Official 2011 FV Runoffs Discussion

[Al Craighead]

Hi gang,

Sorry for the delay in setting this up, been a hectic few days.

As most you know the chase for the 2011 SCCA National Championship is now underway at at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., via annual SCCA National Championship Runoffs. The event officially began on Monday (September 19) with the first of four days of qualifying. The combined times will set the grid for the 2011 Formula Vee National Championship race on Friday (September 23) at 9:30 a.m. local time. There will be ample opportunity for those not attending the event to stay informed, with live timing and scoring throughout the week and online video coverage courtesy of SpeedcastTV.com. Additionally, the EFCN Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/eFormulaC ... 1228907754 - EFCN Twitter page - https://twitter.com/eFormulaCarNews - and EFCN Insider Twitter page - https://twitter.com/EFCNInsider - will post the top-three following each session.

As the FV.org/EFCN staff won't be making the trip to Road America this year, we'll be looking to the FV community to help keep us updated with news, notes, insider scoops and photos from the event, including the famed Womer Crab Cake Party. If you're at the track, please keep everyone in the loop!

This will be the 'Official Discussion Thread' for the Runoffs on FormulaVee.org, so let's keep all the chatter in this thread to keep things neat and tidy.

On behalf of Rob Howden and myself, and everyone here at the Howden Media Group, we'd like to wish all of the Runoffs competitors a safe and successful week! We'll be watching!

SCCA Coverage Links:

Runoffs webpage: http://www.scca.com/runoffs

Live Timing
Qualifying: http://www.livetiming.net/SCCA/Runoffs/LiveTiming.asp
Race: http://www.world-challenge.com/event/pi ... ssion=race
On Phone: http://www.livetiming.net/SCCA/Runoffs/wap.asp

Speedcast Live Video: http://www.speedcasttv.com/scca

[Al Craighead]

After day one, former National Champion Michael Varacins is the driver to beat, posting a lap of 2:48.741 to top Qualifying one at Road America. Here are the top-10:

1. Michael Varacins Speed Sport AM-5 2:48.741
2. Jonathan Weisheit Protoform P3 2:50.042
3. Stevan Davis Racer's Wedge SB-1 2:52.122
4. Dean Curtis Womer EV3 2:55.407
5. Charles Hearn Vortech 2:57.549
6. Mark Edwards Glamdring 2:58.632
7. Brandon Abbott Vector AM-1 2:58.792
8. Ron Wake Mysterian M4 2:59.381
9. Charles McCormick Vortec CM1 3:01.748
10. Chris Jennerjahn Vortech 3:01.983

Full results at http://www.scca.com/assets/results/FVqual1.pdf

[Al Craighead]

Day two witnessed a big drop in the overall times for the Formula Vee field, with the entire top-10 posting their best lap. Former National Champion Michael Varacins remains the driver at the top of the standings with a lap of 2:41.774. Here is the new top-10:

1. Michael Varacins Speed Sport AM-5 2:41.774
2. Roger Siebenaler Mysterian M2 2:42.628
3. Jonathan Weisheit Protoform P3 2:43.205
4. Chris Jennerjahn Vortech 2:43.287
5. Stevan Davis Racer's Wedge SB-1 2:43.293
6. Gary Blanarik Silver Bullet Eins 2:43.593
7. Bob Neumeister Vortech 3:03.811
8. Dennis Andrade Vortech 3:07.188
9. Ed Womer Womer EV3 2:43.807
10. Ron Whitston Protoform P2 2:43.875

Full Results at http://www.scca.com/assets/results/FVqual2.pdf

[Al Craighead]

Day three of qualifying featured several classes lowering the lap record at Road America, the Formula Vee group however was not one of them. Former champion Michael Varacins again led the way, but his fast time (2:41.970) in the session did not quite match the pace he set in day two. Here are the current top-10:

1. Michael Varacins Speed Sport AM-5 2:41.774
2. Bob Neumeister Vortech 2:42.227
3. Rick Shields VDF-2 2:42.535
4. Roger Siebenaler Mysterian M2 2:42.628
5. Charles Hearn Vortech 2:43.036
6. Jonathan Weisheit Protoform P3 2:43.205
7. Chris Jennerjahn Vortech 2:43.287
8. Stevan Davis Racer's Wedge SB-1 2:43.293
9. Dennis Andrade Vortech 2:43.403
10. Gary Blanarik Silver Bullet Eins 2:43.593

Full results at http://www.scca.com/assets/results/fv%20q3.pdf

[Matt King]

Should be a good race tomorrow. I expect Mike's plan will be to try to check out at the front and hope the rest of the top 5 fight it out for position behind him. But if they all work together, it could get interesting!

