| Road Atlanta |
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| Road Atlanta |
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Chattanooga drivers in attendance were Kelly Atkins (ITC), David Hester (AS), Anthony Henderson (FV), Michael Hartberger (SM), Vesa Silegren (ITC), Efren Ormaza (GP) and I, Chuck Fullgraf (ITC). I arrived mid day on Friday and staked out the usual parking area down by the creek. Unfortunately, Kelly Atkins did not get the word and he paddocked up by the false grid entrance. As with Roebling a couple weeks ago, the ITC field was strong with 6 entrants. Besides Vesa and I the others were mostly unknowns to us so maybe there are more folks discovering this economical yet very competitive class. This was Kelly's first time at Road Atlanta and it gave him quite a welcome. His first time on the track was in the rain. Kelly and Ruthie can compare notes on learning Road Atlanta in the rain! The shower began right as Group 1 was entering the track (ITC was in Group 2). Vesa elected to pass on the rain soaked session. I was considering running when the rain slacked off. When another shower started up, I elected to pass on the session as well. Vesa and I watched as the other ITC cars puttered around in the rain. The rain stopped and the other groups dried out the
track by the time our second qualifying session came around. I told Kelly
he was welcome to follow me around at the start of our second session, but
we really had not made any plans of how to meet on the grid. With the help
of the grid marshals, Kelly was able to get in line right behind me. Their
help and flexibility is much appreciated. Vesa qualified first in ITC, I
was second and gridded two rows behind Vesa. Kelly qualified sixth in
class, but was not last on the grid! |
2006 Races September July April Feburary |
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Group 2's race was the last event on Saturday. The start was fine and without incidents (note, the Chief Steward read the drivers the riot act concerning metal-to-metal). I managed to stay with Vesa through the first lap, not completely unexpected due to the traffic and jockeying for position. By the third lap, I was still on Vesa's bumper as we exited turn 7 onto the back straight. I just had to attempt a pass as we braked for turn 10. Vesa hung onto the lead and over the next seven or eight laps I stayed with Vesa making a couple more attempts at the lead. On Lap 10, I tried to outbraked Vesa again entering turn 10 and took the lead this time. Then, I had an "electrical" failure of the computer located in the space between the steering wheel and the seat. I thought Vesa and I had collided in the turn and I would incur the wrath of the Chief Steward for gaining a position via a metal-to-metal contact. So I let Vesa retake the lead on the start/finish straight. Vesa continued on for the win, with me in second. Kelly soldiered on for a fifth place in class finish. Needless to say, ITC put on another good show at Road Atlanta. Michael Hartberger finished 15th in SM but we missed talking to him after the race. Since the ITC race was over on Saturday, I had to return home, missing all the Chattanooga Region action on Sunday. Registration at Road Atlanta may be fixed. We breezed right through. Everytime we passed by the registration trailer, there were never more than a few folks in line. Many thanks to the Atlanta Region folks for improving the registration bottle neck. Thanks to the Hesters for the air-conditioning. Thanks to Linda Hester and Teresa Silegren for looking after the drivers in this heat. -- Chuck Fullgraf
Pulling up to the track on Friday afternoon, about half hour after registration had opened, you noticed the line was very short. Usually the line is well into the parking lot. The new people running the region had put in place some very good changes to the registration process. For once it paid of for us, who do the proper paperwork before we come to the track. We breezed right thru. In ITC we had 6 entries. Kelly Atkins, Chattanooga’s newest club racer, Chuck and myself represented our region. This weekend saw our group having our two qualifying sessions and the race on Saturday. A busy day on paper. Turned out that during the first qualifying it rained, so I decided not to go out at all. This session in wet was Kelly’s first run at this track, and afterwards he said it was an adventure. For the second run it had stopped raining and the track was dry. Kelly qualified 6th, Chuck 2nd with #38 on pole. The start was going to be interesting with all the Spec Miata’s in our group. The field spread out quickly, so no problems there. We were running one-two with Chuck for the first ten laps. On lap 11 he decided to dive bomb inside of me going in to 10A, from way back. As I’m turning left into the corner, here he comes, tires locked up, straight towards my left door. Had it not been for my last fraction of a second turn back to the right, I would be hunting for spare door and fender this week. In the end Chuck finished second to #38 and Kelly 5th. Thanks again to Theresa for all the support stuff. Also thanks to Stan, Efren, Anthony, Linda and Dave for helping us pack up after our race. -- Vesa Silegren The weekend began with half of the formula field sitting out the rainy first qualifying session hoping for better weather. In the Vees, Shannon Jones and I stayed in while Sandy Thallmeier went out to refresh himself on the layout of the track. In the dry second qualifying session, the order ended up with Sandy on the pole, me 1.2 seconds back and Shannon another 3 seconds back. The race began with a messy incident in turn three involving several of the fifteen F-SCCA cars and creating a messy debris situation through the esses, yet apparently not bad enough to bring out a full-course caution. Many cars, including me, ran over debris in the racing line, but my car was okay. I had made it by Sandy by turn one and swapped the lead with Sandy the next several laps. I could draft by and out-brake him into turn 10 and he would draft by me into 1. I was leading at the finish line on laps 1,2,4, and 6. On lap six, Sandy went inside of me into turn one, but