Tomcat
Enthusiast
The V-TEN Racing Chronicles
Viper Days at Putnam Park August 13-15, 2004
Round five for the Eastern Region and our second visit to PP this year. The race group was not present since they were to be a support race for events scheduled the following week in Brainerd, MN.
Travel:
+ From Atlanta it is 570 miles in 9 hours; and
+ From Mineola it is 800 plus miles in 13 hours.
+ After loading most of my junk Wednesday evening, I left 15 minutes of loading for the morning. Bad move! Up at 5:00 am and guess what? Hurricane Bonnie was outside and the rain was coming down in blankets. Sheets would not do the rain justice. Eyal and I load the truck in the rain. Not the best way to start. Ten miles North the rain quits. Go figure.
The Track:
+ Located 45 minutes west of Indianapolis, IN;
+ 1.7 mile 10 turn track with only one place you can get in trouble. This is a great track for those who are participating in a track event for the first time.
Car Prep (Team Secrets, don’t tell other Viper Days Participants):
New pads, all fluids changed, and change batteries in Hot Lap Timer. I have always changed my oil after every event. I just started changing all of the fluids in the car after every event. At the track, Archer Racing and Accessories changed my short shifter to the Comp Coup shifter. WOW, no missed shifts during the weekend, a much better feel, and a shorter throw to boot.
The Weekend:
Great weather with highs in the low 80s and a slight breeze from Charlie. The track was in good condition and should yield some fast times. After VIR and my last story and the responses it generated, I was motivated to win my class and better times run in 2003 by Hoosier Daddy (Mr. Fast, Alan M.). In 2003 HD ran a 1:19.336 in Super Stock. I guess my goal should be at least 1:19.299999999. The people I talked to about Alan (including Speed Racer Ray Moore) said he was not only a nice unassuming guy, but very fast and tried for a number of years to get into the 1:19’s. Alan has motivated me to look ahead to the Finals so the CA boys do not hand me my you-know-what. That assumes they show up. Just kidding. Alan, everybody misses you and can’t wait for your return to Viper Days. Hope the eye is healing well.
Hot Lap Timer all set up and away we go. My prior best time was a 1:21.7, which meant that I would need to shave more than two seconds off my time. It is good to have a goal even if is a lofty one. Newt was looking for anything in the 1:18’s with Eyal looking to better his 1:19.9. During the day the Hot Lap Timer was singing to us. Times we recorded were: Newt 1:19.1; Tom 1:19.6; and Eyal 1:19.8. For any of us to claim a faster time then the other on Fridays when they do not time you, the time must show up on the Hot Lap Timer and be viewed by another Team member as the times are recalled. Ok, so I am an auditor. Trust but verify is my motto. It looked good for Saturday and possibility of making our goals. Ray Moore was set up close to us and we spied eight new tires. No fair Ray.
Saturday. After the first run I was pumped. The HLT reflected a 1:19.8. What, no 1:19 in the results. A 1:20.96 was my best time that session according to the powers that be. Ok, timer was right on last time we were here. Put out the spare sending unit and replace all batteries. My times during the day did not improve measurable. The timing by the track was consistently 1-1.5 seconds slower for all participants. I ended the day trailing Bill Lamb by 0.433 seconds, which is where we would end up.
Sunday. Continued great weather. Perform all checks. I think the car is two quarts low. Just kidding. I bleed the brakes and still get a soft pedal. What gives? Come to find out the front calipers were leaking. Change calipers during the first session, which turned out to be the fasted session of the day. There was no catching Mr. Lamb. In fact, Scott Wharton punted me to the curb with a 1:20.85. That hurt Scott.
Eyal had problems with handling all day. Come to find out, two tires had lost between 5-10 pounds due to leaking valve stems. Eyal’s Lesson #1: check air pressure after the hot tires cool down.
Newt, the only one who made his goal as you will see below. On a side note. My buddy Newt passed me in the last session when I was going as fast as I could and he had a passenger. Talk about being punted the curb a second time during the week. It is good I have a short memory. I mean forget most things. Maybe I should learn how to block better.
Our Results:
Newt, first in Modified (12 out of 40 Vipers) with a 1.18.7 (the time was posted incorrectly on the Viper Days web site). Newt remains in 1st in Modified followed closely by Nancy Stein only 3 points behind.
Tom, third in Super Stock (20/40) with a 1.20.960. Somehow I am still in 1st in the points with Bill Lamb 12 points behind; and
Eyal, fifth in Prepared (19/40) with a 1.20.875, a blink of the eye faster than me. I guess I had my chance. Eyal is tied with Scott Young for second place. Ray Moore has a lock on the title. See you at the finals Ray.
VOI is next in only three weeks. Please stop by and say hello.
