The American Pride National SCCA race

Lime Rock Park, 7/23/05

Back at Lime Rock again for my third SCCA National race, this time doing my own trackside support and nobody lined up to help with radios. Car was still on the trailer from Watkins Glen but I had reset the shocks for bumpy Lime Rock.

Qualified on Friday with a 56.8 on the last qualifying session lap on my vintage Mid Ohio IMSA tires which I also used to win the last two SCCA races. That was the pole for my GT2 class but there was GT3 car just ahead and just behind me, followed by three fast GT2 cars. Jim Goughary (two time GT2 Natl champ) then Chris Howard in another Z, then Jameson Riley in a Panoz GTS all in the mid 57s. Jameson is a pro racer, Derek Bell's teammate in the Speed World Challenge Volvo factory team. They have Cosworth 2.5 liter in-line 5 Turbos with over 450 hp and compete against my stablemate Wolf Henzler's GT3 cup car. Panoz wants to win SCCA GT2 at the runoffs this year so they are trying to get Jameson to do it. If we threw Wolf in my car at the runoffs he could come in for a tire change and still win.

PL Newman was out for the 1st time this year (I think) in car #80 (his age) a super fast Corvette with about 800HP. It was not handling too well though, so he qualified only 5 cars ahead of me with a 54 flat. It was painted Red White and Blue like his old Bob Sharp Nissans. Fastest GT1 car was Frank Cioppettini in a Bitchin' Camaro with a BLISTERING 52.7, followed closely by Jack Busch's Olds.

I finally broke down and put some new sticker Michelins on the car for the race. I thought that would allow me to get ahead of the GT3 cars and maybe some of the GT1s who normally hold me up for a few laps until they get their tires warmed up.

I found my old college buddy Kurt Weiss wandering around (now Chairman of the National Competition Board for SCCA) and he seemed happy to work radios for my race. He has been racing a lot longer that me so it would be great to have his help. Jake Gulick and John Weisberg had done radios at the two previous races and were instrumental in my wins.

The first start of the race was waved off as the GT1 cars sped down the hill way too fast and pulled away from the field. Maybe they wanted an extra pace lap... The second start was not much better, still too fast and we were not grouped up at all. I did not mind as the tires would be better and less race laps (it was to be a 30 lap race and it was HOT although my cool suit was working just fine!). But they did not count the two waved off laps and we still raced for 30 (or less for us who were lapped by the leaders.)

Finally we grouped up for the third start and got a green flag. I did not have a very good start, and the Nissan GT3 of Mike Agnifilo stayed ahead of me. The GT3 Miata which was behind me (Bob Boig, ex GT3 natl champ) did not make to to the race for some reason. The first lap was not too bad, held position and got a good run onto the main straight to try to pass the GT3 Nissan. Got beside him under braking into Big Bend and drove around the inside lane two wide. Sprinted to the left hander quicker than he and tucked ahead, then pulled away. Followed a pair of GT1 cars going fairly quickly for a few laps, with Jim Goughary in my mirrors several seconds back. Kurt told me Jim was getting black flagged due to excessive noise (SCCA has a global sound limit at all tracks) so I started taking it easier and let the GT1 cars get away from me. Kurt soon told me there was a Panoz several seconds back so I stepped it up a bit and tried to keep tha gap. It was Jameson, and I kept the gap about the same until the last lap. He was driving flat out, and his tires finally gave out on the second to last lap. When Kurt told me he was falling back, I backed it down and sailed across the finish line for my 3rd win.

Jameson's fast lap was a 57.8 on the 16th of 29 laps, while I had a 57.3 on the 6th lap which was one of the last with Jim's Nissa behind me and following the GT1 cars. I feel bad for Jim Goughary as they were testing a new exhaust and tried to get sound readings in practice but only got one reading until the race then it was too late...

PCA'ers Oliver Zitzmann and Steve Bauer did not have a lot of luck... We paddocked together again, they are running FSCCA cars (Mazda powered F1 lookalikes). Oliver spun in his race then was hit at the exit of Big Bend, sending him spinning into the tire wall on the right of the short chute. His nose was damaged but it did not look too bad considering what could have happened. Steve also had some contact and spins and ripped the top of his front bodywork off (which seemed to make him faster!).

Next is a Dual National race in Pocono in two weeks. Will have John Weisberg there to get the car and driver in tip top shape again. I just need to finish one of the two Pocono races and I will qualify for the runoffs as I am already tied for the lead in GT2 points. After Pocono I need to get the engine freshened up a bit for the runoffs and maybe try to get to Mid Ohio for a practice race. Also want to get an AIM data system to help me get faster.

GT2 - Riley, Piera, Howard