Guys,
[This posting was delayed due to computer problems between my system at
work and at home. They're not on speaking terms. Had hoped to post this
last week....]
Last weekend was my first outing in my new race car, ex-Col. Joe Hauser's
GP 1600. The event was an SCCA Driver's School/Regional race (my first SCCA
event) at Road America, a 4-mile, 14-turn road course set in the upper
kettle moraine of Wisconsin (and the site of the 10th anniversary Dairyland
Datsun Roadster Day-out (the Brian Redman International Challenge, Sunday,
July 25th).
The follwing was written for a column that, as president, I write for our
local sports car club newsletter (June issue). Rather than edit it, I'll
just attach it to this post. For a picture of the car, see the page posted
by my good bud, Jeff Cashmore. http://www.execpc.com/~cashmo/99ra01.html
Enjoy the ride!! I was grinnin' ear to ear ;-)
Wessel Writes
You'll have to forgive me. I feel exhausted and hung-over, yet giddy with
excitement at the same time. I hope you don't mind if I use this column to
relate my weekend's (May 15-16) activities at Road America. It was my first
SCCA event and my first outing with my new car. It was also a weekend I'll
not soon forget. I think you'll enjoy the story....
It begins, of course, with car prep. The old seat had to go. Eric Sandsnes
helped me to weld in the new seat braces the Sunday before, allowing me
time to get it mounted and get the belts installed on the weeknights (this
is why I wasn't at contest board Thursday). I spent a long time measuring
and trying the fit and placement of the seat within the rollcage before
making the commitment and drilling the holes. This paid off as you'll soon
read. Also changed the rear end gear to a 4.38 from the 4.63 that I'd run
in the other car last year [didn't want to use 5th gear and have that
uneasy 5th to 4th downshift, too easy to get in the reverse gate]. That all
done, I took a half-day Friday to pack up and drive to RA.
Arrived shortly after 6 pm to see long lines at the two windows working
registration. This was regional school (Saturday), race (Sunday) and the
place was hopping. Over 90 entrants for the school. As I waited in line, I
struck up a conversation with a guy and his wife who came from MN with a
new (to him) continental! I was kind of taken aback, I mean, the amount of
money in some of these rigs pulling in, and Bimmers galore in the paddock.
Sheesh...these guys must be real good at what they do or this is all they
do. Anyway, get up to the window and pay my $285 entry (ouch, but hey...two
free crew!). Got my photo ID taken (becomes your gate ticket) and then got
in the tech line. I was able to get the car teched on the trailer (an
annual...thank you, very much). Then drove it up and deposited it in the
paddock. Exit to Siebkins.....
Next day dawns overcast but mild. I got up to the track and went over to
the drivers meeting. As I was really in the school for track time and was
granted a regional license, I was not assigned an instructor. But I hooked
up with Tony Machi and Jeff Cashmore for the station wagon runs. Tony is
well known and liked in Milwaukee region and Jeff has been doing great
things for WAI, SCCA and Council autocrossers and now roadracers (spec
RX-7) by posting pages of pictures and results to his web site [see:
<http://www.execpc.com/~cashmo/wai.html>]. I got back to the car and suited
up for the first session but never got out. I had crossed #2 & #3 spark
plug wires after changing to colder plugs...no big deal, plenty of more
sessions to come.
Ok, first session, first impressions....Man, this car rocks! Feel the
power! Lots of traffic ~60 cars in the closed wheel group. But I had no
trouble getting around most of them. The 4.38 was a good call, 3rd and 4th
gear the whole way around. Spun once in 6 but kept it going and rejoined
the fun.
Next session and I was back again, running close with some SRF's (this was
new!). But my brakes were going away...seemed 5 was abit more effort to get
slowed down. At 8 huh, same thing....got down to 12 and the pedal went
nearly to the floor...ah, Houston, we have a problem...I pitched the car
into the turn and tried to scrub off the speed, but dropped off the corner
and got into the litter. I then proceeded to do a slooww role over onto my
lid! It was suddenly dark and dusty and noisy from all the gravel. The
engine had died from the partial spin, so as I hung there from my belts, I
switched off the fuel and ignition and waved my hand out the side, shouting
"I'm OK" (over and over again). Meanwhile, I could hear the sounds of
excited workers coming toward me calling to shut the session down and for
an ambulance (Hey...I'm OK, just roll me back over). After what seemed like
an eternity, they finally did turn me back over and did the usual checks
(name?, where are you?, what day is it? etc.) As my face returned to it's
usual color, they hauled the car onto a tilt bed wrecker (we gotta get one
for Council!) to bring it back into the paddock. They set the car down and
then S&R drove me to the Med shack to be checked by the staff. After a long
cool drink of water, answering lots of questions, being poked and prodded,
checking my helmet (not a scratch), my blood pressure had come down such
that they released me. I never hit a thing in the car, nothing hurt (on me)
and except for the dust, broken windscreen, and wrinkled paint on the
passenger door (where they rolled me back over) the car seemed ok too.
