The 17th Annual John Stim Memorial National SCCA race

Lime Rock Park, 6/11/05

Back at Lime Rock again for my fist SCCA National race, for the first time doing my own trackside support.

Qualified on Friday with a low to mid 56, my fastest lap so far. That was the pole for my GT2 class. Jim Goughary (Two time GT2 Natl champ) in a 350Z was in the 57s. Jake Gulick was racing a SRF and was going to help me on radios for the race.

There was a storm which held up a race, they thought it was raining on part of the track but it was tree pollen! I had never seen anything like it before :

I got a pretty good start in our race, as seen above. Jim is in the red/yellow/white car behind me. I was held up a little by some GT1 cars who were not yet up to speed but kept Jim behind me.

Jake kept me informed of my lead so I just tried to keep it even by driving conservatively unless I lost time lapping slower cars, then I would try to make it up again and it seemed to work, as Jim finished up the same several seconds back. I only needed a fast lap of 57.7 so that is as fast as I went. Below is the victory lap with Jake in the car waving my first National Winner hat.

It was a VERY hot and long 30 lap race, but I did not feel too bad until I got out of the car in impound and had a drink handed to me. Then I felt my knees getting weak but I breathed deeply and kept consciousness. A cool suit would be purchased for the very next race!!! Here is Jake walking towards my car in impound, with Jim's Z going back to the paddock.

Here is my car next to Jim's with Joe Riolo's 3rd place classic 240Z behind us, he was 3rd place in GT2.

I did have one slight incident - a GT1 Mustang was lapping me, and I left him one car width on the inside of the uphill turn. His car is VERY wide, I should have left 1.5 car widths as he painted my tire and fender yellow when we touched :

Next is a National race at Watkins Glen. Will have John Weisberg there to get the car and driver in tip top shape.

Here are the results, notice poor car #80 did not have a good day. He would do much better next year. It was an honor racing with Mr. Newman.