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My greatest race...yet... NOW WITH VIDEO

 
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hayeslewis  



Joined: 21 Aug 2011
Posts: 74
Location: Alexandria, VA

PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:21 pm    Post subject: My greatest race...yet... NOW WITH VIDEO Reply with quote

http://youtu.be/jo9SLYH1RJg



I’m going to tell this story. I’m going to be up front and tell you that it sounds like a script for a cheesy racing movie.

I thought that if I raced for 10 years I’d be happy with a third place on a rainy day…

This was the last race for the Washington DC SCCA Region. It was a non-points event called “Something Different”. Saturday sprint races were followed by a relay race on Sunday. Turnout was way down, I think a lot of folks were confused by the format.
There were seven in my race and 3 ITBs; two BMW 2002s and my 924. I’ll be the first to admit that’s a tiny field. But in one of those 2002s, a black on black 2002, was the 2012 MARRS (Mid Atlantic Road Racing Series) ITB champion.
Thursday went as usual, not according to plan. I said I’d be packed by the Sunday before but a head cold kept me on the couch all weekend. I noticed a loose castle nut on the rear bearing, spent an hour fixing that. I tried to mount the big offset rims in the front, but the lugs were gummed up when I took off the spacers so that plan failed. By 8:00 my neighbor and I were in the alley behind the house with a pipe trying bend the inner lip to keep the fenders from rubbing the tires on the larger offset rims. At 9:30 or so I was finally loading the car in the dark when the trailer pops off the hitch. My coupler had just been replaced because some idiot ran the stop sign and smashed my trailer into the van. Apparently the “shop” where it was repaired feels 5/16” is an acceptable tolerance for couplers and neglected to tell me that I now needed a 2- 5/16” ball. It seemed to hook up OK at the shop but it was a small miracle I made it home safe. The guy at the shop thought it was just fine. Saving money isn’t the only reason I prefer to do my own work.
By 12:30 AM I was home from Wal-mart with a shiny new receiver and ball.

The Friday practice would be cut in half, but I didn’t mind. I won a coupon at auction so it was only $140 vs. the normal $225 and after a few words the “shop” promised $150 for their mistake so I figured I was good if I only got a few sessions in. Finally on the track, the car felt great. My “new to me” tires were unbelievable. I had never driven on anything close to “fresh” Hoosiers and I had no idea what to expect. One second, maybe 1.5 vs. my clearance ’09 R888s? My previous best was 1:35.5 but the iphone was saying I did a 1:32.8. Was I now somewhat competitive in ITB? Almost 3 seconds from tires. I was thrilled.
Thrilled until the cool down lap when she stared barking like a Sprint Cup car. I knew what it meant immediately. My exhaust broke after the collector, for the third time this year.
I figured that was it, but I scoured the paddock looking for a welder. What the hell, I came this far. Rick at Performance Autoworks in Gasoline Alley got it on the lift and for a very fair price welded it up and put an extra collar around it. A few hose clamps from GTP Bruce and I was ready for Saturday.

After threats of rain Saturday was dry and clear. In the practice I couldn’t believe it. That 2002 blew my doors off on labor day weekend and now I was right with him. The results came in…I was on the ITB pole!

I had no idea what to do. I called Rick Foster, a slot car buddy who was a damn good spec-Renault racer for many years. He said he had 100s of plans for starts, but they never worked out. His advice was to be ready for anything. Just the coaching from a cool and collected friend helped.
I was gridded 4th. My rival in the black 2002 was a row behind me and I was on the outside. We went out, scrubbing in the tires, warming up the brakes. By the carrousel I was beyond fired up. The green fell and it was on.
My plan was to move over and take the inside line. The ITS car next to me had an advantage of at least 40HP. Like I planned, he moved forward and I slid right. But as Rick said it never goes according to plan. I was only halfway over by the braking zone. Left tires on the racing line, right tires off. I went squirrely and almost lost it in T1. The black 2002 had me now. All my momentum was lost and he got me going out of T2. So I settled in. I was disappointed but it wasn’t over.
I stayed with him through T3 and the chute, and made up ground in the carrousel. Up the hill I was in his draft and his exit from T10 was not as fast as I expected. The beauty of racing against a 2002 is that it has one significant weakness; it makes a BIG hole in the air. I sucked up right behind him and was on his side just past the flag stand. A good entry into T1 and I had the lead.
For the next six laps (it was a 15 lap race) I was in the zone, or at least I tried to stay in the zone. 110% concentration, 110% nervous, 110% alive. My right leg was mashed to the floor but would not stop shaking. I repeated my mantras. “Drive a technical race, drive a technical race” “Concentration before competition” I found them a little soothing, but leading, for my first time, was like nothing I experienced before. It was electrifying and yet terrifying. I’d hit an apex almost perfect and stretch a little. He’d catch up in T3 and the chute. I’d gain a little with later braking going into T1 and T5.
On lap 7 either my exit from T10 was weak or he was 100% on his game. He drafted me down the straight, but I wasn’t worried. For some reason I was much calmer by this point. No less intense, but after 7 laps I knew I could do this, I could run with the pack. I had sized up the battle
The 2002 is about 230lbs lighter than a 924 so it has an edge in cornering and acceleration (they have around the same power). The 50/50 weight distribution and 4 wheel discs give the 924 better braking, and the better aerodynamics provide more top end speed. And the 2002 has that weakness…
I let him go by, I knew he wanted the lead bad and I counted on him making the classic mistake. He braked hard on the inside. I simply stayed on the line as he went wide and I was back in the lead. The classic “Over -Under”. He lost momentum and I was in the lead by about 5 lengths.
But this was not going to be easy and at the end of lap 9 he had another run me out of T10. Down the straight he rode in my wake then pulled out and went for the inside pass. I figured he’d make the same mistake again, so I let him try. It didn’t work out so well this time, he held the road and was only about 5 feet wide of the apex. The 2002 was ahead but I hadn’t lost any momentum and I was on his tail. The next time around I had the run out of T10 but he was guarding the inside. I tried for an outside pass, hoping he would out-brake himself, but I was the one who went off in the marbles. I went so slow reining it in I had to grab 2nd gear to get away again. I was now at least 3 sec behind.
The bit was in my teeth. Now was the time. I had almost thrown it away more than once but I knew I could go 10 years in racing and never have another chance like this. I was getting mentally and physically exhausted but there was no way I was going to quit. The car started starving in T8 as the fuel ran low costing precious tenths. I thought the tires were going, but I had just come to my limit. Giving it 10/10ths I pulled out a 1:30.8, almost five seconds under labor day weekend best.

