Eastern Sportsman Finale Preview - Team Juicy Racing's Racing School and Race Series Forums

LimeRockRacer · #1 10-01-2005

What do you call a field of 24 Cars ready for a race that has its top 8 drivers within 7/10ths of a second of each other in qualifying on a 2.5 mile road course? If you thought F-1, Champ car, or even Pro-Mazda you couldn’t be further from the mark. Perhaps you thought The Skip Barber National Series competitors. Wrong again. Actually this describes the last race weekend going into the Eastern Series Sportsman Division that took place at Mid-Ohio Sports Car course on Labor Day weekend.

As we approach the Eastern Series Finale at Lime Rock Park on October 14 & 15th, 2005 the Sportsman division looks to be a hotly contested race for the top spots. While the sportsman division has been typically made up of a mix of newer drivers, drivers looking for a more relaxed pace, and for those needing to be just a click faster before they jump to the Championship division this years’ Skip Barber Eastern Series Sportsman division has proven to be an exciting bunch with hotly contested races and nose to tail action.

The finale weekend will prove to be one to watch. The current Leader, Adrian Dixon aka The “British Cannon” hails from the UK and has guaranteed his winning the division with a solid showing at Mid-Ohio. Adrian has been affectionately given his nickname since he is often seen around the pits taking photos with his Canon Digital Camera that has a lens the size a WW II British gun. Adrian brings much experience driving other cars in different series overseas and has adapted his technique handily in the R/T 2000. The British Cannon has shown much of his ability in consistently blowing his way through the rest of the field throughout the season. The British Cannon has locked up the competition by clinching the Championship going into the finale.

Currently in a reachable second is the quiet, the calm, the gentlemanly Jared Fisher. Jared has run well all season and has peaked in the last few race weekends to maintain his P2 spot. Jared had begun using psychological warfare in his quest for the top spot on the podium by showing up at Mid-Ohio with a Michael Schumacher hair coloring. The other competitors were noticeably shaken when Jared removed his cap to don his new do. He was appropriately re-named “Shuma Do” by his sportsman brothers. Shuma Do was ready to press the British Cannon even tighter if it weren’t for a mechanical failure with a lap to go at Mid-Ohio race 2. A P-2 finish would have put him within spitting distance of the leader! Jared will be defending his P-2 spot as we go into the finale.

Currently in P-3 with a shot for a higher spot on the podium with the right karma is the consistent and come from behind Chris Brassard aka the Chinese Assassin. Brassard has been in the top 5 in 80% of his races with 2 DNF’s due to a mechanical failure at LRP in July and contact in Race 1 at Mid-Ohio. The Chinese Assassin showed his drive ability after being put at the back of a 22 car field in Race 2 at Mid-Ohio due to the DNF in Race 1. Brassard passed 12 cars on lap one and picked his way up the field to P-5 only to catch the leaders and then being held up by a full course yellow for the last three laps of the race.

Other than the P-1 position, the next two podium spots are up for grabs however and who will place where is left up to the final weekends results. In a very close P-4 is the very fast and improved Ari “Lock-N-Load” Gatoff. Lock-N-Load has one of the highest points averages for the races he has covered. Coming into Mid-Ohio Ari put his sights on P-1 and doubled, Unfortunately for him he had a 20 second time penalty given to him in his first race at Mid-Ohio to drop him to P-9 from P-1. Further bad luck in his Mid-West Group Race 1 plagued him with a DNF due to contact. He was able to take a solid P-1 on Sunday in the Eastern Group but again had a DNF on the final lap of Race 2 of the Mid-Western Group. After driving hard from starting at the rear and driving all the way to P-2 Lock-N-Load was caught going too deep into turn 7 and smoking it in to the beach. Lock-N-Load Gatoff could potentially be the big spoiler come the final weekend at LRP. With a little bit of consistency he will be the one to watch for sure.

