Connecticut Autocross and Rally Team # 2 Mother Nature Kisses and Makes Up
The last time CART visited the Pocono Mountains, the weather was steady. Steady rain, steady wind, and steady overcast, a good day to retire to the lounge and nurse a grudge against the smiling weather guesser on the tube. Our Pocono South Course Excursion was also steady: steady sunshine, steady breeze and steady smiles on the faces of the competitors as they came off the track. Our South Course event always has a surplus of quality track time, and this event was no exception.
If you want wide open action, you have to run the South Course. Half the course is the banked first turn for NASCAR. How fast do you want to go? How steady are your nerves? How brave is your right foot? This place gives you the answers. After seeing how far you can bury the tach and speedo, you take a flying left turn into the infield to the two slowest turns on the track: the tight ninety degree left hander followed by the incredibly long right hand hairpin. You go from top speed to max braking to heavy steering action. A great combo when it works, agony when it doesn’t.
The track gates opened at 7:00 and a steady stream of vehicles entered the course and headed for the garages. The new, annual technical inspection procedure for cars that register for multiple events kept the tech line short. Since several of us decided to make this event a mini-vacation, our wives were available to help with registration and event t-shirt distribution. Thanks for the help ladies, and don’t forget the casino winnings go to support the tire budget! A novice ride around was handled by Paul Omichinski, the driver’s meeting moved quickly, and by 9:15 it was time to hit the circuit.
It was an eclectic group of vehicles. We ranged from bone stock Neon’s and Miata’s to a retired Ferrari Challenge car. Even with the great speed differential, we were able to maximize track time and keep everyone safe. Once again, we used the great crew of flaggers from the PA Posse, and the competitors were able to enjoy more time than they could handle. The pit lane was filled with enthusiastic driver’s bench racing. By mid-morning, everyone had found someone of similar speed to go out and run with, and enjoy the thrill of close, fun competition.
After a break for lunch, the track re-opened until the time trial. Paul Omichinski hijacked my car to give some of the ladies a ride around the track. They were having so much fun; I had to black flag him to get the car back. Fair is fair, he took the keys to his car!
Twenty eight drivers challenged the clock. A Mod had the largest spread between cars, with a 6.58 second spread between first and fourth. Bob Boucher won in his Diasio 962 replica, beating Todd Doiron’s Fiero. Todd had a rough day: his tow vehicle was hit in the hotel parking lot; his normal ride bent a rim and finally had the clutch linkage fail. We don’t have a “tough luck” award, but if we did, Todd had enough points to win handily. The A Stock grudge match was won by Jerry Jones’ Subaru beating Gabe Pettner’s EVO.
The big buck class, ASP was won by Bob Principe’s Ferrari 330 over Bill Farrell’s Porsche GT3. These two drivers had a great battle going all day long. You never saw one car without the other glued to its back bumper. BP was the closest class with Patrick McMahon’s Mustang beating Nick Fandacone’s Nissan by .341 second. Nick tried so hard he took his tires down to the cords, and had to miss the team relay event. CSP was the biggest class with seven cars. It just gave Paul Omichinski more people to beat. Adam Nogiec got revenge on his dad, Bob, so now we have senior abuse to deal with. Positions 2 – 6 were separated by a hair over one second.
Chip Rutan’s flying Integra took EP over the Fiero twins, Jay Bode and Bob Doiron. Jay and Bob were close, but Chip just checked out. Jim Duphiney’s Miata was sandwiched between the Neon’s of Joe Rathbun and Mike Dewey in ES. Joe won the class by two seconds. Finally, the Mustang battle in ESP was won by Bill Dwinells over Justin Weinstein.
It’s Pocono, so of course we had a Team Relay event. The event consists of 5 car teams, running 5 laps, handicapped by their time trial times. In theory, the last car from each team should end up at the finish line at the same time. In reality, it’s a win for the most consistent team that had five people who can count to five while driving their wheels off. When the smoke cleared, it was Team Porsche for the win over Team Fiero. We’ll have to see if Team Mixed Nuts can come back at the August event and retain the Bill Evans Team Relay Trophy.
We’ll back in the mountains on August 29 for a North Course event, and then we wind up the track season with Circuits Maximus on September 29. Want to go fast? Join us a Pocono!
