[jgrausa]

Noteworthy attendees to represent PHA at this Sunday's Club Trial:

Bob "Fire" Oswald
Grace "high mileage" Huntzinger
Paul "wrench" Behofist

and yours truly,

Joe "ain't fast but lookin' good" Rausa

If anyone has some PHA literature they would like me to provide the uninitiated drivers from WDC Region, please send to:

Joe Rausa
704 Woodfield Dr.
Lititz, PA 17543

[Dave Cutchins]

Noteworthy attendees to represent PHA at this Sunday's Club Trial:

Bob "Fire" Oswald
Grace "high mileage" Huntzinger
Paul "wrench" Behofist

and yours truly,

Joe "ain't fast but lookin' good" Rausa

If anyone has some PHA literature they would like me to provide the uninitiated drivers from WDC Region, please send to:

Joe Rausa
704 Woodfield Dr.
Lititz, PA 17543

Joe,

Post your best lap time and I will let you know just how good you REALLY look.
Hope you have great weather and a good time.

[jgrausa]

Update on Shenandoah event

Well managed event by DC Region. Entry fee for 1 day CT- $100. We were not allowed to camp on site the night before (I never got a good explanation). We were given 2 - 20 minute practice sessions, passing in straights with a "point-by" and three timed sessions of three laps each. The start finish was at the flag station in the middle of the back straight.

Unlike PHA timing, DC Region required use of transponders (could be rented from OG Racing at Summit Point shop). We were grouped in pods of three, based on our practice session times.

Grace, Paul and Bob were given a ride by instructors to familaize themselves with the course (apexes were marked with cones, as well as a braking zone cone for the back straight that I should have paid more attention to - more on that later).

None of the four of us went out for the first practice session as the course was still wet from the early morning rain that only stopped around 8:00 am. Organizers took an early lunch break (quiet time for local church service) 11- noon. Our next practice session was at noon and we were all anxious for some seat time. My tires finally began to grip around the 4th lap -(temps in the low 50s). Paul acknowkleged slick conditions first couple of laps even though the surface had dried.

Bob felt ill and went home after practice session. I think Paul bent a suspension piece after going off at then end of the back straight, so he didn't do a third session. Grace had started on street tires, but switched to slicks after her first session. I was in third place after the second session and decided to "put down a time" a the beginning of the third session, 1st lap, back straight deep into braking zone, locked them up, lifted and turned before running out of room but the car skidded sideways into the mud, 4 off, brought it in, pulled the body panels for inspection, cleaned off the mud and got back in-line (only 1 car infront of me for the last session) and drove cautiously to make certain all systems were functioning properly. Only damage was some fiberglass along a low edge AND the pin came out of my transponder bracket, but the zip ties held it in place.

1st place was a Cobra FFR
2nd place was another one of those pesky all wheel drive turbo things (Subi)
3rd yours truly - with a 1:42 - Dave is that fast enough??

Both 1st and 2nd place drivers are interested in doing the hills with us.

I spoke with DC Region organizers and suggested that an early season TT or CT at Summit could get some attendence from our group. I was asked if the "big track" would be a comfortable venue for our group as opposed to Shenandoah - I replied "you betcha". I would think there is a more than fair chance that DC Region will have either a CT or TT next Spring. Stay tuned.

Regards,
Joe

[FV95]

Atta boy Joe. Wish I could have made it. Appreciate the efforts to interest new drivers and especially the discussion on a possible TT there in early spring. Good stuff.
John

[mrevilracing]

Oooo, 'big track'???? You got my attention with that......

Congrats to 3rd Joe!

[gdh57]

For those of you disappointed that I would actually give up seat time for a little rain don't worry, I actually ran both practice sessions. I was on my street Scirocco's summer tires (Toyo R1Rs, unshaved) because the Goodyears won't last for a 25 minute session. The Toyos were a lot better than expected, and actually turned out to be a very good choice for the wet track; grip wasn't bad when it started drying out either. I may have to get a dedicated set of these for light rain tires (since the set I used last weekend will be my other Scirocco during the regular season).

Anyway, the format was great -- 2 practice sessions and then 3 sets of timed runs (3 laps each) meant we had a lot of seat time. There was also a PDX, and it worked out very well to intermingle the PDX sessions in with the time trials sessions. The track itself was a lot of fun, and I know I want to go back and take another shot at it because I left a lot of time out there !

For the first session, they accidentally sent me out with no one to follow, so I basically was on a track I never drove with people who knew the track well coming up behind me at speed and not expecting me to be there and be that slow. They did send me out to ride with an instructor for a couple of laps first (which is why I was late getting to grid and why there was no one to follow). That might have been enough for a track with fewer turns, but without a car to follow on my first drive through, I was a bit disorientated to say the least...

The event organizers quickly rectified the situation, and in fact more than made up for it by sending me out to drive during the Novice PDX session with an instructor so that I could learn the track (and he showed me all the lines). I would have been happy with just someone to follow, and I have no complaints here! I think the only reason I was sent out like that is that the people in grid did not realize I had never driven the track before -- Paul and I were the only 2 time trialers that had not driven the track before.

Anyway, great event, and I'll definitely be looking at DC region's schedule next year to see when their next event is!

