Hallett Recap - 2019

[BryanL]

Great writeup, driving, and setting up. Really cool that you chronicle all the changes you made to share with everyone. My apologies for the minor body contact-though getting your tail light back and winning makes me feel better. I share your frustration with the AI car after he forced me four wheels off when I was in second place but mistakes happen though and an apology would have been nice.

Lots of hard work paid off! Pretty cool the car has been a winner with a stiff pm3l and a soft 4 link. Tells me I need to try some different springs/swaybars.

Interesting that you picked up a second with a new set of tires over a set with only one race at COTA.

[ShadowBolt]

The 55 would not turn left running the PM3L. Pushed really bad. It takes a little getting used to but not running a panhard bar feels much better....at least on the 55.

Great job Sook. We left with engine issues (everyone saw that) and I just assumed Michael had won. Wish I had seen the finish.

JJ

[Supercharged111]

I share your frustration with the AI car after he forced me four wheels off when I was in second place but mistakes happen though and an apology would have been nice.

We harp on out of class racing EVERY YEAR and what happens EVERY YEAR? Some douche pulls the same stunt in a different car. Last year it was that dude that chopped Gary in T10, in non Hallett events it's ALWAYS someone (Legends anyone?). I feel that there should be consequences even if it's a local policy for you TX folk. Who am I to complain? He screwed you Brian and I benefitted, but it's still bullshit and it's bullshit that it kept on into the final. I hope he reads this post because he was absolutely out of control and driving like a total inconsiderate asshat. What was he trying to preserve?

[Al Fernandez]

Congrats Josh!!! Very well deserved win and great driving all weekend long.

[64GunPilot]

We harp on out of class racing EVERY YEAR and what happens EVERY YEAR? Some douche pulls the same stunt in a different car. Last year it was that dude that chopped Gary in T10, in non Hallett events it's ALWAYS someone (Legends anyone?). I feel that there should be consequences even if it's a local policy for you TX folk. Who am I to complain? He screwed you Brian and I benefitted, but it's still bullshit and it's bullshit that it kept on into the final. I hope he reads this post because he was absolutely out of control and driving like a total inconsiderate asshat. What was he trying to preserve?

Congrats Josh! Was a great experience to watch from the grand stands. My 1st time to ever watch a CMC race and it was spectacular. Something to note: My 1st time to watch a race, and I was also pissed off at the AI car slowing other out of class cars down. Poor sportsmanship. Jander's contact with him should have spurred further warnings from higher up.

But in the end, the AI car didnt ruin the race. Great fun watching all the CMC group. I learned a ton this weekend watching you all, and getting some seat time in.

CONGRATS JOSH! Ride the high.

[BryanL]

I enjoy reading the recaps especially if I didn't make the race so here is mine-which pales to Josh's. I could sum mine up came, raced, drank, ate, and had too much fun.

Made it in Thursday about 10:00 so the rain had stopped to get settled in and then hang out with the smoky toters and keep Randy's wife up till about 2. Checked out Al's new LS swap and some comments were made about various items which may or may not have been accurate? Mildly entertained by the new chicken song at 7am. Friday was spent checking a few odds/ends on my car specifically my annual Hallett set the toe chore. Helping a few people with their car-or just reiterating to Al the reasons why his power steering fluid was cooking. Of course another great evening in the pits.

Saturday the new chicken song had me fired up to check air pressures and make the 8am warmup. I brought my seasoned set of tires from 2017 that I ran at Hallett and COTA nationals last year so I was pretty shocked to qually 4th. Prepping for R1 I figured the key to staying up front would be getting around an AI car with similar lap times but likely difficult to pass with more PAH. The plan worked perfect to follow Michael especially since Jander started in 2nd gear so I'm pumped heading into T1 in 2nd place going inside of the AI car. However on track out I see an all too familiar tank slapper starting from said AI car which ultimately forces me to go all 4 off and let several cars by.

Now maybe I was driving angry or trying to listen to Jerry in my head tell me how Eric Foss takes a corner which upsets the car or two tires dropped but I end up spinning and popping Sook (sorry) who was passing me from behind-Thanks to everyone else who avoided me. R1 ended late in the race when I lost my power steering which ended up being a broken serpentine belt and the only issue the car had all weekend. The rest was just gas/oil and checking over things which is pretty typical.

R2 I started near the front maybe in third and I stayed there the whole race. Then I realized why I don't like finishing up top because I had to go to impound instead of heading to the cool trailer for a gatorade.

Ate way too much BBQ from OIF which was awesome and great to see everyone with huge smiles on their face. Even Sook yells at me and holds up the taillight I knocked off in R1 that a corner worker brought him! That's why Hallett is special. Made me feel less bad but I'm still giving him my Toyo bucks from R1 for hitting him along with hopefully not buying anymore RR's in the future, and following Chris McCombs.

