Roebling weekend report: The test day went fairly well for me and I want to thank Lance for helping me out on Thursday!!!! God knows I need the seat time in this thing!!
On the Friday morning qual session, the yellow 33 BP car dumped an engine entering turn 8... but I didn't know that until I turned in though and went for one wild ride. It was just like a sheet of ice - no chance! Data showed I left the track at around 100 mph, turned sideways and skidded for an eternity. The car turned backward and headed for the tree line. I had the clutch and brakes down, but the grass was still wet and there was just no stopping it. I hit the trees around 30 mph at an angle, but it wasn't a real hard thud. When I got out of the car, I found out why - I missed a big pine in front by about 3 feet and a pine behind me about 3 feet. I somehow managed to parallel park this thing in the tree line between those 2 trees. I hit the smaller 1-2 inch sized trees and scrub brush. The car was skinned up a bit, cracked a lower panel and knocked out the RR reverse light, but other than that, it was good to go. After an hour or so of waxing and tree sap remover, it was track ready. Whew! I must be livin' right. I'll be picking twigs and berries out of this thing for months though! 
As we were standing on the grid for the start of Race 1, Phil said: "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Ain't that the truth! I was on pole for race 1, but Phil got a great (Ahem) start and lead into turn 1. I was forced to endure that view for the next 21 laps. He couldn't get away from me and I couldn't really gain on him until the very end. Our fastest lap times were separated by 6 thousandths of a second!
Race 2 was every bit exciting as the first one. Phil was on the pole for race 2 and at the start, Jerry missed a shift and I tucked in behind Phil going into turn 1. As we came around turn 5, a GT1 car ran off the track and came back on clipping my RR quarterpanel. Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtQe5h5iyXQ We talked afterward and he aplogized for not staying off track (both feet in) - just a racin' deal. The RR has a very small nick in the paint and some rubber marks and the RR wheel and tire had a chunk or two of his front end, but other than that, it was OK. Unreal!
I began reeling in Mr. Croyle and after a few laps, he held his line going into 1 and I dove in hard under the brakes and managed to make it stick. Here's the vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLrwyadt1Hc We went nose to tail for the rest of the race and I managed to pull out a second or two at the end. Our fastest laps were separated this time by a whopping 11 thousandths of a second. I doubt we were separated on track by more than 2 seconds during both races, despite traffic and everything else that happens during an event.
I was really hoping Stan would show up and Russ Snow would run, but Stan went to Indy I guess and Russ had power steering issues that all the kings horses and men couldn't fix. Sorry buddy!
See you guys at CMP...in August. Ugh.
Chris W. Ingle
www.tracktapes.com
2008 White Z51 LS3 #7
2003, 2005-08 SEDIV T1 National Champion
Instructor: Chin/TracQuest, Car Guys, etc.
Sponsors: Hoosier, Phoenix, GM Perf, Carbotech, Hardbar, Coolshirt, BK Racing