I spent the rest of the day blowing the rocks out of the car. Across the
road from me was a big rig with a generator. From them I was able to borrow
a compressor and air hose. [Those big rigs are handy to have around!] When
I got done, I had a line of gravel along both sides of the car. I called
Liz (she was coming up with the kids for Sunday) and told her the news
before she heard it from someone else. Her comment: "just don't tell your
parents". I also had her bring me up some new brake pads. Returning to the
car, I mopped up all the oil, added 5 quarts back and changed the filter. I
bled the brakes, removed the broken windscreen and rigged the Wink mirror
back into place. I cleaned up and joined the party at the tech barn.
Uhmm...beer!!
Sunday: the race...the day dawned clear and mild, much like Saturday. I had
thought that I should probably check the carbs for rocks. Good thing I
checked. Sure enough, a couple pebbles had lodged themselves just under the
suction piston of the front carb, ready to be sucked in at the first good
crack of the throttle. I replaced the brake pads and had the Hoosier tire
guy remount the two outside slicks where gravel had packed the rims. As I
was group 5 (of 5), I was able to get this all done and make the 1st
qualifying session. On the first lap out, a front corner hood pin fell out.
(Damn, what next I thought!) Back in the paddock I was able to pawn one off
a neighbor and still make it out for four, very tentative laps. I got the
brakes good and hot to bed them and came in. Last lap, on the bridge was
displayed a sign with my number and "sound" (uh-oh!), then as I turned into
the paddock, another sign, "impound". At impound, they weighed the car
(2103 lbs., 83 lbs. over). I asked about the sound and was told it would be
posted at the stewards trailer. After getting back to the paddock and
changed, I went to check the times and sound level. I had run a 2:58.962
(about as fast as my other car last year in the race) without even trying
hard. Sound wasn't posted.
As the second session progressed, I began to get my confidence back and
push a little more. A car went off in three, spraying gravel and carrying
it to other corners of the track, much of the session was debris or yellow.
Brakes were good! Best lap, 2:54.612, seventh on the grid. Again, I was
directed to impound, 2087 lbs. this time, nearly empty)
>We waited the afternoon for the race, grid was final, but sound was still
>not posted. Added fuel, checked the tires, oil etc., and discussed what
>penalty would be assessed for sound (could not find a specific penalty in
>either "sound" or "penalty" subsections of '99 GCR). I figured I couldn't
>be penalized for something that wasn't posted. Finally, during the third
>race, sound for the sessions was posted. I was down for 103, 103, 105 in
>the first session and no readings in the second session (was never alone,
>I guess). Oh well, can't do anything now.
For the race, I was gridded on the inside, beside two baby grand cars. At
the start, the inside packed up but the grands had fallen back, so I darted
over and took the line thru one. Off of three, one of the grands rocketed
around me as we went three wide under the Havoline bridge. The grand and I
would battle the rest of the race. I made a move on lap 3 and got him in
12 under braking, but he came back around as I hadn't pulled second gear.
(I needed 2nd in 5 and 12 to be quick) Next lap, I turned into 6 way early
still tight on him and went four off. I then put in my fastest lap to catch
him back up. We raced hard to the end, but I couldn't get around him. He
would pull out 5-6 car lengths on the straights and though I could outbrake
him and corner faster, RA is too flat out to make up that speed. My only
hope was to pressure him into a mistake, but that didn't happen. We
finished 4th & 5th (my 2:47.192 to his 2:48.2xx). At impound, we
congratulated each other on a great race. It really capped off a unique
weekend for me. Until next time, see you at the track...and have a good
race!
Bill Wessel
Madison, WI
'68 1600, '69 2000,
and GP race roadsters
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