Grace

[eimc]

Hey Oz I hope your felling better. After you left I went out for the second timed session and spun out at the end of the back straight. I finnaly got a good exit speed on the cement banked corner and had a lot of speed down the back straight( I guess too much) . I made it to the middle of the corner then spun off to the left then crossed the track and spun off to the right . I then crossed the track again through a large puddle of water(small pond) came to a rest backwards with water and mud all over the car & me . I fired it back up hoping nobody was coming and headed toward pit in. Noticed the steering was no longer straight and later found i had bent the tie rod. It was a great weekend other than that. The DC region people were friendly and open for suggestions. It was a level 2 club trails so all you needed was a helmet and long sleeved shirt. Paul

[mrevilracing]

With this kind of excitement, maybe we should consider running the shenandoah course once and the jefferson course once instead of 2 jefferson runs. Jefferson is cool and all but it's a little small and I'd prefer to be on a larger track. One run at Jefferson per year is good enough.

[Dave Cutchins]

Update on Shenandoah event

1st place was a Cobra FFR
2nd place was another one of those pesky all wheel drive turbo things (Subi)
3rd yours truly - with a 1:42 - Dave is that fast enough??

Regards,
Joe

Joe,

I have run Shenandoah in several configurations so it is hard to tell " how good you looked".

It is a great track and one PHA should give some thought to. Using transponders, dividing groups by performance and allow passing with a point by would give everyone more track time than they could stand and would be worth an increase in registration fees.

See y'all in the spring.

[svann]

I'll second everything Dave said. With transponders and pods you can get as much seat time in one day as we normally get all weekend. You don't get to rest or BS as much though. They did 8 / 20 minute sessions last year at Savannah. I had spent so much on race gas and tire wear I had to stop at noon Sunday. I'd pay extra for the chance to drive Shenandoah any time. A great technical small formula track.

Stan

[dspgti]

Slowly but surely we get a few Time Trialers to run this kind of format and pass the good comments on to all the other PHA members that have resisted this kind of event. Even our own officials have resisted to approve these kind of events on the mentioned tracks (see thread under "events" subject "2010 Event".

Let's keep the enthusiasm going.

Dave Y

[jerdeitzel]

Well count me in as one who would love to drop one jefferson event and run this track. I have always disliked the way we just run 4 cars or less on track without passing. I have run a few events now that allow passing and open sessions. IMO this is the proper way to do things in regards to TT's. I do understand it would be significantly higher cost to run the shennendoha but, for the difference in seat time it's worth it.

[FV195]

You have to look at the cost of transponders also. OG only has so many rentals. those of us that club race have them, but who wants to spend $300 for 1 or 2 events a year?
I too like the idea of running the shenandoah track.
THOR

[Mary Anne Fieux]

Chuck and I both love the this track! He ran it with VRG. I took a worker out in the orange SAAB for a "worker's run". Dumping into what the locals called the "salad bowl" and flying out into a series of tight esses was my favorite part of the track.

A little side note. I'd never taken a worker out for a "worker's run", nor did I know how these runs operated. I thought you take a worker out for the duration of the run. Wrong! lol! I was supposed to come in and get other workers and give others a chance to run in the car. Funny thing is, I was having so much fun and the SAAB is so slow, I didn't notice there weren't any other cars on course at the end of the session. They had to come out and wave us back in and neither the worker or I couldn't find pit-in! Ended up he wrote a little article about his experience for his local MG club. There was mention about having lived through the experience.

[Matt Rowe]

The issue of using Shenandoah (at least in my mind) has little to with the format or layout and everything to do with cost. SPR charges the same for that track as they do for the main course, or roughly twice what Jefferson costs. With the track rental being such a high percentage of the entry fee I suspect there would be a substantial change to entry fees. Add on the cost of transponders (and timing equipment) rentals and I would not be surprised to see the entry fee double.

Of course there is nothing to prevent people from running the events currently being put on at that site by WDCR. It doesn't have to be a PHA event and obviously they are happy to have the entries.

[mrevilracing]

Thanks for the info Matt and Thor. I could see a doubling of the entry fee and a $300 transponder rental an issue that would stop folks from participating.

[jerdeitzel]

Matt, I would expect to pay $300-350 for a weekend on that track. Look at what WDCR charged for the whole weekend. It seems in line with roadracing prices for track
time per $.

Now look at it from s club perspective and not a PHA one. Why not talk about it and if there is enough demand, then run one. IMO what PHA does is bring drivers to a few regions events. If a region ran one of the bigger tracks we would probably attract a few more psrticipants then the Jefferson. That could equal profit for a region. I don't kno many regions that couldn't use that! (except maybe WDCR). Now if we get a majority vote that it's too expensive or such, then fine. But, if the demand is there then why nor think of dropping a Jefferson event and replace it with a different ( better IMO, money making hopefully) event?

This is from a region who is trying to run TT events. I would give alot to get into the PHA series. ( which means drivers).

[jerdeitzel]

Thanks for the info Matt and Thor. I could see a doubling of the entry fee and a $300 transponder rental an issue that would stop folks from participating.

Steve, it's not a $300 transponder rental. That to buy one. And you might br suprised how many thru have to rent. Now is $300-350 a weekend for everything too much? It's actually not outa line IMO

[gdh57]

The transponder rental fee from OG Racing at Summit is $50. They require an additional $300 security deposit which is returned when you return the transponder.

A new transponder costs $380 for the hardwired version and $420 for rechargable. It seems everyone has the same price, but I did not do an exhaustive search and I did not try to find one that was used.

Grace