Regardless of the final outcome at LRP, the Eastern Series Sportsman Group will prove to be equally exciting and entertaining when compared to the other divisions. There are many more drivers in the division that can certainly affect the final outcome of the weekend and thereby either solidify or spoil the podium spots for the P-2 and P-3 leaders. Will the British Cannon show his tactics firing his way to the front to reinforce his dominance in the lead? Can Shuma-Do teutonically carve his way to the front with the precision of his German namesake to preserve his P-2 finish? Will the Ying and Yang balance the scales and give the Chinese Assassin a chance for a higher finish in his usual come from behind attack? Or will Lock-N-Load Gatoff set his guns in an unlockable setting to spoil the defense of the leaders? Stay tuned and place your bets….

Current Points for the top ten Eastern Sportsmen before the Finale at LRP:

Dixon: 366 drop 27 pts: Current net 339, Championship assured.
Fisher: 297 drop 6 pts: Current net 291
Brassard: 258 drop 0 pts: Current net 258
Gatoff: 253 drop 0 pts: Current net 253
Hoffman: 123 drop 0 pts
Kratz: 107 drop 0 pts
Mayer: 99 drop 0 pts
Yates: 92 drop 0 pts
Spencer: 92 drop 0 pts
McManus: 92 drop 5 pts: Current net 87

The Sportsman Division earns points based on the following for the top ten slots:

1st: 33
2nd: 30
3rd: 27
4th: 24
5th: 21
6th: 18
7th: 15
8th: 12
9th: 10
10th: 8

Respectfully and jestfully submitted with the assistance of many....

MJAmok · #2 10-01-2005

Seems to me, Dixon has clinched the title. Even if he doesn't show up, he collects his 27 'dropped' points... for a total of 366. The best Jared can do is 2 wins, or 66 points... not enough when added to his current 291.

dalyduo · #3 10-01-2005

Nice write up Chris.. You've had quite a season. Should be a fun weekend. Looking forward to racing with you.

arig · #4 10-01-2005

very nice writeup chinese assassin, but adrian has all but clinched the championship as much as it pains me to type that.

LimeRockRacer · #5 10-01-2005

You guys are probably correct, But that wouldn't make for as interesting a story. We will still have shitloads of fun!

LimeRockRacer · #6 10-04-2005

Updated the thread to reflect the lock Adrian has....

eleven · #7 10-05-2005

While Dixon would win for sure if he didn't show up.... but if he does race and scores badly (like a 9th and a 10th) doesn't Fisher have a mathmatical chance if he wins both races?

MJAmok · #8 10-05-2005

no. dixon's worst two races are in the books. if he finishes 9th and 10, those points would be dropped and he would end with his current gross total of 366. that puts him 75 points ahead, with 66 up for grabs.

theoretically, fisher could catch him if he ran in the champ group, but I don't think the rule committe would allow that.

LimeRockRacer · #9 10-05-2005

I think we should negate this whole posting and dilude ourselves into thinking we all have a shot at a $20 Cup. After all isn't this why we spend all of the time, $, and heartache all season?

Alright, alright...let's just make believe the lesser of us have a chance....P-L-E-A-S-E! :

rhpearson · #10 10-11-2005

BTW, bonne weekend to all this week at LRP. Wish I could come down just to take in the autumn scenery and see the racing. Enjoy the weekend and the festivities.

R

LimeRockRacer · #11 10-11-2005

Thanks for the good wishes. It is likely to be wet however...The great equalizer!

WatertownNewbie · #12 10-11-2005

I am curious. Will any of you be at the Thursday afternoon practice session in case I drive up there from Watertown? I could get there around 2:00 pm, and it would be nice to meet some of the TJR group.

MJAmok · #13 10-11-2005

I'll be there. Not hard to find either... I'll be the loud obnoxious one.

WatertownNewbie · #14 10-11-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJAmok

I'll be there. Not hard to find either... I'll be the loud obnoxious one.

Thanks, I'll listen for you over the roar of the engines. And if I happen to spot anyone driving fast and smoothly, who might that be?

