You peeked!
We took the points lead at the Nashville Superspeedway races on Labor Day weekend by 4 points and had to finish ahead of or directly behind driver John Wright at the double-points champoinship race at Savannah's Roebling Road last weekend. Below is the race report as submitted to our SCCA website.
I told all the Caracal D drivers that the only guy I was racing was John Wright and that I wouldn't be doing anything foolish, just riding in the draft.
The qualifying was a mess. My strategy was to get in line early for the 20 minute session and hook up with the D cars, but after 2 laps of waiting for them, I figured I'd better get a hot lap in. I didn't see anything, but about that time one Ford pirouetted over the top of another after touching wheels in turn 5. He's okay, but it ripped off all 4 corners and brought out a black flag. When they let us back out after parading the destroyed car past us in pit road we hadn't learned yet, as (again, far away from me) a Vee spun at the entrance to 2, rolled backwards, and into another Vee trying to pass behind him. The impact pulled the axle tube out of the transaxle case and broke the 1-inch solid steel axle in two. There was also a Vee off in 5. Meanwhile I was being held up by an F5 who at least gave me some drafting help. So after 3 more laps they waved the checker on our forty minute long 20 minute qualifying session.
So for the grid I had the least worst lap, a 1:23, with F5s to the outside and behind me and Wright on the outside of the next lane. Three of the D cars were also within a second behind on the grid. I spoke with the two F5 drivers and agreed I'd defend the inside, let the F5 behind go by, and they would let us go if they were holding them up. I told the young driver to my outside to hang back a little from the Fords and stay with me, in case they checked up.
At the start, the Fords took off out of 7 and I hammered it from about 4 lengths back. Sure enough, they checked up and I stayed in it hoping for the green. It waved just as I had to dive right to keep from hitting the Ford in front of me. I passed both Fords and left the F5s behind me going into one. Not the original plan, I thought, but I'd take it. They all went by me next time on the next straight and I was alone for another lap or two before the pack of D cars ran me down. Misty was giving great updates on the radio and I knew Wright had latched onto the back of them in 5th. The Ds drafted by and I latched onto 4th in the draft ahead of Wright. The next several laps were the same with us in a tight draft and Wright somehow keeping up from about 10 lengths behind. Must be some engine in that car! About this time the Fords caught us and We lost time as they went by. This put John on my tail and showing me his nose in every corner. He caught a break on lap 11 and got all the way up to third with me in fifth. On the next lap, a D car (Russ Stalvey) and I drafted by on the straight. Well, Stalvey got by and back into the draft, and I was hung out on Wright's inside going into 1. We were side-by-side through 1,2,3 and I had the inside into 4. I pulled ahead and as I hit my apex I felt/heard a smack on my left rear. Wright had tattooed my hub with his right front and skittered to the outside of the turn. I thought that would be it, but in another lap he caught our 4-car draft (again, who's his engine builder?!) and tried to slingshot me on the way to the checker. He made it to my back wheel when we crossed the line. Since it was for fourth, it wouldn't have gotten him enough points to catch me, but you don't want to win by losing, do you?
I feel much lighter today! Those last couple of weekends were getting to be almost like work! Thanks for the support and help of the Volksfolks! Thanks to Village VW for their help and sponsorship!
Special thanks to the Godfather for help on the transaxle, good advice, and speedy vibes for the weekend!
