Topic: A Rookie perspective from the Grand Prix Du La Chargoggagoggmanchaugga
It is not that I hate writing things, I actually enjoy it. The problem is that things are not conveyed properly just through text speak. There is a ton of excitement that I want to portray here, but it is so hard just to put it into Forum text.
First off, I am a victim of trying to get a car ready for a race that fell flat on its face. It was a matter of a Team Captian (not me) trying to do the right thing and get us a good "Deal" on a proper cage. Me (car owner) trying just to line up what needed to be done in order to get the car prepped for the race having too many miscommunications. In the end, I am at fault for letting my team captain try to handle everything in order to get my car into the race. He did not have the capacity to accomplish what was needed from a team captain. He is not at fault for this, he just took on too much then he could handle.
It sucked on multiple fronts, I thought the delays for racing would be longer then I realized. At that point, my teammate offered up his car to run in the series. It was a cheap Audi Ice Racing car that he at first had no problem offering for this race. I was excited, overwhelmed, but ultimately after seeing the amount of work put into a cheap Ice Racing car I gave my teammate my opinion and explained that I could not confidently drive his car with the amount of money put into the car. Minus 90% of the money was just put into safety equipment, it was still too much of a gem to throw into Lemons...
Back to square one again. I put up a thread in the 'drivers looking for teams' I actually got a response from Yuri. He had a spare seat open and at a premium that one could not say no to. Yuri, you are far too kind. To build on that Yuri thank you for getting me in touch with another team that needed a driver (more to come on that one shortly. first read my sob story).
Fast forward to August 9th, last Tuesday. After bumping a thread here on the forum I got an email from A car based out of NJ. This car has been looking for someone, including an email sent from Yuri to me about contacting the team for a seat. I read that the seat had been filled and was no longer available at some point a week and a half prior. I was surprised to be contacted by this team, and had a major decision to make. They offered me a seat, offered me a good price and at the time I did not know, they offered me companionship in the Auto world that I really needed.
On to the next chapter, we will call this the ' Ask the Big Boss ' chapter. that Tuesday I walked home and was trying to figure out how to approach the Big Boss about this. She comes from a Family that have been surrounded by Motorcycle racing out in Scotland, and Rally racing in Europe her whole life. Too the point that her 'Uncle Ronnie' regularly raced bikes t the Isle of Mann every year. It was not as much of can I race Baby? it was more of 'here is the deal' style talk. I needed to come up with cash for a deposit on the car. I was worried about it. The money was there, but that is money that we are looking to build a bigger future with. In the end of the day the deposit in a small fee and a totally reasonable fee to pay a Car owner to race his/her car with. Me being a Male does not think too much into it, but doubt came up about binning the car. I brought this up and all of a sudden the Big Boss was worried far more then just binning a car and getting a deposit back. Oh Crap, I just opened up the gates of hell here.
That night before I had to return to work we debated this endeavor amounts ourselves along with three friends. Not only did our three friends stand behind sending me off to this event... The Big Boss agreed; on the stipulation that I would promise not to show up at work the monday following in a body cast. believe it or not, I was really the big anti-race person due to over-worrying about the "What-If". I can't put more thanks to my Boss and our friends for their support in my passion which they all know is where I belong. It is tough in my area; I don't have a lot of car or race friends around me. Still looking for more around Stamford, Ct. If you know any I alway have a good meal, great drinks (I have been bartending for 19 years) and a clean comfortable bed if need be. The Boss says I need more car buddy which I do not disagree with one bit. Anyways, It took the support of our friends and hugely my wife in order to agree upon the terms and agreements to race a little green gorgeous Miata at Thompson. RUSEFI put a lot of trust into me, a rookie driver with just 14 years of karting experience, a few track days and 2 HPDE days. The RUSEFI #101 car just accepted their driver to make them eligible to race this past weekend.
The Car/team owner was kind enough on Friday morning to meet up with me to take my driver gear up to Thompson for tech inspect. This was a huge thing for me. It first showed me the dedication of the team I have just joined. Not only that, It gave me a chance to meet the faceless emailer that I have been talking too. I will say this to my Captain, "In Country of mine, One does not Inspect Tech... Tech Inspects You!"