Thanks to JonB and PartsRack.com for support.
Viper Days at Putnam Park August 13-15, 2004
Round five for the Eastern Region and our second visit to PP this year. The race group was not present since they were to be a support race for events scheduled the following week in Brainerd, MN.
Travel:
+ From Atlanta it is 570 miles in 9 hours; and
+ From Mineola it is 800 plus miles in 13 hours.
+ After loading most of my junk Wednesday evening, I left 15 minutes of loading for the morning. Bad move! Up at 5:00 am and guess what? Hurricane Bonnie was outside and the rain was coming down in blankets. Sheets would not do the rain justice. Eyal and I load the truck in the rain. Not the best way to start. Ten miles North the rain quits. Go figure.
The Track:
+ Located 45 minutes west of Indianapolis, IN;
+ 1.7 mile 10 turn track with only one place you can get in trouble. This is a great track for those who are participating in a track event for the first time.
Car Prep (Team Secrets, don’t tell other Viper Days Participants):
New pads, all fluids changed, and change batteries in Hot Lap Timer. I have always changed my oil after every event. I just started changing all of the fluids in the car after every event. At the track, Archer Racing and Accessories changed my short shifter to the Comp Coup shifter. WOW, no missed shifts during the weekend, a much better feel, and a shorter throw to boot.
The Weekend:
Great weather with highs in the low 80s and a slight breeze from Charlie. The track was in good condition and should yield some fast times. After VIR and my last story and the responses it generated, I was motivated to win my class and better times run in 2003 by Hoosier Daddy (Mr. Fast, Alan M.). In 2003 HD ran a 1:19.336 in Super Stock. I guess my goal should be at least 1:19.299999999. The people I talked to about Alan (including Speed Racer Ray Moore) said he was not only a nice unassuming guy, but very fast and tried for a number of years to get into the 1:19’s. Alan has motivated me to look ahead to the Finals so the CA boys do not hand me my you-know-what. That assumes they show up. Just kidding. Alan, everybody misses you and can’t wait for your return to Viper Days. Hope the eye is healing well.
Hot Lap Timer all set up and away we go. My prior best time was a 1:21.7, which meant that I would need to shave more than two seconds off my time. It is good to have a goal even if is a lofty one. Newt was looking for anything in the 1:18’s with Eyal looking to better his 1:19.9. During the day the Hot Lap Timer was singing to us. Times we recorded were: Newt 1:19.1; Tom 1:19.6; and Eyal 1:19.8. For any of us to claim a faster time then the other on Fridays when they do not time you, the time must show up on the Hot Lap Timer and be viewed by another Team member as the times are recalled. Ok, so I am an auditor. Trust but verify is my motto. It looked good for Saturday and possibility of making our goals. Ray Moore was set up close to us and we spied eight new tires. No fair Ray.
Saturday. After the first run I was pumped. The HLT reflected a 1:19.8. What, no 1:19 in the results. A 1:20.96 was my best time that session according to the powers that be. Ok, timer was right on last time we were here. Put out the spare sending unit and replace all batteries. My times during the day did not improve measurable. The timing by the track was consistently 1-1.5 seconds slower for all participants. I ended the day trailing Bill Lamb by 0.433 seconds, which is where we would end up.
Sunday. Continued great weather. Perform all checks. I think the car is two quarts low. Just kidding. I bleed the brakes and still get a soft pedal. What gives? Come to find out the front calipers were leaking. Change calipers during the first session, which turned out to be the fasted session of the day. There was no catching Mr. Lamb. In fact, Scott Wharton punted me to the curb with a 1:20.85. That hurt Scott.
Eyal had problems with handling all day. Come to find out, two tires had lost between 5-10 pounds due to leaking valve stems. Eyal’s Lesson #1: check air pressure after the hot tires cool down.
Newt, the only one who made his goal as you will see below. On a side note. My buddy Newt passed me in the last session when I was going as fast as I could and he had a passenger. Talk about being punted the curb a second time during the week. It is good I have a short memory. I mean forget most things. Maybe I should learn how to block better.
Our Results:
Newt, first in Modified (12 out of 40 Vipers) with a 1.18.7 (the time was posted incorrectly on the Viper Days web site). Newt remains in 1st in Modified followed closely by Nancy Stein only 3 points behind.
Tom, third in Super Stock (20/40) with a 1.20.960. Somehow I am still in 1st in the points with Bill Lamb 12 points behind; and
Eyal, fifth in Prepared (19/40) with a 1.20.875, a blink of the eye faster than me. I guess I had my chance. Eyal is tied with Scott Young for second place. Ray Moore has a lock on the title. See you at the finals Ray.
VOI is next in only three weeks. Please stop by and say hello.
Thanks to JonB and PartsRack.com for support.
