HSR Vintage Gran Prix Race Report...
Roebling Road Raceway - Vintage races - October 4-7, 2001
Our race weekend began mid-day on Thursday, October 4th when we left Middleburg, Florida, which is about 20 miles south of Jacksonville, Florida and headed toward Savannah, Georgia. We had not yet reached the Florida state line when a tire on the trailer blew out on I-95. A great start to the weekend! We changed the tire along the side of the road and continued our trip.
When we reached the track, we registered and proceeded to set up our tarp and unload the car from the trailer. This was our first HSR event and we were very pleasantly surprised that the Technical Inspector came to our paddock area to inspect the car. The grouping also included classes of cars from earlier IMSA series.
We were to run in Group Six in the 13C class, which includes cars which are from the IMSA GTS/Trans AM 1985-1992 era. Our car was built in 1992 and won the IMSA GTS 1993 Championship. After checking out the next days schedule, we tucked the blanket around the car for the night and headed for the motel.
Friday morning was sunny and about 70 degrees. This was the first time the car had been on track after the Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona and the first time at Roebling with the wing on the car. Our practice session was at 8:50 am and Dave took it easy, wanting to be sure that everything on the car was in good shape.
Lap times were in the mid-teens and it was obvious that we had the wrong gear for the wing. Dave was hitting the rev limiter way too soon on the straight. (For non-racers: The rev limiter is an electronic chip that you insert into the ignition system that will stop the motor revolutions per minute at a certain rpm. That will cause you to lose power until your rpms lower, and helps prevent the driver from blowing up the motor by over reving it. Different rear end gears change the speed at which the car will reach that rpm. I am trying for a simple description here.)
While Dave took the trailer tire to town to be replaced, Dave Parelli, a new friend, helped get the car jacked up and changed the gear.
It was cloudy at 1:40 pm when Dave went out for our second practice session. About 5 laps into the session it started to rain and after 2 more laps, we took the car back to the paddock. The gearing was better, but not right yet. Because of the rain, we decided to wait until the next day to change the gear again. Dave went back to town to pick up the new trailer tire while I proceeded to clean the car. There was a wine and cheese gathering at the close of the day. The rain stopped long enough for us to meet many nice people and learn more about HSR events.
Saturday started out cloudy and deteriorated from there. Michael Hooten had arrived the night before, so we had more help with the car. We were lucky enough to have a dry qualifying session at 9:30 am. Dave turned a 1:11.099, good enough for 2nd on the grid next to a '90 Spice GTP-L. The rains started shortly after our qualifying session and continued off and on through the day.
As the 3:00 pm time for our 8 lap qualifying race neared the rain had lessened and we decided to go out on slicks. Due to the rain the Spice and several other cars decided not to run, so Dave was on the pole with Bill Smith next to him in a 1987 Dodge Daytona.
Bill had a strong motor and motored past Dave on the start as the Olds spun the tires. A lap later, Charlie Morgenthaler passed Dave in his Buick Regal. I noticed that Dave's lap times started to drop after 4 laps when his tires began to work better. He got 2nd place back on lap six and was catching the Buick.
On the last lap, the Buick came off the last turn onto the front straight with Dave in hot pursuit. It was a drag race to the finish! Dave won by about 2 foot lead. It was an exciting finish! Back to the paddock to get ready for Sunday's race.
The Olds in the paddock at Roebling Road
Dave on Pit Road
On course at Roebling Road
Saturday evening the HSR held a dinner for all the participant's. One of the workers kindly stopped by to be sure we were attending. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. We decided to wait until Sunday morning to change the gear in the car when it had cooled and went to join the festivities. The barbecued ribs were great as was the rest of the food.
The real surprise of the night was when the workers awarded Dave the "Workers' Choice Award". This was only the second time a driver won this award at his first HSR event. All the workers (somewhere around 30) voted on the driver they thought deserved the award for a variety of reasons. It could be the best looking car, the best drive, the nicest personality, or the best legs. We were told that it summed up to be the "whole package"...the car, the driving ability, etc. This was really an honor.
The award was a checkered flag, which an 86 year old mother or a worker had sewn. All the workers signed the flag. Dave commented that the award made up for the races that he won first place and had never yet gotten to take a "checkered flag lap". The workers said, "We can take care of that!" On Sunday, after our race, we were going to take a checkered flag lap and I was to be in the car also to hold the flag. Oh, boy! Sounds easy until you try to figure out where you will sit!
Sunday's weather was partly cloudy and cooler. Our race was not until afternoon, so the guy's changed the gear and made all the race preparations to the car in the morning. At 1:40 pm Dave took the pole position on the starting grid. Again, Bill Smith motored past on him in the Dodge Daytona.
On the second lap, Dave passed Bill on the outside of Turn One, which is the horseshoe. It was a gutsy move and it worked. Dave opened up a big lead, but as he was on his last lap he reported that he was out of gas and was switching on the reserve pump. We really didn't know how much gas we had in reserve. There was enough and he won the race.
Dave came down the pit road after the cool down lap and we decided to see if we had enough gas for the checkered flag lap. Everything on the car was hot to the touch. I put on some leather gloves, positioned myself on the right side window edge and tucked my feet under the roll bar inside the car. Michael handed me the checkered flag and off we went.
The car jerked a little taking off, but not bad and we accelerated from 1st gear to 2nd...fun! From 2nd to 3rd...fast, about 70mph! Going into Turn One (the right hand horseshoe) the flag was going like crazy and trying to pull out of my hand. The corner workers are cheering and waving!
I was holding on with one hand and as we went into the left hand Turn 3 I realized I was going to have to hold on a lot better to stay "in" the car. Holding on better meant...with my feet! My bottom end is starting to get hot. The exhaust runs under where I am sitting. I started thinking ahead. Turn 4 - righthander, okay...more cheering corner workers.
Turn 5 - lefthander, long lefthander, BAD. More cheering corner workers, I began to think I wasn't going to make it. My toes tucked under that roll bar were getting tired. I tried to ask Dave to slow down, but he couldn't hear and I knew the car was not geared to go slow. Besides after 170 mph 60 mph in the corners was slow.
I remember a panicky feeling and I think, as we were exiting the lefthand Turn, I may even have screamed. As I looked toward the next group of corner workers at Turn 6, I see them video taping us! I can't wait to see how that turned out. I can imagine the look on my face.
The rest of the turns were all righthanders and rather enjoyable! The gas lasted and we pulled into the pit area and I bailed out of the car! What a ride! I still start to giggle when I think about it.
Two race wins and the Workers Choice Award at our first HSR event. I hope they will let us race again!