Nervous feelings start to build while I am working my bar Friday during the daytime. My friends/customers are all excited for me, they were cheering me on for the past 5 months since I have talked to them about this race. I let myself down by not having my own car running, but they did not even touch that subject. My General Manager even came to me to egg me on. Still I sat there silent about how nervous I was about binning a car into a wall or even worse involving another driver in a race incident.... More to come on this issue.
Friday night, the Boss an I finally make it to Brooklyn, Ct. to our motel room. Teammates 1 and 2 are still at the track. I send a text stating we arrived and we needed food. we went out to dinner then upon finishing we finally received a text stating they were on their way back to the motel. I did not even realize what they went through at the track on test day. I feel guilty that I was not there to lend a hand. It still is a big let down to me for having to work, instead of taking a day off and being there to support and help the team...
We meet, the second time I have met my Car owner and the first I met our Genius Mechanic/Driver. I made sure to introduce them to the Boss; Which throughout the weekend she was Teh Boss for all four of us! more on that later. We had a quick pow-wow and a plan for Saturday morning for meeting and getting me fully registered to race.
Race Day! Get into the Track and deal with the late registration and fly through it after meeting Kim whom really just took charge. Thank you Kim for the fast and controlled late registration, your a Gem! Got back to the Paddock by then immediately I was told to get my Hans and Helmet on and go take the car for a drive. I took this time to break few laws, including running through the red light at the Thompson Bridge, breaking the 4500rpm "Speed Limit" on the 25 mph road, Crossing double yellow lines, making a U-Turn in a none U-Turn zone and over taking in a non overtaking lane. This is not disclosure of breaking the law, Still can't be proved in a court of law and who knows if I really did all or any of this.
Ok a total of 15 minutes in a foreign car. On top of that first car in 2 years I have driven with a Manual setup. I walk to work, I can't justify driving a car 2.1 miles to and from work. It would cost me more in upkeep then it would in insurance. Perfect situation to build RACER though.
The Race starts and I am the third stint on Day 1 at Thompson. I am given the worst time slot for first day racing. The 12pm to 1:30pm stint. The hottest of hot and humid. Worse off, the Coolest that was rented for me had a leak. No Cool Shirt apply for my stint. Icing down and submerging my inner shirt in ice and water helped out a bit. Worse part about it is I had a Cool Shirt that was supposed to be delivered a few days earlier that never arrived... still has not arrived. I'll work on that later.
Dress up point occurs at 11:40pm. This leads to the first time my wife has ever seen me with a nervous response. I am typically a cool, calm collected person in control of all my surroundings. I did not know how much she was freaked out about my nervous gage reflex I get when I put a head sock and helmet on. Been doing it for over 14 years every time I jump in a kart or anything else where I wear a helmet. Out to the Hot Pit. Driver change occurs, 2nd driver out, I'm strapping in after a full tank of gas is given to me. Pit release... nerves pumping, adrenaline blowing up and stop for wrist band/safety inspection. I was brought down 3 steps here. I all of a sudden had a second to think. Let me tell you the absolute worse thing you can do on your rookie outing in Lemons with less then 20 minutes in a car is Think. Absolute worse thing possible. I'm released, first gear, second gear, hold hard right, fast traffic on the left, race line is swamped. Situation awareness is overwhelmed, giving point outs for ever car to pass on the left... pass on the right... I'm not at race speed, I'm not on the right line, I'm not confident behind this wheel....
Full course black flag happens... an accident occurred and after passing it I was extremely worried. Seeing a car against an Armco is one thing. Driving by a car stuffed into an ARMCO is a whole different story. Every car back to the Paddock and pits. I follow suit. We unload the car I jump out and wait for the call to return. The Team Owner comes to me and we have a slight pow-wow. A talk that was well needed. We discussed the car, theories, but ultimately the order was given that change my whole mental approach. It changed me, it developed a lust for racing that killed any nervous reaction I had... "You must pass three car before you come back in"... Holy crap I have a mission, I have a cause, I have a race in front of me...
Race is released on yellow, there is a thirst for blood, a thirst for racing. Green flag drops, I'm passed and passed hard by 5 cars. Having no radio in the car got me caught sleeping... Wait Caught sleeping, F that, F that hard. I'm in an underpowered Class A car. It is a Miata, We are on a Go kart track in terms of driving a Miata. F that, no more being passed. It was all I thought, I let the robot like reactions take over. It took 4 laps laps before I got on my first victim's rear bumper. Now where to pass? that was a huge question; a question yet to be answered because I have had all of but 25 minutes in this car, I don't know the limits, I don't know the racing line and ultimately I really don't know what the hell I'm doing here...
