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rpoz27
04-21-2008, 11:27 AM
Martin's write-up on the enduro-

"After 4 hours, at the checker, the three GTS3 cars in ES were 8 seconds apart for 2,3,4 in class.

Team Super Best Friends (Me, Misty, Jake Hennig, and Jacy Legault) pretty much figured we were done before we started because we were going to have to make at least one additional stop than the other guys in class.

I did the start from 3rd and got a good leave in a sweet spot in second gear and dropped to the apron to keep some higher HP cars behind me going into the first turn, which also trapped Riley (driving Team FMJ's car) behind them. The guy on pole was in some stupid fast ESR class car and was gone, leaving me in 2nd with open track ahead and behind for half my stint, so I pushed it a bit and got up to about a 30 sec lead over Team FMJ before I had to pit. Misty and Jake did fantastic stints and conserved the tires.

We ended up doing 3 driver changes and 4 fuel stops, the last one being just a quick 5 gallon squirt and go. Near the end, we figured out that with the penalties Team FMJ suffered for fuel spills and one for the other GTS car, we had gained the lead, and Jacy managed to hold Team FMJ off with some beautifully nasty driving and ended up ahead by less than a car length at the checker, with the next guy in class about 8 seconds behind him.

It totally rocked for us, since we figured we didn't have a shot at Team FMJ, and had it not been for the penalties, the FMJ's would have had a damn good shot at the overall win. DD's car is seriously quick and that mofo can drive."

The race between us and Team FMJ at the end was probably the best I've ever seen. Jacy came down the front straight and Team FMJ was in the pits fueling. They got their car out almost soon enough, but Jacy's entry into 1 was flawless and he tucked in front. It was at that point that I realized we were second in class and told our radio man to inform Jacy that the last 2 laps were for position and to forget about conserving tires. Just DON'T let Team FMJ pass. The difference at the checker was .17 of a second and we were going nuts in the pits for the whole last lap. Even the officials and the crews around us were cheering Jacy at the end. BTW, this was Jacy's second race ever. He was signed off at Cresson and ran his first race on Saturday at TWS in Martin's car. He was our rookie Stig. The man is blazing fast and consistent.

Used 50 gallons of gas and 1 set of Hoosiers (probably could have used a tire change for the last stint, but no cords were actually showing yet).

Y'all don't know most of them, but I have to thank all our crew. We were planning on crewing for ourselves with lots of help from Sam Crumpaker (thanks for the fire suit loan, Todd!), but in the 40 minute race another GTS 3 car and I were side by side in turn 14 when his upper spindle mount broke and he slammed into me (in the BMW) broadside. They decided to forgo trying to fix it at the track and skip the enduro and ended up crewing for us. So thanks to Matt Groner for excellent radio work and crew chief duties. Thank you to Chet for amazing logging and fuel usage calculations. I had only met Chet twice before an didn't know this, but he used to run pro race teams. Without him we would have been completely lost. Thanks to Jonathan Backof (A&M student and sometimes corner worker for TWS) for doing timing and intervals, and handing things over the wall. And of course, thanks to Sam for doing anything and everything that needed to be done.

We went into this as a lark and an opportunity to drive a lot. We didn't prep except to get our 15 gallon fueling rig and cart, and put fresh brakes, rotors, and tires on the car. We ended up 8th overall and 2nd in class at the last possible second and had a fantastic time time getting there.

Todd Covini
04-21-2008, 09:55 PM
Congrats Guys!
Great drive and very cool to see the collective effort come together!

-=- Todd

PS- Glad to see that old "Medium" sized driving suit being put to good use. Lord knows I'll never get back into it!!!

Al Fernandez
04-21-2008, 10:18 PM
Holy smokes, we finished ahead of our next car by 14 seconds and I thought after 4hrs that was tight, but nose to tail?? :lol: That is awesome.

Waco Racer
04-22-2008, 09:07 AM
Nose to Tail? nope It was door to door!

hi ofcr cobra
04-23-2008, 05:43 PM
That was absolutely the most fun I've ever had! Especially the last few laps... Coolest feeling EVER --> seeing our car powering out of 15 and onto the front strait with our rival trailing inches behind!

Misty, Martin, Jake & Jacy, thanks for the invitation to Team Super Best Friends!

Todd, thanks again for the "medium" loaner suit! :wink:


Maybe one day I'll get my car together and experience the fun from the driver's seat instead of the sideline.

David Love AI27
04-24-2008, 12:41 AM
That was absolutely the most fun I've ever had! Especially the last few laps... Coolest feeling EVER --> seeing our car powering out of 15 and onto the front strait with our rival trailing inches behind!

Misty, Martin, Jake & Jacy, thanks for the invitation to Team Super Best Friends!

Todd, thanks again for the "medium" loaner suit! :wink:


Maybe one day I'll get my car together and experience the fun from the driver's seat instead of the sideline.

I have to chime in... Sam and Darcie are a great addition to NASATX... they work very hard and are going to be missed when they become driversinstead of track support... take some time to look at their love for our series with their hard work including great photos... what a great young couple too bad they are blue oval guys with a super nice Cobra, Focus and Fox body CMC car...

Todd Covini
04-24-2008, 01:40 PM
....they are blue oval guys with a super nice Cobra, Focus and Fox body CMC car...

It doesn't get any better than that!!! 8)