marshall_mosty
12-31-2013, 04:22 PM
Look at the AI and CMC times. We are easily 2 seconds faster today than 9 1/2 years ago... and boy, has our car count improved...
Weekend Racing Recap - 9-11 July 2004
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
July 26, 2004
NASA TEXAS AI/CMC Series Sparks Fly at Motorsport Ranch!!!
AI & CMC cars from all over Texas converged on the 1.7 mile road course called Motorsport Ranch just outside the Dallas/Ft. Worth area for the third time this NASA Texas racing season on the weekend of July 10 & 11. What started out to look like the unluckiest weekend of 2004 racing season proved to be the best Texas AI/CMC weekend to date!!!
MOTORSPORT RANCH WEEKEND RACE SUMMARY:
+ 4 AI/CMC sprint races toward championship points (20 minutes each)
+ 1 practice session and 2 qualifying sessions (15-20 minutes each)
+ 7 total race group sessions and well over 2 hours of track time!
+ 8 American Iron cars.
+ 3 CMC cars.
+ 2 Competition Licensing students working towards AI competition.
+ 1 Camaro
+ 12 Mustangs
+ 4 Pole Position qualifiers – Wayne Manor (AI)…John George (AI)…Todd Covini (CMC)…Eric Varner Race #2 (CMC)
+ 5 winners for the weekend - John George (AI)...Wayne Manor 2X (AI)…Mike Bell (AI)…Todd Covini (CMC)…Eric Varner (CMC)
+ 1 track record fell (CMC- 3 times)!
+ 2 F-body fires (No. They weren’t Firebirds!)
+ Minimal mechanicals and no attrition for the racing weekend with only an ignition problem, a starter problem, a bent exhaust system and some other minor issues.
+ Consistent top lap times were in the mid- 1:23s for AI and high 1:26s for CMC with Wayne Manor posting the fastest AI time ever at MSR during qualifying with a 1:22:66.
+ John George and Wayne Manor raced door to door in multiple AI races that backup means had to be utilized to determine the winner most of the weekend. Eric Varner was the CMC car to beat all weekend posting 3 CMC wins and a pole position.
+ Safe, fun weekend with no body damage, no driver infractions and no issues.
FREAKY FRIDAY SCHEDULE brought some of the “UN-Happiest” events for a lot of people simply trying to make their way to the track for “Happy Hour” practice and preparing for the weekend’s racing action.
1) American Iron’s point leader John George wrestled with a complete rewiring project on his 5.0 RESTO Mustang with Chad White’s assistance only to find it not running properly on Friday morning. A last minute call to internet personality Lewis Tanner hooked the JG Mustang up with a Painless wiring kit which would not be completely installed until 2AM on race day.
2) AI’s Marshall Mosty brought his newly painted AI Mustang out to test while his brother Michael Mosty ran his Trans Am during Happy Hour until a hydraulic clutch fire ruined his day and his car.
3) AI’s Robert King ran a backup car in practice until his AI project Mustang and tow truck get completed only to have a tire go down on his Audi daily driver.
4) AI’s David Donovan got 30 minutes away from his home with race car in tow only to have the transmission on his tow vehicle start giving out and “bleeding” all over the road. Some last minute phone calls and an extremely supportive wife eventually got him into a rental truck and out to the track.
5) CMC’s Todd Covini had Friday nite engagements which lasted longer than anticipated. Loading the racecar at midnight and departing Houston at 4 AM, the 300+ mile trek was completed in time for the driver’s meeting Saturday morning.
6) HPDE/Licensing school student Robert Casas, with his bright orange Bondurant Mustang, got into a minor fender-bender while in transit to MSR. After the incident, a fellow racer stopped to lend assistance, and reminded Robert to check his tie-downs….and discovered his car had come loose! Fortunately, he re-tied the car down, and continued onto MSR without further incident.
SATURDAY MORNING'S PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING SESSIONS brought some clear and sunny weather conditions. Again, many wondered if the AI & CMC track records set by John George and Todd Covini in March would fall this weekend. The new NASA Texas Race Director Clifton Winkleman introduced himself and set the weekend expectations for a fun and safe weekend. Immediately following the mandatory driver's meeting at 0830, the AI & CMC racecars rolled out onto grid at 9 AM for their practice session.