Ok calm down, First rule of Lemons Club, You don't talk about Lemons Club. Second rule of Lemons Club is you don't draw a Black Flag. Third rule of Lemons club, stop thinking too much arsehat and start Offing racing son, your being a little B#@$%. Well Ok, Time to start hitting it. Start pressing the limits and start making this little Miata do what it suppose to do, Embarrass cars that on paper should have no problem with a little 100 who soft top hairdresser car. I thought for one tiny little second that I should have gotten a perm in order to drive this car. I should have because it would have driven the fire I had even more.
First stint coming to a close. I have not only met and surpassed the goal set to me, I was able to test out small hypothesizes about how the car reacts to different parts of the track and how to attack them. I finally post some quick laps for our car. Nothing that is mind-blowing for a bone stock 1.6 liter Miata, but still reputable for a 1.6 liter Miata. More of that to come on day 2.
The Driver swap occurs, just slowing down in the pits makes me realize how hard I was hit. I get out of the car fast, or at least I feel fast. I get to the side as the fuel is filled. We get the next driver in and I struggled getting ice in the Cool Shirt ice box in the car. I struggle pulling down the Racing harness for our next driver, but even worse, I struggle to even be able to speak a single simplistic word. Just by my typing you should know that is an absolute hard thing to do.
Racer off, car is leaving the pit, getting on track... I'm slumped over myself across the pit wall. I am having a difficult timing doing anything. I am completely dehydrated even though all morning into the afternoon I downed over 2 gallons of water including electrolyte pills in it. The Heat and no cool shirt had just destroyed me. This will set the scene for Sunday, but we will talk about the later.
My next Stint was moved back to after 4:30pm, unfortunately I would not see seat time at 4:30pm. Coming from South Florida and learning to drive in Connecticut in an over powered rear wheel drive car at the age of 25 about 12 years ago makes me want to end up in that situation with rain coming down on the track. Well it was not to happen due to massive Lightning. Coming from Florida I didn't care for Lightning, but I do care for each an every person involved in the the Flagging stations, safety crews, other racers, and everyone at the track. 4 pm the Heavens open up with no rest for us the wicked. The race for the day was finally called after 5pm... I did my best to get everything cleared for everyone. I undressed from my driving gear and put on dry, slightly clean clothes. I should have popped on fully clean clothes. We probably could have raced again if I did.
Day 1 done, the Boss an I go hunting for food and booze. We come back with pizzas, app selections and booze. Then what I knew, but didn't experience just happened. Got to meet many of the items around the paddocks and share a beer, a story and gave a few GonaSyphalitist cases true to sharing drinks, spit, tongue, your imagination to choose what it was. If I infected you, sorry for the suppository you have to take to cure it. that sucks... or swallows? I'm not sure.
Day 2 comes up fast after a great night of watching Track Security feeding a huge bonfire. Yeah that happened. Not only did that happen, but I'm pretty sure someone got pregnant but that is not for us to discuss, unless either you or I are naming the Newborn wonder for this world, we need not discuss this.
tighter schedule today, a tighter race window, and a tighter margin for no error. After a night of checking the car, discussing different elements of the track and coming up with an attack pattern, we were semi-ready for day 2. I will still not reveal our place, but remember, Bone Stock Miata! I have seen a stock Audi RS4 push a 1'23.xxx on the track, I will use this as my margin from here on out.
My stint is coming up. I put on my head sock barely tucking it into my Driver suit... Gaging again, quickly put the helmet on, hide the nervous reaction of going onto track again from the Boss. Too late she sees it... she doesn't react because after the talk we had the previous day she knows this happens each and everytime I get on track.Mental peace and clarity... I look to our Car owner/leader, looking for a goal. "Today in Country you do not pass 3 cars, In the Motherland you decimate 4 cars or not come home" The words of inspiration were there. The mental stability was put into place before the Hot Pit driver swap.
