SCCA Runoffs - Official Discussion Thread

[Rob Howden]

Hi folks,

Allan Craighead and I are now on our way to Road America to report on this year's SCCA Runoffs and this will be the official discussion thread for news, results and insider paddock info. I will be handling the live play-by-play on http://www.speedcasttv.com - and will have Elliott Forbes Robinson as my color man - while Allan will be quarterbacking our coverage of the Formula Vee category from the media room and the paddock.

We invite anyone in the FV community to jump on-board to post insight and news from the paddock as well, so that we can keep everyone in the loop. If you have any questions, please feel free to post them here and we'll do what we can to track down the answers for you.

[CitationFV21]

http://www.scca.com/popup/raceresult.as ... 6&file=859

[Al Craighead]

Morning gang,

Well after a quick drive to Buffalo and a pair of flights, the EFCN staff is in Wisconsin for the 46th Runoffs. We will be at the track very shortly, commencing on gathering info from the drivers and crews regarding what has happened thus far at Road America and how things are looking for the final two days of qualifying and the races. News and notes to follow shortly.

Cheers,

[Rob Howden]

EFCN Trackside: SCCA Runoffs - Wednesday, September 23

Morning FV fans! As Allan has already posted, we are now in Wisconsin, in the media room, in fact. The Vees are on-track today at 3:50 pm for their qualifying session, so I'm going to head out to the paddock to gather up some information from yesterday's wet weather run. It's been dry all morning, but the skies are looking heavy and we could see a little more rain today.

If you have any questions, feel free to post them here and we'll do what we can to track down the answers.

[SR Racing]

Ok. What happened to Brian McCarthy. No 2nd Q session?

Stevan Davis having a problem? Is he running the new car?

[jpetillo]

Are today's results posted yet? The above link didn't show anything new.

[cendiv37]

Brian had a heart problem just at the end of Q1 but made it into the pits. He's OK.

He had a stent replaced in a local hospital but we hope he will be back at the track to spectate.

Today's qualifying session was a very big mess for many of us. The track was OK, but the traffic was ridiculous with zero cooperation as everyone was after that magic lap and somebody in the group thought this was the one and slowed everyone else down. The magic lap certainly didn't happen for me. Steve Davis was in the same boat. Basically the packs got too big too fast.

Somehow, Mike Varacins got in one good lap. He's not only fast, he's crafty.

[Al Craighead]

EFCN Trackside - Qualifying #2 Notes

- As Bruce reported Brian McCarthy's qualifying session ended prematurely due to a heart problem. Glad to hear he is doing okay.

- Former National Champion Jeffrey Loughead, having struggled with car setup in day one, found significant time in the second session, moving up to seventh on the time charts.

- Many believe provisional polesitter Michael Varacins is making time up from the Carousel through Canada corner.

- The goal of the front-runners is to merely qualify among the top-six and run among the lead pack until the final laps.

[smsazzy]

If it rains...watch out for Roger. Sitting 4th right now after Q2 and a master in the rain. Forecast is 40% chance of precipitation on Saturday.

[FV80]

Ok. ...

Stevan Davis having a problem? Is he running the new car?

My "problem" already noted by Bruce - quite a mess yesterday.
Yep - I'm running the new car. I'm pretty happy with it so far, but need to learn to be a smarter qualifier in big groups like we have here.

Someone dropped oil in T5 on about the 4th lap. ... then a big 3 car crash in T8 a couple of laps later shortened our session by about 8 minutes. Blanarik, Rader and Curtis involved in crash. I think all are repaired and will be out in today's quallie.
Steve

[Doug Carter]

Wow, a 2:41.374 by Varacins in Q3. Holy crap. That's under the existing Stout track record.

He's in a completely different class this week. Well done, so far.



I hope Brian McCarthy is feeling better. Helluva way to spend the RunOffs in scenic Wisconsin.

[CenDiv20]

2:41.374.......... when I saw that on my screen I thought I misread the time.

[P-2 Mark]

Good luck to everyone and be safe!!

Mark

[Doug Carter]

Full final qualifying rundown here.

[72jeff]

what is the record?

[brian]

I received a stent in 1998 and it apparently decomposed over time causing an occlusion in the artery. Having been through this before, I drove directly to my pits and was driven to the med center. The SSCA folks there were without compare and took very good care of me until transport took me to Fond du lac for a replacement. It ended a very promising week but I returned to the track today and will enjoy spectating a very promising 3 days of racing. I feel well enough to get in the cockpit but know better. We'll just have to wait til next year.,

[Doug Carter]

what is the record?