During the qualifying session later that morning, Wayne Manor’s Mustang ended up with the AI Pole position posting the fastest AI time to date for MSR with a 1:22.660. Also beating his own track record during this qualifying session, John George cut a 1:23:268. Richard Pedersen’s 3 Dog Racing Mustang qualified fractions of a second from pole position with a 1:23:954 for his fastest AI lap time to date! Among the other AI competitors, Chris Lyons brought out his new Championship AI Mustang prepared by Maximum Motorsports for the first time in competition. Chris cut a 1:27:187 and steadily improved on that for the remainder of the weekend. Robert Carr’s ex-A-Sedan Camaro qualified within a half second of that in his first MSR experience.
In CMC, Pole Position was a draw!!! Todd Covini and Eric Varner BOTH posted 1:26:890 lap times. Only until after Race #1 and another decimal place could it be determined that Covini’s Mobil 1 Mustang won the Pole Position by a thousandth of a second!!! Adam Ginsberg missed the qualifying session and would start Race #1 from the back of the pack.
SATURDAY’S LUNCH AND MID-SEASON SERIES REVIEW was conducted in the John George trailer. A new tradition in Texas AI/CMC racing was started with our group BBQ/luncheon being held with plenty of food shared with everyone in the AI/CMC paddock. Many thanks to Sylvia Manor for coordinating the BBQ and food activities!!!
In addition to getting to know everyone in the series and add to the camaraderie, Series Director Todd Covini took this time to recap where Texas AI/CMC racing has been and where the series is going this year and beyond. 3 Major topics were discussed. 1) This weekend’s AI/CMC racing and clarifications for the many first-timers 2) The 2004 AI/CMC Season and 3) The rulebook including an overview of the NASA organization.
A few of the important outcomes of this mid-season review were to ensure everyone understands of:
a) Best 15 races would count toward the championship despite a discussion surrounding the given # of races per weekend, the # of races per season and the intent to only drop 1 weekend’s worth of racing. It was agreed that a % of races may be a better way to work it next year.
b) Difference between NASA directors and Series directors. NASA directors steward the NASA rules. Series directors steward the series rules with an effort to grow and guide the series. NASA rules will be enforced by NASA officials…Series rules will be enforced by Series officials. Driver conduct and any on-track infractions will be dealt with by NASA.
c) Tech inspections, post race impound and rules enforcement needs to step up. With a record high entry list of American Iron racers in Texas present at the track, it was obvious to all that we need to enforce the rules better to ensure a level playing field. Discussion of sealing hoods, computers and requesting dyno recertifications took place.
Weekend Racing Recap - 9-11 July 2004
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
July 26, 2004
NASA TEXAS AI/CMC Series Sparks Fly at Motorsport Ranch!!!
AI & CMC cars from all over Texas converged on the 1.7 mile road course called Motorsport Ranch just outside the Dallas/Ft. Worth area for the third time this NASA Texas racing season on the weekend of July 10 & 11. What started out to look like the unluckiest weekend of 2004 racing season proved to be the best Texas AI/CMC weekend to date!!!
MOTORSPORT RANCH WEEKEND RACE SUMMARY:
+ 4 AI/CMC sprint races toward championship points (20 minutes each)
+ 1 practice session and 2 qualifying sessions (15-20 minutes each)
+ 7 total race group sessions and well over 2 hours of track time!
+ 8 American Iron cars.
+ 3 CMC cars.
+ 2 Competition Licensing students working towards AI competition.
+ 1 Camaro
+ 12 Mustangs
+ 4 Pole Position qualifiers – Wayne Manor (AI)…John George (AI)…Todd Covini (CMC)…Eric Varner Race #2 (CMC)
+ 5 winners for the weekend - John George (AI)...Wayne Manor 2X (AI)…Mike Bell (AI)…Todd Covini (CMC)…Eric Varner (CMC)
+ 1 track record fell (CMC- 3 times)!
+ 2 F-body fires (No. They weren’t Firebirds!)
+ Minimal mechanicals and no attrition for the racing weekend with only an ignition problem, a starter problem, a bent exhaust system and some other minor issues.
+ Consistent top lap times were in the mid- 1:23s for AI and high 1:26s for CMC with Wayne Manor posting the fastest AI time ever at MSR during qualifying with a 1:22:66.
+ John George and Wayne Manor raced door to door in multiple AI races that backup means had to be utilized to determine the winner most of the weekend. Eric Varner was the CMC car to beat all weekend posting 3 CMC wins and a pole position.
+ Safe, fun weekend with no body damage, no driver infractions and no issues.
FREAKY FRIDAY SCHEDULE brought some of the “UN-Happiest” events for a lot of people simply trying to make their way to the track for “Happy Hour” practice and preparing for the weekend’s racing action.