Gas filled to the brim again, I understand but really wanted a 6 gallon filled tank. Future lesson to learn but at this point who cares right? I am on a mission. I am in a Class A car. I am driving the Answer to all equations. I am Miata and Miata is I... well at least until how this stint ends... Not that badly, The Wife and I got our deposit back so it doesn't end that way buddies and buddiettes :-).
Marshal checks my wristband, my belts, my helmet and my HANS, wishes me godspeed and good luck. 1st gear thrown down, second gear down, pit exit line just passed, at the 5 marker, 4, 3, 2 marker, faster cars to my left carrying speed got a line but know I need room. Then it happens, the zone before being in the zone. Oh hell no is your overpowered straight-line crapcan car beating me in these corners. Even if you have a better suspension, aero whatever, your not taking MY line, My RACE, my time away from me. You will have to fight for every inch... Every inch as long as you show me the same Racecraft respect I show you. There I was, in a field where the cars surrounding me showed that respect in race craft, showed that respect that we all must make it through a corner, showed the unwilling nature to give up too. Amazing beginning to the stint.
I did get passed by 3 cars during the first few laps, but well all stayed bunched up. They passed only because of split decisions on how to pass some slow cars, where I and I alone made the bad decision on line choice. This in turn was the game changer. I know the driver in the next car did not have any more skill then Me, nor the other drivers that passed at that point. We were all equals in unequal cars, this just relayed the message in my head, "Challenge Accepted!" They pulled on me during the front straight, by the back sector of the course there I was knocking on their rear end, waiting to just give them a little rear bumper loving with no contact. 4 laps, 5 laps, finally lap 6 there was a mistake that slowed down the Fast train. a mistake leaving a full door open for a Miata that as long as it does not drive the other cars wide or off track was a completely acceptable aggressive maneuver. You left a door open, not only did you leave a door open, but you got on the brakes where I had no need for them. A quick flick to the left, a slight brake pulse shift weight, downshift and hit a right within 50 feet we were on the last turn faster then anything. I know from the past 5 laps each and everyone of the cars I was behind tapped their brakes for the last turn. Well, no reason for brakes here, just calculated proper throttle control will get me around the turn. Car lengths upon car lengths on those cars right there and then. Shift into 4th... on man they are gaining... They are over taking... They have now put 5 lengths by the braking point...
Gotta do it all again... again.... Again :-) well give it a go. Turn 1 closing in, turn 2 1.5 car lengths from the back runner and the little Miata. Turn three hard left hander, the car feels like it is either running a 6 to 8 degree slip angle or a 2 to 4 degree slip angle. I get on the throttle hard and fast. They have the speed, but I have the corners with momentum. turn 4 hairpin to the right with the feared gravel trap is just a play ground. Although the car can't put down the power, the car can be positioned for the next hairpin. Then it happened, The fast guys coming through.
backed off gave the point-byes and made sure not to interrupt the class leading cars. It formed a gap on the great race that was transpiring in front of me, but there is not reason why I couldn't catch backup to them. If I couldn't then I realized I did something to slow them down. Well the fast guys got by, I followed their lines when I could, learned more and more about the track. Even better now, have a chance to push on laps and put down fast laps.
This would continue for the next 30 minutes which led to finally passing the group I was trying hard to execute passes on. It was a great time of battling like Gentlemen drivers. No contact, no dive bombing, no quarter between any of us, we just raced hard and held our composure. What a fabulous race. Finally cleared many cars, including those faster on the straight. It was closing in to just over an hour of race time. Then it came, the moment I had been waiting for all yesterday (saturday) and today (sunday) finally a clear track ahead, all traffic behind being slower that I could attack my one and only one lap the way I wanted too. The golden opportunity I was waiting for...
Long straight, 6,5,4,3, 2 hard on the brakes, latest I have braked on the straight. I progressively moved my braking point closer and closer to the 2 sign, was confident of taking the braking point that late, knew it was possible. Then it all fell apart right then and there. I took a line I did not run all day, I stuck my left wheels against the grass but still on track. The wheels did not leave the track, but it was the furthest to the left of the track I tried this maneuver. Brake point, hard on brakes, clutch in, shifter back into third gear, throttle blipped, about to release clutch real quick and setup to the quick 2nd gear heel-toe maneuver. Oh crap front right tire slides for a fraction of a second which felt like a lifetime. Smoke comes up from locking, lees then 50 feet to the gravel at turn 1. on the brakes hard, clutch still in, speed down to what felt like 45 mph. this was the last ditch chance, released the brake and turned. The turn is going wide; why is it going wide? Why? Oh yeah I'm still on the clutch, the shifter is in second, I didn't blip the throttle, I have no power to over steer... It was too late. Two Feet in at this point. Point the steering wheel straight. clutch and brake in. Glide off Track as smoothly as possible. I just Yellow Flagged the first corner.
