What a great weekend. I have to admit, it was fantastic! You ALL put on a show that was maybe the best of the weekend. Thanks to all who came and lapped and raced with us. Also, thank you all for treating it like a pro event (it was) and being on time and ready! You guys were great. Watkins Glen told Nick Nick that Skip was the only group that was ALWAYS on time and ran 100% of their allowed time. Great job everybody, Keith
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RIP to my great friends and fellow racers... Sid and Wally, you guys are sorely missed by my family and I every day....
Many thanks to you and our other mentors and staff members at SBRS for putting together a first class event. The weekend was flawless as respects everyone at SBRS.
The only issue was how we have warmup at 8AM and race at 5:45PM!!?? Perhaps with the show we put on versus the bozo moves of some of the other support series drivers we will get a better time schedule next time.
The training you have all given us showed when we were put on stage. Thank you all for your patience and guidance in our quest to be faster!
Yeah, that's kind of why I hinted in the drivers meeting that " I would probably not do it".
A- it's one more chance to crash or be crashed
B-More wear and tear on tires that are assigned to you only!
C-The track is going to be SO different by the time you race, that not much was learned.
On the flip side, mid and back packers need every lap they paid for. Thanks
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RIP to my great friends and fellow racers... Sid and Wally, you guys are sorely missed by my family and I every day....
My thanks to you, all the Skip instructors, staff, and crew for the most fun, exciting, and instructive race weekend I've ever had. I had more fun and learned more about car dynamics and racecraft than I ever have before. And all this at the most thrilling circuit ever! As cdh put it-- WOW!
Keith, you are a paddock general par excellence, keeping everything running crisply and on time, while remaining good-humored through it all. All the observers gave us the high quality of feedback to which we've become accustomed, hospitality, timing, scoring, race control, everything ran like a well-oiled machine. And the crew was fantastic as usual, getting the cars ready, changing cars, making adjustments, whatever was needed.
Special thanks to Bobo for his daily instructions on how to be a true professional (as he is every day), to Rob Slonaker for his spot-on coaching and analysis of my driving, Bob Zeigel for his valuable seminar on racecraft and teaching me how to relax in race situations, and to JP for dropping by on Sunday on his own time to answer our questions on "What the Hell is the Car Doing in This Corner?" for over an hour-- you guys have an awesome commitment to teaching.
And the best group of fellow competitors and friends one could have! Really great racing and hanging out with everyone, and being a part of Michele's and Pat's efforts. Cheers!
__________________ "All things are ready if our minds be so." -- Henry V
What a great weekend at WGI. I was unable to make the regional weekend and was a little apprehensive about joining the national series as this was only my second race weekend. I have to agree with Harsha on every point. The entire weekend was run perfectly and professionally. All of the drivers were excellent in every session. I was one of the slowest racers out there and felt safe in this "street-like" road course where every driver that passed me did so safely with excellent control. The instruction and mechanics were excellent as always, the slicks were somewhat intimidating but lots of fun in the end.
My first race was essentially a lapping day as I didn't start as aggressively as I should have after the Rolex 6 hour race...but race 2 was so much fun as well as an excellent learning experiance for the draft and the hamster device.
The F2000 racing was full contact with multiple cars destroyed. After seeing the damage incurred during the F2000 race, I had a whole new appreciation for Skippy drivers and the series.
What a great group of Skippy guys and gals at WGI. I can't wait to improve my racecraft at LRP in one month.
Thanks to all the racers, instructors, mechanics and staff who made the weekend unforgetable, Scott James
The F2000 racing was full contact with multiple cars destroyed. After seeing the damage incurred during the F2000 race, I had a whole new appreciation for Skippy drivers and the series.
James, well put. The irony here is this.....
Mike Rand (supposedly the leader of the FF2000 series) screamed up and down because we were using proper pre grid and pit entrance and exit. So he cried to Watkins Glen about Skip and that is why were were routed down the gravel road to pre grid. The funny thing is that their race control was out of hand, they SPUN a car in the paddock at a 4 way interesection and crash fested all weekend. Now you see where all of the positive and fun feedback comes from. We gripe at you guys in the series about pit lane speed, paddock etiquette, etc. We really are training our customers to be gentlemen(and lady) racers with the ability to drive 100% of the car. Seeya soon.
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RIP to my great friends and fellow racers... Sid and Wally, you guys are sorely missed by my family and I every day....
James, well put. The irony here is this.....
Mike Rand (supposedly the leader of the FF2000 series) screamed up and down because we were using proper pre grid and pit entrance and exit. So he cried to Watkins Glen about Skip and that is why were were routed down the gravel road to pre grid. The funny thing is that their race control was out of hand, they SPUN a car in the paddock at a 4 way interesection and crash fested all weekend. Now you see where all of the positive and fun feedback comes from. We gripe at you guys in the series about pit lane speed, paddock etiquette, etc. We really are training our customers to be gentlemen(and lady) racers with the ability to drive 100% of the car. Seeya soon.
KW - why was he crying about us using proper pre grid and pit entrance and exit? What, we're not worthy? Was that it? What a butthead.
Here is an audio clip of two of our top-notch Skip race coordinators commenting on another bonehead F2000 move.....
and they're bitching about us??? Hell, they couldn't get half a lap done without crashing a third of the field out.
Scott, you did great at the Glen - it took some stones to sign up for this event with only one race weekend under your belt, bravo, well done, good racing and great to see you again.
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"Think very carefully, because if you ever start, you will never be able to leave it alone" Sir Donald Campbell, CBE
It's a long story. He thought we were in his way..... Everybody else used proper, we used the back way... I look at it like the most professional group is always a little different!
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RIP to my great friends and fellow racers... Sid and Wally, you guys are sorely missed by my family and I every day....
I look at it like the most professional group is always a little different!
A reputation for flexibility never hurts...especially when you then go out and deliver the goods in a professional manner. Then the other guys end up looking high-strung and high-maintenance....(should we say, er....sissies?!?)
__________________ "All things are ready if our minds be so." -- Henry V
Scott I agree with CDH..you should be commended for taking on the invitational as a second race weekend. You did amazingly well and remained in control and respectful of all that was going on around you. Congratulations on a job well done!
As far as the @!%^* Buttheads in F2000..."Well Golly Andy! I just don't get it!" Faster cars, presumed more advanced skill levels, and perhaps more invested to drive the weekend... Doesn't appear that brains nor manners were part of the required skill sets to join!
Any possibility we can a higher level of billing next time around?
Thanks Keith, Doug and Chris. Certainly after this weekend I can't wait to take it to the next level and maybe run mid- pack! The next level will likely never include F2000 after seeing their disregard for safety.
I know Bobo is involved with an F2000 team and wonder what his take on the events was? Maybe he should give the F2000 series the same excellent advice on racing and procedure that he gave to all of us. I think we would all agree that was greatly appreciated and quite useful coming from a true professional.
See you at LRP in July, Scott
I've been seeing you around so much, I didn't realize that this was only your second race weekend! Great job, man! If I had run the Glen on my second weekend, I'm sure I would have tagged the wall somewhere. Just shows you've got the right attitude in the car, and stuck to your program (which can be hard with all the competitiveness around you). Be patient, keep to your program, create a good foundation, and the speed will come!
Great to see you again and look forward to watching your progress...
Harsha
__________________ "All things are ready if our minds be so." -- Henry V
Maximizing Exit Speed / Advanced Member (10+ Posts)
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lakeville, CT
Posts: 10
Re: Great job racers...WGI invitational
Our guys looked great and were totally professional! Kudos to the Crew and the drivers. No chassis damage and no mechanicals!
Awsome...
Guess the voodoo worked!