Thunderhill
May 27-28th Memorial Weekend 2006
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The
weather for the weekend would be outstanding for this time of year in
Willows... (aka pasty white-man weather) ....sunny and low 70's for
both Saturday and Sunday during a month where >100 degrees is easily
attained. This weekend had a four GTI contingent of racers....Ron Swett and Tom
Aiken of Shed Racing, Scott Neville , Carlos Suarez and Joe Craven
in his first race of the year. As
usual, the GTIs would be racing in Race Group A along with the Pro7s,
Spec Miatas, Performance Touring, Honda Challenge cars. The Super
Unlimiteds would run with the very fast ASC cars this weekend instead
of Group A (Oh goody...since we usually just get in their way).
Also joining us from far away Toronto Canada was first time
performance driver Tom Krug driving Scott's GTI in HPDE Group 1 under
the instruction of Scott Miller of Miller Motosports.
Additionally, Steve Fuss would be running Time Trials this
weekend in
his great looking newly finished GTI.
Track newcomer Tom Krug is all smiles for his
first HPDE with Instructor Scott Miller
Saturday: Group A would be the last race for each
day....our race was schedule for 5:20 PM in the
afternoon. Carlos took Saturday's pole with
a 2:14.2, Ron Swett cracked off a 2:15.0 for second position. Scott
qualified third with a 2:16.6 and Joe
having missed qualifying was in forth position with no time. The
GTIs would be gridded in the back of Group A and we would have a flying
start. Click
here for a short video clip (3MB) of Saturday's flying start taken
from atop of the Shed Racing motorhome.
Saturday Race Pregrid (photo courtesy of Tom Krug)
Our start was screwed up as some PT and Pro7 cars were out of shape for
the flying start so the race director had us go around an extra lap on
a
Red/Yellow flag to line up for another green flag flying start.
This
second start was OK and the GTIs began the chase with Ron leading
followed
closely by Carlos then Scott with Joe in 4th. The GTI-Cup racers
are
not accustom to seeing Joe in our mirrors...but this was his first time
on
the track since driving in the December 2005 25-hour enduro, so
he
was knocking off the rust so-to-speak.
First Lap with Ron Swett in the
lead with Carlos hot on his tailpipe exiting the S's. Scott in in
3rd, Joe in 4th (photo courtesy of Shed Racing)
Ron held first position for four laps until Carlos passed him in Turn
8 amongst traffic. Click
here for a Quicktime
movie of Carlos chasing Ron (56K warning this is a big file 29MB).
Ron
was able to keep Carlos his sights for the remainder of the race but
had
to settle for 2nd place.
Carlos in hot pursuit of Ron (photo
courtesy of Tom Krug)
Scott came in 3rd but not after going four wheels off exiting Turn
1....always a harry experience doing a nearly 100 mph off road
excursion. Check out the video clip of his adventure by clicking here. This off slowed
Scott
down to where Joe almost caught him on the last lap near the finish
line.
One casualty of the race was Barry Thompson's (Kiwi) Spec
Miata
where he rolled it after going wheels off in Turn 6. Barry
emerged
unscathed but his Miata was a total.
Barry Thompson goes shiny side
down...he emerged unhurt (photo courtesy of Tom Krug)
Click here
for a photo of his car on the hook. Tough luck Barry. Fast
race laps were as follows: Carlos 2:13.6,
Ron 2:13.8, Joe 2:14.0 and Scott 2:15.5. Scott had some tranny work to do after the race
and with Carlos' help was able to get the axle flange back in place
after
the circlip popped off.
Tranny work on Scott's GTI in
the paddock...it's nice having Carlos around! (photo courtesy of
Tom Krug)
Sunday:
Race time
would again be late in the afternoon at 5:20 PM. It didn't take
Joe long to get back in the swing of things...he qualified on pole with
a 2:13.9 followed by Carlos with a 2:14.1. Tom Aiken grabbed third spot with
a 2:16.1 and Scott took forth position
with a 2:17.5. Sunday's race ended
up being two separate battles between Cup cars...Joe and Carlos vying
for 1st place and Tom and Scott fighting over third. Joe an
Carlos pulled away from Tom and Scott and ended up finishing the race
30 seconds ahead of 3rd position...which went to Tom Aiken. Scott
was barely holding Tom off after passing him on the second lap out of
Turn 6. Tom was challenging Scott for about four laps looking for
an opportunity to pass. That opportunity
came when two Honda Challenge H4 cars came upon Tom and Scott's battle.
Scott
was still in 3rd and gave the two H4 cars a point by after exiting the
S's.
They made the pass just before Turn 14 and the second place Honda
of
Mike Quan got out of shape mid turn in 14 and spun in front of Scott
who
had no where to go. Click
here for video clip of the fender bender from Tom's car. The
first part of the video shows a Spec Miata going off in Turn 8 after
getting dived bombed by what appears to be a PT Rx7. Scott hit
Mike's passenger side door with his driver's side corner. Easy
pass for Tom who now took over
3rd place. Scott's car was still driveable and he finished out
the
race. He ended up with a bent bumper,
dented fender and smashed signal light. Mike's H4 Honda was a
little more worse off with a destroyed door and
a bent B-pillar. In the end Joe was able to hold off Carlos
for 1st place. Tom came in 3rd and Scott 4th. Fast race
laps
were as follows: Joe 2:13.37 Carlos 2:13.23, Tom 2:15.95
and Scott 2:15.98.
Sunday's
Podium: L to R: Dominique Saurez, Carlos Suarez, Joe Carven and Tom
Aiken (photo courtesy of NASA)
BTW...what
happened to our HPDE driver Tom Krug? Looks like he had a blast
on his first ever track day! Time for a cold Molsen...eh hoser?
Shed Racing Report Click Here
Miller
Motorsports Photos Click Here
Shed
Racing Photos Click Here
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