1) American Iron’s point leader John George wrestled with a complete rewiring project on his 5.0 RESTO Mustang with Chad White’s assistance only to find it not running properly on Friday morning. A last minute call to internet personality Lewis Tanner hooked the JG Mustang up with a Painless wiring kit which would not be completely installed until 2AM on race day.
2) AI’s Marshall Mosty brought his newly painted AI Mustang out to test while his brother Michael Mosty ran his Trans Am during Happy Hour until a hydraulic clutch fire ruined his day and his car.
3) AI’s Robert King ran a backup car in practice until his AI project Mustang and tow truck get completed only to have a tire go down on his Audi daily driver.
4) AI’s David Donovan got 30 minutes away from his home with race car in tow only to have the transmission on his tow vehicle start giving out and “bleeding” all over the road. Some last minute phone calls and an extremely supportive wife eventually got him into a rental truck and out to the track.
5) CMC’s Todd Covini had Friday nite engagements which lasted longer than anticipated. Loading the racecar at midnight and departing Houston at 4 AM, the 300+ mile trek was completed in time for the driver’s meeting Saturday morning.
6) HPDE/Licensing school student Robert Casas, with his bright orange Bondurant Mustang, got into a minor fender-bender while in transit to MSR. After the incident, a fellow racer stopped to lend assistance, and reminded Robert to check his tie-downs….and discovered his car had come loose! Fortunately, he re-tied the car down, and continued onto MSR without further incident.
SATURDAY MORNING'S PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING SESSIONS brought some clear and sunny weather conditions. Again, many wondered if the AI & CMC track records set by John George and Todd Covini in March would fall this weekend. The new NASA Texas Race Director Clifton Winkleman introduced himself and set the weekend expectations for a fun and safe weekend. Immediately following the mandatory driver's meeting at 0830, the AI & CMC racecars rolled out onto grid at 9 AM for their practice session.
During the qualifying session later that morning, Wayne Manor’s Mustang ended up with the AI Pole position posting the fastest AI time to date for MSR with a 1:22.660. Also beating his own track record during this qualifying session, John George cut a 1:23:268. Richard Pedersen’s 3 Dog Racing Mustang qualified fractions of a second from pole position with a 1:23:954 for his fastest AI lap time to date! Among the other AI competitors, Chris Lyons brought out his new Championship AI Mustang prepared by Maximum Motorsports for the first time in competition. Chris cut a 1:27:187 and steadily improved on that for the remainder of the weekend. Robert Carr’s ex-A-Sedan Camaro qualified within a half second of that in his first MSR experience.
In CMC, Pole Position was a draw!!! Todd Covini and Eric Varner BOTH posted 1:26:890 lap times. Only until after Race #1 and another decimal place could it be determined that Covini’s Mobil 1 Mustang won the Pole Position by a thousandth of a second!!! Adam Ginsberg missed the qualifying session and would start Race #1 from the back of the pack.
SATURDAY’S LUNCH AND MID-SEASON SERIES REVIEW was conducted in the John George trailer. A new tradition in Texas AI/CMC racing was started with our group BBQ/luncheon being held with plenty of food shared with everyone in the AI/CMC paddock. Many thanks to Sylvia Manor for coordinating the BBQ and food activities!!!
In addition to getting to know everyone in the series and add to the camaraderie, Series Director Todd Covini took this time to recap where Texas AI/CMC racing has been and where the series is going this year and beyond. 3 Major topics were discussed. 1) This weekend’s AI/CMC racing and clarifications for the many first-timers 2) The 2004 AI/CMC Season and 3) The rulebook including an overview of the NASA organization.
A few of the important outcomes of this mid-season review were to ensure everyone understands of:
a) Best 15 races would count toward the championship despite a discussion surrounding the given # of races per weekend, the # of races per season and the intent to only drop 1 weekend’s worth of racing. It was agreed that a % of races may be a better way to work it next year.
b) Difference between NASA directors and Series directors. NASA directors steward the NASA rules. Series directors steward the series rules with an effort to grow and guide the series. NASA rules will be enforced by NASA officials…Series rules will be enforced by Series officials. Driver conduct and any on-track infractions will be dealt with by NASA.
c) Tech inspections, post race impound and rules enforcement needs to step up. With a record high entry list of American Iron racers in Texas present at the track, it was obvious to all that we need to enforce the rules better to ensure a level playing field. Discussion of sealing hoods, computers and requesting dyno recertifications took place.