Existing track record (race) was from 2006 by Brad Stout: 2:41.988




Good to hear you're doing ok, Brian. I think the last place I'd want to be with a ticker glitch is on a race track. Glad you made it back safely.

[CenDiv20]

Brian, great to hear everything worked out well.

Jim Dziewior

[grimes34]

http://www.speedcasttv.com

Nice Job!

[Rob Howden]

http://www.speedcasttv.com

Nice Job!

Thanks Eugene...we're having a bunch of fun handling the coverage. It's cool sitting there calling these races alongside EFR.

However, I can't wait to call the FV race...it's going to be awesome!

And thanks to the Womers again for a kick-ass party. The food was fantastic and the company excellent as always. Al and I would like to wish the best of luck to all of the FV drivers tomorrow.

[Al Craighead]

EFCN Trackside - Race Notes

- The impressive 43-car Formula Vee field were the first cars on track after the lunch break on day two of racing. While it was overcast, the track was dry for the National Championship race.

- The leaders got away cleanly when the green flag waved, however chaos soon erupted behind, with multiple cars colliding on the front straight before braking for turn one. Among those involved were Ed Womer, Donald Manthe, Michael Beaumia, Charlie Rogers and Quinn Posner, Nick Maurus.

- Out front, the polesitter Michael Varacins got a good launch and run through the opening turns, establishing a multi-car advantage on the fight for second place. This continued to expand during the opening two laps, as Brad Stout, Bruce Livermore and Chris Jennerjahn traded places from corner-to-corner.

- By lap three, the fight for second had expanded to include Roger Siebenaler and Charles Hearn.

- Thanks in part to the fight for position behind, Varacins had a six second lead by the end of lap three.

- The highlight of the first half the race was Stout, Livermore, Chris Jennerjahn, Siebenaler and Hearn going two and three wide several times.

- John Fuchs race ended early when he entered pitlane on lap four.

- The fight for second lost one driver on lap six, when Stout went off in turn one, before rejoining the race back in 25th.

- Jeff Loughead chances at a top finish vanished when he spun and continued in turn 14.

- Stout's race ended when he went off and became stuck in the gravel in turn six.

- At the halfway point Varacins was 20 seconds ahead, turning laps upwards of three seconds faster than the rest of the field. Behind the leader, Livermore, Richard Shields, Hearn, Siebenaler, Stevan Davis and Donnie Isley continued to fight for the final two podium positions.

- Showcasing the great racing of the Vee class, second through seventh went three-wide time after time down the long front straights at Road America.

- Andrew Abbott's race ended with his car stuck in a gravel trap.

- Just as the leader was about to get the last lap board, the fight for second featured contact involving Livermore, Shields and Dennis Andrade in Canada Corner, with Andrade flipping.

- As a result of the incident, the yellow flags waved, ending the race under caution.

- Varacins, in what was the most impressive run thus far at the 2009 Runoffs, scored his inaugural National Championship by over 30 seconds. Hearn and Brian Jennerjahn joined in the podium celebrations, emerging from the great battle for second place.

[Al Craighead]

EFCN Trackside - Post-Race Notes

- Dennis Andrade, who was involved in the late race incident, was transported to local hospital with an apparent neck injury.

- Brian Jennerjahn finished on the podium for the first time at the Runoffs, having not taken part in the National Championship for the past nine years.

- Charles Hearn reported he did a full engine rebuild here at Road America during the week-long event.

- Michael Varacins discovered a brake drum problem this morning prior to the race and while fixing the problem elected to do one last change to his alignment.

- The 30-second margin of victory, which shrunk due to the last lap full-course caution, was the largest margin of victory in an SCCA National Championship Formula Vee race since Dave Weitzenhof's inaugural one-minute win in 1972.

[smsazzy]

Update:
Dennis did not suffer a neck injury. During the roll, Dennis' helmet made light contact with the racing surface. As a precaution they transported him to the hospital in Sheboygan. He was examined and released. He credits his 7 point belt for keeping him unharmed.

[Al Craighead]

Thanks update. Glad to here Dennis is okay, always good to hear news like that.

Cheers,

[Greg Davis]

Congrats to Michael, Al & Co. on an impressive performance.