Pocono in July

dominojd said:
Come on it's only scattered T-storms, that doesn't mean didley.
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I remember a couple of years ago coming off the track and back to the paddock - the sky turned dark, wind and rain kicked up, canopies and equipment simply flew away never to be seen again - That's Pocono!
 
Congrats to Nat Wentworth

Nat finally broke through to win ITB both days!

I almost had him on Saturday but ran out of talent on my last shift.

Sunday he came back from being spun and worked very hard to catch amd pass Rick with one lap to go. Rick passed him back, but Nat got it done just before the checker.

Dont ask Rick Benazic what he thought of his tire experiment.

And great thanks to Butch Oconner for doing all he could on Friday evening to get things moving.

DZ
 
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Dave Zaslow said:
Nat finally broke through to win ITB both days!

I almost had him on Saturday but ran out of talent on my last shift.

Sunday he came back from being spun and worked very hard to catch amd pass Rick with one lap to go. Rick passed him back, but Nat got it done just before the checker.

Dont ask Rick Benazic what he thought of his tire experiment.

DZ
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Yeah, I thought Nat got the shaft from a typical Miata move. Here he leading the ITB race and a mid packer Miata just plows into his rear quarter, spinning him. He did put on a hell of a drive for the win but Rick did make it interesting!!!


I want to apologize to all the ITS cars that felt the rath of my 130 HP on their rear bumper (Or in one case, those Saturn brakes out performing the Porsche's....) . Never was it intentional and I hope I didn't screw up anyone's race......(although I'm not apologizing for that, I was fighting for the win.......) I had two really, really bad starts and had to fight my way through a lot of traffic to get back into it........If I wasn't running for the podium it actually would have been fun racing with them.

Had a great time hanging with the usauls during the down time.
 
First, on behalf of the CPM Motorpsorts Team, let congratulate Joe D and Jeff L on their ITA victories on Saturday and Sunday. Joe got a great jump on Saturday and checked out, Jeff struggled with a shift early but the shortened race had him running out of time on the comeback- I never could get near Joe for the remainder of the race. Sunday I got the good jump at the start and after starting third got past Joe and Jeff at T-1. I had a decent lead but an early "yellow" bunched us back up and didn't help my chances to win. It looked like Joe was going to have his way with me at the chicane around L-5 but his brake pedal went to the floor and he had to blow past the chicane. Jeff was better than me in the infiield - reeled me in by L-9 but I wasn't giving the P-1 up easily, using every inch of allowable track surface to keep Jeff behind me keeping him pinched to my inside - I was not blocking in the true sense of the word, but I was controling the passing zones. Jeff prevailes with 2 laps to go for the win. Agains congrats to both Joe and Jeff.

I'll open up my race strategy to discussion and criticism, as Jeff (a racer I consider my friend) was not happy with me after the race.

When Jeff got to with in striking distance (existing the infield and chicane) he would take a run on my inside for the pass. Existing the infield I pinched Jeff to the the bottom of the track (read that as kept him on the white line), opening up for the chicane at the last second (400 foot marker making the pass and chicane entrance difficult). Exisitng the chicane Jeff made his run on the inside as well, and I responded in the same way - pinching Jeff on the bottom of the track, in fact right next to the pit wall before entering T-1, again at the last second. Needles to say I used the whole track in my attempt to win (you could even make and argument that I chose the shortest distance around Pocono dispite the fact its "off-line"). There are many positions I would not contest as strongly, and haven't in the past - but I treat P-1 a little differently. Was I wrong?

I will post video for the review. Jeff and I have "kissed and made up." I also shared with Jeff and Joe that I wouldn't expect anything less from them for P-1. I would be interested in your opinion.

Saturday Results
Joe D 1.53.9
Tim K 1:54.5
Jeff L 1:53.7


Sunday Results
Jeff L 1:54.4
Tim K 154.3
Walter M 157.5

It was a great weekend - Thanks to the Tri-Region. The ITA NARRC battle tightens.
 
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If after pinching him to the low part of the track, he went to the high side then you pinched him towards the wall that would have been wrong. Curious to see the video.
 
gran racing said:
If after pinching him to the low part of the track, he went to the high side then you pinched him towards the wall that would have been wrong. Curious to see the video.
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Dave - I didn't do the low/high block (a traditional full blown block) - Just held the low line to major degress of discomfort for Jeff. I'll get the video up soon.
 
Tim - If you are staying low and forcing Jeff to pass you in another area that is not ideal that is your right as being in P1. I agree with dave that if you blocked the bottom and then ran up to block the high side you woudl be wrong.

Sure Jeff would not be happy, but that is racing!
 
Here's my video from sunday [ame]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3127918522643288270[/ame]

No video from sat forgot to mount the camera.
 
Tkczecheredflag said:
Was I wrong?
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Yes, totally: what in the hell were you doing giving him so much space??? And you didn't even HIT him??

Hey, if Jeffy can't handle the heat, he can go back to trying to win the HPDE National Championships. I'll even buy him the shirt.

tGA
 
I was a little upset. But was well over it within minutes.:023:

just to give a "little" more clarification........... Coming out of the Chicane, I was able to get inside Tim where we then drove (literally) door handle to door handle, right beside each other (not nose to tail), all the way to the main straght. If we had continued down into turn 1, I would have "owned" the corner. Tim moved down to the point that I felt if I didn't move down, there was going to be contact. I'm not sure how wide Pocono's main straight is, but that's a loooong way down to the pit wall!!

After the third time of it happening, the steward at start/finshed was shacking his finger at Tim!! :lol:
 
congrats to nat on winning both days. he fought hard for his first 2 wins. dont ask nat what was in his trunk after sundays race.
 
On another note, congratulations to Jake Gulick for setting an IT7 track record at Pocono ... right before he tried to take his own feet off.

As Dick would say, 50/50 shot of beating Jake - it took until the next-to-last lap that I passed most parts of his car. Sorry Jake, had to share, but good job, since you have, what now, 12 total laps on the track?
 
Here's the video. It's probally a little more forgiving than I or Jeff would describe.

Please know that I am not trying to make this about Jeff. We have the right to get annoyed and upset with each other as drivers. The real question is did I do anything wrong in my strategy? We can learn as we go.

Have a look.
Sorry - you'll have to fast forward through the full course caution.

Laps in question start about minute mark 16:20.

[ame]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5131046016071248769[/ame]​

As Agent 86 would say, "I missed it by that much."​
 
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I think there is no question that Tim made Jeff run way to the right on the dirty part of the track, but I do not believe it comes close to the definition of blocking. Tim seemed to make one move and stick to it. The good book says you have to leave racing room but does not say where that room has to be. I do admit it would piss me off but that should just make me more determined to find a way by.
By the way Jeff I noticed on the lap you got by Tim you took a defensive line approaching start finish.
Dave Y, from what I heard I am not sure you should be picking on Jake’s car prep. :o
Glad to see you got the car out.:)
 
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