GINGERMAN "1st CenDIV National" SCCA NATIONAL 04-26-04
First race report of the season, we attended an SCCA national event at Gingerman
Raceway in South Haven, MI. A 2 mile, 11-turn track with a LOT of late-apex,
decreasing-radius turns. This event included
two afternoon practice sessions Friday, morning practice/afternoon qualifying
sessions on Saturday, and a 25lap race on Sunday. The weather was a little cool
in the high 50's, but dry all weekend.
Overall, the event had a pretty good turn out of Production and small-bore GT
cars, with 34 total in the field, including:
10-12 EPs
6 FPs
8 GPs
6 HPs
We arrived on Friday afternoon for the track-sponsored open test day. This was
our first session with a new 1500 engine and 5-spd trans with Phantom Grip
limited slip diff. Friday's sessions were spent with me just trying to find my
way around the track, as I've never run at this facility before.
Saturday official practice felt good, another 2 sec + faster than previous day,
good enough for 3rd fastest in my group. The two cars at the top were a couple
of national contender cars (one was CenDiv Nat. Champ car several years running,
the other finished second at the Runoffs last year), with significant experience
at the track, so I was more than satisfied with my position.
Having moved to a 1500 / 5-spd combo in my H-Production class, I had to add 100
lbs of weight per SCCA rules. My first trip to the scales showed that I was well
over 100lbs overweight. Oops. Underestimated how much 5-spd running gear really
weighs! I got to remove some balast and adjust some corner weights. At
annual tech, I didn't have brakelights, but that was the only issue. No mention
at tech of my oil-to-water cooler in the passenger compartment (technically a
no-no per the stupidly-written rules).
The Saturday afternoon qualifying session was pretty weird. Got 5 laps in at
speed on sticker rear tires and managed to find another nearly full second in
time. The car was feeling solid. A red flag, however, ended the session early
due to a serious on-track incident (3 cars, fire, etc). It was after 5:00 PM,
the track was supposed to go cold at 5:00, so
I went straight to the paddock, and stood on my times assuming the day was done.
30 mins later, they opened the track up for the remaining 15 mins of qualifying.
My car was already up on stands and I was out of my suit, so I said "screw
it", but the fastest of the pack did go back out, but got his very fast
qualifying times DQ'd
because his transponder wasn't turned on (DOH!). I ended up qualified 2nd in
class, about .750 behind next fastest (and now #1) qualifier. Fast guy was
relegated to #6 qualifier.
Temps looked perfect every session, with 220 oil / 180 water. Oil temp gauge
acted a little flakey but looked good. The new suspension built by
Truechoice felt good. Had all four corners at full firm, with a little
bounciness on the exit of a couple bumpy turns, but nothing major. No wheel
spin. Because of the layout of the track, I never got into 5th gear. The
car felt good, so we put it up on stands, covered it, and called it a night.
We were last race group of the day on Sunday. The track was dry, windy, about 60
degrees farenheit. I was gridded right next to #1 qualifier, we were 13/14th OA.
The fastest car in HP (#6 qualifier) was way back in the field. I FINALLY had a
good competitive start, and put two cars between me and the #1 qualifier within
a lap. When the tires came in, the car felt really good, for about 4 or 5 laps,
then everything went to shit. The car started pushing really badly on
tight right-handers, and bucking/bouncing very badly on the bumpy hard left
exits. How I didn't crash trying to hold off #1 qualifier is beyond me. I could
not maintain pace in a protective line without getting the car seriously out of
shape. I had to run a pace that was at least 3 seconds slower than my qualifying
times just to keep the car on the track. I finally capitulated and let #1
qualifier past. About 4 laps later, fast #6 qualifier (a limited-prep 11:1 1500
Spitfire) dug his way through and past, but 2 or 3 laps later found and passed
him limping off the pace with a broken rocker arm. A few laps after that, I
started gaining on, then passed the #1 qualifier (a full-prep 948 Sprite) after
he broke a header.
After both of them landed in the pits, I back pedalled even more for the last 3
laps to keep my horribly-handling car on the track, and held on for a gimme,
blind-squirrel win. I have a feeling I lost <another> PS rear or DS front strut
somehow, because my front tires looked fine at the end of the race, but this
thing pushed like hell on right handers
and bucked like a bronco over bumpy lefts... <sigh>.
Next race, Grattan, in Grand Rapids, MI. May 15/16.
Respectfully submitted,
Matt Brannon
74 X1/9 HP
#22