OLDMAN · #15 10-11-2005

I'll be out at a flagging station cold and soaking wet wishing I were in a car. On the bright side be thankful I'm not since I truly suck in the rain, especially at LRP. For a small donation to the OLDMAN racing fund I will blue flag your closest competition.

OLDMAN

badgersid · #16 10-12-2005

mike !!!!!! are you looking to take my job? that is loud and obnoxious

kwlorentzen · #17 10-12-2005

I think Sid's gona have several of your heads!

rhpearson · #18 10-13-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by LimeRockRacer

Thanks for the good wishes. It is likely to be wet however...The great equalizer!

No kidding... look at the forecast. Well, have fun in the rain guys

- And Bob out there flagging

OLDMAN · #19 10-13-2005

Robert:
You are so right on the weather. The highlight of Thursday's practice sessions was Jim Craige (I think) who put his car into deep water at turn 3 and managed to back it out. I thought we whould have to get the Coast Guard to rescue him.

OLDMAN

Charlie25 · #20 10-13-2005

I must have gone by when Jim was trying to get out. I couldn't see the car because of the slight bank in turn 3 but I saw two really tall rooster tails...

dalyduo · #21 10-14-2005

Jim's swamp fest was truly inspired.

He went off coming out of three and was quickly bogged down in standing water halfway up his side pods. He kept the engine lit, found reverse and began spinning his wheels at a pretty good clip. Two 15 foot rooster tails were flying up off the tires with a healthy portion of that water landing on Jim. An even greater portion landed on the hot engine, which then produced a magnificent cloud of steam between the rooster tails. Jim kept his foot in it and the car inched its way backwards out of the water, like the little engine that could, at an almost imperceptible pace. It probably took a minute and a half for the car (and a lifetime for Jim) to extricate itself and for Jim to receive his Saturday bath two days early.

Cost of grinding your way out of an embarrassing situation in a memorable & spectacular fashion... Zero dollars.

Not having to stop the whole practice session while they drag your cold sorry embarrassed wet ass out of a mishap that would surely have taken your legend in a direction you were never hoping for... Priceless :-)

Party on Jim. Nicely done!

OLDMAN · #22 10-14-2005

Just in case there are any really anal scientist types out there (like yours truly) I must correct Pat. There was no cloud of steam, nor was there a cloud of water vapor. Both are invisible. What we all enjoyed seeing was a huge cloud of condensation.

OLDMAN (BS Chemistry, 1969)

MJAmok · #23 10-14-2005

Not just a grammarian, eh?

dalyduo · #24 10-14-2005

I believe the BS part...

Ok... "Cloud of condensate"...

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLDMAN

Just in case there are any really anal scientist types out there (like yours truly) I must correct Pat. There was no cloud of steam, nor was there a cloud of water vapor. Both are invisible. What we all enjoyed seeing was a huge cloud of condensation.

OLDMAN (BS Chemistry, 1969)

rhpearson · #25 10-15-2005

Alas, http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/steam.html

Clearly, though, from what we read (and some of you saw) Jim was able to get up steam to get the car back on track

Of course I don't aim to make you steam

I better stop before I run out of steam

But I do remember, now that my brain is steaming along, a high school chemistry teacher insisting the real steam was that invisible bit between the mouth of the kettle spout and where it could be seen (as it began to condense).

Clearly, vernacular use of the word has gathered steam enough to make dictionaries.

LOL

jcraige · #26 10-18-2005

I has taken me years of practice to reach a level where I am comfortable trying these stunts. I planned this all along.

I must say, I feel a certain sense of pride at being the only one to put it into the lake and get it out. In fact we had a whole field of guys who could have attempted to just get it into the lake in the first place yet they all passed at the challenge. Most guys just stayed on the track and didn't even try.

You really have to be gifted to pull this off.

Gifted.

Three laps later I used that gift to wad up the front left in the uphill with just enough force to cause damage but not enough keep me from skidding the entire car, including the dragging wheel, back to the pits.

When you are this talented, the pit girls go crazy when you walk by.