2007 National Championship Report – Donovan Racing – by David Donovan
Racing is full of highs and lows… this past week I experienced my own set of highest of highs and the lowest of lows in my four short years of racing.
The trip to Mid-Ohio was generally uneventful except for the straps on the racecar coming loose half way there… the car was still on the trailer, but there is no telling how much longer it would have stayed on the trailer, thankfully we needed refuel RV often as the V10 was only getting ~6.5 mpg and we were checking the trailer tires and straps at each fuel stop.
Once we arrived we unloaded and claimed the AI/CMC Texas land in the upper paddock.
Slowly the paddock filled and we started seeing familiar faces and meeting tons of great people. The first few days were spent meeting racers, old friends and making new friends. Slowly I worked into race mode and had my first practice on Wednesday afternoon. I have never run at Mid-Ohio so my first session was mainly a scouting trip.
From the start of the weekend I was having braking fade issues and overheating.
With the help of Neill Gathings and fellow Texas racer Richard Pedersen we corrected the overheating issue by venting the hood and ducting air thru the radiator with lots of aluminum tape!
After a few sessions on track I noticed that after about 10 minutes of hot laps I was getting some slight brake fade and a spongy brake pedal toward the end of my sessions.
The braking issue was thought to be resolved by changing from Valvoline fluid to ATE Super Blue and adding brake ducts.
Q1 – 6th
QR1 – finished 6th
Q2 – 4th
QR2 – finished 10th
The qualifying races were fun and full of experience gathering for the final National Championship race, in QR2 I started 4th, but at the second turn I accidentally hit the ignition switch and killed the engine, once I figured out was happened, I was DFL (last)… I made a charge and finished 12th, but with two cars being DQ’d I was pushed up to 10th.
National Championship Race:
I started the race in P7, at the green I was able to slide into 4th pace heading into the first turn… I tucked in and began running a comfortable pace while keeping at eye on 3rd and 5th behind me. Matt Ericson was behind me and did everything he could to fill my mirrors, but I was ready and ran my own race. Watching the three guys up front was awesome, when Mark Luna began pumping out smoke like he was spraying for mosquitoes he was forced to pull into the pits on lap two (I really hated to see Mark have to pull out of the race, and was sick when I heard it was a PVC oil like), this pushed me up to third place. Jay Andrew (defending Champ) and Robin Burnet we running hard together and pushing there car to the limits… I decided to let them go and run my own pace hoping the race would come to me when they were done. Around lap 7 just as I had planned the race came to me, I was slowly catching up to Robin and Jay as they started to slow down and I was continuing my pace… I caught Robin and ran on his bumper for a couple laps, it appeared as his tires had fallen off the pace as he was sliding thru most of the turns and I was till sticking my car, tires were holding great. I made my move on lap 10 heading into T1, made the pass and started to tuck inline for second place… while setting the car for the turn the brake pedal got soft and before I could pump the pedal I ran out of track. I drove thru the gravel trap, missed the tire wall and proceeded back to the straight. I got the car safely back on the track behind 5th and 6th place runners; the 7th place car went by as I was heading into T2. I was still checking the car and making sure I was good to proceed, I began to apply the brake for T2 running about 7/10th just getting ready to get up to speed after the turn. When I pressed the brake pedal it went to the floor, I tried to pump the pedal, but it did not return, it stayed on the floor… at that moment I knew what the outcome was going to be… TIRE WALL! I decided to not head straight into the tires and try to get into the gravel trap sideway to slow the car as much as possible, contacting the tire was sideway seemed like a better option with the one second I had to decide.
I am bummed that I was not able to finish the race, or hold on to my second place spot… but that is racing, and you have to take what you get.
I’m very pleased with my performance and I know where I stand with all the national competitors. I was able to run upfront with some awesome and well respected drivers and in the top 10 all weekend, and in the top 3 for the National race... well, for most of it...!
I want to thank:
Todd Covini
Corey Rueth
Richard Pedersen
Neill Gathings - Fulcum Motorspors
Brian Kennedy - Dyno Dynamics
Argent Labs
All of the Texas Region guys!!!!
And of course, my awesome wife Holly!
Mitch and Glenn, thanks for all the use of the tools and air throughout the weekend!
Thanks to everyone for a great weekend!
David Donovan
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Originally Posted by donovan
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