I got through pretty well on the high side and was still beside him on the exit. He exited wide as if he had completed his pass and forced me off at which point the car got sideways and straddled the rumble strips. I felt two bumps on the underside of the car and a third, harder impact. One witness said he thought the car would roll, but I managed to get control back, madder than ever, and follow Sandy into three. I turned in for three, and the car went straight off the track. At this point I realized my left front wheel had been bent and the tire was flat. Afterwards, all I could do was limp around and try to stay out of the way until the finish. I was given credit for third and turned the fastest Vee lap, a 1:51.181. Talking to Sandy after the race, he said he didn't know I was still there. I then had an "informal" discussion with the steward, who said the incident was never reported by the corner and there wouldn't be much that could be done. Looks like it may be time to get an in-car camera, as this is the third incident of me being run off since this time last year. That's racing(?) Next up: fix the car and get ready for Nashville. -- Anthony Henderson I declare, Miss Scarlet, I do believe I am coming down with the vapors. Hot 'Lanta was! 110 in the shade Saturday. Didn't go out Saturday for 1st qualifying session, as it was drizzling rain, in fact only 5 cars did go out. 3 A/Sedan, 1T-1, and a SPO. Afternoon was better. Managed to get into the 1:40's good enough for 3 of 4 in class. Did have an issue with soft pedal. Ummmm. Sunday was a tad cooler. Went out to turn 6 to work corner for PDX session, a chance for regular corner worker to drive the course at speed. Except for a Miata sliding off... imagine, huh, everything went smoothly. On to the race. I had bled the brakes 1st thing Sunday morning, thinking the soft pedal would go away. It did, sorta. Sitting on grid, though, I couldn't remember retorquing the wheels. Panic time. Visions of cars doing back flips off of turn 8. No time to recheck, so off we went on warm up lap. With thoughts of rolling, literally, into the kitty litter, 1st 3 laps were not as fast as I could have been, although I still had some 1:40's, again. WOO WOO 4th lap coming up on 7, decided the wheels were on and I still had a gaggle of 4 cars just in front of me. I had noticed they were braking around the 200 foot marker, so I decided to make up some time by late braking closer to the 100 foot marker. Seemed to be working, as I was making up ground.. too quickly. Brake pedal was resting on the floorboard. 2 pumps and it still was down. No time for a third try, as I was headed off at 10A headed for the gravel. With cool thinking, I steered left and managed to miss all but the corner, AND the storm grate to the left. DOH Then I noticed the bridge was coming up quickly, as I was now almost beside the next car, albeit in the grass. Back on track, with no room to move left for pit lane, I decided to try one more lap to see if the brakes would fix themselves. Nope, that didn't work, as I tried them about halfway down the front straight. Limped back around, just to have leaders pass me going into the pits. 1st gear all the way back to paddock, with just enough brake to keep from running into the trailer. 4 laps and a DNF. Busted braided line on one of the rear lines was the culprit. Oh, well. Oh, by the way, the wheels were all tight. -- Dave Hester It was great to finish the race without incidents after 4 failures in a row. The plan was to break in the new engine and get some points, we did it! We have a very competitive car now. It was very sad to see Anthony been pushed off the track on turn one, Dave loosing his breaks on ten and Chuck loosing the race after he was consistently faster than Vesa. Congratulations to Vesa for being an undefeated champion, WAY TO GO VESA!! It was also disturbing to witness such a terrible accident on turn one at the end of the day when a driver had to be air lifted. Another complaint is that the Atlanta region, for the second time are very lazy on the trophies. The registration was great, no wait. Looking forward to the Nashville race. -- Efren Ormaza I don’t understand why the guys didn’t say anything about the Breast Cancer Fundraiser that was held Saturday night! It holds in my memory, Butch’s long flowing black locks, short shorts; Fletcher’s perky bosom, and penchant for flipping his skirt; Jeff’s HUGE ……………..eyelashes, and wait, that French maid’s outfit sure looked familiar…Dave…. Were you loaning???? Egads, what am I saying???? Actually, the region raised $1,800 for breast cancer region – Hurrah and woo woo – good job! Also, can’t say enough about registration – what a breeze! Superb job, Butch Kummer and Tere Pulliam!! We thank you! -- Linda Hester I'll spare you the "i always wanted to race here story", so I,ll start with sat morning, 1st group, 8 am, in the rain! My crew and I snapped into action and with a 16 min tire change, I'm not kidding, I had 3 wet laps left. The car and I were never comfortable in the rain, my fast time, 2:40. The 1130am qual. session was dry. With a few pointers from my neighbor Flectcher,and Chuck I was comfortable, and having fun. I thought I was flying!, I wasn't, fast time 205. MORE ADVICE, I talked to Chuck, Anthony after the drivers meeting and learned some good ref. points. 44 cars in the race, I think I, (43rd) was at turn 10A when the race started! The race was a blast. It really felt fast out there, I remember thinking, surely I was under 2min on a fast time. 205.6! The track was alot of fun, we met several new friends, put 18 laps down on one of my favorite tracks. The closest I came to crashing was unloading, and those 3 laps in the rain. Some of the more confusing things were all of the differant groups, and races, and trying to keep up. I remember telling a friend of mine who was helping, that the PINTO that I was unable to pass really did have more horsepower than me, He said he didn't care about all those differant letters on the side of car, just PASS the PINTO! Lots of pressure in this sport. searching for speed and wheels,
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August 1, 2006
