> Now we have Mid America Motorplex....here's to it's success. Great VSCDA
event last weekend. Duck was there, btw.
>
> Joe Alexander
I was up there the weekend before for an SCCA double Regional weekend.
Hey! I won GP both days! Woo-HOO!
That's exciting for me because it was the first times -- in seven tries --
that I beat Chuck Leaighton's MGB.
Gotta love it -- 1147cc Spitfire beats 1800 cc MGB in a straight-up race.
His "B" is a "limited prep" car, which is why it runs in G Production, but
it has more launch capability than mine so he usually wins the green flag
drag race to turn 1 and then is in front for the rest of the race.
Didn't quite work that way at MAM. I think that track really suits my car.
With a tailwind, I'd just about run out of top gear at about the end of the
straight. Not like Memphis where I top out in 4th at the S/F and there is
still 2/3 of a straight to go (and the Limited Prep cars just disappear into
the distance). I like that it's flat (the best sight lines of anywhere!). I
like all the combination turns.
Saturday there was a bit of grid FUBAR, Chuck qualified ahead of me and was
supposed to be inside and a row ahead for the pace lap, but when we got out
on the track I ended up inside and a row ahead (someone on my side of the
grid was a no-show). Then, at the green, my row opened up so I was full on
the gas while Chuck's row bogged down and held him up badly. Oh, well, he
finally ran me down as he always has, and drove by me on the frontstraight
leaving me to chase him. I was on his bumper, but he's not easy to pass and
that MGTB gets very wide. But he made a mistake with about two laps to go,
went wide in a carousel turn (the 8-9 for those with a map) and fell off the
track. I got by and got enough distance he could not reel me in again.
Sunday the grid went out like it should have. I outqualified Chuck this
time, but he had the inside row with me on the outside. I thought he would
drive up inside me again, and try as I might I could not get over because of
the traffic. However, the traffic stayed in a bunch for the first four turns
and on the fourth one now I was inside and I was able to get in front and
open a bit of distance. Chuck told me later his plan this time was to lay
back, then come get me about four laps from the end, which is exactly what
he did. So now I was chasing again. But on the last lap, he took a defensive
line onto the pitstraight. He gave up his speed to do that and I took the
"fast" line and was able to get inside him for the final sequence of turns.
We were door to door through 12 and 13 -- dunno how we managed not to
touch -- and I made the winning pass on the last turn of the last lap.
Pardon my excitement, but I never did THAT before!
So for the season it is MGB 5, Spitfire 2 -- but I ended the season with
checkered flags in my hand.
--Rocky
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