I didn't even need to see the Flag station after the Bowl, I knew my first order of business was to get to the penalty box. I didn't need the embarrassment of the car number and black flag, but I deserved it. Into the pits. Then it hit and it hit hard. The Heat built up, no cool suit on, the one I had was leaking with no fix. No fix means no use of it. At race pace, the heat was not an issue, considering I had to piss like a race horse getting into the car for drinking over 2 gallons of water before jumping in. Well if you ever feel like pissing really bad just do what I did, jump in a race car and make sure the cockpit temp is over 110 degrees :-).
Slowly moving through the pits not wanting a second penalty, I saw 5 handed out before I jumped into the car for speeding in the pits. It started to hit harder and harder with the heat. I get into the box. My 2 teammates were already there. then a camera was shoved into my face from the passenger side. I wanted a good pic, but the cameraman decided to take video and pics of my bad side :-(. No one wants to see my ugly mug from the right side of my helmet. That pic and video would not catch me a date from a whore house with a million bucks in my pocket if I tried...
The Judge comes down with his fury. "Do you Know what you are here?" of course, "Yeah, I screwed up, I was at fault on my own accord. I locked up brakes after hitting something slick and put 4 tires off the track at Turn 1." Judge "Ok, how are you feeling?", "Well I have been doing good until I slowed down into the pits. The heat hit me there and it is kinda hot now." Judge, "Well you know what you have to do" shoving a paper in my face with a long word written on it. Well immediately I recognized this word and hoped I never had to pronounce this word. I couldn't pronounce it even when I initially thought about joining this race. I stated, the word, slowly but carefully. "Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg" the judge comes back, "Well not bad, I've heard better but that was good enough" I'm like OMG OMG OMG OMG I got this. Then the judge looks me in the eyes, "again how are you feeling? You see I have 2 concerns here", I'm like "well yeah I understand the concerns before you say them, but what do you want done?" Judge, "Well I am concerned about safety of others on the track..." me, "Sir, if you want me out of the car I will not make a problem about it. You have a better picture then I do and your decision is final". I still need to thank that judge for that talk. Although I could have done another 30 minutes on the track, I feel it was the best call, had I been on the other side I would have made the same call. It just goes to show you that the Judges are there not only to make you pay for your sins, but also to make those tough decision that most never want to make. I do it on a daily basis while working behind my bar. My actions and decisions during my job impact more then just one individual, it impacts a whole community. I understand how hard it is to make a decision like that. That is exactly why his instincts about how he felt meant more to me then anything. It was not about final say, it was the question of safety that made me agree with him before he said switch drivers.
That was the end of my race. I pulled the car around to the gas station because perfect time to fill up while our last driver suits up and gets ready. Get the car back into the pits, get our last driver in and send him on the way. At that point the other teammate looks to me and says, "you know, you just put down the fastest lap all weekend for our team by 2 seconds.".... I didn't believe it, I didn't want to. I didn't feel I even came close to putting down a fast lap. I know I left a ton of time on the course and I had the perfect opportunity to prove it... but Then I smoked the road and landed in grass...
Although I have so much more to say, It is late and I needed to be asleep over an hour ago. I want to give a huge thanks to Andrey and Ethan! You guys took a huge chance with me being a rookie driver. You took a huge chance desperately searching for a driver of the car. I hope it beat your expectations. Coming in 28th out of 104 cars in my rookie experience far exceeded my expectations :-)!
Also, a huge Thank You to my wife that keep Andrey, Ethan and Myself Hydrated, fed, in order and organized. You did more then you ever will know for us. This is why I love you and this is Also why I can't have nice things :-).
Well Lemons, one of the best Microcosms I have ever been a part of and I plan to continue to be an entity of this community. Thanks you very much for one of the best weekends I have experienced in my life.
