While we're talking about unsportsmanlike racing. I have to say that the only
damper on the weekend was that Mike Orlie accused me of cutting in on him at the
end of the straight, causing him to brake hard and spin out. I really believe I
was well passed him, but I don't know for sure. I hadn't had much experience
with passing people until this weekend. I felt a little vindication during the
next session. He spun out in almost the same place, while I was 200 yards ahead
and steadily opening the gap. When I saw that in the mirror, I thought "you
can't blame that one on me!".
Everything I've done to the car is well documented in the Competition Manual,
the Technical Talk Volumes (Southern California Triumph Register - Ken
Gillanders, et al) and the FOT archives. Most of us have a strong attachment to
the Triumph marque. For me, this is all about how to make these cars as good as
they can be and learning how to drive them. Beating the Porsches and other
marques is what its all about. In addition to all the information, I've had
many people offer free parts even though I offered to pay. What a great bunch
of folks!
Larry
Bob Kramer wrote:
> Larry,
>
> I was waiting for you to check in before tooting your horn to the list.
> Larry won every Group 4 race outright this past weekend and even lapped the
> field on Sunday! Larry has crossed over from "newbie" to "speedie"! The best
> I ever did with that car was pass Orlie when he spun. I was able to harass
> him enough that he did that on two or three occasions. He has made the
> Porsche must faster since then, as you have done to the TR3. I don't think
> Wilt ever got close to him in his 2 years with the car. I always said that
> you could get that car to run as fast as my TR4 with the right prep. Your
> almost there. I'd better get back in the garage.
>
> I talked to Bob Green to verify my thinking as to racing rights and wrongs
> and he agreed that to modify your line by jumping over to block a car that
> is making a move and is going faster than you is indeed blocking and
> discouraged by CVAR. I wonder what it's like elsewhere? The driver was given
> a talking too to make sure he understood. I probably should have spoken up
> earlier. I had the same problem with him at Hallett as well as with a number
> of RMVR cars that blocked like crazy. He is a backmarker in CP, and most of
> the CP cars can take him on the straight. Only a few of the slower CP guys
> and the transfered DP cars have a problem with him. They agree about his
> track behavior. I hope it changes. It takes away the fun.
>
> Again, good show!!!!
>
> Bob Kramer
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Larry Young" <cartravel@pobox.com>
> To: "Bob Kramer" <rgk@flash.net>
> Cc: <fot@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 4:39 PM
> Subject: Re: Races at TWS
>
> > Bob,
> > Sorry to hear about this. Did CVAR do anything? That type of behavior in
> the
> > other groups is one reason I really like group 4.
> >
> > It's probably no consolation for you, but my weekend was fun. Ok, so most
> of the
> > fast guys weren't there. All the work on the suspension has transformed
> my car
> > completely. The fastest car in my class was Mike Orlie's Porsche 356.
> With the
> > engine rebuild last fall, I found I could outrun him on the straight, but
> it was
> > hopeless in the turns. Now with the suspension work, I think my car
> handles
> > better than his in the turns too. I haven't done anything magical, just
> shortened
> > the upper A arms and the other mods that all of you have figured out.
> Winning is
> > great, but when you beat a Porshe it's even better. I can't wait to see
> how the
> > car does at Hallet in three weeks. However, I first have to dig through 8
> inches
> > of snow to get the racecar back in the garage. Sunshine and 75 degrees in
> College
> > Station yesterday, 8 inches of snow and 10 degrees in Tulsa this morning.
> >
> > Larry Young
> >
> >
> > Bob Kramer wrote:
> >
> > > John,
> > > Group 7 sure is frustrating. The last race Sunday was very similar to
> the
> > > rest, except that I finally got fed up with the #44 240Z blocking and
> put in a
> > > complaint after the race. Every time I tried to make a move inside or
> outside,
> > > he would change his line to jump over in front of me. That in itself I
> could
> > > live with but on 3 occasions in the last race, he did it when I was
> already up
> > > inside his rear quarter. What was sad, was that early in the race I did
> pass
> > > him after drafting him down the straight, and going faster into one and
> was
> > > pulling away from him. I was running a second a lap faster, and catching
> a
> > > pair of 911's in front of us (ones I hadn't been able to run with early
> in the
> > > day), but my car started running too hot. After 3 laps or running slower
> to
> > > cool it down, the 240Z caught me and passed me on the straight. Soon I
> was in
> > > a safer cooling zone so I proceeded to try to pass him back for the next
> 4
> > > laps, with him blocking every move.
> > >
> > > After cording the Hoosiers, I was very surprised that I put up my best
> lap
> > > times of the weekend on Brad's 8 year old Yoke 008's. Being slick as
> they
> > > could be, I drove them pretty much the same as with the bias ply TD.s,
> > > drifting, really sliding through the turns. The shorter tire and rear
> ratio
> > > change more than made up for the loss of grip.
> > >
> > > Bob
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: John Price
> > > To: Bob Kramer
> > > Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 8:38 AM
> > > Subject: Races
> > >
> > > How did the rest of Sunday go for you?
> > >
> > > John
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