Slip and Flip was awesome to watch. Kudo's to Records in his American Flag onezie and for Cody having the balls to pull off Randy "Macho Man" Savage!

R3 rained out gave me a chance to clean up the trailer after Jander trashed it which was uncalled for since I don't think I complained about tires much this weekend.

R4- wasn't too optimistic about my tires on a 40 min race and just wanted to be smooth hopefully staying close enough to the pack to have fun. Maybe drove a little too easy on the first lap or two but settled into a rhythm staying about the same distance from a pack of CMC cars in front of me and tried to keep the Dancing Indian from passing me which I did for about 30 minutes until some cars passing us gave me a bobble in T1 allowing Pranav to get a run as he was better under braking into bus stop.

Congrats to Dustin for winning the Camaro part of Mustang Challenge.

Also want to point out that we had 3 CMC Guys in DE who are ready to get their license and start running with Thunder-Welcome to the Jungle.

Happy to have raced and drive the car into the trailer. The drive back was enjoyable riding the high until 10 miles from home a trailer tire had a tread separation on a two lane road.

Had a great time with everyone and thanks to the RM guys for making the haul down as it wouldn't be the same without you guys joining the fun. Thanks again OIF, too!

[Supercharged111]

Something to note: My 1st time to watch a race, and I was also pissed off at the AI car slowing other out of class cars down. Poor sportsmanship. Jander's contact with him should have spurred further warnings from higher up.

But in the end, the AI car didnt ruin the race. Great fun watching all the CMC group. I learned a ton this weekend watching you all, and getting some seat time in.

We don't know he didn't ruin a race, maybe Jander had something for Sook? Based on raw pace, maybe not, but racing is more than just raw pace. The fact is out of class racing has ruined many races in the past, and while it is part of racing it's terrible sportsmanship and a terrible way to earn a reputation. Just look at the guy in Jander's video. As Josh said, not cool bro. Congrats to Josh though on an outstanding run, I made sure to let Bryan Curtis know of his nemisis' demise on the last lap as he's probably still a little bitter about last year.

Also Josh, how about a sweet highlight vid of the final?

[RichardP]

Interesting that you picked up a second with a new set of tires over a set with only one race at COTA.

I'm clearly keen on changing the tire situation but that is a very deceptive characterization of the data. In addition to the weather and track condition variables, Josh and I made many changes to the suspension during the weekend that made him much more competitive. A better comparison for tire degradation would be Michael and Kevin. In the championship race, both of them had best laps two tenths of a second off of their Saturday qualifying times. Again, we have multiple variables like temperature and the difference between a short qual session and a long race. After the Sunday morning rain storm, Tulsa weather history shows that it was about 5 degrees cooler for the race. What's the real time difference for the tires after corrections? Don't know. Would the outcome of the race been different without fresh tires? Hard to say. I know Josh doesn't regret putting on a fresh set for the championship race. Clearly, tires had no effect on the outcome of the AI race. For the brutally tight CMC race, there is some possibility that fresh tires were good for about 6"...


Richard P.

[BryanL]

I'm clearly keen on changing the tire situation but that is a very deceptive characterization of the data. In addition to the weather and track condition variables, Josh and I made many changes to the suspension during the weekend that made him much more competitive. A better comparison for tire degradation would be Michael and Kevin. In the championship race, both of them had best laps two tenths of a second off of their Saturday qualifying times. Again, we have multiple variables like temperature and the difference between a short qual session and a long race. After the Sunday morning rain storm, Tulsa weather history shows that it was about 5 degrees cooler for the race. What's the real time difference for the tires after corrections? Don't know. Would the outcome of the race been different without fresh tires? Hard to say. I know Josh doesn't regret putting on a fresh set for the championship race. Clearly, tires had no effect on the outcome of the AI race. For the brutally tight CMC race, there is some possibility that fresh tires were good for about 6"...


Richard P.

Cody thinks that's clearly a good 12"!!!

Of course I'm making a gross characterization of the data I'm just glad someone picked up on it. When I read the writeup it didn't sound like there were any changes made between R2 and the final other than new tires is the reason for the comment.

So we can speculate on what we don't know or I can state facts that Josh was .848 quicker in the champ race with new tires than any other lap he ran on Saturday with no changes mentioned. (and Sook started Saturday with a set that had one heat cycle on them from Cota if I understood correctly?

Conversely, Michael and Kevin who you brought up were both slower on Sunday. Also slower on Sunday was: Jander, Mozader, Martin, Records, Patel, Leinart, Sanchez, Fernandez.

[Pranav]

Hey!

I was only slower on Sunday because I was stuck behind you for most of the race.

My fastest lap was my last lap of the championship race