By lap 13 I was back on his tail riding in his wake past the stand. He decided to stay on the line so I went for it, but managed to do just as he had, I completely out braked myself. After all that work and I was going 40mph and 2 seconds behind. I clawed back again.
I decided that I was going to make one more move to try to get this done. But which move? I thought about getting him into T1 but that had failed twice. Even if I did a better job there was a good chance we would come together.
I kept chipping away and with the “one to go” sign I was on his tail again. He went inside at T1, the classic defensive line. I stayed on the racing line keeping precious speed and getting closer. In T3 he stretched on me but I was on his tail going into T5. I stayed on his bumper through the carrousel, steering and counter-steering with my foot mashed to the floor. Even with the fuel starvation I was with him through T8.
Up the hill I was tucked behind him, right in his wake. This was it. Once chance for it all. One perfect corner. I braked a hair early for T10 and pushed down as hard as I could. I had the run on him, I had the speed and that 2002 was making that big hole in the air. I sucked up right behind him and at the end of the pits I pulled to the right. I was right beside him. I saw the line, I saw the flag. I had no idea who won.
This may sound ridiculous but at that very moment it was 100% irrelevant. I had just been through the most intense competitive experience in my life and as a person who is motivated by competition, who craves competition, who thrives on competition; I can only describe the feeling as one of the greatest highs I have ever known. I’m still on it 
I came in to the pits yelling “Who Won?!?!, Who Won?!?!” They were pointing at me, but I still didn’t know what to think.
Then someone reached in the window and handed me the flag.
The official margin of victory was .015 seconds.
After 15 laps at Summit Point, almost 30 miles of racing my car was ahead at the line by about 2 feet.
_________________
Hayes Lewis
1979 924 HP
1979 924 ITB/HP???
2007 Armada
2013 Hyundai Elantra
1972 MG Midget Vintage project
Unstable electrified three wheeled Bicycle truck


Last edited by hayeslewis on Thu Oct 11, 2012 7:13 am; edited 4 times in total
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924RACR  



Joined: 29 Jul 2001
Posts: 8794
Location: Royal Oak, MI, USA

PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

AWESOME!!! Congratulations, and a great write-up besides! Very very exciting, can't wait to see the race video!

I've had a few, very few, races that tight and that close. You'll remember this for many many years. Enjoy it.

I'm sure you also learned a few season's worth of racing technique in that one race! It's weird, isn't it, finally putting into practice all those maneuvers you keep seeing on Speed? It seems so easy and basic on TV, but trying to actually pull them off correctly takes so much more!

Good job...
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Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype
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Fifty50Plus  



Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Posts: 1353
Location: Washington DC area

PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There was a major disturbance in the Force ... (the Summit Point IT-B Force)
Congrats Hayes, you've given them something to ponder all winter!
Chuck
_________________
1979 924 NA race car
1982 924 NA race car - Sold
1982 924 Turbo almost a PoS
1981 924 Turbo a real PoS, new engine
1982 924 Turbo nice body, blown engine
1972 911 E race car - going to Vintage
Various 944s to become IT-S race car
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Ian89C4  



Joined: 01 Apr 2011
Posts: 561
Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats.

Can't wait until i get my car up to snuff when i get back....maybe see you at a race next year...we can have the 924 show

Can't wait for the video
_________________
Ian Edgerly
North Carolina

Current:
1981 924 SCCA/ChampCar Weissach Race Car ("Serenity")
1987 924S ChampCar Endurance Car ("Der Weg")
1980 924 Euro ("Wahala")
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emoore924  



Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 2815

PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Man, that was AWESOME!!! I was right there with you in my mind's eye through the whole race. And 1:30.8!! Holy moly that's way fast for a toofah. I remember when 34's and 35's were fast. Back when we had wooden wheels.
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skytrooper  



Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Posts: 461
Location: Canandaigua, NY

PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NICE !! WTG !!
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Matt

1987 - 924S "Black Pearl"
1982 - BMW 633CSi
1984 - BMW 528e
1983 - 944 N/A "Blue Max" (Gone)
1981 - 931 "Scarlet Harlot" (Gone)
1976 911S Targa (Gone)
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emoore924  



Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 2815

PostPosted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Har, the vid color commentary is a hoot!!
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