[Al Craighead]

Well qualifying is now in the record books for the 48th Runoffs, and former National Champion Michael Varacins will lead the Formula Vee field to the green flag on Friday morning, after a wet track on day four of qualifying prevented anyone from going quick. Here are the top-10:

1. Michael Varacins Speed Sport AM-5 2:41.774
2. Bob Neumeister Vortech 2:42.227
3. Rick Shields VDF-2 2:42.535
4. Roger Siebenaler Mysterian M2 2:42.628
5. Charles Hearn Vortech 2:43.036
6. Jonathan Weisheit Protoform P3 2:43.205
7. Chris Jennerjahn Vortech 2:43.287
8. Stevan Davis Racer's Wedge SB-1 2:43.293
9. Dennis Andrade Vortech 2:43.403
10. Gary Blanarik Silver Bullet Eins 2:43.593

Full results at http://www.scca.com/assets/results/fv%20q4.pdf

[Al Craighead]

Morning race fans,

Just a quick reminder that the 2011 Formula Vee National Championship race starts at 9:30 am local time (10:30 am ET).

You can live video action at http://www.speedcasttv.com/scca

Live Timing with notes also available at http://www.world-challenge.com/event/pi ... ssion=race

Looking forward to a great race. Good luck to the entire FV field.

[Al Craighead]

What a race! The Formula Vee gang once again did not disappoint. Congratulations to Roger Siebenaler on a third National Championship title. Perfectly executed pass for the win at the stripe. Here are your provisional top-10:

1. Roger Siebenaler
2. Bob Neumeister +0.131
3. Michael Varacins +0.587
4. Rick Shields +0.665
5. Dennis Andrade +0.888
6. Stevan Davis +10.802
7. Ed Womer +10.855
8. Gary Blanarik +11.215
9. Charles Hearn +11.307
10. Chris Jennerjahn +23.637

[hojo]

yeah very good to watch.

[Rob Howden]

Wow...what a great race! Once again, the Formula Vee class puts on an incredible show of racecraft! No cautions, and a superb finish.

Big congratulations to Roger Seibenaler on another national championship! It was fun to watch and makes me want to get back out there with you guys!!! Kudos of Nuby and Mike as well. I was on the edge of my desk chair all race.

Special thanks to the SCCA and Speedcast as well. Great work!

[FV94]

Congrats to Roger on his 3rd championship.
Congrats also to engine supplier Dave Carr (Autowerks) and general supplier Steve Pastore (VSR).
Thanks to the SCCA for Speedcast so we could watch all the action.
It was a great race to watch!

[craigs]

Agreed on the congrats to Dave and Steve!

1. what happened to Andy?
2. is there a video on-line? I watched live at work, but would love to see it again.

[G.B.]

Andy had a steering rocker break.

[craigs]

tough having big feet!

[jhenn4716]

As everyone has said, a really great race. Probably one of the best races of the week, that wasn't ruined by rain. When I wasn't busy working rescue I was taking pictures. It's my first attempt at race photography so I've got mixed results. But if you were on track during qualifying (sorry no race photos), I probably have a picture or two of you. If you send me a PM I will work on either emailing or mailing a cd full of pictures to whomever asks.

[CenDiv20]

Does anyone know of their crew members/drivers that assisted my car during the Runoffs? I was black flagged to come into the pits for my nose cone dragging on the ground and these people literally "ran" over with duct tape, fixed the nose and I was allowed to get back on track.

If it was not for them, I would have had a DNF. I would like to send them a big thanks and a roll of tape!

Jim Dziewior
Powder Coating Specialists
Green 02

[FV80]

...
2. is there a video on-line? I watched live at work, but would love to see it again.

SpeedCastTV.com already has ALL of the Runoffs videos posted. This year they did not break it down by RACE (presumably for manpower reasons), but rather by half day. Fri/Sat/Sun - Morning/Afternoon. I figured everyone would be checking, so didn't mention it before now. It has allowed them to get the 'on demand' videos posted MUCH sooner than previous years.

The vee race starts just over an hour into the Fri/Morning video.

Steve, FV80

[Terry Abbott]

Hi Jim,

I saw you come down pit lane and stop while some officals were looking at your car, i ran from pit wall to my cart grabbed some duct tape and ran towards you.....i used the Red duct tape and there was another person who used the silver im not sure who SHE was ....
glad to help out and im glad you got to continue!!

[CenDiv20]

Terry,

PM sent check your inbox.

JD

[smsazzy]

Hi Jim,

I saw you come down pit lane and stop while some officals were looking at your car, i ran from pit wall to my cart grabbed some duct tape and ran towards you.....i used the Red duct tape and there was another person who used the silver im not sure who SHE was ....
glad to help out and im glad you got to continue!!

Terry - Great job. This is what is cool about FV. Strangers helping strangers. Can't tell you how many times I've seen someone break a part or have a shunt during a session and people are literally walking over with parts to help them get back on track.